Beijing Life

Boeing 747-400 makes a hard landing in Beijing!

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Yes, China Airlines flight CN2008 had a hard landing in Julong, due to a pilot error (my wife was steering). One of the engines was dislocated and its landing gear broken. The plane is part of our park of helicopters, rockets and other planes.


But there is nothing that cannot be repaired in our workshop. Job done. Same day repairing my bike, my hearth rate monitor belt, etc.
All because Sun is vandalizing all pictures and frames in our meeting room, doing a new arrangement. I am afraid to have a closer look. You don’t argue with her. I will leave my final evaluation for later as she is still in the process or redoing our “gallery of fame”…

André Flahaut in Beijing, again

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On 20 May the Belgian Embassy organized a reception on the occasion of the visit of André Flahaut, President of the Chamber of Representatives and Minister of State.
The Chamber is also called House:
Belgium is a federal State with a bicameral Parliament consisting of a House of Representatives (Chambre des représentants – Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers) and a Senate (Sénat – Senaat). The Communities (Flemish, French-speaking and German-speaking) and Regions (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels) were established next to the already existing federal, provincial and municipal institutions.
The House consists of 150 members who are directly elected on the basis of the proportional representation system for a four-year term. It convenes in the Palace of the Nation (Palais de la Nation – Paleis der Natie) in Brussels. The Federal Government is politically accountable solely to the House.
I had met the minister a couple of years ago when he was Minister of Defense and we had lunch together in the (former) Morel’s Restaurant on Liangmaqiao Lu.


As the minister is a big fan of Renaat Morel, the great buffet was obviously done by our friend Renaat.
Pictured are Rik Van Droogenbroeck, Chargé d’Affaires, the minister and Renaat. Plus the crowd of guests enjoying Belgian beer and Belgian haute cuisine!

Fully equipped, riding Superman!

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

I finally got the type of mask I was looking for, to use on my bike when pollution is getting too bad, like today: well above 200 AQI. I tried all the other usual ones, none worked as my glasses became foggy and I could not really breathe.
This one (3M) works OK, as it has valves for incoming and outgoing air. Tested today for the first time.


So now, fully equipped with my little SUPERMAN bike – no joke, that is actually the BAT brand’s model name as I discovered a couple of weeks after buying it. It is a small and simple bike, no gears, giving me extra exercise when climbing a little or when it’s windy. I already bike fast enough like this, often passing e-bikes. But I would have preferred to ride SUPERWOMAN
Important is, it brings me around, even to Lido Hotel (twice). Rain, snow, freezing or sauna weather are normally not able to stop me.
Translation of the (Dutch) sign: “One more car less”!  (WEER EEN AUTO MINDER, from 11.11.11)
And if the crazies in DPRK start a chemical war I might be well enough prepared. The filter stops a lot of bad stuff! And it does not allow me to scold the unruly Chinese in my path.

The Gongti Strip seen from a vintage point

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Being in Julong Garden, our views are limited to rather ugly Julong versions of apartments and when there is not that much pollution, WTC3 somewhere next to Guangcai.
My neighbor Michelle has a real vintage position, overlooking the Gongti Strip as well as the whole Worker’s Stadium area. Makes me kinda jealous…


See here some of her pics, shot at different times but all very recently. Including this morning, with the snow.
Thanks, my friendly neighbor!

Snow in Beijing!?

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Yesterday, as usual, the useless Yahoo weather report left me soaking wet on my bike, coming back from a meeting. The cloudy day it predicted turned out to be half a day of rain.
Then in the evening it started snowing, this morning I woke up to a white white Julong Garden with a blue sky.


Goo no meetings this morning because biking would be very messy and slippery and taxis, well, forget about those.
All that after the Party decided on Monday we did not need any heating anymore.
Just now hope Spring is coming soon.
Will it?