Both Beijing and London are historic cities with long history. Each city has its own unique traditions with tangible symbols. If you are in Beijing on your maiden Beijing Tour, you will easily decern some Beijing local traditonal culture.
Among others, you will be amazed by the millions of cyclists on the streets in Beijing, more than any other place on earth, a sharp contrast to a city full of modern skyscrapers and technology. There are a grea number of bicycle parking lots in public areas and around the office buildings. You can’t imagine anyone in New York City, or London riding a bike in the middle of the busiest road in huge number.
Another tradition symbol of Beijing is the hutong backstreets. Behind the shining high-rises, you still see a lot of back lane hutongs and hutong pedi-taxis. All these uniformed pedicab drivers are there waiting to take you through the major hutong areas.
If you get up early in the morning, you will detect another Beijing unique tradition – doing morning exercises – many kinds of activities like playing Chinese Checkers, Singing, Dancing, Tai Chi, Card Games and many more.
Among other traditions, London has also kept its unique street culture – street symbols like Post Kiosks (Pillar Box ), Telephone box, black cabs and double-deck buses.
Red Post Boxes can be found all around London and the rest of the UK. The most popular post box seen in London is the red Pillar Box, a free-standing post box.
The red telephone kiosk was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott at the request of the London Post Office in 1924. Still seen everywhere in the city of London.
London’s distinctive taxis, black cabs, are as much a feature of city life symbol as its red double-decker buses.
Some black cabs are also being modernised and painted other colours with advertising.
London’s red buses are world famous.
