China on a Trishaw

Wind whips against my face and I gaze around taking in the surrounding, listening to the gentle squeaks of the old rickety bike. The Chinese uncle who was cycling the trishaw showed no signs of perspiration which amazes me. I would have broke into tons of sweat by now if I was the one cycling. On the other hand it must be the cold weather factor that have kept him dry.

Here's a picture of my mom and dad sitting on one of the many trishaws. The China trip was a family thing. I personally had a great time with them, experiencing the culture of China and sort of "returning" to my heritage.

This is a picture I took with my sister. The thing I love about these trishaws is that there is so much character in its structure and tells its own story. Back in the days trishaws were actually dragged be hand before the bicycle concept was introduced.

While waiting for customers, the "people-who-cycle-the-trishaws" gamble to pass time. Most of their customers are tourists as more modern public transportations are available in China, no one takes trishaws to work =)

I think I had the advantage of following a tour group as everything has been set. Many tourists have been overcharged or cheated so its best that you be careful when catching a ride on your own. For me it is something I might want to do just once for the experience. Don't count on them to bring you to the shopping malls across town.



The ride was really enjoyable and relaxing, so relaxing that I almost fell asleep! It got pretty boring after a while. But, I liked the fact that they brought us through back lanes of houses where people stay. The architecture style of those houses are still really traditional, with the wooden doors and such which was a delightful surprise.

Snapping away on my camera, I actually began to notice much more about my surroundings like the old lady sweeping the floor or even stray baskets strewn at the side of the road. To me it seemed as if everything has a story to tell.

Strange enough, this quaint spot is located not far from the city center. This is one of the things I noticed in Beijing. The place is modern but still retains its cultural heritage. For instance, the Forbidden City that lays smack in the middle of the city. The government actually had the place renovated and restored to its original state.



Those were my little thoughts that came to mind whilst riding on a trishaw in China. Hope you enjoyed the photos and keep coming back for more. The best is yet to come!