Dawn – raising of the flag, originally uploaded by Helen K.

This morning we got up early.. 4am… to go and watch the flag being raised – along with the other 1000’s of Chinese tourists . According to the web site this was going to occur at 5:17am. The crowd of people watching this take place this morning was incredible.

We arrived around 4:50 and there was already a large number of people, approimately 6 people deep to the front of the rope line across the square. Just before it begins there is a brief announcement, and then music plays until the flag is raised. It is over quickly.

Then the usual photograph sellers magically appear touting for business, and the guards walk off leaving the tourists to rush closure to the flag for their photographs, while we walked back to the train station. Tired but satisfied in seeing the event occur.