My own tale of two cities

The recent snowstorms and below-freezing temperatures were a great reminder of just how enterprising Beijingers are, and how beautifully safe this city truly is.

Waiting in front of my office building one evening hoping for a taxi, I was approached by a couple in a silver car. After a quick negotiation over the price, they drove me home. I didn't have to wait in the freezing cold, and they made a bit of extra money.

But the most remarkable thing for me was that throughout the entire process, I never once felt that my safety was threatened. In fact, I've never ever felt that I was unsafe here, and as both a woman and a foreigner in a city of about 20 million people, that is an unbelievable thing.