Beijing, Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City

May 2, Sunday, Beijing, Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City

Back into the bus and over toward Tiananmen Square. This is a big deal. This is one of the Iconic Images of China that I have in my head: an "important" place to visit - to actually BE here.

We're only able to go "toward" - not "to" because, as our guide explains, when the Forbidden City was built - between 1406 and 1420, the Emperor didn't realize that he needed to build a gigantic parking lot near it - so you can't actually park anywhere very nearby. This is another time when we're very glad to be on a group tour since our bus driver takes care of dropping us off as near as he can - and eventually picking us back *up* at the other end.

So we pile back off the bus and out into the warm, sunny day to walk a couple of blocks to the Square. OK. I'm from Florida, so when I say "warm, sunny day", everybody else on the tour found it to be a *hot* day with the sun blazing down as we entered a wide open square - big enough to literally accommodate one *million* people - with essentially no shade. But it's fine for *me*.

Tiananmen. Literally "Gate of Heavenly Peace" - because it used to be the gateway to the Forbidden City. The huge gate house is still here, though the "city walls" are not anymore. Still, it is a bit ironic to name it that given that political protesters were literally *shot to death* here - only 21 years ago. Something to keep in mind as we walk along the HUGE white Square (880m x 500m) - past Mao's tomb on one side and the Beijing Museum on the other - with numerous young men in Chinese Army uniforms - including holstered guns - in clear presence. Mao's tomb is closed today. Perhaps just as well since the wait to get in is usually interminable and there are rumors that Mao's "remains" are more Madame Tusseaud's Wax Museum than "preserved original". No. Literally. And I've seen Stalin in his tomb and it really wasn't worth the wait.

We tramp along, following our leader's cute little flag which has a couple of Panda's on it - so we just "follow the bouncing Panda's". Have I mentioned how *big* the Square is? In the direct sun? Anyway, we eventually round Mao's tomb and open out on "the iconic view that everybody thinks of": Now. *That* is actually the existing "Gate to the Forbidden City". Those walls and the gateway still very-much exist, but this square was outside *those* gates. And, of course, note Chairman Mao's picture. As others have said, given the heroic size of the Square, his portrait is actually pretty modest in size.

We are set free to individually explore the Square for a bit and walk past Mao's Tomb - with the "heroic Soviet-style statues" and a War Memorial and we eventually collect for a professional group shot before trooping down under the street to cross over and actually enter The Forbidden City.

OK. I really do apologize. I should be awed. I should be humbled. But my overall impression is: "What a GIGANTIC ego this jerk, the Emperor - had! Is somebody compensating for some serious `size' issues???" The Forbidden City is just massive. 7,800,000 sq ft, 999 1/2 rooms - because Heaven has 1000 and you can't do more than GOD or he'll be mad. HUGE gate outside a HUGE open, useless square - with *another* huge gate at the other end with *another* huge useless square with *ANOTHER* HUGE gate with *another* huge useless square before we finally *finally* get to the main building. I can't see *any* point to all of this other than to say "WOW, I must really be important".

As mentioned when I talked about the Great Wall - *this* is the building which has **12** little "animals" on each corner of the building - and *no* other building was allowed to have as many - because "This is the BIG cheese!" Thousands of concubines. Massive power. Just a huge - well - waste - for me. I can't help but think of all of the lives that were spent building this gigantic monument to ego. Remember that for centuries, the whole city was totally Forbidden to nearly everyone - so just *who* was the Emperor trying to impress?

We continue on through the "pleasant, warm, sunny day" and I kind of zone out and begin - again - to notice the *people*. Just enjoying the walk. Past the living quarters. And finally into the garden - which seems modest in size - given the size of everything else, but pleasant and shaded.

And then, suddenly, we're out the back gate and we walk past the huge walls - past the corner Guardposts and beautiful willow trees by the moat. Beautiful and peaceful.

Back onto our bus and a short ride back to the hotel - past the burned-out CCTV building.

It's been a long, very-full, wonderful day. Buffet dinner in the hotel. A little laundry washed out in the sink and hung up in the bathroom - and some time spent trying to get to alternate Blog sites: seems that China is blocking "Wordpress" sites in addition to this one - so I give up - and we crash into bed asleep. And this was only the end of "Day 2"!