The first half of COYO's second full day in Beijing brought us clear skies, warm weather and lots of energy. We boarded the buses at 8:45 AM and headed off to Tiananmen Square, the largest open-air square in the world. It can hold up to a million people for gatherings. The gate has five passages, the middle of which leads to the Forbidden City, which we visited next. The only people who used to enter through this passage was the emperor, empress, high-rank government officials, and princes and princesses. While on the grounds of the Forbidden City, we even got a glimpse of the tallest building in Beijing that could be seen in the distance. After a hot, sunny morning of walking, we rested at a nice hotel restaurant for lunch, then went back to our hotel with an hour to relax and get ready for the rest of the day. The second half of the day will consist of a rehearsal, sound check, dinner, and our first concert of the tour at the Forbidden City Concert Hall. We'll continue to keep posted! - Ashley Zendarski, violinist
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