I remember what he had said to me then; “Do not miss the Hutongs when you're in Beijing.”
THE HUTONGS
Hutongs basically means alleys. They are type of narrow streets in a traditional Chinese neighborhood, most notably in Beijing. They formed by lines of ancient courtyard residences.
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| Hutong Street Sign |
THE HUTONGS
Hutongs basically means alleys. They are type of narrow streets in a traditional Chinese neighborhood, most notably in Beijing. They formed by lines of ancient courtyard residences.
In Xicheng, to where we stayed for 8 days, there were literally hundreds of Hutongs in that district alone.
Many of Beijing’s ancient Hutongs still exist. A number of them have been designated protected areas, offering tourists a glimpse of life of the old Beijing.
Many Hutongs were touristy and abuzz with activities. Taking a guided tour is not necessary, in my opinion. I wouldn't even consider it.
Many Hutongs were touristy and abuzz with activities. Taking a guided tour is not necessary, in my opinion. I wouldn't even consider it.
I would also avoid the expensive rickshaw rides, as they just take you to Hutongs that were generally staged and theatrical in terms of the lives of traditional Chinese. It never reflects the real and current daily lives of the locals.
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| Rickshaw rides |
A do-it-yourself is the way to go to discover these hutongs.
Be One of the Crowd
It's relatively safe. It felt safe when we were there. Locals were friendly and they generally don’t mind you being among them. Just walk and take it all in. You will see how the local people of Beijing live.
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| Hutong shops |
Grey Matter
Get lost in the narrow alleyways and discover something special around every corner. I especially enjoyed the monochromatic grey surroundings of the district – the grey walls, the grey roofs, the grey pavements, grey leafless trees, grey sidewalks, the old grey bikes, heck, even the sky was grey then.
Watch the morning rush-hour of the locals in their thick jackets and face masks. Greet the folks biking through the narrow streets.
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| Early morning shopper |
Shop in a knick-knack store or grab a cheap bite from the many street vendors. We've gone to the old market and bought us some tea "pasalubongs" from a vendor that offers a variety of tea leaves. These teas were put in one of those special adorable canisters.
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| Tea vendor |
Go to some local restaurants and immerse yourself in a chaotic dining experience. Never mind if they don't speak or understand English. Pointing the dish on the menu was part of the fun.
Public Toilets
Hutong residences mostly do not have showers and toilets. They use a community-based toilet built in several places in the vicinity. I saw a few of those public toilets around the area. Some were a bit run down and some I would not dare use it. This little slice of Beijing life were amusing to experience, to say the least.
Please continue reading on to PART 5.
A really awesome China!
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