7/21 Drum and Bell Towers, Exploring the Hutongs

The driver pulls over at what looks like a bus stop where a young woman is standing. We learn her name is Mary and she will be our guide to visit a hutong, or traditional Chinese courtyard neighborhoods. We start at the Bell and Drum towers. She tells us that no one knows how the bell got inside because it is bigger than the gate. Perhaps the building was built around the bell, she suggests.

We turn to the building across from the bell tower which is the drum tower. Both towers were used to let the city people know what time it was during the dynasties. There were no clocks, so everyone listened for the bell or the drums. Inside the drum tower we climb 65 stairs to the second floor and see a room filled with huge drums. The performance will start soon, but we have time to look outside. We view the street that splits east and west, with the Forbidden City in the distance. We will explore the courtyards after the performance. We enjoy the drum performance and my breath is taken away as I feel the energy the men use to beat the drums. A small crowd has developed and we all clap.

We head down the same steep staircase that we ascended earlier and begin our walk to Pipe Street. We visit small shops where the vendors are more subtle than the Pearl Market from yesterday. We decide to buy ice cream bars, but pass on the other trinkets offered. The area reminds me of the RiverWalk in Texas and I snap a quick photo.

We continue on through to the courtyards and Mary shows us the beams outside each entrance which signifies the rich family, the government officials, the prince and the emperor. The first family we visit is rich and we sit for a little while and rest. They do not come in the living room to talk with us, they have visitors in the kitchen. Nicholas spots the xbox and is very impressed. Mary tells us that their son works in Canada and shows us a picture. She asks about our house in America. We tell her we have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. She is very impressed since many of the courtyard homes do not have bathrooms because there is no room. There are public bathrooms and they pay for showers. We thank the family and continue down the alley.

We pass men working on the homes, bricklaying, sawing, moving dirt. We meet the rickshaw drivers and are immediately surrounded by vendors trying to sell us fans and postcards. We buy two fans for 10rmb each and climb into the rickshaw. Mary and Nick in one, and Ella and I in the other. We ride through the crowds and through the streets. I am thankful that we do not hit anyone or anything.
We visit the next family, a retired school teacher and her husband who is an artist. They are watching their grandson who is eight months old. He is a very happy baby. They pour us tea, and begin to tell us about their family. Mary translates as the woman talks

with us. The husband shows us his art work and Nicholas is very impressed. We thank them and head out to the street where we buy sodas and chips and get picked up by our driver. We say good-bye to Mary and head back to the hotel.