Still have couple days left in Beijing ? Do not know what do to ?

You can visit one of Beijing’s favorite must-see Hutong. It is called Nán luógǔ xiàng 南锣鼓巷.

If I translated luógǔ xiàng 锣鼓巷 in English it means Percussion Alley. It does not mean you will see music shops there. (I saw one. It sells ocarina and some guitar shops in the end of the alley).

Basically, in this hutong you will see several art shops, galleries, bars-cafes and street snacks.

NanLuo Gu Xiang - Pizza Gong Bao Ji Ding - Pass by Bar cafe

You have to try on Pizza Gong Bao Ji Ding at Pass by Bar Cafe. Its design blends between old and post modern era of Chinese revolution.

Pass by Bar Cafe

NanLuo Gu Xiang - Pass by Bar Cafe

You will see Chinese’s chicky to the kitschy design like old book, post card with old Chinese photograph, drinking cup, wallet, etc. Other then that, you also can find tea shops, leather wallets and bags, shisha, cool T-shirt, and accessories & ornaments from one of Chinese’s tribe like bracelets, necklaces, hair pins, etc.

Chinese Chicky and Kitschy

The easy way to go to Nán luógǔ xiàng lù 南锣鼓巷路 is using subway line 5 stop at Zhāngzìzhōnglù 张自忠路. When arrived go straight to exit A, do not forget to insert / tab off your card otherwise you can not go out. After exit, in front of you should be high road, turn right. Walk about 6-8 meters, you will see the first bus stop.

Exit A - Zhāngzìzhōnglù 张自忠路

1st Stop and 2nd Stop - Zhāngzìzhōnglù 张自忠路

The stop calls Zhāngzìzhōnglù 张自忠路, it has 701, 42, 623, 113, 90. Walk more further you will see the second bus stop, it has 13, 758, 115, 118. DO NOT TAKE bus number 113, 758, and 115, or you have to change buses or walk too far or you stop at different alley/entrance. TAKE bus number 623, 13, 118 only, any of them how comes first will do.

I suggest you go to the second bus stop, take bus number 118 or 13, it comes more often. Its only take 2 stops, and you will not wait too long, soon will be arrived at stop calls Luógǔ xiàng 锣鼓巷.

From stop Zhāngzìzhōnglù 张自忠路 to stop Luógǔ xiàng 锣鼓巷 is about 1 Km.

Get off from the bus and walk about 5-7 metrs, you can see big gate and old looking building from the far. A group of people enter the gate. That is it, you finally have arrived.

This is a place of tourist area. Unique and different. I suggest you visit this place. Follow by this post, my story on what I saw at Nán luógǔ xiàng lù 南锣鼓巷路.

Recently, I bought a DIY film camera at PageOne an international book store (hint: English Books) in China World Trade Center, Guómào 国贸 subway line 1. Here’s my walkthrough post to go there.

The creativity is coming from this www.superheadz.com team and its main company is http://powershovel.co.jp/en/about.html. Yes, it is a Japanese company, a Japanese product. Why does cool and unique camera manufacture always Japanese people ? One thing in my mind is Japanese products is great and their price always reasonable.

The camera is called 135 Camera 28mm lens. It is plamodel camera, plastic mold and clear plastic lens.

The good thing about this camera is I can see the camera mechanism’s, how the shutter window works. I recommended this camera for photographer and hobbyist. This camera also can be a gift for a friend.

Here is some pictures I built the camera. Takes me about 2 hours to finish it.

The bad thing was I do not like this plamodel camera because I had to be careful cut and break the pieces. Clean the left over plastic so it can fit with other piece. I have not test the camera yet with actual film, but I am sure it will be work fine. It only has 28mm lens equivalent with 35mm (it is full frame). The last thing is when capture a frame, the subject has to be about 1 meter  away in distance and no flash – I have to find good decent light when capture a frame. The result might be out focus, overexpose or underexpose. Overall it is a play camera, cure and for fun only.