Midnight in Peking

On Armour Factory Alley do stop at the Zhong'an Hotel which sits on the site of Edgar Snow's (Red Star Over China) former Peking residence - there's a small plaque. Inside the Fox Tower (entrance RMB10) is both the excellent Red Gate art gallery and a great view across Beijing and along the last remnants of the mostly destroyed Tartar Wall. After that, while walking alongside the wall, do stop at the small cafe about half way along - it's a former small railway station for the trains that once ran round the entire wall. In the Legation Quarter don't forget to take a look at St. Michael's Catholic Church while, just past the former French Legation, is a small Sichuanese restaurant that's not bad and it's the former International (run by the French) Post Office. Further along Dongjiaomin is the Beijing Police Museum (no.36) which includes examples of the police uniforms from the 1930s. Finally, you can finish up at one of the restaurants or bars in the former American Legation, just off the southeast corner of Tiananmen Square, or walk through the complex, use the underpass to Qianmen Street where Capital M has a bar and great restaurant.

I would suggest doing this walk at night - to get the atmosphere of the 1930s and the dark world of Peking that Pamela knew this is the best time. However, the Fox Tower is floodlit at night and the former Badlands are a riot of small eateries, motels, lanes and alleys while the Legation Quarter is dark, still and largely free of traffic at this time.

Crossing the road in Beijing is an experience always fraught with danger - look both ways and never expect cars to slow down for you!