DAY 5 – (April 27) ~ LAST DAY IN BEIJING

After breakfast we loaded our carry-on's and ourselves onto the bus that has carried us around Beijing for the last 3 days.  We drove back to the hutong neighborhood, the old Beijing.

We've passed many scooters like this driving the Beijing streets.  For some residents, it's their only mode of transportation. In cold weather they use quilted coverings that fit over the front part of their body, covering their legs and attached mitts that fit over their hands.  Very clever.  This would come in handy for our motorcycle driving and even bicycles. 

The bus dropped us off at a courtyard where we got a demonstration of the hacky sack game which the Chinese call jianji.  Some in our group were encouraged to try the game.

All of us in Chuck's group got gifts of our own jianji.  One made with feathers.  Our cats are going to love it.

  

 HUTONGS  are courtyard residences surrounded by alleyways and connected to other courtyards.  
  This time we will explore the area by rickshaw.  

This poor guy had to pull almost 300lbs of weight.  He did a good job.  Good thing the ride was mostly level.  

The ride was great fun, saw lots of old China scenery.  Our pictures were taken by lots of other tourists.

VISITING A LOCAL RESIDENT
After we exited the rickshaw we walked down some alleys to visit a hutong home and talked with the resident.  

Some residents will decorate their doors.

 

 

 After giving us all a cup of tea, she talked about her life (she was a retired 'state worker'). She had a daughter and grandson living with her and the daughter painted Chinese pictures inside of bottles (all sizes) to supplement their income.

 

I purchased a couple of the smaller bottles for 160 Yuan each (about $24).  However, we will see identical hand painted bottles at every gift shop we see as we continue on with our trip.  But, I will stay with the story that I bought these bottles from the artist herself.  Someone had to have hand painted these.  It might as well have been her.

  
After this visit we boarded our bus and headed for the airport.  At noon we fly Shanghai Airlines to Xian.  It's about an hour and half flight to Xian.  Before exiting the bus we were all handed a box lunch, compliments of Viking.  And we said good-bye to our bus driver.  His driving was excellent and he got us safely to all our destinations.

Beijing Airport

We saw a lot and did a lot in the city of Beijing.  This city is larger than San Francisco with lots of modern skyrise buildings.  The city is very clean.  You see maintenance people on all streets carting barrels and picking up trash.  These same workers will pull out polishing clothes and clean surfaces as well. There are manicured landscaped parks all over the place, lots of statues, topiaries, colorful flowers.  Volunteers from nearby residences are in the parks weeding and planting flowers.  

  
There are pushy crowds, but they always apologize if they bump you. And the locals are kind. Children want to come up to you and practice their English and their parents want to take a picture of you with their children.  This did not happen to us, but others in our group had that experience.  
  
We were never taken by any slums so we saw no poverty, but we know there are those areas.  We felt very safe in the downtown area.  You do have to watch crossing the streets.  The cars do not stop for you.  If you are in the streets, they just zip by you.
   Dave & I enjoyed our visit to Beijing very much.  It was rewarding to be able to see the Forbidden City and walk The Great Wall!