Happy Labor Day!

If you haven't looked at a calendar yet today, today is May 1st, which for China and many other countries is Labor Day, or in Chinese, 劳动节(láodòng jié). Since the holiday falls on a Sunday this year, Chinese people have tomorrow off too. (I don't have the day off however, since for scheduling purposes BNU decided to give us April 29th off instead of May 2nd)

For obvious reasons, the United States does not celebrate Labor Day on May 1st. (If you don't know why, do a quick internet search on "International Worker's Day.") But, since I'm in China, I hope you have a fantastic May 1st, regardless if May 1st has any significance (labor-related or otherwise) to you.

Now for some pictures I took almost a month ago at the Ming Dynasty City Wall Relics Park and Southeast Corner Watchtower.

Side note: I know, I know. I've been slacking on the blogging recently. My sincerest apologies. I know I still have a ton of pictures to go through from Hong Kong and posts to write about that. I blame the weather. It's impossible to stay inside when the weather's been so great these past few weeks. I guess it's probably a good thing I attended college in New York and not somewhere with a warm climate. Haha. On the upside though, it does mean I do have a lot of blogging material just waiting for me to write about. So stay tuned!

Ducklings and Chicks for Sale!

You can almost anything you need being sold on the streets of Beijing, including---but hardly limited to---fruit, notebooks, DVDs, and T-shirts. In the spring, this apparently also entails puppies, chicks, ducklings, baby rabbits and small gerbils/guinea pigs/hamsters. 

Yes, in the box are live chicks & ducklings being sold.
Haidian District, Beijing

I have to confess though, the chicks and ducklings are quite adorable. Not enough for me to buy one though (not to mention that I have no place to keep it).

Spring has arrived!

While I still despise winter, the best part of living in places with a 'real' winter (meaning a place with daily below freezing temperatures and snow), is joy of walking outside one day in March/April/May and realizing that spring has finally arrived.

Well, that day arrived sometime last week in Beijing. Instead of the sad, barren, empty trees I'm used to see lining the streets, now there are trees with little specs of green dotting the branches and others have even blossomed overnight.

Since this weekend is a long weekend (I have Monday & Tuesday off for Qingming Festival, the festival during which you traditionally pay your respects to your ancestors), today I went over to Yuyuantan Park to view their famed cherry blossoms. These cherry blossom trees, like the ones in Washington, D.C., were a gift from Japan to China as a offer of peace and friendship. Looking at the blossoms, it undeniable spring is here, and hopefully to stay for a bit.

I hope an equally pretty spring has arrived for all of you as well. And if it hasn't, I hope it comes soon!