Day 58 in Beijing for me is Day 1 in Beijing for Jill.
I wanted to show her the neighborhood.
We were going to visit a restaurant that Nurai, my friend, introduced me to 4 days ago.
When we went, it was packed with Chinese Nationals.and the food was incredible.
Nuria and I shared 10 different delicious dishes, a 500ML beer, and it cost 52RMB. A grand total of 8 US dollars for two people.
As Jill and I walked up, I looked around and checked the location numerous times.
I felt lost and confused.
The building had been destroyed with barely a hint of the previous occupant.
This is life in today’s Beijing.
Restaurants, clubs, bars and anywhere else people connect seem to alternately rise, and disappear, in the wink of an eye.
Beijing is growing so quickly that landlords increase rents about 15-20% every year.
A prime location’s rent can rise much more than that.
Consequently, businesses that were thriving only 4 days ago, vanish.
Looking down from above,
Thomas Wolfe sighs knowingly,
You can never go home again.
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