My family spent the evening strolling Qianmen Dajie today and had Peking Duck at the famous Quanjude Restaurant (全聚德). The restaurant was established in 1864. Dignitaries from around the world visit it. I took the above photo of Qianmen which faces Qianmen Dajie. On the other side of it is Tiananmen Square. If you ever visit Beijing, this area is a must see, especially during the evening time.
In my previous visit to Quanjude, I remember them having a sign inside the restaurant counting the number of ducks served since 1864. If I recall correctly, it was some 114 million. That sign no longer exists today. I have heard the restaurant serves 2 million roast ducks a year.
We waited about 45 minutes to get our table. Show up early, get your number, and then spend the wait time strolling on Qianmen Dajie.
The street itself is beautiful at night and full of shops. Every store has its own character and appearance. The whole place has a distinct “Chinese” feel to it. A Starbucks store near the main entrance actually displays its Chinese sign much more prominently and tucks away it’s “Starbucks” log to the side.
Some locals thought I was worthwhile photographing. I obliged knowing they’d become my subjects too. In order to achieve this shot, I had to have a long exposure thinking their flash might be caught while the shutter is open. It worked out perfectly.
(These photos are properties of Hidden Harmonies. If you wish to use them, please add a link back and cite this blog as the source.)
zack says
beautiful, just beautiful