The B&B is located in an area that should be considered like SoHo or the Village in NYC. It's where the young & trendy Chinese like to come and hang out. The areas is called the Back Lakes because it falls along the shores of a series of lakes with arched bridges. We spent our first evening wandering along the lake edges as the sun went down and the neon lights came out.
Although we struggled with jet-lag and orientation (how much is the money worth and how to ask simple questions), it was a great way to spend our first evening. Ariela & I took a rickshaw ride/tour through a different Hutong and around one of the lakes. It was perfect. Families were coming home from work in the hutongs, and children were running around playing. We marvelled at all the varieties of bikes and small motorized vehicles that transport folks from one area to the next.
A fun thing is that the bars along the lakefront have actual stuffed sofas out on the sidewalks for maximum outdoor people-watching. We didn't dare sit down for a drink lest we fall immediately asleep.
After the rickshaw tour we headed back to our Hutong and discovered another alley full of lots of fun boutique shops and restaurants with inviting atmosphere. Many tea houses as well. See the pix.
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