Up Before the Sun. . . If You Could See it Through the Smog
Jet lag is the coolest. I’ve never been so chipper after hearing the alarm clock sound at 3:30 a.m.! No, I’m being serious. A group of us thought we’d take advantage of our body clocks being out of whack by making an early-morning trip to see the flag-raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square. On the way, we hit our first “I sure wish I could understand what you’re saying. Here, let me point to a picture in a book” situation when we came across the night security guards at the Communication University of China (CUC) where we are staying.
The daily flag-raising and lowering ceremonies are a point of national pride, and thousands of people gather to watch. We seemed to be the only foreigners in the crowd as the national anthem played and up went the colors.
Though it technically was dawn, the permanent haze of pollution I’ve been hearing so much about obscured any glorious sunrise that usually rewards pre-dawn revelers. In fact, I’ve heard that a day you can see the sun is a good day, which today does happen to be, though it still just looks cloudy out. Let’s hope that seasonal affective disorder knows the difference between smog and winter.
Check out the clip of a military run through the square.
Your Comments
Who videoed the military run through Tiananman Square? Make sure you wear a Michael Jackson mask at all times to filter that smog out from reaching your lungs. Think of what you will end up with in them if you don’t.
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Hey Suze! This is all so exciting. I’m reading your entries and find it almost surreal that you are halfway around the world and in touch with others so easily. Communication has really come a long, long, way! Enjoy this trip of a lifetime!!!
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