@Cherine
They are building Makkah, so they were not allowing that many people in for Umra. As for Hajj, it has always been like that. It is difficult to get in without it costing an arm and a leg, unless you have family connections there.
@ZA
Yes. The whole mosque has red carpets but the Rawda has green carpets. You are supposed to go in, do your thing, pray, make dua, etc and leave because there are a lot of people trying to pray. Some guys, with no regard for people around them, get the Kitaab, sit there and read the Quran. The police/army/security forces/whatever they are (they all wear green uniforms) will come about and move you. In the area the Prophet and the Sahabas are buried, people try to touch the golden see-through thing and kiss it, there are sheikhs and police there that will get pissed and advice you to stop it. They usually just say "bidca, bidca bidca, etc".
In Makkah, people try to pray in front of Maqam Imbrahiim. Some Sheikh guy got really pissed and started shouting at this guy for doing it. They also get pissed if you start kissing the stone, if you can get close enough to it without the Iranians trampling you. They absolutely destroyed Makkah. I have been there many times but the buildings, the tactless giant green clock tower, towering over the Xaram.
