Exploring Beijing's Hutongs

Beijing is like marmite, you either hate it or you love it. I for one loved walking around the old streets that are known as hutongs. You really get a sense of old China while walking around the small alleys lined with traditional courtyard houses. Especially the area around the back lakes, which is brimming with shops, restaurants and lots of historic points of interest.

You could easily spend a few days discovering this area, but if time is not on your side, here are my favourite discoveries around Lake Hou Hai.

1.       Take a tour around the area in a real rickshaw.

You don’t need to search long in order to find one of these as the rickshaw riders are lingering on pretty much every corner beckoning potential customers. As annoying as it gets to be asked if you want to jump in, it is a good way to get more information about the history of this hutong area. Provided your guide speaks some English…

                   This photo of Nanluoguxiang is courtesy of TripAdvisor

2.       Visit the former residence of Prince Kung who was not only a prince, but also an important statesman during the Qing Dynasty. He was probably best known for trying to modernise the country towards the end of the 1800s. His house is very popular among local tourist groups, so I visited in the morning when it was still fairly quiet. It’s a massive traditional courtyard mansion with an extensive landscaped garden in the back. It’s the biggest and best preserved mansion and allows you to get a glimpse into the life of the privileged classes of China's past.

3.       Have a wander around the former residence of Soong Ching-ling

Soong Ching-ling was the second wife of Sun Yat-sen who was the first president of China.

To be honest I’d never heard of this lady before I went to China, but she was a very important figure in Chinese history and not only because of her husband. This lady held some prominent positions in Chinese government as well. She died in the residence that sits on the shores of Houhai lake and its interior has been left as it was in 1981. Next to the house is an elaborate exhibition about the life of this lady and of China’s turbulent 20th century history, which had me totally absorbed for a god hour.

4.       Climb the steep steps of the drum tower 

Back in the day the Chinese used to be able tell time by listening to the drumming of the drum tower and the ringing of the bells in the bell tower. The bells indicated sunrise and the drums sundown. Beijing still has both a bell and a drum tower located in the back lake area. I only visited the drum tower and I was lucky enough to see a live demonstration of the drummers drumming.

5.       Browse through the shops and stock up on your souvenirs in Yandaixie street or have lunch at one of the many restaurants that line the lake. There are lots of different cuisines to choose from ranging from traditional Chinese to Italian Pizzas. There are some classy restaurants down towards Qianhai lake with lovely views across the water.

The Great Wall of China

The main reason for me to travel to China was to see The Great Wall of China. I believe it is just one of these things that you have to see once. It's one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages, after all. So as soon as I had arrived in Beijing, I booked myself onto a tour to Mutianyu.

You can visit the wall in lots of different places, but I was told by the nice gentleman at the tourist office, that the the best place to see the wall is at Mutianyu, which is not as touristy as say, Badaling where you walk on heads rather than century old stones. The stretch of wall here, snaking along the mountain ridges, is also more intact than at any other part, open for visitors. When we got to Mutianyu we made our way through the busy high street and up the mountain via the cable car. The views from our gondola were promising us that this was going to be an amazing experience. The sun was shining and the autumn shades of yellow, red and brown of the trees were like a patchwork blanket draped over the mountains.

When I got off I had to pinch myself. Here I was on the flipping Great Wall of China. I had read about it, seen it in pictures at school and now I was walking on it, touching it and seeing it with my very own eyes.

I decided to walk east and away from the other tourists so I could savour the moment in silence. The wall at Mutianyu measures 2 km long and has 22 watchtowers. I decided to walk towards watchtower 22, the furthest tower away from the cable car terminal.

Some parts of the wall were flat and easily walkable, but as I approached tower 20 the steps were getting steeper and steeper. At the top of the tower I took a breather and sat down to take in the view of the surrounding area. All I could hear was the wind, a couple of birds and the distant voices of some schoolkids.

I could have stayed on a lot longer, but our visit was timed for only 2 1/2 hours, so I headed back to the cable car and down to the village. After a hearty lunch, we headed back to Beijing where we were to visit the famous Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. But I'd already made up my mind that seeing the Great Wall was going to be the highlight of my trip to China.

A Love Garden in China

When I think of China I think of gardens. Romantic gardens dotted with secluded pavilions, weeping willows peppered around ponds where lots of koi carp swimming around lily beds. The gardens at Huaqing Hot Springs en route to the Terra Cotta army, couldn't look any more romantic, but while I walked around, they revealed a tragic love story.

The Huaqing hot springs and gardens have attracted lots of high profile people over the centuries. From around 221 B.C. until 907 A.D the baths were used by the Emperors and their concubines who they bathed in the Nine Dragon and Guifei hot springs that are located here. The ruins of the baths are still there and gives you a good idea of what they would've looked like. This also the place where Empress Dowager CiXi and Chang-Kai-Chek hid out. But what it's best known for is the tragic love story of Tang Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Guifei.

Yang Guifei was a very beautiful woman who was the emperor's favourite concubine. He loved her so much that he neglected his duties and political affairs. After an coup that ended in an eight year civil war, which Yang Guifei was to blame for, the emperor was forced to have her executed. He did so reluctantly and had her killed by a eunuch. He never was able to forget her and was often seen weeping at one of her portraits.

The gardens at Huaqing hot springs is full of reminders of the couple. There is the where Yang Guifei would overlook the gardens and brush her long hair. And there is the Love Promise Platform where they promised to love each other for ever. On the platform stands a tree, which according to popular, is a lovers tree that the couple planted themselves. Over the centuries the branches of the tree intertwined as if engaged in an eternal embrace. It is said that Yang made a wish when they planted it saying: In the heaven we shall be birds, flying side by side and on the earth we shall be flowering springs on the same branch.

The pavilion is now a very popular photo spot for modern day loved up couples. Like the imperial couple, they also promise to love each other for ever and hang their written love promises written out on red labels in the lover's tree. Let's hope their love stories will have a happier ending than the one of Yang Guifei and her Emperor.

A Muslim Market in Xian

Usually people travel to Xi’an to see the Terracotta Warriors, but as I found out on my China holiday, there’s a lot more to this historic town than a bunch of stone soldiers.

 After I had explored the ancient Xi’an city wall, which I wrote about in my previous post, I headed up north to the Muslim market area. The fact that I had no idea what to expect from a Chinese Muslim market, made me really want to visit this part of Xi’an.

The Muslim quarter which stretches out over several blocks and there are about 20,000 Muslims that live in this area. The market is located right behind the Drum Tower. The tree lined main street is car free, so you can safely look around the shops, restaurants and stalls. It’s worth popping into the little lanes off the main street, where it’s all a bit more quiet and almost tourist free. The market is a great place to stock up on souvenirs such as DVDs, clothing and bags., but you can also sample some traditional Chinese Muslim delicacies.

I saw BBQed squid and Scorpions, steaming dumplings and fragrant noodle soups. There was a stall selling slabs of crushed caramel peanuts, fried eggs on a stick, stinky tofu, and lots of things I didn't know what they were. I bought a fried banana on a stick, a cup of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice and a big loaf of salty bread.

As I was walking around, getting lost in the little alleys, I happened on a mosque. I decided to have a wander around and learned that this mosque is also known as the Great Mosque and is the best preserved, oldest and largest in China. It was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty when Islam was introduce in China by Arab salesmen from Persian and Afghanistan.

Even though the mosque looked like it could use a lick of paint here and there, it was a very nice respite from the busy market streets and the perfect spot to enjoy my harvest from the Muslim Market.

                    This photo of Muslim market is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Cycling on the Xi'an Wall

If there's one country famous for its bikes besides Holland, it must be China. So when I was there on my China holiday, I of course had to hire one. I did so in Xi'an. Not to ride around town, because that would be utter suicide. I rented one to go cycling on the Xi'an city wall.

The city wall in Xi'an dates back to the Tang Dynasty to protect the city against invaders. It was completely restored in the 80s and you can ride or walk full circle on the entire wall. It measures 14 km long, 12 metres in height, and 15-18 metres in thickness. There is a wide moat and a lovely circular park right next to it. There are watch towers every 120 where soldiers could hide from and shoot at the enemy. There are also four gates that each have three towers, which still give access to historic Xi'an. The South Gate is apparently the prettiest, but it was under renovation when I was there.

The bike rentals were located near the South Gate and you can choose from single bikes or tandems. You can keep the bikes for 100 minutes, which is plenty of time to ride the full stretch. From the wall I had a good view of the city, albeit a smoggy one. I rode along skyscrapers on the one side and traditional Chinese shop fronts on the other. I passed a Buddhist temple in the northwest corner and the lush Huancheng Park just next to it. From the West gate I got a good glimpse of the Drum and the Bell Tower located smack in the centre of the city. One interesting thing was the modest exhibition in one of the watchtowers on the history of the bike. (Did you know the first one was made out of wood?)

After about an hour and a quarter I ended up back to where I started and returned the bike, Ready for a hearty lunch. Because not only is biking a good way to explore new cities, it's also good way to work up an appetite.

Cat Cafe in China

A while back I blogged about the Cat Cafe Nikko in Vienna, which unfortunately still remains on my list of places to visit. But when I was wandering around the streets in Xi'an on my China holiday, I happened on a cafe that probably is very similar to Neko. Don't ask me what it was called, because I couldn't read the logo which was written in Chinese.

I had to ring the bell to be let inside. There was a sign in English that said:' Don't let the cats out.' So I assumed the bell ringing was a way for the staff to make sure the cats don't take a leap into the big wide world.

Everything and I mean everything was cat themed here. The drawings on the wall, the table decorations, the menus. There was a little sleep corner with comfy looking cat beds. In another corner I noticed a large scratching pole. A large room behind glass was clearly cats only; It looked like that was where they sleep, play, eat and do their business. The counter was stacked with cat snacks, treats and toys which clients could buy. Next to it was a box with lint roller, which surely came in handy after my visit to the cat cafe.

After I picked something I hoped was a tea from the Chinese menu, my table was taken over by the feline residents. One sat on my lap, another on the chair next to me and a cheeky third decided to sprawl out in front of me on the table.

From a cat's point of view, life in a cat cafe probably comes very close to heaven on earth. What can be better than having people at your disposal that cuddle, feed and play with you all day long even if they are strangers? From a human's point of view it's pretty heavenly as well. You can cuddle, sneak little bits of food under the table and play with them, but you can leave the cleaning up their mess up to the owners of the cafe. Both parties win.

A 1933 Bauhaus Slaughterhouse in Shanghai

When you think of Shanghai, you think of ultra- modern skyscrapers, higher than anywhere in the world and kitted out with flashy neon lights. I certainly wasn't expecting any 1930s Bauhaus buildings hidden in the urban Shanghailese landscape.

The building is known as 1933, because, you guessed it, it was built in 1933. It was designed by British architects as a slaughterhouse, but was built by Chinese developers in the Hongkou District. It has served many purposes after that. It was a medicine factory and served as a cold storage as well, but by 2008 the building had become derelict. It was restored and turned into a commercial hub where art, style and cuisine seem to come together.

The 4 storey building is set around a large atrium which was where the slaughters did their work. The different floors are interconnected with walkways, steps and ramps. Although they were meant to create an organised flow of workers and cattle, I did feel like I was walking around in a labyrinth and got a bit confused a few times.

But that's okay. There are a few trendy clothing and interior shops and as you walk up, you'll find a selection of local and western restaurants as well as coffee shops. There is even a cigar bar and a Ferrari shop on the ground floor. Other spaces are used for offices, galleries and workshops and some are still left empty.

I loved waking around the building and it certainly is a must see if you're ever in Shanghai. Especially if you like your buildings historic instead of state-of-the-art.

How to Get a Chinese Visa?

Visas are one of those pesky things that you need to put up with when you love travelling to exotic countries. Some of them are easy to obtain, like the electronic ones in Oz and the USA, or the ones that are issued on arrival. Other visa application processes are just plain painful and require standing in long and never dissolving queues for hours and hours and being grilled by rude embassy officials.

So when I found out I needed one for my upcoming trip to China, I was dreading my visit to the Chinese visa application centre. It turns out that getting your Chinese visa is easier as pie. Or should I say, dim sum?

You pick your own appointment slot online, print off and fill in the necessary forms, have a snazzy picture taken and off you go. When you get there, there are no long queues like at the Indian embassy, nor are there grumpy officials like at the American one. The nice lady at the reception desk hands you a number and tells you to wait in the waiting area. You wait for your number to be called while lounging on a cushy couch, having a coffee. When you hear your number, you go to the window, hand over your docs and passport, to pick it up again fours days later.

This was probably the most friendly and well-oiled visa appliccation process I'd ever been through before. If this represents how everything is organised in the Republic of China, then I am in for a treat. Only a few more sleeps to go.