Tiananmen Square was one of our must see destinations on the trip. Our hotel was only about a 15 minute walk to the Square. The area was full of tourists as well as people selling trinkets, maps, souvenirs, and all manner of other things.
I thought that there might be a memorial or marker to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, but I could not find one at all. I might have just missed it, if it was there. The Square is huge and is surrounded by museums and the entrance to the Forbidden City.
The building to the far right is the Mao Mausoleum or Mausoleum as we affectionately called it. The building houses the remains of the late Chairman Mao “great leader of the people”. The line to get in and view him snaked around the building. They didn’t allow any bags or cameras inside either. You had to keep quiet too. The inside was very austere with bunches of flowers to provide some color and life. They had Mr. Mao immortalized in a glass square with red satin.
It was really creepy if you ask me. Having someone displayed and laid out like a museum piece seems over the top. Why not a tasteful photo or painting?
I was glad to be out and back in the Square, fending off the hundreds of folks who wanted to take photos with us. I’ve never been in a situation where people wanted to take photos of and with strangers. I guess I stood out a little, but Beijing is cosmopolitan and tourists are all over the place.
At first I thought people wanted me to take their picture, but nope it always led to me somehow sandwiched between two or more Chinese people. I wonder how they will explain me to their family and friends when they show off their photos?
Here is the monument to the People’s Greatest Heroes along with the Great Hall of the People in the background.
The preparations for the Olympics in 2008 were well underway in the Square as well. I thought that the Greek Parthenon and Great Wall done in flowers with the different events highlighted by players made of flowers was a great idea.
The Tiananmen Gate to the Forbidden City is in the background. You can always find it due to the gigantic painting of Mao that hangs over the entrance.
