Magores survived the SandPeople and the Jawas

I don't know if it was news at all back in the States, but Beijing had a HUGE sandstorm the other day.

Of course, I didn't see it actually happen. I just saw the aftermath.

Sunday was a basic day. Worked, went home. I woke up Monday and puttered around the house a little. Around noon, I left the house to get food and do some running around.

I was hit by a weird "look" as I left the building. Everything was yellow. I mean EVERYTHING was yellow. The ground, cars, the rooftops, the street, EVERYTHING.

Overnight, Beijing had been hit by a sandstorm.

Apparently the sandstorms are pretty normal in springtime here. But, from what I understand, this was the worst one in years.

It was crazy.

Apparently, the wind blows the dust from the Gobi Desert into Beijing. It happens all the time, but in springtime its particularly bad.

I imagine people that live in the desert southwest of the US know what I'm talking about. But, it has been a new thing for me.

On your basic Beijing day, you don't notice the dust. You notice bad air (if you think about it). But is it pollution or dust? Hard to say.

On a weekly basis, you definitely notice the dust. Put an item on the windowsill, with the window open, but the screen closed. After 1 week, your "thing" will be covered in dust. It's an obvious thing.

This sandstorm was like one year of dust, all in one night.

And, its not really a sand. It's dust. A very fine dust. A very thin silt.

You don't breathe sand. You DO breathe this stuff. It's pretty amazing, really.

It's common for people to complain about Beijingers hawking loogies and blowing snot. I've complained about it myself. But, after being here awhile, I can understand it. You get gunk in your lungs and nostrils. Gotta get it out somehow.

And, if you add in the cultural difference between China vs US, and even Beijing vs Hong Kong, you can understand whats going on.

Having said that... Do I blow snot and hawk loogies on the pavement?

Nope. I just "can't" do it.

My Momma raised me better than that.