It's a war zone out there tonight—the last night of the 2 week Spring Festival, and hence the last night that people in this town (country) can legally blow things up. Imagine a city of 20 million people with fireworks going off in every single neighborhood and housing estate. There's a smell of gunpowder (or is it tnt?) in the air, even here in my apartment, and the spent canisters are hitting my window. Local folk mythology has it that the fire-crackers scare away the evil spirits. With all the racket out there tonight, I can't imagine that there is an evil spirit left anywhere in the country. I'm guessing that all the pet dogs and cats are hiding under the beds as well.
Reporting live from the Battle of Beijing….
UPDATE: Uh-oh…..I just saw a fire truck racing up Bei Wa Lu. That can't be good!
