Shopping and New Friends
We are really enjoying our time in Guangzhou. The shopping is terrific. We've been to the Pearl Market, as well as the Jade Market. We were able to learn about pearls and shop whole sale. Bargaining is the most fun!
The pearl market is really a big indoor mall with shops for buying individual pearls and jewelry, and then the other stores are to buy/sell in bulk.
There's also other stuff too like sculpture and geodes.
There's more pearl/pearl jewelry stores all along the street too. Here and in Nanchang (maybe most big cities in China?) all the stores of the same type are on the same street/area. We were told that's because people like to compare and negotiate prices. One of the streets we drove down in Nanchang had over a dozen different stores all selling the same (looked like it to me anyways) wood flooring supply, then a whole bunch of stores selling lumber, then PVC pipe and plumbing, etc etc.
Anyways, the same with the Jade market - it was a whole street of stores selling jade jewelry and carvings. Kind of intimidating though because nothing has a price on it and you have to negotiate, then compare to other stores.
Here is Kate expertly selecting a string of pearls to be made into bracelets for the girls for when they get older. Doesn't Eva look excited at the fierce negotiations going on???
The owner (?) of the store loved the girls, and little miss Avery let her pick her up. She was very, very nice and gave the girls 2 small pearl bracelets as a gift! What charmers, we'll have to take them shopping all the time.
On the way out of the pearl market I saw this. Quick, call the Queen Mum! the Crown Jewel is missing!!
There is a Buddhist temple just off from the jade market. I only took one picture there though as people were worshipping and there were also services going on. The air was heavy with incense and the statues were beautiful. Tomorrow we are going to another temple so stay tuned.
Around our hotel we have lots of little shops. I was able to buy the girls 2 dresses for $6 USD per dress! We've bought 4 more pairs of shoes (I'm sure there will be more). And of course- lots of gifts and souviners. In a little while Kate is going to the Silk Market, while Doug takes the girls to the playroom.
We've made a few friends in Nanchang and were able to meet up with them at the White Swan. Here are a few pictures from dinner last night. We hope to stay in touch after we get back home.
The pearl market is really a big indoor mall with shops for buying individual pearls and jewelry, and then the other stores are to buy/sell in bulk.
There's also other stuff too like sculpture and geodes.
There's more pearl/pearl jewelry stores all along the street too. Here and in Nanchang (maybe most big cities in China?) all the stores of the same type are on the same street/area. We were told that's because people like to compare and negotiate prices. One of the streets we drove down in Nanchang had over a dozen different stores all selling the same (looked like it to me anyways) wood flooring supply, then a whole bunch of stores selling lumber, then PVC pipe and plumbing, etc etc.
Anyways, the same with the Jade market - it was a whole street of stores selling jade jewelry and carvings. Kind of intimidating though because nothing has a price on it and you have to negotiate, then compare to other stores.
Here is Kate expertly selecting a string of pearls to be made into bracelets for the girls for when they get older. Doesn't Eva look excited at the fierce negotiations going on???
The owner (?) of the store loved the girls, and little miss Avery let her pick her up. She was very, very nice and gave the girls 2 small pearl bracelets as a gift! What charmers, we'll have to take them shopping all the time.
On the way out of the pearl market I saw this. Quick, call the Queen Mum! the Crown Jewel is missing!!
There is a Buddhist temple just off from the jade market. I only took one picture there though as people were worshipping and there were also services going on. The air was heavy with incense and the statues were beautiful. Tomorrow we are going to another temple so stay tuned.
Around our hotel we have lots of little shops. I was able to buy the girls 2 dresses for $6 USD per dress! We've bought 4 more pairs of shoes (I'm sure there will be more). And of course- lots of gifts and souviners. In a little while Kate is going to the Silk Market, while Doug takes the girls to the playroom.
We've made a few friends in Nanchang and were able to meet up with them at the White Swan. Here are a few pictures from dinner last night. We hope to stay in touch after we get back home.
posted by Kate and Doug at 9:48 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home