Kung Fu show and Hutong tour!

Hello all =)

Well this past saturday was another jam packed day.  Some of us CSAers went on a Hutong tour and ended the night with a Kung Fu show, which was awesome!  Those people are so crazy talented.  Well for those of you who don't know, a Hutong is the traditional style housing.  I think Hutong actually refers to the ally ways between the long rows of single story houses, I'm not entirely sure though.  (Scroll down and you'll see what I mean.)  We took rickshaws through because they are far too narrow for cars to drive down, and really wheres the fun in being on a driving tour!? (Particularly in Beijing where road rules really don't exist.)  Halfway through we had a little tea ceremony which was quite entertaining, and of course delicious!  At the end of the tour a local family made us lunch and told us about their Kung Fu master son.  He now runs a studio in Houston i guess and is the national champion in China.  Overall another great day!

bell tower

drum tower

inside drum tower.  

can i please have this dog!?  

Rosa and I in the ricksahw

a gate to a house in the hutong.  the number of clouds, posts and steps leading to the door all determine your status.  the two little statues on either side of the door tell you what kind of family lives there.  This one is a middle class military house. (was i should say, its now a restaurant.)

some of us

tea ceremony paraphernalia

those mugs change pictures when they get hot.

you cant really tell from the pic, but the cups are TINY!  short one for tasting, tall one for smelling.

i just like this one.  This isnt a hutong i dont think, but they look like this essentially....just less shoppy.

hmmmmmm?

thats a hutong.  

this bike is pretty cool.

hou hai.  bar area by a lake.

home made chinese food.  notice theres no orange chicken.

Ligarette anyone?  

and what may i ask, is a cooled white?

real china.  see all the washing.....puts some new perspective to the term chinese laundromat!

more real china

little food places everywhere.

more food

i couldnt take pictures durning the show obviously, but heres some of the performers after.

the two women in white were absolutely beautiful dancers!  and let me tell you, Kung Fu is so amazing to watch.  Definitely nothing like karate.....much MUCH cooler.

Hope you all are enjoying your 4th.  More to come, probably today because im seriously behind.

Much Love