A Culture within a Culture

I just want thank you all for your comments, emails, and notes! I absolutely do read each and every one over and over and get a good chuckle out of your responses. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to keep up, it truly means the world to me. Please keep it up!

Yesterday we embarked on the Silk Street adventure. It was, as everyone else is claiming in their blogs, out of control. Vendors were selling their souls to get us to buy their knocked off Puma shoes, Ralph Lauren polos, Prada wallets, or fancy jewelry. They grab you from the aisle and holler at you from down the way. One approached me about some men's shoes.

"For your brother?" she asked.
"No, I don't know his size."
"You make me very sad," she said as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"I don't even know you, so that doesn't really bother me."

I also pretended not to speak English once or twice. All in all, I had a fantastic time watching the underground culture that is Silk Street. It's like a culture within a culture. Nowhere in Beijing have we found people that could speak more fluent, spot-on English than these folks on Silk Street. They knew slang terminology and how to work people like us. The crazy thing, though, is that they spend their lives down in a cave selling ratty, fake Pumas to tourists for "very cheap price!" Riddle me that, Batman.

Last night we spent the evening at the Oriental Mall near Tian'anmen Square. Lauren and Andrea were on the search for cheap cell phones, and Megan, Traci and I were along for the ride. Oriental Mall is an upscale shopping center, so Burberry, Gucci and Coach stores lined the path. We enjoyed seeing a classier side of the city, however, after spending the afternoon at the dungeonous Silk Street and Foreign Market.

The only success from the venture was the acquisition of another fun fact to know and tell. Electronics in China are EXPENSIVE. People come here to buy goods like shoes, clothes, and bags, but the Chinese venture to places like the USA to buy electronic goods. Cell phones, cameras and everything in between were outrageously priced. We ended the evening with some ice cream as we discussed the various cultural differences.

Here's a little clip of the view from my room! Enjoy!

XOXO