Today, instead of paying an expensive tour guide we decided we could attempt to conquer some of Beijing on our own. =)
So we had heard about some Hutong Rickshaw tour that were pretty neat so we decided to ask the concierge (he speaks some English) to get us a taxi and have the driver drop us off to the location we wanted and we would pay the rickshaw drivers (who claim to speak English) to take us around the Hutong neighborhood and lake (it would cost us about $60 just for that tour. A Rickshaw is sort like of a carriage pulled by a bicycle.
So, the taxi who spoke no English at all (we were at his mercy) took us on a 45 min drive (we got to see Tiananmen square along the way) and dropped us off at what appeared to be a Hutong neighborhood (old traditional neighborhoods with brick/dirt type streets and usually no cars allowed) .
So he points down the street and tells us to go down there with his hand motions. We pay him the fee and start walking down the street. Our very sweet Korean guide whom we had yesterday (Angela) told us when we got out of taxi there should be Rickshaws waiting for customers and we should only take the ones in uniform who have been licensed to drive them and really knew what they were doing. She said sometimes there are others who say cheaper price but don't speak English and don't take you on very good tour and they are not licensed.
.
After walking 10 min (down what appeared to be an alley of only Chinese people and many shops) we were thinking we might be in the wrong place. We do finally see only one Rickshaw and he tried to stop us, but we could tell it was the type Angela warned us about, so we kept walking.
We finished the street of vendors (maybe 20 minutes) Then we found a potty (not a squatty this time, thankfully) After, we were not sure what to do. There was no lake and no other Rickshaws waiting for customers. We were told there would be lots!
Jay remembered he saw some police and a sign for station and thought maybe they could help. We walked another 5 min down that way. We enter the station and find one of the officers could speak broken English. I tried to explain with motions and words I thought she might understand, and she guessed that we wanted to rent bicycles at the rental place we passed coming in. Umm, I don't think so, have you seen the bicycles drive in Beijing, a City of 19 million people? Scary...!
So we said thank you, and left. Beginning to feel like we were in a fish bowl with all the stares we were receiving. But really, the people of Beijing mostly seem very respectful and we never felt threatened, in the least.
As we were about to turn back down the street we began, I noticed a sign for an ice cream shop that had a sign written in very good English writing (with Chalk, so had to be done recently). I thought, we should ask them if they spoke English. The worker didn't but pointed us to 2 gals that were sitting at a table chatting. One of them was Chinese and spoke pretty good English and the other was Australian who spoke great English and Chinese. They communicated back and forth for about 5 min and the worker young man went and got us the original Rickshaw we saw when we entered that neighborhood. We had to laugh, it was a nice older gentlemen who was going to only charge us 30 yuan (about $5) to drive us the location we needed to be (he new where it was) and it was a 15 minute bike ride. Poor man, I don't think he knew what he was getting himself into as had to drive all of 3 of us good size Americans against the wind to this street, where Yes, indeed was a tour guide Rickshaw place...
We gave him a big tip for his hard work." Thank you Sir. "
We walked across the main street (scary in itself, remember traffic and while they do oblige to pedestrians some, not totally) and then we walked and within a few minute another Rickshaw was offering us a tour. It was indeed the one we were looking for. He was a kind, again older man. He got his work out, driving us for 45 minutes around this lake and through some older streets and shopping centers, some as old as almost 500 years. he pointed out what he said was his house too. He did speak English, but oh so hard to understand it.. We often laughed if we didn't get it.
We got to see quite a few little things, including go into a traditional Hutong home, which still has a family living in it. That was cool to see.
When we were done he dropped us off a shopping street. Lenea liked the Rickshaw and she was a big trooper while I spent a couple hours bargaining and shopping.
Thankfully I brought some snacks and we ended up finding a McDonald and even saw McDonald delivery boy! He drove a bike and had a Box like Backpack thing he wore on his back with the food in it. He was off before I could get a photo, too bad.
We thought we would try some french fries. Before doing so we needed the toilet. There was a line and only one filthy squatty potty in it, with sticky urine all over the floor. What a stinky humerus sight to hold Lenea over this potty. I was not a happy camper, and Lenea did great!
After leaving there, we needed to flag down a taxi, we were pretty adventured out. It was much more trafffic in the city streets by now and we had a hard time fiding one. It took us about 30 minutes to find one vacant. we saw some get out and we ran.
whew we got in. After all was done he charged us about 3 dollars less for the drive,since he took a shorter way.
we came back to hotel and I paid for a Traditional massage. The girl came up to our room. Much different than I am used to to in states, but it felt good, but she didn't speak English besides, "okay, and "money". So she did not ask me if I had any sore spots, she barely touched my still aching neck. It is better than before, but trying to keep up on it before we get Asher in 2 days!
Tomorrow we are going to attempt to walk to the Temple of Heaven, which we are told is a 10 min walk from hotel. Find a place to eat lunch and maybe do a little shopping and then Angela will take us to airport about 2:30!!
We will get to experience Chines flying and planes and travel to Asher's city!!! So excited!!!
