The narrow alleyway at the Drum Tower end is flanked by a plethora of stalls selling everything you’d expect to see on a non-food market. Pause to look and I can guarantee that the stallholder will pounce on you, expecting that you’ll make an offer. We decided we were going to suffer that in order to check out the goods. There were a number of stalls selling small items of "antique" bric-a-brac, small items of limited value and generally of low quality. These stalls had "no theme," and there were many modern replicas nestling alongside original pieces.

But generally stalls were selling modern items. There was loads of stereotypical artwork aimed at the Western market, and the few original pieces that we saw were not to our taste. Silk clothing was there in abundance, and although the stallholders would haggle, prices seemed more expensive than Beijing and Hong Kong.

We were particularly keen to find a large tablecloth and some ceramic chopstick rests. The latter was not a problem, as we were surrounded by ceramics. The first stall we looked at did not have a matching set of eight and seemed quite pricey, but this was our marker. A farther stroll and some rummaging and we were negotiating properly. The owner dispatched her partner to get more rests, and he went haring down the alleyway, returning slightly out of breath with a small bagful of chopstick rests. A matching set was found and the price agreed – a bargain.

We were on a roll and spotted a clothes shop selling, yes, you’ve guessed, tablecloths. They had an excellent choice of design and sizes, but the price seemed high for this penny-pincher. Butm remembering my "purchasing guidem" I was determined to get a deal. They wanted 650 RMB (approximately £45). I offered a derisory 100 RMB and expected a total rebuttal, but they were prepared to go on, and after only three more attempts, I’d raised my offer to 120 RMB (just over £8) and was turning to leave when they confirmed their acceptance. I was chuffed, and they clearly still had a profit. Perhaps the philosophers would say, "Only no offer is derisory, an offer is negotiable."

At the end of this alleyway, we turned left and entered a wider street that was full of food retailers and small ethnic restaurants. We paused to look but not to eat. A couple more left turns and we were heading back to the drum tower via a very narrow lane. Here, street butchers were selling off their meat, not a pretty sight or a pleasant smell, and there were some unrecognisable slabs of flesh. It was not a walk for the squeamish, and we were pleased to exit the other side.

You walk underneath the drum tower, through a tunnel of sorts. It's very dark and creepy, and you meet strange people in the tunnel, at least they seem strange in the dark. Through the arch on the other side you can see a kind of ghostly street, with eerie streetlights and smoke rising from cooking fires.

There are many Muslim street vendors here selling all kinds of strange produce, snacks and baked goods. There are some bars you can find wrapped in brown paper packages that taste like peanut butter. There are also some funny-looking cakes that are kind of greenish -- I think we had them for breakfast at the hotel, they are kind of gross. The main thing to eat here, though, is lamb kebabs. Find some that look good and, if you don't speak Chinese, hold up your fingers to tell them how many you want. They shouldn't cost any more than Y1 each. They are usually a little spicy, but not very hot. My son is a lamb kebab connoisseur, and his favorite kebab place is at #154. They are very friendly, and we got by without a menu.

Behind the street vendors there are shops, many of which sell various gifts or souvenirs. A lot of places have all the same stuff you will see elsewhere.

We did run into a girl named Shi Hong who speaks English. She is a painter of traditional Chinese watercolor(?) paintings. Her work is for sale with other paintings and ceramics at #119 on this same street, but it is upstairs. The reason I mention her is because my husband and I both thought this shop had some very different and unusual things. We especially liked this watercolor of an old man holding up a baby, and they were nose to nose. It was so Chinese: the baby had the split pants, they both had traditional dress, the old man had a ponytail if I remember right, and their faces were so expressive. We really wanted to get it, but it was on a huge scroll, and after living in China for two years we just have absolutely no wall space left to put something that big. We did end up buying a small set of the four seasons, which will probably end up as a gift. If you see something you like there, don't be afraid to bargain for it; they expect it.