Day 4: the Hutongs

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Soong Ching Ling's home
A pyromaniac's dream


Teas, teas, teas

View from the Drum Tower





Temple of Heaven

Michael leading the way

By the fourth day, we were finally ready to venture out on our own. We had the morning to ourselves and my guide book had a suggested walking tour of the Hutongs, so a plan was set. The Hutongs, as they are known, are the small alleys and lanes leading to a jumble of simple homes which used to proliferate most of Beijing. But sadly, progress always has a price and in the story of Beijing, it is the hutongs that have paid the most dearly. Swath by large swath, they are being eradicated to make way for high rises and Olympic stadiums. The area near the Drum Tower, which is where we went, has become quite popular with tourists looking for a glimpse into the days of Old Beijing, so it appears to be safe from imminent destruction, although, it may now face a similarly disappointing fate. On one of the main intersections, there now sits a Starbucks. But in spite of that, to repeat an oft-stated lament, I wish we would have had more time there. It had the most "soul" of anyplace we visited in China. Had I all to do over again, the entire trip, this is the place where I would want to devote the most time. I would love to take a day and just spend hours following narrow lanes and narrower lanes to see exactly where they lead. But our schedule being as tight as it was, we did not have such a luxury. We had to run to meet Michael and the rest of the group for a visit to the Temple of Heaven, which is where the Emperors would go to pray for a bountiful harvest. Considering China was mainly an agrarian nation, this was no small task. The wooden structure, built without the benefit of any nails whatsoever, is considered to be one of the greatest examples of Chinese architecture and is commonly used as the symbol of Beijing. We got to spend some time enjoying the Temple and the park that surrounds it, before we were whisked off. It was time to head to the airport for our flight to Xian, where the warriors awaited our arrival....

Comments

  1. RamblingRolandMarch 4, 2008 at 8:18 AM

    From the title of your post, "the Hutongs", and after seeing the pictures, but before reading the tale, I thought it was a family in Beijing whom you had stayed with. LOL. You even have a picture of someone's home. So, I thought the pyromaniac was Soong Ching Ling, and that her grandmother was pictured wearing a scarf. Go figure...
    Anyhow, I loved the pictures, even moreso of the one with the Budweiser sign.

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