The rest of our trip was filled with shopping, shopping, and more shopping! It was so much fun and insane at the same time. We went to the Silk Market which did have silks but had anything you would want to buy as well. This place was huge, five floors of shoes, purses, wallets, clothing galore, jewelry, ties, scarves, and then all the Chinese souvenirs you could hope for. The insane part about it though was the people haha. The sells men and women barter the price with you and are extremely pushy about having you come into their little booth to buy something. Every time you walk by they either say something about what they are selling or something about you! “Hey pretty girl, would you like to come try a jacket?” “I remember you from yesterday, very pretty, come in come in.” Or, if you have bought something from them they ask you to buy another one. They’ll even start bargaining with you again if you walk by someone that you didn’t agree on a price with or even get mad at you. I tell ya, conversations there can get pretty heated. Sierra had a lady tell her if she left she would cut off her eyelashes… Emily H’s life was threatened. Of course they are not serious whatsoever but really? Haha.
I had a lady that would honestly not let me out of her booth for seriously five minutes after I told her I didn’t want to buy a second jacket. I had already bought one thing from her but once I started looking at a second she was devoted to getting me to buy it. She was lowering the price without me even saying anything. I just kept telling her I didn’t think I wanted it and that I was sorry and she had the price down to lower than the jacket I had already bought. I would try to walk around her and she would take my arm and keep me inside, she had me cornered! I didn’t end up buying it but man, was she intense haha.
So, if you understand how persistent these people are you know then how tiring shopping really can be! We really did have so much fun and could get some people so low if we tried hard enough. But I gotta say, they do not like you too much after that. They say, “You are very hard” or “You go too low” “You’re a good bargainer” or anything just to make you feel guilty for being so stingy but it’s totally worth it. They seriously crack me up…oh, our favorite, “You’re breakin’ my heart!” Haha, they know how to get you to pay up, it doesn’t work though if you can take it! Which don’t worry Dad, I took it and dished it right back to them or else just didn’t buy anything. Bargain shopping is seriously the best way to go, they make you feel so bad but if you’re persistent enough you can get it! It wears you out though! Gen and I kept saying to each other, “K, ten minute break.” But of course that never happened because if you so much as take a second glance at whatever you are passing then the sells people start talking to you and won’t let you even stop to think. Fun stuff right?? Haha, it really is pretty exciting.
Some of us also went to a Chinese Acrobat show. It was an awesome show! I don’t know how those Chinese girls can bend like that, Em thinks they have pieces of their vertebrae removed because it is so impossible haha. There were some really awesome acts though. We loved it.
That night we also ran over to the Olympic Park to see the birds nest and tower. It is lit up with colored lights at night so it was really cool! We didn’t have much time because we didn’t want the subway to be closed but we got some fun pics and then ran back underground to catch it.
Our last day there we went to the Lama Temple. There were tons of shops on the way there where you could buy incense. You also had to pay to get in…25 yuan. We had our student cards so we got in for half price and with the exchange rate it was like less than two US dollars but to them, 25 is pretty pricey.
There were tons of different buildings with statues inside. A lot of people were there worshipping with their incense. It was a cool experience for me because it made me appreciate the fact that I know the truth about the gospel. I’m so grateful I don’t worship false idols and that the temple is a sacred place to worship where tourists can’t just meander around as services are going on. It definitely made me appreciate the knowledge I have and the freedom I have to worship.
Beijing was such a fun vacation for us. I love some of the girls I am here with to death and can’t believe we have less than a month left to be with each other. They are seriously some of the greatest friends and I don’t know what I’m gonna do without them each day! We just have too much fun. And I also have to say I have come to love three of my best friends even more. Gen, Kim, and Em are such amazing people and I’m just so glad I was able to come here with them and spend so much time together. The good and the bad, we’re in this together. Love you girls!
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