Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is not only famous for the guy who stopped the tanks but is also the resting place for Chairman Mao.  The queues are pretty long though (at least an hour) and you can’t even take a handbag in so if you go make sure you don’t have a bag and are carrying your passport.  There are police all around who seem to enjoy bailing people up asking for ID cards so don’t be surprised if you get asked.

I shouldn’t have to say it but I will – keep the seditious comments to yourself until you leave the area. Oddly enough they’re pretty sensitive about things like that.

The Forbidden City is next door and you get to it via an underpass from Tiananmen Square.  You can’t get into a lot of the buildings and so can only peer through the windows.  For me the highlight of the visit was the garden.  That rock style seems to be very prevalent throughout China.  The cafe was pretty good too.