Back into the flock.

Have returned to Beijing after a trip to North Korea.
What an experience that was. 
After years of news about bad, bad hostile people and inhumane dictatorship, I could see a bit of it myself.

And how was it?
Well, I do not want to live there myself. In Pyongyang or some of the other big cities? Maybe, for a short while, but on the country side? No.

What I was most interested in was meeting the people. Well, there were not so many opportunities to do that. Our tour was fully scheduled and we were mostly transported around in a big luxurious bus, the 17 of us, with our 3 minders, in a 55 person bus with nearly everyone of us on a double seat with a view, looking out on the masses 

standing in endless lines waiting for an overcrowded wreck of a trolleybus, that looked like ready to break down every minute. One time when we skated through the dark Capitol at night and the ques at the busstops we passed, was like never ending, I felt like asking our guides and minders if we couldn't do a stop and at least offer some of them a ride in the direction we were going. I knew what the answer would be though, so I let it be.

One more day, and then?

My Easter holiday starts tomorrow and this is going to happen on Sunday and I will be in the stadium.

"North Korea marathon: 200 foreigners are taking part in race around Pyongyang on the same weekend as the London marathon"

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/north-korea-marathon-200-foreigners-are-taking-part-in-race-around-pyongyang-on-the-same-weekend-as-the-london-marathon-9232494.html

Black Rain Sunday 30. March

From the HK news coverage about the black rain last Sunday.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1461200/giant-hailstones-batter-hong-kong-observatory-hoists-black-rainstorm

Lights on, lights off.

The rainy season, again. This last week has been incredible wet. Started with a good Black rain warning early Sunday evening and since then it has been lights on, lights off. Sometimes a bit of sky above some clouds and no water coming down, and other times huge clouds on rooftops and water pouring while thunder and lightning 

Lights on!

Lights off.