mrsjono

The last time I was here was in winter 2001. I didn't have much impression of this place and all I could remember is a frozen lake and that pagoda at the background which I don't even know its name. Today, I had the opportunity to spend more time exploring this world heritage site and sunset was mesmerizing. People fly kites, pedal boats, practise ground calligraphy, play music, sing song and stroll along the lake where Qian Long and Cixi once walked on. The most unforgettable part of this trip was chancing upon exactly the same scene from a painting and blowing dandelion in the sunset. There are so many things one can do when one is not a tourist.

天气会影响我的心情.
现在有一首歌很适合我.

"我的天空今天有点灰...."

These...

led to these.

I can't swallow pills and had to gulp 122 of these down in 4 days.

It really sux to be sick here. Period.

Beijing mosquitoes seem to fly slower than Singapore mosquitoes. I can kill them with just one smack. Maybe it's not mosquito. I also dono what is it.

天安门广场·入春

Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

Game

Dinner

I was required to do a presentation for my urban planning and transportation system module. We were allowed to choose any topic covered in class based on our own interest. We can also choose to do in groups or alone. I decided on Comparison between Beijing & Singapore's Neighbourhood Precincts and the professor replied with "Very good topics!" I was just planning to make use of last semester's planning tutorial presentation (which has been recycled twice already) actually. More like very good 废物利用.

I wandered around Wudaokou (the area near where I stay) rather aimlessly as I totally had no idea where the residential areas are. This path is supposed to be for pedestrians. But it has been overruled by the automobile.

I finally chanced upon some flats and decided to use this place (东升园公寓) as my area of study. There are 12 units in each flat. How I know? Count the mailboxes! Ain't I smart? Ha!


Schools are within walking distance. This is 中关村第二小学. There are 2 other nurseries nearby, all within walking distance.


Just when I was about to feel a little impressed they do place bins around the neighbourhood, a woman had to fling a banana skin in front of me, missed the bin and walked away.

Unlike Spore's HDB which are managed by the town councils, apartments here are managed by private developers. I looked at the noticeboard and suddenly realized this was not the usual green noticeboard with Sunshine Residents RC activities and events I would sneer at every time I wait for the lift at my block.

Every precinct has a bomb shelter and


a mini-mart equivalent (社区服务) selling grocery, telephone card, etc.

Emphasis and priority is given to elderly. Public spaces are dedicated to the elderly with fitness stations.

Hmm, think the children don't have playgrounds so they get bored and go mess up people's stuff.

I decided to be brave and walked up this unit to see how it's like inside.

It was dark and narrow.

See the air-con advertisement? They just chop on the wall. Cool.

See the baby got no playground to play.

Barrier-free accessibility. Add 1 star!

Don't recall seeing anyone inside

End of excursion. Time to go supermarket. I so miss HDB flats in Singapore!!

I attended the first class of this module called 心理训练与潜能开发 (Mental Training and Latent Ability Developing) which I hoped I could map to Intro to Psychology in nus. (Lucky and unluckily, nus didn't approve.) We were to form groups of 10 for project work and it was rather amusing looking at the way they interact. We were supposed to come up with a group name, logo and slogan (口号). The discussion went like this:

While the rest of the people were discussing, there was a piece of paper being passed around to write down our contact numbers. I saw the guy beside me wrote his name 焦三牛. Whoa how agriculture.

Somehow, the girl next to me drew a big anchor and it became something like a pirate ship theme. Then somehow or rather, the group name became Freud which had totally no link to what was drawn.

I dropped the module after that.

A well-preserved historical site of villages from the Ming Dynasty

爨低下全景