The Hutongs, Beijing

The traditional Beijing residential area is called a hutong.

There are hutongs still all over in Beining. The popular touristy hutongs are near Hou Hai where you can pay for a trishaw ride around the hutong neighborhood.

But you can just walk into any hutongs on your own safely and take as many photos as you wish - discretely of course as people are living there and would appreciate their privacy too.

Many hutongs are being levelled to make for new housing and offices and so visit them now.

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Our group was invited into the home of Mrs Wong who lived in the Hutong area of Beijing.She had a historic house with many little rooms and a courtyard with many birds in cages . We were surprised to here that no one in the Hutong has a toilet . They use a public toilet in the neighbor hood . Even more surprising is the fact taht the house we visited was worth several million dollars . I guess it comes down to location !

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Hutongs are the small streets in Chinese cities. As usual, I think real life is there, much more than in the big streets or the clean tourist-visited places.
Small shops, tiny restaurants, kids, all is living here, and I liked walking on evenings in the small streets before finding a small restaurant where choosing a meal was done visually; I looked at what was prepared in the “kitchen” (outside!) or what other people were eating and then I choose and was rarely deceived.


Main picture:South west of Tian an men are some small streets where life goes like 50years ago may be; narrow street, typical houses (a bit hidden here) many shops and lots of people.
Picture 2: for some restaurants, the kitchen is outside; what is getting cooked here?
Picture 3: bright colours; it was my first day here, I have no real idea for what this is; the nice thing, when you just walk in the streets you always find things you never have seen before, you do not know. . .
Picture 4: Little boy like in the image books from my childhood; and he plays and looks at the foreigner.
Picture 5: This street is a bit the China I imagined before I arrived, many red signs, bycicles, people, shops, but not the grey weather.

Hidden within the hutongs at Huohai Backlakes, Hutong Pizza is a gem of a place. The appearance outside the restaurant offers no hints of what's inside. Part the heavy curtains and you will be greeted by this sight.

It's a quiet, little place where I always bring visiting friends. It may not offer local food but the setting is very much Beijing. The food is excellent, staff is friendly and the service is fast. I love their blue cheese burger and the Mediterranean pizza.