After breakfast we decided to walk to Tianemen Square, but after a mile or so, we discovered we were walking in the wrong direction, so we took a couple of cabs to get to this famous Chinese landmark. The crowds were enormous and we spent time walking around and seeing the sites.
One of the things we saw that made me wonder about Easter, which we will celebrate tomorrow, was the resting place of Chairman Mao, leader of the Communist revolution in China. His memorial is in Tianemen Square and we watched as thousands of people stood in line for a chance to walk by and see his remains which are on display there. What a contrast with the message of Easter, Christians will celebrate the fact that Jesus is not in his grave, but has risen from the dead so that we can serve a risen Savior, not look at a dead leader's body.
At one end of Tianemen Square is the Forbidden City with its Palace of the Emperors. It is here that Chairman Mao had his picture placed in an effort to identify with the rule of the emperors.
After our tour of the square, we took the subway back to our hotel where we prepared to check out. Some of the group went shopping again and then it was time to take two cabs back to the Capital airport for our flights to Kunming. We had lunch at the airport, at Burger King!
The flight to Kunming was 3 hours and then it was another cab ride to David and Marianne's apartment where we will be staying until returning to Connecticut. We are so thankful to be here and have this opportunity to see where David and Marianne live and work, and to spend precious moments with our new granddaughter.
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