Beijing, riding the Hutongs - Thursday 7h July

It's our last day in Beijing already but still more to do before our first 12 hour overnight train ride.

We're off for a cycling tour of the Hutongs - networks of narrow lanes around old courtyard style family homes dating back to before the Ming Dynasty.

There were no taxis to be found near the hotel so it was another trip on the Metro - using it like locals. Got a taxi for the last few miles to the meeting point for the Hutong guide. The bikes were barely roadworthy no bells, no gears and little or no brakes, thankfully Beijing is as flat as the Netherlands.

Off we went like ducks behind our local guide. Up, down, left, right through the maze of narrow lanes full of cars, bikes, people and dogs. When I had to take avoiding action I knew brakes would have been useful, but luckily I only clipped the mirror of one car and stayed on 2wheels.

We were in time to catch one of the drum shows at the Drum Tower. An amazing display of 5 people beating man-sized drums to mark the time of day. Very loud and really good.



Then more cycling through the narrow Hutong lanes until we stopped at a small Yuan Dynasty Buddhist temple, Guanghua Temple,  where the last Emporers last eunuch, Sun Yaoting, died 5 years ago aged 93.

A very calm and peaceful place filled with the smell of sandalwood incense. We will be able to share the experience when we get home as we bought a Buddhist music CD and some Sandalwood incense.

Off again,this time to have lunch with a local family in their courtyard house. The husband cooked up a great variety of fresh Chinese dishes in the tiny kitchen while his wife served us with cold beer and Coke. Great experience.


We got a taxi from the Hutongs to the Lama Temple just north of central Beijing. Great suggestion by Eva as this was by far the most beautiful and ornate temple we have seen so far in China, again filled with lots of sandalwood incense.

Took the Metro back to the hotel with just enough time for a shower before leaving for the station and our first overnight sleeper-train experience.