Our guide Joan then led us on foot to visit one of the siheyuans (homes) in the hutongs.
Along the way, down these very narrow alleys, we came across the sign in the photos above. It is barely legible in the second photo when you look at it in full resolution but you can probably make out 'Ho_el'. It was the entrance to a Hotel. To the left is the entrance to a private home, a siheyuan. Before long we were at the home of a family that had agreed to host our group and give us a glimpse of life in the Hutongs in today's China.
The pussy cat wasn't very interested in our visit as he basked in the sun on on the window sill. We were welcomed into the Wong home and shown the rooms. I don't know how many rooms they had but we only saw three. The kitchen, the living room and their daughter's bedroom.
Mr. Wong had a display case in the living room filled with collectables which included several bills of Chinese currency.
In the daughter's bedroom another pussycat stood guard in front of her photo.
We all squeezed in and Mr. Wong talked to us and answered questions.
He and his wife were charmed by granny.
The Wong menagerie.
Their courtyard.
Mrs. Wong presented granny with a gift of a talisman and then the Wongs bade us farewell.
As we departed the pussycat almost cared.
Next: The Skyscrapers of China
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