Hatishyoo!!! (bless you!)

Well, now they tell me! 'Spring is the worst season', I have been hearing all week. If I remember correctly, those very same words were said to me when I came in January. 'Why did you come now? Winter in Beijing is very hard' they would say.

Truth be told, we are never happy, every season in every place brings its own share of problems and difficulties. I never even knew that I could suffer from Hay Fever before I got here! In England one is used to rainy weather and at most don't leave the house without the faithful 'brolly'. Many a picture has been shown of those City Gents, in their bowler hats, newspaper tucked under an arm, small smart briefcase and of course the every useful black, wooden handled, full length, umbrella. Of course it can be used for any number of things, such us hailing a cab (hot forgetting to throw a 'loose' with the wooden handle at some other 'wanna a taxi' person, if they dare to step in your path, or just to test the puddles depth before you step inside, or as a handle on a moving train so as not to use excessive arm strain.

In Beijing on the other hand, for a city that almost sees no rain, the sighs of relief and joy at the heavy blobs that fell from the sky, made me think that I was back in Israel, listening to the daily news informing citizens on how much the water level of the Sea of Galilee had risen. The skies seemed to darken alarmingly, the whole skyline turning almost a charcoal grey, when the rain began to fall, big splattering sounds they made as they beat the ground and unbelievingly, a whole array of umbrellas appeared in the passer bys hands. Did they have warning of the upcoming shower?

As for the sneezing, it changes positions of discomfort depending on the day. The day of the rain, my nose seemed to be of a better disposition, but I appeared to have a sore throat and scratchy voice; thereafer when all skies had cleared and the 'fluffy bits' that seem to fall from the blossoming trees returned, it was now time for streaming eyes, boxes of tissues and a hay fever ailment that I never knew I had!! Abroad they at least say on the news or write in the newspaper the count that day, but here all seem immune except for the comment........ 'Spring is......worst
season!'.

But, finally on a last not of observation, in this city of the ever riding bicyclist, I can only stand by and admire, it is amazing how these citizens manage to ride with one hand on the handle of their bike, the other holding an open umbrella, pedalling furiously along in the rain, without
even a skid mark or swerve to re-balance in sight and as for the male population, they don't worry at all about looking like a sissy, they adorn themselves with feminine colored umbrellas, the brighter the better, weaving their way through the traffic that is almost at a standstill and not a free cab to be found intent on making their way to work on foot, in order to be on time.