After nearly four years, I am finally back in this amazing city: Beijing! Nearly one week, I am here already. When first driving to the center from the airport, many things became selfevident…so many changes in comparison to the last time. No, the Olympic stadium I have not yet seen.

When driving on the highway, the first idea is: wow, I remember kinda more cars on the road. Yes, this has slightly changed as only half of the existing cars are always allowed on the road. Day 1, 3, 5, 7: cars with uneven numbers, and day 2, 4, 6 cars with even numbers. This is one of the projected means to achieve a cleaner air for the Olympics. If it works? Who knows…the sky is still not often blue…Another funny thing is: on some parts of the highway, there is a “Olympic Lane”: which can only be used by official cars linked to the Olympics. Of course, as for any major event of that size, the security has severly been tightened. This time, the first checkpoint made quite a fuss of me not being registered yet with the local police. However, since my registration, those checks are really fast and easy.

So far I have only seen the office headquarters and the foundry. Around the office, there were also mere major changes. Last time, the roads were still dusty and in construction. All the huge appartment blocks were covered with hundreds of building workers with shovels, hammers, etc carrying mud, bricks and whatever was needed. Today, all those blocks are filled with people living there. The roads are finished, the people sit on clean pavements, playing cards, eating, waiting or whatever. So yes, I can see a lot of development already.

A funny thing, which is kinda strange. A country as China, which I never kinda linked to having dogs as pets, started a new trend (well at least here in Beijing): people walk with their dogs. But not dogs like in Europe (big ones, rough ones, mixed ones,…). No, here it seems that everybody has a clean-race dog directly from a dog-hairdresser. Some of them, you better believe it, have painted ears!! Yeah, I seen it. A white dog with light green/pink/red ears. Well, it is not up to be to decide if this is really beautiful.

Yesterday I had a wonderful dinner with a friend of mine. In a nice Japanese restaurant. One of the special treats were Shark Figs. Very interesting taste. If you got the chance, do not avoid, but take it!

Ok this is about it from the City of Olympics 2008: One World, One Dream!!

This is the Olympics in Beijing. Nicolas Kiefer is fighting hard to get the points on the match against some South African guy. He fought hard, he played hard, and we supported him, although the sun was glaring hot and burning down on us with no mercy!