I don't think I'm a very good tourist, but I did go see Flag Up - Nov 21

I woke up around 4:30, and couldn't fall back asleep, so I got up and did some research. By the time 6 rolled around, I figured I would be more "productive" if I went to Tiananmen Square for the Flag up ceremony than if I tried to go back to sleep. I had big dreams of heading from there to the Temple of Heaven.

So I went to Tiananmen. I do believe I was the only non-Chinese person in the crowd of hundreds. I got a lot of strange looks. It was a really neat experience, though. Everyone was so excited to see the flag go up with the national anthem playing and the soldiers all standing in a line, Chairman Mao and Tiananmen in the background. Very cool.



Then I started walking. I went to the end of the square to see Qianmen, the big gate that marks the center of Beijing. Very gorgeous.



And then I tried to find a taxi. Only I couldn't figure out where I could hail one. So I started walking sort of back toward the hotel (which is probably about 2 miles from where I am at this point). And then I just walked and walked and came back to the hotel to get breakfast. Now there's two things I want to do while I'm in Beijing, but I don't really feel very excited to go out and about again. Hence, I think I make a good visitor to a city, but not a good tourist. I like chilling out, and seeing sites is not chilling out.

Anyway, it's only 10am, so I can easily do at least one of the things I want. It's just a matter of whether I nap before or after...