The bus took an hour and half or more to reach the Dong Cheng Station. Asked the local for directions to our hotel. The locals directed us to go straight on and whenever we reached a junctions and asked for more directions the same answers been given to us. followed straight on. It took us two and half hours to reach our hotel.
Half way through my luggage gave up on me and we had to stopped and purchased a metal trolley so that we can put our luggage on it and dragged it along to the hotel. Checked into the hotel and finally, I don't have to drag my luggage with me everywhere. The hotel in China all required $100.00 rem for deposit for 1 room.
The food here were cheap, our dinner cost us about £3.00 only.
Ready to go to Tian'anmen to take the night views. Armed with the instructions from the staff at the Reception and took the tram to Tian'anmen. Met a young nice lady student from Guangsi, she going home tonight so she gave us the tram map and direct us how to take the substation tram.
Wow, Tian'anmen was just directly from the tram station. Plenty of tourists busy taking photos and mostly from China.
Oh! What a grand sight compared to my experience 23 year ago.
In 1st June 1989, I came to this square but what I had seen were students and youngsters protesting on the streets and at the square of Tian'anmen. Parents had to drag their kids on the pallet where they lying on it. The children were on hunger strikes and some even committed suicide from jumping from the buildings. They were protesting for human rights. In their hearts they fight for human rights and hope the governments will listened to their voices of hope. All networks were cut off and we weren't aware of the serious of these protests.
We walked still walked along and talked to these students and the local business provided water for the students. We weren't aware serious of these protests till one of the businessman told us that all flights, trains and ships were cut-off. Luckily with the help of this businessman, he bought some black market train tickets for us to leave Beijing to Xianmen.
When I reached Hong Kong, then heard the news that the army tankers went over the those protesters to chase them away from the square. Hundred of youngster died, because the tankers went over them. It was a painful experience that these students protests were in vain. It broke my heart to hear that so many of them had died. I had never went back to China again.
Hotel facilities were better than 23 years ago. the toilets were open and without proper toilet facilities. They squat to do their business and the running water washed it away. One open bathroom for all the women to use with partition or curtains. We had to get up at 4.00 a.m. to bath so that not to share with anyone.
From Tian'anmen, we took the tram to Wang Fu Jing, lot of shopping malls in this town. Selling high street and posh Designers branded goods, unfortunately, it already 10.30 p.m. and all shops were closed.
Took the tram back to the hotel to get a good night sleep so that tomorrow we can start our journey early.
There was some problems with my blogger for downloading photos. It took me 4 hours to rewrite and reload the photos and I have given up on this now. Ready to go to work first and will continue later in the next few days for my trips.
Photos : by Cat Tan
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