Back Lakes (Hou Hai) Beijing

Tim says:
After being cooped up on the airplane yesterday and still adjusting to the time change, Erin and I headed out for a early morning walk. It was nice getting out, stretching our legs and seeing just where we were in this gigantic country. Our hotel is in the financial district, so it is very beautiful, modern and clean. It only took a …

There are very few feelings as wonderful as arriving in a new place. The more exotic the better!

I think sensing the vibe of a new place is my favorite part of traveling. I love that feeling of wandering around, slightly lost and completely bewildered until the vibe of the city permeates my soul and I become one of the masses. I love …

Yesss!! this morning, I was not sure if I would, but then, after a good breakfast, I went to the lake, rented some skates, and tried to see if I remembered how it goes. Hum, in the beginning, I sat more on the ice after a good fall than on my feet, but, it is like skiing, once you have learned it you never forget... after 20 min, I began to move, …

Nothing beats mixing it with Beijingers around the Shicha Hai (Back Lakes) on a perfect (if a little polluted) autumn Sunday!
We love Beijingers! Sundays are a time to chill out, and people come out to comune - either to exercise in the outdoor gyms (really we do need these in Australia), to play cards or Mah Jong or Go, to eat (a lot of that …

Jet lag sucks. We woke at 12 but it took us another 2 hours to get moving. Breakfast/brunch/lunch was McDonald's - hardly the authentic experience we were seeking!! - but food was needed. Now. And our lovely authentic Chinese hotel does not cater for random Londoners who think the whole world has a 24/7 culture. A quick call to Fan and he agreed to …

A lovely long weekend, bank holiday today for the Dragon Boat Festival which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by eating zong zi (rice wrapped to form a pyramid using bamboo or reed leaves) and racing dragon boats. It commemorates the death of Qu …

At immigration in Beijing airport, Yan was pulled to one side. They barked questions in Mandarin and expectantly looked at her for a reply. Answering in English did not seem to help matters, what did help was Asif sauntering over nonchalantly asking what was wrong. We guess at that point they must have realised this was a true tourist with a real …

... the way to the US to do so, we pulled ourselves together enough to show her around a bit. That afternoon we spent wandering the Back Lakes and exploring the hutongs.  Everything was new to Vinh’s mum. And we had to keep a close eye on her as ...

... told us that we had arrived.  No, we hadn't arrived. I had no idea where we were but it was not anywhere near the Back Lakes area where we had arranged to stay. Vinh was quite annoyed at this point and was stabbing at the map with his finger saying ...

... smog that hung over Beijing I expected more of the same. But the vibe was quite different. We are staying in an area called the "Back Lakes" which is a maze of Hutongs (small alleyways) near the main number 2 subway line. I think it's where quite a few ...

... fun of the Phicael Melps that duped them.  A joke that lasted the entire trip. After dinner we went to an area known as the back lakes.  It's two lakes that has bars and restaurants on either side.  Over 114 bars in a 1.5 mile ...

... a free day for us, we had the entire city on our list of "to do's".  We decided to go to the Back Lakes, lakes that were used years ago to get grains to the Forbidden City by boat. This amazing tour took us through several hutongs and former ...

... ; After a long day in the sun we went to a nice restaurant for dinner and got directions from some Chinese Americans to the Back Lakes bar area.  We did a little bar hopping before returning to the reggae bar we went to with Drew.  The ...

... even with sore legs from a day wondering around. From this vantage we were able to see the Drum and Bell Tower which is near the Back Lakes Area so we decided to walk back to our hotel. The next day I decided to take it easy so that Vinh could spend ...

Travelers note: The Back lakes is more of a tourist spot and slightly more expensive than Bar Street.  Personally I liked the Back Lakes but if cheap drinks with a young hip crowd is more your speed go to Bar Street. Jason and I decided to go ...

... highrise apartment farms.  Though, I could only hope to see some of the City and focused on the Old Beijing center, Dongceng and the Back Lakes (Hou Hai) region.  This is where a lot of the old Hutongs remain, although the bureaucrats ...

... to shake these people).  It's a whole scene and when the weather is warmer its overflowing with activity. Of course evenings at the Back Lakes is also great for people watching and I got to walk a bit and take lots of photos of the night lights ...