From Grits to Chopsticks

When Johnny Nash released his only #1 hit song in 1972, he might’ve been anticipating air quality issues in China 40 years later.  A good spring shower can scrub out some of the airborne particulates, allowing us to see clearly after “the rain is gone.”

We also had unusually clear skies yesterday.  It was Labor Day (May 1st), slowing down the flow of construction trucks in and out of the city.  It had a dramatic effect on air quality (these numbers are very good):For the last few months, our city planners have been rebuilding Haigeng Park at the north end of Dianchi Lake.  On Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed walking along the lakefront:Here is a sign giving the “dream view” of the blue water and nice beach at the park:They’ve done a very nice job of building the park, but they have a long way to go before the water quality looks like the advertisement:But the polluted water doesn’t seem to stop the large number of fishermen trying to catch the mutant carp that can survive here:The fishermen don’t seem to be deterred by the “no fishing” sign either:Speaking of fish, it’s always interesting to see what’s on display at the supermarket: Finally, in the “China Challenge” category (at least for foreigners), the local gas company recently decided to change over to natural gas (from propane, I think).  This required everyone to get a new cooktop:Since we couldn’t read the notice taped up at the entrance to our apartment, we found out the hard way – our old stove stopped working.  Fortunately, our landlord was willing to help us get a new stove and was also willing to pay half of the cost:Clear skies and cooking – blessings that we don’t take for granted!