DAY 3:     Hutongs and Courtyard, Lama Temple, Temple of Heaven & Pearl Market

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At 8:30 AM, we will take a rickshaw ride through the clean and narrow alleyways in The Hutongs.  Take in the chirp of the birds and the hustle and bustle of the vegetable vendors. Experience the local life of old town Beijing, meet retired locals and share stories.  We will then visit the Lama Temple, the most celebrated Buddhist temple in Beijing and a temple of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism. It is one of the largest and most influential in China, and was the only temple to have been said to have survived the Cultural Revolution, and only reopened to the public in 1981. We'll break for lunch after which we will visit the stunning Temple of Heaven visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven. You can join the locals doing their exercises. The Temple of Heaven is one of several worship sites in the capital where the emperors offered sacrifices. It was constructed between 1406 and 1420 during the reign of Ming Emperor YongLe (reign: 1403-1424), who also oversaw the creation of the Forbidden City during the same period.  We can then visit the Pearl Market for shopping if time permits before heading back to your hotel.