Qianmen (前门街)
Other than the most famous Beijing's pedestrian shopping streets, the Wanfujing (王府井), you should have read about the Qianmen (前门街) and its adjoining 500 years old Dashilan (大栅栏) commercial streets.
Without a doubt, the most imposing structure along the Qianmen street would be that of Quanjude (全聚德), Beijing's oldest roast duck shop since 1864 who started their businesses right here at Qianmen street.
This early hour, you'll see a queue of locals patiently waiting to purchase the "duck rack" from a takeaway counter outside the restaurant; that's a whole rack of duck bones after deboning. An old granny told us that they use it for soup brewing - it'll be tasty. Other than this, tourists were seen packing away boxes of roasted duck from the restaurant itself.
After a snack at 都一处, we boogied down the narrow street of Dashilan that garners some of China's oldest brand, such as the TongRenTang (TCM), Neiliansheng (shoes) and Ruifuxiang (silk and fabrics).
北京瑞蚨祥, Rui Fu Xiang
北京同仁堂, Tong Ren Tang
It was more footwork as we crossed the road to Liulichang (琉璃厂), an old quiet Beijing cultural street that holds a bazaar of Chinese folk arts such as paintings, calligraphy, pottery, scrolls, books and Chinese stationary like the paint brushes, ink slab and paper.
We merely want to see the street itself but could not relate much to it ;)
When we were trying to cross the street via the pedestrian overhead bridge to Liulichang, we were quite taken aback by the provision of an elevator! See that! Neatly clad with glass curtain walls!
Boy! In all of Singapore's modernization, we don't have such luxury!?
"We've got to call our Transport Minister, Dear!" ;)
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