Just off Xisinandajie, in the western part of old Beijing city, is Bingmasi Hutong. The hutong, also known as an alley, offers you an invaluable experience of a slice of local life amidst true blue Beijingers. 
Bingmasi Hutong, the end of the street leads to the main Xisinandajie
At first, you don't quite believe you did the right thing booking a place in a hutong....
...but once you see the iconic corner dustbin, make a left to a yet smaller alley, Xiaoyuan Hutong, and keep going. Kelly's Courtyard, all of 9 quaint yet modern, refurbished rooms, sits at the cul de sac. Kelly and her husband John (above, left) are excellent hosts, being native to Beijing, they told us where to go for duck, which buses to take and pretty much answered all our questions. It helps to speak their language of course, but English can still get you far enough if you must speak it....
It's something you would never expect in the middle of congested, smoggy Beijing.
...Daniel war froh because there was free wifi.
As the sun goes down, you can sit on the roof terrace with a bottle of local beer, Yanjing (S$1), way better than Tsingtao which is not local and costs a little more
The April temperature was perfect, cool and dry
and three days later the meihua (plum blossoms) started to waft across the city
Sehr schon!
