We just happened to be in Beijing, China during their national celebration of Labor Day and just about every business in the city shut down and every government office was closed. The subway system was working and the density of the crowd discouraged taking a taxi to Tienanmen Square. Over 200,000 people were drawn here for the holiday ceremonies.
What a great opportunity for people watching! This was my first trip to China and it is a far cry from the China I had studied in college. The dull gray clothing and bicycles have been replaced with Western style clothing and automobiles.
My travel tip here is to make sure you are not planning to go to the to the Forbidden City on a national holiday celebration. These site is located adjacent to the Square. If you have booked through a tour group you will probably won't have a problem. They have enough sense to know they can't get you past the traffic. But just because you probably can't get into one of the most most popular sites in China doesn't mean you can't enjoy the atmosphere. Just remember to take the subway.
By some quirk in Chinese culture, the government has since abolished Labor Day and replaced it with three additional holidays.
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