Well we've stayed in Beijing as long as possible, but recently have been ordered to leave under no uncertain terms. I had a couple days to pack, and also managed to do a few outings and snap some photos before evacuating...
Aside from dealing with the epidemic, Beijing also recently got hit with a rare snowstorm. Interesting they hand shovel instead of using a snowplow.
If it weren't for the coronavirus epidemic, this Beijing pedestrian street would be jammed with people.
The famous Wangfujing Street in Beijing is also normally really crowded.
More and more stores in China aren't letting customers enter. To avoid human to human contact you yell out your order through the window then pay by using your smartphone to scan a barcode. The shopkeeper will then reach out through the door and hand you your purchase.
I love China but don't think I'd want to live here much longer. Each day China feels more and more like a police state. Above shows security screening to enter or leave a Beijing neighborhood community. Most coffee shops, restaurants, pedestrian streets, public baths, pools, etc. are now shut down throughout the country.
Parting shot at Beijing Airport.
From here we head to DC via Tokyo. My wife is helping out some neighbors who evacuated last week but couldn't take their puppy. After we hand over the evacuated dog at a DC airport, we'll head to our hotel and begin a 2 week self quarantine, whatever that means. Aside from the reverse culture shock, it's going to seem really odd at first being in a country where everyone's not wearing a mask, and not afraid to venture outside and be around other people...
