Tiananmen Square when we visited in March 2011. We visited the square more than once, and each time it was crowded like this.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
There were throngs of people in Tiananmen Square near the Forbidden City on almost every day of the week.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
The entrance to the Forbidden City was at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
The streets outside Tiananmen Square. The white fences were our enemy when we were trying to find our way (can we cross the street? No. Well then how do we get over to the other side? The subway tunnel…?).
Another view of the streets outside Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
Are we in Tiananmen Square or not? It wasn’t always easy to tell where to go or how to get there in Beijing.
Anywhere in the world, it’s easy to recognize Chinese and Japanese tour groups by their hats. This group at Tiananmen Square is wearing a red ball cap (some wear green, blue, or even pink).
The tour group in Tiananmen Square.
A garden area next to Tiananmen Square. Beyond the building with the picture of Mao is the Forbidden City.
Another picture of the garden area next to Tiananmen Square.
Yet another picture of the garden area next to Tiananmen Square.
Crowded Tiananmen Square. It’s hard to believe that this place was the site of a massacre…
Another picture of Tiananmen Square, Beijing.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
It wasn’t as easy to find Tiananmen Square as we thought it would be when we first got to Beijing.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
There’s always something interesting happening in Beijing… what’s the guy with the bike and a bike-trailer doing?
There were soldiers practicing a form with sticks just inside the gate to the Forbidden City.
The Forbidden City is a must-see tourist attraction in Beijing. Tiananmen Square (the entrance to the Forbidden City) is also a must-see due to its history.
As white folk, Chinese people often asked us to take pictures with them. At first, it was novel, but then… it wasn’t. This photo was taken at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
A soldier stands next to the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen Square.
We tried to be as discreet as we could while taking these pictures in Tiananmen Square. The soldiers looked very young.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
The Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
The Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
The mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square. We weren’t able to go inside that day because it was closed.
The mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square.
A selfie we took facing into the sun in front of the Monument to the People’s Heroes.
We bought a kite before we went to Tiananmen Square. We then lovingly carried it with us through Beijing for the rest of the day and stuffed it on the plane home when it was time.
Lydi and Jennifer talking about Tiananmen Square.
The Worker’s Statue outside the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
The Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
Looking back at the entrance to the Forbidden City and the photo of Mao in Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.
