China Diary - Tianamen and the notorious Beijing skies

The amazingly huge Tiananmen Square.  We set off on our first sortie (actually second - we had gone out the previous evenng for a dimsum dinner in the neighbourhood), but this was our first train ride.  We located Dawanglu station which was around the plaza our hotel was located in, adn together figured out how to buy tickets as well!

Line one to Tiananment east.

Our first metro ride

The Meridian Gate.  Until here is free.  Beyond this, entry into the Forbidden City is ticketed, and I did that on another day.

One of the two huabio -stone columns replete with phoenix and lion

 

"The Godfather" played by Andre Rieu

Just at a whim, used iMovie for half an hour, and this is what resulted.  It's abrupt in its ending, but I ran out of time.

I loved the way the local Chinese enjoyed themselves in the massive square, taking pictures by the dozen, striking a pose and making the Square their own.

The topiary was fabulous as you will see in the slide show, and those huge video screens were swallowed up by the even more humongous Square itself.

A dull morning it was, and our first look at the Forbidden CIty which I did a quick run-through later on in the week.  It was only later that I was  told that the "dull, overcast" day was actually standard Beijing pollution.

But there was also rain that night, and I did not really find it difficult to breathe so I just thought that it was a First World exaggeration.  But I was told the US weather meters don't lie, and the count was some 200+ that day.

If you are in Beiing and with strangers, a great conversation starter is the pollution level for the day!!