Xidan- Xinjiekou 西單-新街口

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If you really want to see the average Beijing live, this stretch of street will fit your bill. It only goes straight and no turns, so you will not get lost. You can get off the Xidan subway station and heading north. There are many modern buildings and shops in the Xidan area. Large volume of both locals and some tourist shopping here. You can spend a whole day there if you want to shop.

The first few blocks of the street is full of wedding photo studios, some of them are very fancy set up with individual counseling station with large 32” LCD monitor. There may be close to hundred of them or even more. Beijing’s divorce rate is 25% and rising, it is a good business.

The wedding studio never disappears on the street. It just less in density as go process north. The buildings getting shorter to one or two stories buildings. There are many restaurants and shops in the street and the name change a few times as you head north. It is basically Xidan and Xinjiekou plus the north or south of it.

When you passed ¼ of the way, Hutongs are on both side of the street. Hutong means alley or lane, but the most important part is it is the residential alley. If it is full of shops will not call Hutong, it will call street. Thus Hutong is not necessary narrow than a street. This area is the highest concentration of Hutongs. The main color for Hutong is grey, grey and grey; very mono tone. More Hutong’s pictures in the previous blog.

All the shops and restaurant are small, and many B-B-Q stands on the whole way. I think this area has the most tasty and juicy B-B-Q lamb. They cut in large chunk of meat and add spice while B-B-Q it. It cost stand 3 rmb a stick or two sticks for 5 rmb. The normal restaurants sell it for 1 rmb but the meat is thin and small and dry.

After the concentration of the wedding outfits and then the construction material and electrical shops, the musical instrument shops and clothing stores and shopping centers at the end near Jisuitan 積水潭 subway station of line 2. You can hop on the subway to go back where ever.

The whole walk may take you an hour without stops. It may take whole day if you walk the Hutongs and stop to eat and shop. However you also can quit early or start short. There are 4 subway stations in between of the new line 4 in straight line.

There is anyway to spend the day is start with the Palace Museum as soon as it open.
Then walk to the Beihai Park. Walk along the street in front of the main entrance head west and you will hit Xinjiekou and turn right to head north. You are right in the major
Old Beijing area. This walk will take a whole day and strong leg, but you always can stop and try some of the local food or specialty restaurants along the way.

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Photos

Xd12
American influence ! Common scene even in subway.

Xd13a
after school hot education