Directly behind me is Chairman Mao's Mausoleum. He is the only permanent resident of Tiananmen Square. The mausoleum is more than a tomb, it's an enormous tribute to the Chairman. There is a white marble armchair inside as you enter with a massive statue of Mao seated on it (Think Lincoln Memorial in DC.) Behind this statue a massive mural features the mountains and rivers of China. In the crypt right behind this room, you can find Mao's body lying in state on a bed covered in a crystal sarcophagus and surrounded by flowers. Like so many others in Beijing these days, Chairman Mao goes to work everyday travelling from by elevator to be on display for tourists. At night his body goes back down after the last visitors have left to lie in an earthquake-proof chamber deep in the bowels of Tiananmen Square.
Side Note: Please check out the saavy US traveler, with the Starbucks stain all over my jacket. You can take the boy out of Philaaaay......
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