Hello Kathy,
I just wanted to follow up with you and say what a great time we all had during our trip to Beijing. Candy was an awesome tour guide who was very accommodating to our unique needs (we had some very specific dietary requirements that she made sure were taken care of every place we went). I know we were all impressed with the quality of the accommodations and how smoothly the entire trip went.
If I am ever traveling to China again for vacation, I will definitely book a tour through you.
Regards,
John Damalas
Visiting a 300-year old courtyard, and experiencing a bike ride through the zigzag and narrow alleys or hutongs.
You also expect standing on the Silver Ingot Bridge ( Yinding Bridge ), a narrow channel joining Qianhai Lake and the Houhai Lake, the hub of Shichahai area with surrounding quiet hutongs, and then wandering along the Yandaixiejie ( Tobacco Pipe Lean Street ), a quaint 800-year-old hutong.
Ascending the 67-meter high and two-storey Drum Tower dating from the year 1420 is sure to bring you back to the old Beijing by seeing the big drum tower and having bird's-eye view of the surrounding communities of hutongs and siheyuan - existing traditional courtyards in Beijing.
Book now! Beijing Half Day Hutong Tour C regularly sells out days in advance, so book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Tour Highlights:
. A private tour - your own tour guide & driver
. Immersed in the 300-year old courtyard
. Detailed account of the hutong and courtyard culture
. Biking through the most typical hutongs in Beijing
. Passing through quaint 800-year-old Tobacco Pipe Lean Street
. Ascending the two-storey Drum Tower
Schedule Details:
Departs:
Daily
Departure Point:
8:30am from your midtown hotel
or
1:30pm from your midtown hotel
Duration:
3-4 hours (approx.)
Return details:
Transfer back to your midtown hotel
Beijing Half Day Hutong Tour C on Foot & by Bike Virtual Tour:
8:30am or 1:30pm- Pick from your midtown hotel in Beijing and have around 30 minutes private transfer to our bike shop at the Shichahai area and then ride the bike first to the old courtyard escorted by our English speaking tour guide.
With the help of your English speaking tour guide of the courtyard, you will have a detailed explanation of the old courtyard ( Siheyuan ) - its history, its layout, its Fengshui, and its traditiona Chinese culture involved. The photos below tells you partly what you will see on the one hour courtyard tour.
1. This courtyard is a private residence of the Zhu family. It can be dated to the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644 ), and it is also one of the most complete existing courtyards in Beijing.
First let's look at its Ming Dynasty front gate and high steps. In the feudal society the number of the steps and the hexagonal poles protruding from the top beam were strictly regulated as a symbol of social rank. You can find the 4 steps leading up to the main gate, and the 4 poles protruding from the top beams, indicating the owner was a 3-rank army officer at that time. The gate is painted vermilion with copper door knockers. The gate is located at the southeastern corner of the courtyard built according to Fengshui.
2. Why the owner was an army officer, not a civil official? The stone piers ( mendun ) are an indication of position and wealth of the former occupants of a old hutong courtyard home in Beijing. If the stone piers were circular, then host was an army officer. If square, the host was a civil official. So the host of the Zhu Family was an army officer.
The rear parts of the stone piers are set astride the gate to either hold the gate and serve as the central axis.
3. Entering the front gate, you find a screen wall to shield the house from outsiders'view for privacy. Superstition holds that it also protects the house from evil spirits. Remember both the front gate and the screen wall are located in the southeast corner of the courtyard. Turn left, you enter the yard of the old courtyard.
4. The layout of the 300-year old courtyard
5. The building positioned to the north and facing the south is considered the main house. The main house receives the most sunlight, thus serving as the living room and bedroom of the owner or head of the family.
6. The western side rooms receive less sunshine, and serve as the rooms for eldest children or less important members of the family. Now the descendants of the courtyard still live in the the west rooms. You can see the western rooms from the outside.
7. The eastern side rooms receive the second less sunshine, and serve as the rooms for younger children or less important members of the family. Now most of the eatern rooms are vacant as showrooms. Still one of the eastern rooms is now used as a kitchen room.
8. The opposite rooms (or southern side rooms). The southern side rooms receive the least sunlight, and usually serve as a reception room and the servants' dwelling, or where the family would gather to relax, eat or study.
After visiting the old courtyard, then bike through the zigzag and narrow alleys or hutongs. Kindly reminder: Though Beijing is flat and safe for bike activities, it can be still a little dangerous. You are free to follow these directions at your own risk.
Drop off at the the Silver Ingot Bridge ( Yinding Bridge ), a narrow channel joining Qianhai Lake and the Houhai Lake, the hub of Shichhai area with surrounding quiet hutongs. Walking along the Yandai Xiejie ( Tobacco Pipe Lean Street ), a quaint 800-year-old hutong located directly north of Yinding Bridge between Qianhai and Houhai and the south of the Drum Tower, used to be well-known for sellers of long-stemmed pipes, hence the name.
Ascending the 67-meter high and two-story Drum Tower dating from 1420 is sure to bring you back to the old Beijing by seeing the big drum tower and having bird's eye view of the surrounding communities of hutongs and siheyuan - existing traditional courtyards in Beijing.
Return to your midtown hotel in Beijing after the half day tour.
Optional add-on:
If you are interested in the Chinese tea culture, after the day tour, you are transferred to a nice tea market in the center of Beijing. There you see a tea performance and learn how to conduct your own kungfu tea ritual. The knowledge of tea, tea selection, steeping and savoring will be explained. After a simple tea ceremony, you are free on your own in choosing your favorite tea, teapots and teacups.
Booking Note:
1. Just wear casually for the hutong culture experience half day bike tour.
2. WARNING! Though Beijing is flat and safe for bike activities, it can be still a little dangerous. You are free to follow these directions at your own risk. However, our travel agency can not be held responsible for any injuries, death, or damages while taking our suggested bike routes. Many route descriptions may be vague and most certainly do not list all possible hazards. Also, many routes require on street riding in traffic lanes, while others may require some off road terrain. You should be comfortable riding under all types of conditions before attempting any of these routes.
3. It is a private tour. You have your own tour guide, bike and car driver ( for city transfer).
Inclusions:
1.All private transfers
2.Entrance tickets as mentioned
3.Bike
4.English speaking tour guide
5.The above private escorted tour is customized for you, your family or your friends exclusively. No other travelers will join in your group Exclusions:
1.Personal Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness or damages incurred during your trip
2.Tips to your English speaking tour guide and car driver Available:
Daily Reservation:
1. Please use our online booking or send your travel request via email to info@tour-beijing.com. You are also welcome to call us at + 86 10 67160201 ext 1006 or 2007. Phone after working hours: 0086 13520598855 or 13901312027
2. Our real trip advisors will have your booking confirmed no more than 1 working day. When your booking is confirmed, you will get a confirmation email or call from us, which includes the confirmed detailed itinerary with prices.
3. In your reply, please inform us of the following information:
01) Your Name:
02) Email
03) Mobile or Tel
04) Hotel or Room Number
05) Name of the bike tour
06) Time Beginning and time returning
07) Adult ( man or women) or children
08) Heights
4. Our tour guide will contact you in the later afternoon to fix the departure time for next day's travel activity. If you happen to be not in your hotel room, our tour guide will leave a message for you.
5. Please prepay by credit car or pay cash to our tour guide when you are on the tour. Both RMB and hard currency are acceptable. Terms & ConditionsCurrency Converter
(24 Hours Service, also on weekends and holidays) Hotline:0086-10-67160201 ext 1006,1007 Hotline: ( after office hours, on weekends and holidays ):
0086 13520598855, 13901312027 FAX:0086-10-67160150 E-mail: info@tour-beijing.com MSN: tour-Beijing@hotmail.com ( MSN Only ) Office Hours: 8:30-18:00 ( GMT+0800 ) Monday - Friday Tour Operator:Beijing Xinhua International Tours License NO. L-BJ-GJ00002 ICP: 041309 Address: 2001-1-1, Nanxiaojie,Guangqumen,Chongwen District, Beijing, China 100061
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