Hutongs of Beijing

I had heard about the Hutongs of Beijing as being amazing places to visit to experience the cultural life of the city but wasn't able to visit one during our last trip. So this time, when we had the chance to stay in a Hutong through AirBNB I jumped at the chance. 

We had a fantastic apartment that slept 4 comfortably (Cousin Hui Hui was travelling with us), was beautifully decorated and had a full chef's kitchen. Our host, Lil, was a chef and previous food editor of TimeOut Beijing (a cross between Now magazine and Toronto Life) so provided many great foodie tips on where to eat. 

Cousin Hui Hui:

Our chefs kitchen:

I loved walking around the hutong and trying to peer behind the doors to see what was behind. Our neighbours ranged from young Chinese hipsters, to Grannies in pajamas taking care of toddlers, to theatre goers and students as the top Chinese theatre school was just doors down. 

Pictures from our hood:

Other Beijing highlights included The Great Wall:

Listening to musicians play in the park overlooking the Forbidden City. 

Eating Beijing Duck:

Visiting the Olympic stadium, "The Bird's Nest":