THE SHOPPING DAY............Well today we could say "what an experience". Only the people who have ever experienced the art of bartering in a market place will be able to relate to my day. Everyone knows me and how I like a deal, well picture this 1 item carried by app 50 booths all needing to sell there items. The most famous words you will hear is "hello, hello" and if you don't plan on buying it you had better not look at it. One item I bought (can't tell what it is as it is one of the children’s presents) all I did was point at it to Catherine(big mistake) this is how it went. Hello, hello I sell that for $480 (Chinese money ) I said no too much, ok because daughter so beautiful $450, no too much, hello, hello (puts the adding machine in my hand for me to put in what I offer) trying to insult her and get back with Catherine I punched in $50 which in Canadian money would be about $7.50. She said no, no so I thought I was finished and started walking away. All I could hear was hello, hello. Catherine said are you not going to answer her and I said no and kept on walking. The next thing I saw was a box going across the aisle and her climbing out from under the counter. Hello, hello $100 hello, hello I tried to get away but she grabbed my arm. No I don't want it I said ok then my friend I will take $50. So to go from about $80.00 Canadian to $7.00 was quite a drop. To wrap up the shopping we got boots, clothes, a larger suitcase (go figure), almost 2 broken ribs and dislocated shoulders.
All in all it wasn't bad. In all honesty went back out by myself tonight to get Catherine a valentine’s outfit. This a.m. we visited the silk factory which I found very interesting. After they showed us around the facility they allowed us to shop (pretty big of them). We left there around noon and went to lunch (good as usual) and ended the day with the Pearl market $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. My girl Roshandra wasn't fussing with all the traveling. Another good day, tomorrow we learn about the Forbidden City. Just a short note to let you know we are all still here.
Kaio and Luca would have loved to have seen you guys at the market.
P. S kindergarten and daycare friends we will be home soon miss all of
