Going home for Christmas....

I am going home for Christmas - back to Stuttgart Germany with Lufthansa via Munich... which is in Bavaria like 'New Swanstein' (Schloss Neu Schwanstein) here shown in winter wonderland by the German Embassy in Beijing. Happy Holidays!

Beijing: Mysterious Wrapping

Can you guess what's behind the wrapping?


And now? What's your guess?


The solution of the enigma:

Oh Tannenbaum !!

Chinese love trees. They built houses and walls around trees instead of chopping them. And now, in winter, they give them a winter coat to protect them from the cold winds that come down from Mongolia... Actually, the winds can be very cold, ice cold and sharp like knifes.

I can't remember that I have seen tree wrapping in the last two winters. New is also wrapping robes around stems:



But I saw bush wrappings and hedge wrappings like this before:

Beijing Bicycles - part III

A lot of bicycles are so old and shabby that you must stare at them. Not even a scrap dealer in the West would have such unique antique bikes. They are gems. They still run. Amazing.



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Happy Birthday Beijing Notebook. Today is my blog's first anniversary. One year blogging, 110 posts.

Beijing Bicycles - part II

In Beijing, all bicycles are grey, or black or rusty brown.
Some are painted - I guess, to be easier found on the bike parking.
Lock your bike or take with you the seat to avoid loosing it.