Subway tour to Tiananmen Square

Early in the morning Tiananmen Square was the destination. The subway lines in Beijing are easily accessible by English speakers–in large part thanks to the Olympics. The atmosphere within the Tiananmen square is hard to explain. Entering the subways, or the square through any of the side streets, one is greeted by a couple of guards checking bags and persons with metal detectors and x-ray machines. Once through, the views are a bit surreal.

People walking around are enjoying the scenery, taking pictures, or some are just waiting for the next foreigner to go up to start up a chat. We walked past the Mausoleum, the Obelisk, and looked in awe at the entrance to the Forbidden City. After taking a stroll around the biggest city plaza in the world, we were met by a couple of tourists from Shanghai who wanted to practice their English. In front of the gate in the square, we discussed a bit of Chinese history, and planned to meet back for lunch at the same time.

The area directly south of the square has been reconstructed for tourism, blocking old housing. The hutongs can still be explored though. That’s what we did. We explored and got lost for about an hour or two around these neighborhoods, and those southwest of Tiananmen. We decided to go into one of many restaurants. It was cheap and delicious, just as I am sure any one you choose will be cheap and delicious.

After lunch, we walked a bit more, walking by markets and shops. The scenery and smells were a great experience. Around one in the afternoon we headed back to where we had met the guys from Shanghai. Unfortunately, they were not there; luckily, and ironically, we met another
couple of students from Beijing, on the same spot, that also wanted to practice their English. After twenty minutes of talking, we each headed our way. We went up to the large city gate that is found on Tiananmen.

The tour is worth it, and it takes no longer than an hour. The views that it provides, along with some history, are amazing. At high places, one can really notice the smog within the city.

More informations of TianAnMen Square…