Adventures at the Silk Market

What an adventure....the Silk Market in Beijing ! This is also known as the Pearl market. It is I believe 8 stories high and then 2 stories below ground. We had been hearing about this place since we landed in Beijing. Everyone says this is the place to go shopping. They have clothing, jewelry, purses, luggage, electronics, you name it.

My parents and I started off by taking a cab there. When we pulled up from we saw a large crowd of people standing outside trying to get in. We entered the building not knowing what was going to happen next....what an experience. In the market each vendor had a small little area to sell their goods. They would stand out side and yell "Hey lady hey lady....you want purse" or "Hey mister need nice suit." This was the nice stuff they were saying....later on a vendor would say to my mother "You stupid cheap lady....you cheap" We thought this was very funny, mainly because my mom is pretty cheap (sorry mom !). Then my Dad walked by a vendor and the man yelled "Mister you need shirt" my dad said jokingly "Sorry I am to fat" as the man held up a small shirt the man responded with "We have fat man size." All in all we had a great time. We bought several gift items such as jade and pearl necklaces.

Leaving the market was also an adventure. With there being so many people and not enough taxis in the area it was a fight to get a cab. This is one of the funniest memories I will ever have of my Mom on this trip. We stood for about 10 minutes waiting for a cab. I was watching a cab drive by me and I turned to see if it had pulled over. I then turn to see my Mom throw herself out into the passing cab and grab onto the back door handle and run almost 30 feet with the cab. She was determined to get a cab and get out of there. It was pretty funny to see my 54 year old mother throw her self into a cab, grab onto the door handle with one hand and keep holding onto her bags of gifts she had just bought. My dad and I stood there laughing.

Stay tuned !!!