| On this matter, we pass you the sarcastic truth | | | | residences. Many neighbourhoods were formed by |
| of a vignette published this week on the | | | | joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, |
| Internazionale magazine where someone says | | | | and then joining one hutong to another. The word |
| China is highly developed in many things, but not in | | | | hutong is also used to refer to such |
| human rights To say 'all that glitters is not gold | | | | neighbourhoods. In these days hutongs are used |
| In any case Beijing has a lot to offer either for | | | | to guest travellers and tourists. They will fascinate |
| first time visitors, either for veterans. | | | | you with their décor, atmosphere and pieces of |
| If you are among the ones that can choose the | | | | furniture. |
| period to travel to Beijing, be aware that it is | | | | Usually, as the traditional architecture imposed, |
| exposed to a continental monsoon climate with | | | | guests rooms face an inner secret garden |
| clear-cut seasons. Best time to go is during | | | | decorated with marble statues, ponds or fountains |
| Autumn with generous sunshine and fewer | | | | and plants. Some hutongs have been transformed |
| tourists are in town. Locals describe this short | | | | in boutique hotels, some others keep the price on |
| season as tiangao qishuang - literally 'the sky is | | | | a budget and are classified as youth hostels. Just |
| high and the air is fresh. Spring is less pleasant - | | | | to mention some: the Saga Hostel, the Shongtang |
| not many tourists but lots of wind and dust. | | | | hotel, the 9 Dragon hostel, the Houhai Youth |
| Some of the best activities one can indulge in can | | | | hostel, the Temple Side hutong hostel, the |
| be the following: | | | | Hutongren or Autumn Garden Hotel. They are all |
| - renting a bicycle and discovering some of the | | | | well run and will make your stay better. |
| latest preserved hutongs. | | | | Following the founding of the People's Republic of |
| - getting into a vision of early morning Tai Chi | | | | China in 1949, many of the old hutongs were |
| practitioner at the 'divine' Temple of Heaven | | | | demolished and disappeared, replaced by the high |
| starting their day. | | | | rises and wide boulevards of today's Beijing. Some |
| - relaxing on an un-expensive foot massage | | | | of Beijing's ancient hutongs still stand as more |
| -seeing a Beijing opera in a typical Tea House | | | | recently they have been designated as protected |
| Last tip that can make you say wow, this article | | | | areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of |
| rocks! concerns very special lodgings you can | | | | Chinese cultural history. The hutongs in the |
| experience. Maybe not everyone knows that the | | | | vicinity of the Bell Tower and Shichahai Lake are |
| word hutongs (from the Mongolian hottog | | | | especially well preserved and attracts many |
| meaning "water well') are narrow streets or alleys | | | | tourists. |
| formed by lines of 'siheyuan', traditional courtyard | | | | |