Sorry I haven't been updating as frequently, but really, I'm trying to be on top of it. Did I just apologize for not posting? I thought I promised myself that I wouldn't have to come to this. I've been quite busy with some mishaps and what not but all is well.
We headed out to Tiananmen Square a little while back to catch up on some of the main cultural attractions that Beijing has to offer. I thought about doing this rather quickly before the adventurous feeling of being in a new place settles down. I lived in NYC for nearly six years and I never seemed to make it to the statue of liberty, but I did make it to the Empire State building last year. Places that attract lots of people are usually just too much of a hassle for me. This is mainly because I'm really cool.
Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City which sits behind it probably require a little more time than we gave it especially if you have an interest in Chinese history. I'm not going to lie, my Chinese history knowledge is not something I'd brag about. Forbidden City has 980 different buildings and most of them have been converted into small museums/exhibits. After visiting quite a few temples around Tokyo and Kyoto I can definitely see the similarities from a historical standpoint. What I found interesting when comparing the two is that In Japan you are restricted as to where you can walk and where you can take pictures. Here in Beijing there are barely any restrictions. This leads to two totally different experiences. If you are not allowed to take a picture of something or walk beyond a certain area your curiosity will probably convince you that it's sacred and perhaps create a feeling that you're special in some way. It's also easier to preserve things and keep them natural or recreate things and keep them in perfect recreated form for decades to come. When people, and I mean thousands of people a day are allowed to roam at will, naturally wearing things down the average Joe becomes more connected to the history. They also throw Popsicle sticks around as well as bottles and candy wrappers. But in all honesty I can't decide which way is better. Growing up in the US we really don't have a history beyond 350 years. Many of the historical sites you see here are well over 1000 years old.
There are very few places left in Beijing that represent ancient China. During the cultural revolution the idea was to destroy everything that represented the old way and replace it with a gigantic pink apartment building. Well, the apartment buildings didn't come for sometime after, but..
By far, the best thing about Tiananmen Square is called the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. I state this with full confidence even though I haven't actually been there yet. We tried to get in, but it's only open in the morning. This, I kid you not is where Mao's body is on display inside a crystal coffin. He's been preserved in the same way your buddy preserved his first deer kill. People wait in a line to have a look at the guy who's been resting for nearly 35 years. I will get there soon!!
Above are some pictures inside Forbidden City.
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