Beijing 1 - The Last
There is a complete lock down around the area of our hotel which is adjacent to Tianamen Square. Our friend D had to drop us off before the city centre - cars were not allowed in and he was somewhat edgy because he did not actually have a driver's licence. We had to walk through the avenues which were eeriely quiet.
The area was surrounded by soldiers and we were stopped at least four times. The first three times we just had to flash our hotel room's card key but the last time we were stopped the soldier wanted identification. He was a little thrown off by the differing colors of Yang's and my Singapore identity cards but he let us through in the end. We had to walk a longer way to the back of the hotel.
The hotel entrance was locked - we shook at the door before a security guard came to open the door for us. Earlier in the day we had received a notice that hotel guests were encouraged to return to the hotel by 5pm. It was now 11pm.
As we entered the room, booming sounds started to shake the floors a little. I had heard these sounds in the movies before. I said, that they must be the jets. Yang said no, they were the sound of tanks. Then we realized it was the sound of heavy artillery. The intermittent booming went on for over half an hour each time shaking the ground a little.
The curtains were drawn. The notice that came earlier to all hotel rooms had told us to ensure the curtains were not open. But I could not resist as the booming sound continued and tried to peer through the windows but I could not see anything. Then another boom. And now though the booming has stopped in the background there are sounds like the bursting of a thousand distant fire crackers. At first I was not sure if it was the airconditioning going awry and then decided it was my imagination but the sounds persist and I realize it is the sound of continuous gun fire.
We were told this morning that there would be rehearsals for the equivalent of the national day but I can only think of the movie Valkyrie. In a moment like this how does one actually know?
The area was surrounded by soldiers and we were stopped at least four times. The first three times we just had to flash our hotel room's card key but the last time we were stopped the soldier wanted identification. He was a little thrown off by the differing colors of Yang's and my Singapore identity cards but he let us through in the end. We had to walk a longer way to the back of the hotel.
The hotel entrance was locked - we shook at the door before a security guard came to open the door for us. Earlier in the day we had received a notice that hotel guests were encouraged to return to the hotel by 5pm. It was now 11pm.
As we entered the room, booming sounds started to shake the floors a little. I had heard these sounds in the movies before. I said, that they must be the jets. Yang said no, they were the sound of tanks. Then we realized it was the sound of heavy artillery. The intermittent booming went on for over half an hour each time shaking the ground a little.
The curtains were drawn. The notice that came earlier to all hotel rooms had told us to ensure the curtains were not open. But I could not resist as the booming sound continued and tried to peer through the windows but I could not see anything. Then another boom. And now though the booming has stopped in the background there are sounds like the bursting of a thousand distant fire crackers. At first I was not sure if it was the airconditioning going awry and then decided it was my imagination but the sounds persist and I realize it is the sound of continuous gun fire.
We were told this morning that there would be rehearsals for the equivalent of the national day but I can only think of the movie Valkyrie. In a moment like this how does one actually know?