Tiananmen Square in Beijing

Back to Beijing!  It has been a few years and I am excited to be returning.  I conveniently arrange a hotel near one of the two Airport Express Train stations in the city (also a metro station).

 Airport Express Train into Beijing

Beijing Metro map

For my first exploration in Beijing, I hop on the metro and head over to Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing, a significant symbol of the city.  Like everywhere in the world these days, security is tight at the square and, after leaving the Metro, I join a long line to pass through metal detectors prior to entering the square.

Once inside, I just wander, taking in the sights of this magnificent square, reportedly the largest such city square in the world.  In 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People's Republic of China in the square and his mausoleum is located in the center section.

Mausoleum of Mao Zedong

The square is surrounded by the National Museum of China on one side, facing the Great Hall of the People, where the national people's congress meets, on the other.

National Museum of China

Great Hall of the People

At the top of the square is Tiananmen Gate, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, built in 1492 and serving as the main entrance into the Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace for almost 500 years. Tiananmen Gate faces, in the square, Mao's Mausoleum and the Monument to the People's Heroes, completed in 1958 and dedicated to the martyrs of revolutionary struggle.

Tiananmen  Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace)

 Monument to the People's Heroes

Although the square is huge, with Metro stations at the top and bottom, it is great for strolling, with beautiful floral gardens.

Tiananmen Gate from the middle of the square

 Floral displays in the square

 At the south end of the square, facing the mausoleum, is Zhengyangmen Gate, built in 1419 and once serving as guard station and entrance through the walls of the city (long since demolished).

 Zhengyangmen Gate, from inside and outside

 And, just outside the square, a great traffic sign tells drivers how to navigate around the square.

Traffic sign

And, I, having made the obligatory visit to Tiananmen Square, will now follow one of the paths off the square to explore and experience more of what Beijing has to offer.

San Francisco Airport Art

I recently have about eight hours between flights at the San Francisco airport, flying in from Newark in the afternoon and out to Singapore late that evening, and decide to explore my home airport.

Welcome to San Francisco

I've admired the artwork in other airports around the world, but never really took the time to check out SFO.  Well, now I have the time and I'm off to explore the art in the United terminal.

"Sky" spheres over gate waiting area

 Sculpture and paintings near gates 60-67

 Art and waiting/resting area near Gate 60

 Mural and waiting area in hallway between gate areas

Fish mural in the Yankee Pier restaurant

The wide main corridor to United gates 76-81 always has great displays put on by the SFO Museum and today the focus is on old-time slot machines, called "Games of Chance".  The Museum has displays in many of the terminals, truly enhancing the experience of the airport and giving passengers, crew, and airport employees something interesting to explore as we pass through.

 Games of Chance extends down the corridor

 Games of Chance

I complete my pass through the United domestic terminal (Terminal 3) and take the connecting hallway to the International Terminal, discovering that it takes about 30 minutes to walk from the far end of the Domestic Terminal, past all the domestic gates, then past all the United international gates.  I do this several times to kill time and get in a little exercise before the 16.5 hour flight to Singapore (currently United's longest flight).

 Artwork along the hallway between domestic and international terminals

In the International Terminal, as I pass the gates, I stop to admire (and photograph) the artwork above several of the gates.

International gates

I'm glad that I have the time to explore some of SFO.  Normally, I dash in and out, departing and arriving.  Spending time connecting there gives me the opportunity to see my home base in a new light and to appreciate what I've been seeing and enjoying in other airports.

An Unexpected Night in Tokyo

I hadn't planned to visit Tokyo this spring.  If so, I would have stayed a while and created some good blog entries (something to do later this year or next year).  But, I receive an unexpected few hours there and enjoy them.

I'm on United Flight 2, from Singapore to San Francisco, about ten hours into the 15 hour flight, somewhere in mid-Pacific between Hawaii and Alaska, when there is a medical emergency.  The closest hospital appears to be 1400 miles away in Tokyo and we turn around and head that way. Three hours later, we land in Tokyo in the evening at a deserted terminal (everybody else is long gone). United is very efficient about getting all 250 or so of us through Japan immigration and into hotels, letting us know that our flight will continue on the next afternoon.

 Beautiful gardens and restful areas in Singapore airport departure area
(before we leave for San Francisco, before the unexpected stop)

At the hotel, I quickly fall asleep, to awaken and wander the next morning.  I haven't been to Japan in a while (except to change planes) and it's great to see the Japanese gardens and culture up close again.

 Beautiful rock gardens outside hotel lobby

 Floral displays and quiet areas inside

After a morning of relaxation, it's a short shuttle bus ride back to the terminal to view the great collection of shops and restaurants in the public area.  It's like being in a Japanese city.

 Shopping mall inside airport

 Restaurants in the food court

 Artwork in the terminal

And, just outside the restaurants, an open deck area allows viewing of the planes and gates, with tables to dine while waiting and watching.  And, a section of massage chairs for relaxing inside.

Watch outside or relax inside

But, enough wandering, I get my boarding pass, go through security, and find the fabulous duty-free shopping area.  I usually browse through the food shops here for items that I can't get in the US and, today, pick up a tin of rice crackers, some seaweed wrapped.  I'll enjoy those tremendously when I get home.

 Incredible duty free shopping

Leaving the duty free shops for the gates, I stop in at the United Club for some appetizers and a Coke Zero.  Our flight (not planned to be in Japan) is leaving several hours prior to the normal, scheduled San Francisco flight and the club is not full, very quiet and relaxing.

 Hanging out in the United Club

With Coke Zero, wasabi peas, and rice crackers

Next to our gate is the last chance for sushi, attracting quite a line of people getting it to go, some electing to sit inside.

Last chance for sushi

I pass on the sushi, choosing airline fare, and we finally continue on our way to San Francisco, where I can open my beautifully-wrapped tine of rice crackers.  The Japanese tradition of wonderful wrapping enhances the joy of this acquisition.  The tin is in a cardboard sleeve, then wrapped in paper.  Each cracker is also individually wrapped.  Opening this all is a real treat.

 Treats and wrappings

As we board the plane, we find the same crew that brought us (and that aircraft) up from Singapore and they tell us that the passenger who fell ill had surgery in Tokyo the previous night and was recovering in the hospital.  We continue on our way home.