Few Observations About Beijing

My first impression about Beijing was WOW. Four lane roads, sky scrapers everywhere and fog. Only after a day, I realized its smog and not fog. Four days later, I realized Beijing outskirts is extremely dirty with waste spilling on the roadside and there's poverty.

It is SMOKE capital.. there's smoke everywhere. The city has smog and people smoke indiscriminately everywhere though there's "no smoking" sign everywhere. I think I've become a passive smoker in the few days I've been here.

Things are not cheap.. China is undergoing the same dramatic change in living standards/prices as India is. People dont mind spending $100 on a clothing set. There are few things that are still cheap.. public transportation is only 2RMB (from anywhere in beijing to anywhere). Pure chinese restaurants are reasonably priced. I could get a meal in the food court in the office building for 12RMB (but thats the only place where I found cheap food).

Almost all the cab drivers have been very fair. Everything is metered and you are given invoice. Even the shop owners in the famous silk market gave exact change and did not cheat once the bargain is closed. It is given one has to bargain everywhere even in high end shops.