"Midnight In Peking"

 For Book Club last month we read "Midnight In Peking" by Paul French.  It's a true murder/mystery of a young Englishwoman that took place in Beijing in the 1930's.  The author made a podcast walking tour that takes you to the actual scenes from the book.  The hutong where she lived, where most of the foreigners lived, the "badlands" where she was murdered.  The area had a real "old China" feel.  The book was okay, but the tour was great!! 

 

 

 

Starting out at the Beijing Train Station

 

 

 

A Hutong is a narrow alleyway where you can find traditional courtyard homes.  This is the way most people used to live, but are harder to find today. 

 

 

 

The Fox Tower.  There was a wall that was built to surround the old Ming Capital Peking.  Part of the wall still stands today.  The Fox Tower was a watchtower to one of the passageways into the city.

 

Just look at that gorgeous blue sky!  See -- it's not always "foggy" here :)  It was a beautiful day!

The wall was built in the early 1400's.  It's 600 years old!! 

 

 

 

Food along the hutong for sale: Buns and Jiaozi (dumplings)

 

 

Fresh meat anyone??  There are actually many fresh meat markets all over Beijing.  I haven't quite been able to buy meat at an open market yet though.  There's just something about buying unrefrigerated meat in a dirty building that I can't get over.  Even though the little supermarket where I do buy my meat probably buys it from that same market :) 

 

At the end of the tour we stopped at a random small noodle place and ate some noodles.  $2.50 a bowl!  The menu was in all Chinese and no body spoke English.  It was a great chance to put all those hours of learning Chinese into practice!  These are the types of places and experiences we are missing out on by living in the suburbs.  So it's fun to experience it every now and then.  Hopefully we can do more things like this!  I had a great time!

 (Check me out eating soup with chopsticks!)

#Forksarestilleasier