Our last day (well, full day) in China. Today was a little bit of everything... We got to sleep in a bit and enjoy a nice breakfast... Headed outside before it got too ghastly hot for walk... Came back and crawled into bed/crib for a nap - A nice relaxing start to prepare for the trip home tomorrow. :) We also decided that we needed a few more things to try and cram into our bags for home, so we opted to try the Silk Market, which several have said was quite the place.
Remember the Pearl Market?? Yeah... Z...O...O... I could have spent an entire day there hassling the locals - You too cheap! A little bit more! As a people watcher I thoroughly enjoyed watching these artists try to fleece the obvious tourists - The price for the locals is a pittance to what they start the bidding at for the tall Norseman... Sound advice all the way home - 10%... If that is where you start, you will end up with a pretty good deal - But you have to endure some criticism for being a cheap funnyman. :) I have broad shoulders... The place was also a five or six story department store that was laiden with shops... Different levels for different stuff - The distinction that I could make was that the Silk Market was more clothes and bags and such, and the Pearl Market was more antiques and electronics and well, pearls... If you only had the chance to hit one, you could certainly find what you were looking for at either. I think the Silk Market was bigger after all was said and done.
We did NOT exhaust the little one during our stint out, which ws a good thing, so we opted for some dinner out. We caught a taxi back to the hotel and then played and started to organize for the trip home tomorrow. If you know my lovely wife, you KNOW how much stuff we packed... Let's just say that we are coming home with more, but we will know what to expect for next time... :) As a sidebar - You can get REALLY cheap (if you fight for it) luggage at the markets - Nice Swissgear carry-on $22 (Sure it's fake, but it rolls nice and just needs to last till we get home...) :) You should have seen the sales lady when I was looking at this piece - even went as far as having me pull her around on it to show how tough the wheels were... :) (Not to mention she showed me that it would not burn with a lighter..... That's right lady - I am concerned if my carry-on luggage will survive the FIRE...) Points for her effort though I will give you that... :)
Anyhow, we are basically packed - Have all of the trinkets and baubles and toys and stuff tucked away in our luggage. Just have some final cleanup to do in the morning and then we are off to the airport. We check out of the hotel at 1:00 and should be at the airport by 2:00... We check in to get our flight, and I belive it departs Beijing at 4:00... Through the miracle of modern time travel (well, crossing the date line helps) we will arrive in Vancouver at noon. With hopefully some expedited immigration (it is amazing what a crying baby will help get you through) we should be on the flight to Kelowna at 1:20 or so to arrive home sometime around the 2:00 mark. We will see if things go that smoothly, but here's hoping... :) So, until then, we will continue the story when we arrive (which I am hoping is tomorrow...) :)
C & J & S
Remember the Pearl Market?? Yeah... Z...O...O... I could have spent an entire day there hassling the locals - You too cheap! A little bit more! As a people watcher I thoroughly enjoyed watching these artists try to fleece the obvious tourists - The price for the locals is a pittance to what they start the bidding at for the tall Norseman... Sound advice all the way home - 10%... If that is where you start, you will end up with a pretty good deal - But you have to endure some criticism for being a cheap funnyman. :) I have broad shoulders... The place was also a five or six story department store that was laiden with shops... Different levels for different stuff - The distinction that I could make was that the Silk Market was more clothes and bags and such, and the Pearl Market was more antiques and electronics and well, pearls... If you only had the chance to hit one, you could certainly find what you were looking for at either. I think the Silk Market was bigger after all was said and done.
We did NOT exhaust the little one during our stint out, which ws a good thing, so we opted for some dinner out. We caught a taxi back to the hotel and then played and started to organize for the trip home tomorrow. If you know my lovely wife, you KNOW how much stuff we packed... Let's just say that we are coming home with more, but we will know what to expect for next time... :) As a sidebar - You can get REALLY cheap (if you fight for it) luggage at the markets - Nice Swissgear carry-on $22 (Sure it's fake, but it rolls nice and just needs to last till we get home...) :) You should have seen the sales lady when I was looking at this piece - even went as far as having me pull her around on it to show how tough the wheels were... :) (Not to mention she showed me that it would not burn with a lighter..... That's right lady - I am concerned if my carry-on luggage will survive the FIRE...) Points for her effort though I will give you that... :)
Anyhow, we are basically packed - Have all of the trinkets and baubles and toys and stuff tucked away in our luggage. Just have some final cleanup to do in the morning and then we are off to the airport. We check out of the hotel at 1:00 and should be at the airport by 2:00... We check in to get our flight, and I belive it departs Beijing at 4:00... Through the miracle of modern time travel (well, crossing the date line helps) we will arrive in Vancouver at noon. With hopefully some expedited immigration (it is amazing what a crying baby will help get you through) we should be on the flight to Kelowna at 1:20 or so to arrive home sometime around the 2:00 mark. We will see if things go that smoothly, but here's hoping... :) So, until then, we will continue the story when we arrive (which I am hoping is tomorrow...) :)
C & J & S
Ohhhhhhh.... well.. much luck on your journey home with your darling :) And who knew you never even needed to bother with a stroller, just a $22 fire-resistant wheely-luggage.. heck, Joyanne could have hauled you AND Sylvie around Nanning and Beijing ;)
ReplyDeleteSafe travels - as I write this, you are either waiting in an airport somewhere or jetting home with Sylvie. I know you'll need some at-home time with just her, but when you're up for a visit, I'd love to meet your daughter (I'm sure my youngest would as well).
ReplyDeleteAgain, welcome Sylvie. I have a feeling you are already rocking your parents' world!
Teresa
We're looking forward to seeing you and hearing more about your adventures.
ReplyDeleteCamille, Joe, and Kids