| Beijing is a rather strange city to many western | | | | rush hours even more unpredictable, the drivers have |
| people. According to the Chinese lunar calender, they | | | | to drive slowly in order to have a clear view of the |
| have celebrated their spring festival a month ago. But | | | | road condition. Young students hate sand storms |
| in mid March, the city was still freezing cold. | | | | because whenever there is those storm, they were |
| My Chinese friend told me there is a secret that lies in | | | | not allowed to have any activities outside of the |
| people's appearance when spring comes. Well, that | | | | classroom. It is so boring to sit in the classroom all day |
| secret is the mask. One of the symbols of spring | | | | and the youngsters are so eager to go out and do |
| coming to Beijing is you start noticing more and more | | | | some stretch movement. |
| people start wearing masks. The reason of people | | | | Last day was the first severe sand storm this year in |
| wearing masks is the arrival of so called "sand storm." | | | | Beijing. I spend over 20 minutes clearing my car before |
| It is said that each year sand storm will hit Beijing 4 to | | | | hitting the road. |
| 5 times. The sand was brought to Beijing by wind from | | | | It is very interesting to see how local newspaper |
| western part of China. | | | | talking about the greening effort when there is the |
| The storm is so severe that you do not want to have | | | | sand storm on the way. One of the amazing things I |
| a conversation with your friend on the road. If you | | | | heard not long ago is the fact that the closest desert is |
| open your mouth, when you close it, you may have | | | | only 80 kilometers from the city center. There is |
| the raw taste of sand in your mouth. | | | | definitely much more for local government to deal with |
| People hate those storms. It made the traffic jam in | | | | their environment issues. |