Winters in Beijing are very cold, and conditions become less forgiving when the northern wind blows. This, however, pales in comparison with the other cold places that I have visited. The locals like using the word "mi", meaning "beige", to describe Beijing's weather. The word alludes to the colour of the heavy mist that obscures the skies and clouds one's vision. During my brief stay in Beijing, I had the good fortune of experiencing crystal clear, blue skies. How lucky I was!

On a bitterly cold day with a wind that cut straight to the bone, I ventured into a local alleyway eatery and perched myself next to a bubbling hotpot. I swirled succulent and steaming pieces of lamb in the boiling broth with one chopsticked hand, whilst a YanJing beer was clutched in the other. Mouthfuls of meat and swigs of beer were accompanied by the background twitter of the Pekingese dialect. At that moment, nothing was more satisfying than the feeling of home!

The festive Chinese New Year mood that usually permeates the city was, this time, unexpectedly subdued. Apart from the ubiquitous tourists who haunt the landmarks, high street, and alleys, not a single local was to be found. Surprised and bemused, I wondered to myself, "Where have all the Beijing locals gone?"

That evening I headed from west to east, and covered half the stretch of Chang'an Street. As I wandered along that wide and spacious street, amidst the peaceful stillness, I admired the Great Hall of the People, Tianamen Square, Guibin Lou ... and I finally arrived outside Beijing Hotel. Every structure that I passed exuded an air of gravity and history. I was overcome by a feeling of freedom that I never experienced before.

The present day Beijing has undergone drastic changes. The underground transportation system's coverage is well-planned and comprehensive. I like how convenient it is. The new No.5 line, in particular, connects the north of the city to the south. The No.5 line also has many stations that connect to the older No.1 and No.2 lines. In the near future, more new tracks will be laid in anticipation of the Olympic Games. I don't know whether Beijing is truly prepared for the event. However, my fellow Chinese and I share this one collective wish - that the Olympic Games in Beijing will be a success.

北京冬天給人的感觉是很冷的，要是刮起大北風的时候那就更冷了。还好，不比我以前去过的地方冷。北京人喜欢用一個字「米」去形容北京的天气现象，意思是说天空总是朦朦朧朧的，什么也看不大清楚。交上好运的我，在北京呆的这几天，都碰上了清澈的蓝天。我真是好幸运啊！！

在一个寒风刺骨的傍晚刮起了呼啸的大北风，我钻进胡同的小馆子里。我坐在热气腾腾的火锅旁，右手用筷子夾起又嫩又鮮的薄羊肉片，左手拿起燕京啤酒，一过涮着羊肉一边喝着啤酒，耳边还不时传來阵阵亲切的京腔。此时此刻，家乡的味道真好啊！！

北京的春节气氛热闹里却出乎意料地平静。除了景点到处都是遊客外，大街上、胡同里几乎找不到什么人影，我心里倒有点儿纳闷儿 ‘‘北京人都哪儿去了？”

在假日的夜里，我从西向东，走了大半条街長安大街。走在那又宽又大的北京街道上，在一片宁靜里我欣赏了人民大会堂、天安門城楼、贵宾楼…最后走到了北京饭店，每一座我经过的筑物都是那么大气、那久雄伟。我感觉到前所未有的自由、畅快和宁靜。

如今的北京变化真的很大，地铁的覆盖率已经很完善了，我很喜欢、也觉得非常方便。尤其是新的5号线，它贯穿了北京的南北边，同时也有很多的转乘站连接旧的1号和2号线。在未來的日子里还会有更多新的轨道陆续在奥运会开幕前投入服务。我不知道北京是不是真的淮备好了迎接奥运会，但我跟所有的中国人都有着同一个愿望 — 就是希望奥运会在北京举行成功。