Beijing 2024 - Exploring Dashilan (大栅栏) Area

With our bags 'safely' deposited at the hotel, they were just put in front of the lobby along with other people's bag. I didn't have much valuables inside anyway and didn't really care much if my bags were lost, lol. We ventured out to explore our surroundings. On my trip planning, the first day of checking in is always orientation day, where you go explore around the neighbourhood to get a feel of your surroundings. Find the nearest convenient store, subways, snack places, supermarkets etc. It was still early morning, maybe 8am or 9am.

At the other end of Dashilan, we found some cool alleys and decided to explore. I get it that the place might be under renovation, or was newly renovated, but to me it felt like it was kinda cheesy. Almost like a movie set. When a friend asked me how did I find China on my first day there, I told him I felt like I just landed on a Chinese movie set. I couldn't tell how authentic the place was since it looked so cheesy and new.

We later found out that this part of the street was actually like a high end hutong hotel. We were standing outside a vegetarian restaurant and once of the aunty there came and talk to us about the food there. She told us about the place a bit, and now we understood why it looked like it was built for tourist, lol. FYI, we also booked a hutong for our last leg of stay, and it didn't look anything like this! So I think they one we stayed at was more authentic! The one above looked like it was more for erm, AngMoh tourist! Hahahaha. 

Some part of the streets were rather empty, which caught me by surprise. My impression of China before I landed was, it was gonna be so freaking crowded! I was preparing myself mentally to encounter crowds and rude people and spitting! But wow, first morning here, pretty peaceful! Quiet! Totally unexpected.

Like a tourist spot, there were art on the floor. A full giant golden koi fish on the floor! Lol. 

The end of the shopping street lead to 'Fresh Fish Hole', literal translation. But it was basically where the big roads were, so we turned back, noting our walking boundaries. 

We started venturing into the side lanes, and wow, I love the emptiness of the place with the Chinese deco!

We also came across a theatre restaurant. Super huge, super red and super cheesy. So of course I had to take a photo! I have researched about this theatre. And I guess if you join a tour group, they would probably bring you here at night for dinner while you watch some Chinese performances. Nah, I wasn't here for those shenanigans. 

But I went around taking photos anyway. A young worker who was unloading  goods from a lorry to the shop chatted with me when he saw me taking photos. I was quite taken aback and replied back and smile. Wow, because he was a young guy that I don't normally get approached by. And his casual remarks was just casual, which made me felt seen and acknowledge. So yes, to this day I remember the people I came across when I travel who just made the place memorable.

A beautiful front of a shop or restaurant that was closed. Nobody in sight! I was beginning to really like China!

We walked pass a pottery shop, and the whole of the alley was just decorated with clay figures depicting all sorts of daily China live. Very nice! I didn't take much photo because there were just so many, and they were just kinda cartoony to look at. Still, it was so cool walking along the alley.

Another sight that I was surprised to see, Alishan Taiwan! I spotted the map of Taiwan from the other end of the road and told my husband I wanted to get a closer look. China and Taiwan wasn't something I had in mind when I visit China. Wasn't there political conflict between the two, erm, locations? But there it was, s whole concrete wall of it!

There were even alley ways that looked kinda like Ximending in Taiwan. Again, mind blown. Yeah, maybe I still have a very old fashion view of China. In my head, China was never fun or colourful. It was always traditional and serious, filled with culture and serious people. My mind was starting to change.....

Heck they even have Kakao Friends here! I saw Ryan and went over to take a photo with him. Why was he even here?

We also found a retro cinema and went inside to explore, as well as some retro shops. I was sadly not able to appreciate the old cinema's exhibition of old Chinese movies much. I grew up watching mainly Hong Kong cantonese movies....

Here is a wefie to end the first morning of exploration in QianMen Beijing.