My Return to China

It's a beautiful day in Dongguan. I just arrived last night for my first of 3 trips to China in as many months this early 2007. The sun is shining through the smog...although perhaps it's fog and will burn off. It feels like spring, warmish with a slight morning chill in the air. Generally warmer than I remember in years prior (oooh the freeze of January 2006 - brrr!)

There has been a lot of construction since I was here last October. New roads being made to connect with the new highway and dirt pathways that drivers use (including sidewalks) to save time and utilize the new toll highway. (It has cut my morning commute in half!)

The jagged-topped mountains are visible through the haze as the perpetual background for the smoke stacks and factory cities. Thankfully although the farms are being taken over by factories, the mountains remain in tact.

I'll be putting in 9 days on this trip. It's as long as I can go with Chinese New Year around the corner! They will undoubtedly begin hanging the red lanterns and putting out the mandarin orange bushes any day now in preparation. It's always so festive!

Bernard will join me tomorrow night and we'll both attend the huge factory CNY celebration on Saturday night! (They were able to secure a single venue large enough to host the entire staff and their families this year, rather than breaking it up into 3 nights as last year.)

Lots of work to complete before then!
Off I go!