On the train

from Harbin

to Beijing

A 12 hours ride.

The hutong in which my hotel is.

A main street nearby is parallel to this hutong, and going south from Qianmen gate.

Qianmen gate

Tiananmen place

Not the entrance to the forbidden city

In the hutongs

These rather run-down places are nearby one of the big arteries of the city.

On the other side of the road, brand new buildings.

Large ads hide the hutongs.