Waiting in line to see Mao Zedong’s memorial is an event in its own right. The line zig-zagged through Tiananmen Square, around to the front of the giant mausoleum and back around to the other side again. An hour-long wait gets you less than five minutes inside where thousands of Chinese lay flowers at the feet of a statue of the Chairman before scuttling past his body laying in a preserved state of rest.
Another view of the line at Mao’s mausoleum. Shortly after this picture was taken–and after 30 minutes in line–I was informed I couldn’t bring my backpack or camera inside. Fortunately they let me check my bag at a nearby luggage check and re-enter the line.We walked around Beijing’s Temple of Heaven park for about three hours. The tower in the back was used to pray for good harvest and is actually built using pillars made from Oregon fir trees.The park at Temple of Heaven is popular with locals looking to practice dance, play cards or toss a frisbee. We were lucky to spot this woman among the knotted cypruss trees.
A girl filled the park with giant bubbles.
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