Bring your chair to work day

A smooth flight later and here we are on the ground in China. Beijing to be precise.  

After a tasty traditional lunch, we walked very slowly to Tian'Anmen square. The physio said my back wouldn't like walking which is sadly too true but I'm glad we headed out to see it. The protests in '89 were probably my first knowledge of revolt growing up and I still have a very clear picture in my mind of the shocking TV footage. Wifi is pretty rubbish here but apparently, if you search on the square in China, one of the first things that comes up is the myth that was the student uprising - their censorship of the whole event is huge.

Our hotel is a delight. Not a shiny glass one but a small traditional hotel, hidden away behind a low wall in the most unlikely of places.  Our window looks out over some cramped low rooftops separated with tiny concrete yards and sheds. One plot has browning vegetables laid out to dry (maybe forgotten) and through the dusty window of the shed you can see healthy leafy vegetables growing. A peculiar contrast of grime and green.

My enforced slow pace and sit downs have meant we've spotted characters, buildings and situations that we may otherwise have missed. We're still not quite sure what these guys were doing in the subway. Although on the other side, there was one man with a chair but he had implements and was busy cleaning the steps. Maybe they have a job rotation scheme?! 

I could certainly have done with the chair!