To a night rider, Beijing whispers seductively

The German electro-pop band Kraftwerk could easily have been referring to Beijing when, in the song Neon Lights, it observed: "Neon lights/shimmering neon lights/and at the fall of night/this city's made of light."

Beijing is a marvelous sight long after dark. Its bustling main streets present a kaleidoscope of blinking colors, and its sleepy, mysterious hutong beckon to passers-by.

There's no better way to experience the city than in the middle of the night, on a bicycle, when roadway hazards are at a minimum.