The famous Tiananmen square is the third largest city square in the world. It is named after the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) which separates the square from the next door Forbidden City. The gate was built in 1415, with the square being constructed in 1651.

Within Tiananmen square, Chairman Mau Tse Tung's embalmed body is on display in his mausoleum. Hundreds of people were queuing to file past his embalmed body and pay their respects. We didn't have time for this, but had already seen Ho Chi Minh's mausolem in Hanoi.

The famous student protests at Tiananmen Square were in 1989. Hundreds, possibly even thousands were killed as the Chinese authorities ruthlessly maintained order. Today, such troubles seemed a lifetime away, as China appears, at least on the surface, to be such a peaceful country.