Beijing Pt 2: Hutongs, Towers and a Rainy Walk to Sanlitun

A rainy day in Beijing takes us deep into the hutongs, the old alleyways that survive between the high rises, past the Drum Tower and Bell Tower, and along Di'Anmenwai Avenue to the site of the former Hong'en Temple. We stop in at Tobacco Pouch Qihao, wander the shops and lanes around Houhai Lake, and end the day in Sanlitun, a world away from where we started. This is part 2 of a 3-part series filmed in Beijing in April 2025. It follows our first stop at the Great Wall and Temple of Heaven, and is followed by Xi'an and Pingyao, more on those as the trip continues. A slow, observational look at each place, built around narration, ambient sound, and the everyday rhythm of the streets. I hope you like the video! Part 1: Beijing Pt 1: The Great Wall, Lakes and Temples    • Beijing Pt 1: The Great Wall, Lakes and Te...   Part 3: Beijing Pt 3: Tiananmen, the Forbidden City and Beihai Park    • Beijing Pt 3:, The Forbidden City, Tiananm...   Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction, a rainy day in Beijing 00:00 The Hutongs 03:27 Di'Anmenwai Avenue 05:01 The Drum Tower 10:10 The Bell Tower 12:24 Former Hong'en Temple 15:29 Tobacco Pouch Qihao 16:56 Houhai Lake 19:47 Sanlitun Subscribe for more long-form travel diaries from our travels in China, South Korea, Italy, France, the UK, and beyond. #Beijing #Hutongs #ChinaTravel #TravelVlog #SlowTravel #DrumTower #BellTower #Houhai #Sanlitun #ObservationalTravel #TravelDiary #China2025