Yep, there is a lot of white fuzz.
There is an annual event in Beijing that seems to be quite a surprise to most people.
People are well aware of the pollution in Beijing and how the air quality is lacking at this point.
However, there is another weird bit of Beijing air drama that seems to come up every Spring.
After World War II, Beijing was fairly devoid of trees.
The government decided to plant popular and willow trees, being that they grew quickly and gave lots of shade, but they didn’t realize that this would cause a massive white flow of catkins (that is what they are called) when they bloom.
It is quite beautiful, but it is also quite annoying, as when you are walking around, these things are everywhere and they can get breathed in quite easily.
Luckily, I don’t have allergies, but I can not imagine how people with allergies would handle the Spring in Beijing.
It is rather amazing to see so much of the stuff floating through the air and there are reports of traffic issues and other problems because it becomes so overwhelming to drivers.
In a way, it is like a tumbleweed in the Southwest of the USA if you’ve ever experienced a windstorm with those things flying around you.
And just to give you an idea of what it is like to walk around in this stuff: