Day 3: Sun 2 Sep - Beijing

The Opening Ceremony started at 2pm in the Great Hall of the People which is adjacent to Tiananmen Square. The Great Hall is about 50km from the congress venue, so buses were employed to convey us to the destination.  In order to get back to the correct hotel, one had to take note of which bus you got off – they all looked the same except for a piece of paper attached to the windscreen. Hats were not allowed to be worn inside, and photography was also forbidden once inside the auditorium.

After the ceremony, it was back on the bus and back to the congress venue, to attend the MEPS Meet and Greet which was held at the JiuHua Spa and Resort Hotel. The President welcomed all old members and introduced those new to the group, and gave a brief run down on what we would be doing during the MEPS meetings, and then handed over to Zheng-yu who told us all about the military visits, bus times, etc.

Unlike last year, there were no new drinks to become acquainted with, but the beer and wine provided was just as good and another good time was had by all!

The buses, crowds and Tiananmen Square

The Great Hall of the People

Inside the Great Hall - Zheng-yu, ?, Wendy, Guido, Josee, Helmut, Régis, Richard, Jane, Susan, Steve, Annie, Jean-Claude, ? Ulf, ?, Ismail, Lena

MEPS Meet and Greet

Edgar, ZY, Annie

Magda, Guido, Helmut, Barbara

Steve, Bob, Régis

Augustine and partner

Richard and Peter