Houhai - Hutong doors and doorways

Our walk through the Hutong's as mentioned in my last blog.

As we started our walk leaving the crowds behind us I think we both visibly relaxed. No cars, hardly any people and the blissful silence which belied the fact that we were in the heart of one of the busiest cities in the world.

Many Chinese people still live in the fascinating Hutong's, with the original doorways still in place. Many of the doors are showing their age, but it was wonderful to capture them as they are now, not replaced, redecorated or generally spruced up. To me they are fascinating, especially as lots of Hutong's are disappearing - how much longer will these gorgeous doors  be there for people like us to take photos of?

Many of these amazing doors are still decorated with red banners, which had been put up to welcome in the Chinese New Year :)

Tucked in a corner..

...a lovely weather worn door complete with door furniture, and statues which look as if they had been put in place after the wall had been built!

Different types of doors, 

I wonder what lies behind them?

This one looks really battered and worn...

.....and this one has been updated, but still has its elephant door statues in place :)

A glimpse down one of the alleyways and through a doorway. 

A glimpse through another doorway to  building beyond. It is more than likely that the building had been added a long time after the original, there would have been a square courtyard in the middle originally.

A peep into another alley and doorway.

Another updated doorway, it is lovely, but I prefer to see the old ones :)

Old, worn and battered, but still doing its job :)

My daughter and I had a lovely time sauntering through the Hutong's, I hope the Hutongs and their fascinating doors and doorways survive for a very long time to come :)