Day 266 Beihai North

Len and I took off for a day of exploring Beijing.
It was a beautiful, clean air summer day, and we
had places to go!  We explored several hutongs
around the number 4 & 6 subway lines.

Watermelons are in season and they can be found on carts
and in the back of vans or trucks all over the city :)

I love looking and shopping for fresh produce
in all the little stalls and alley markets.

There's something interesting to see
at every turn...like flowers planted
in mini kegs...

...or an interesting doorway to a private
home in a restored hutong.  The hutongs
that remain in the city are coveted real estate.

This was a clever way to decorate the electric panel box :)

A traffic jam of rickshaws is hard to explain, but
it happens in Beijing.  Many of the Chinese, of
course, took the opportunity to sneak in another
afternoon siesta for the day- they do love their naps!

We snaked our way through the rickshaw gridlock, and
spilled out to to the Beihai North lake and park area.

Several men were fishing, but not doing
much catching.

This guy was a nice fellow and we had quite the
conversation in our own languages ;)  He showed me
how he baits his little traps to catch minnows.  At first
I thought it was for bait to catch bigger fish, but with a
whopping game of charades and the occasional word of
Mandarin or English thrown in for good measure, I was able
 to ascertain he was catching minnows to feed his pet turtle!

Soon my new found friend stripped down to his
skivvies, donned a swim cap, and swam out to the
island with the other old guys doing the same.
The water did not look refreshing- it looked gross :/

Can you get a look at this old guy's
underoos?!  Didn't his mother ever tell
him to put on clean underwear before he
left home?  What if he were in a
rickshaw accident?!  To think he willing
stripped down to swim in these- why,
they wouldn't have even paused
for a moment in my dust rag bag!

While I pondered dirty pond water and even
dirtier, ratty underwear, Len got cornered by
a fossil fuels engineer who just LOVES
American football.  He was happy to have
 a captive audience to name drop all of the
pro players and coaches he knows. Sadly Len
 is equally as knowledgeable about college 
football but not the NFL; he was all too polite :)
The guy was quite animated, though, practicing
his English, and sharing his love of the game!

I finally stole Len away for a selfie shot ;)

Soon we were on our way, crossing the canal,
and heading back toward the Drum and Bell Towers.

As we approached the plaza, I was shocked to not
see a mass of Chinese humanity here on a Saturday
afternoon.  You can't visit any of the temples, parks,
or tourist attractions without attracting at least
25,000 of your closest Chinese friends.  You
think I'm exaggerating?!  I was thrilled :D

I was able to snap a pic, at my leisure,
without having to wait for the perfect moment
to grab a photo with as few Chinese people
as possible in front of the tower- or any other
monument, sign, or attraction for that matter.

This time the bell tower was open, so we hiked
the sixty steps up to the top. They were STEEP, too!

I love Chinglish :)

At 7.02 meters tall, and weighing 63 tons, it
is affectionately called the King of Ancient
Bells, dating back to the Ming Dynasty.
Notice the 'clapper' is like a huge telephone pole.

All in all, it was a beautiful way to spend a
Saturday afternoon in Beijing :)

G'nite, y'all!