As the capital of China, Beijing is attracting more and more visitors, especially after it held the Olympic Game in 2008. When coming to Beijing, people often choose to visit some famous historical sites, like the Forbidden City and the Tiananmen Square. However, famous is not enough for a place to play. There is a place not only fashionable but also traditional, it’s not famous enough, though. It named “Nan luo gu xiang”.
Nan luo gu xiang is one of the most ancient block in Beijing. It is 768 meters long and 8 meters wide, built at the same period as Kanbaliq. It is said that there were many nobles and celebrities living here in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. There are 8 Hutongs on every side, east and west. A famous school, The Center Academy of Drama, stands in Dong mianhua Hutong on the eastern side.
In recent years, Nan luo gu xiang has been the hotspot in some fashion magazines. It attracts many tourists, especially the younger generation.
There are many popular and attractive stores. One of the shops is named Wenyu Cheese, where there are always people waiting in line. Some people say that the cheese is the best cheese in Beijing. However, maybe the cheese is not what you think. It is not totally solid. In my opinion, it is more like yogurt, and it absolutely deserves a try. Another store is Matches Quotes. When you walk into the store, you will see a large collection of matches with different packings. Each one has its own characteristic. No matter you buy them or not, it is really a feast for your eyes. There is also a store selling pure hand-made enamel ornaments, called Fancy- Me. All of the products in the store are made by this ancient palace technique, combining traditional culture with vogue style. Every design is only a few pieces, or even only one. So, if you want to be unique, this store will be a good choice for you.
When you go there, make sure that you do not miss the special bar street. The architectures in the whole street are almost “Siheyuan”. Different from noisy atmosphere in common bars, bars here are very quiet and peaceful. The style of decoration is pretty traditional and plain, obeying the atmosphere and characteristic of Siheyuan. Sometimes, I think they are more like cafeterias. Meanwhile, you can see the smallest bar in Beijing, just covering an area of 12 square meters. And that is why its name is “12 Square Meters”.
Perhaps you want to know how to get this interesting place. Taking a taxi is OK, as Nan luo gu xiang is being more and more famous in recent years, almost all taxi drivers know it. But if you are far from there, the price for taking a taxi will be a little bit high. And if you are caught in traffic jam unfortunately, it will cost you much money and time. Thus, I strongly recommend you choose the subway. You can take subway in any station, as no matter you get on it from anywhere, and to anywhere, the ticket is always 2 yuan. It means that you can change lines random, if only you don’t brush your tickets to get out from the station. You just need to go to Andingmen(安定门) Station by No.2 lines. The line picture inside the station will tell you where you should change line. It is really a convenient transportation, I think. Then, you can call a taxi in that station. Although Nan luo gu xiang is not so far from the station, walking there will make you confused. In this way, you can get Nan luo gu xiang faster and cheaper, and have an experience of taking subway in Beijing.
Nan luo gu xiang is an alley of tradition, fashion and amusement. Not only you can find some features of Beijing, but you also have a trendy trip.
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