Not Your Average Lemon

I'm thinking that ginger scented dish soap is an Asia-only thing. It surprises me a little every time I do the dishes...

Who knows, maybe I'll see it at Giant Eagle this summer. Somehow I doubt it.

"Antique" Street

One day last week I took the three older kids to this pedestrian street on the Puxi side of Shanghai. Mark and Mindy and I had gone together last spring when they were visiting, but the kids had never been. I'm not sure how much of these vendors' wares are true antiques, but it's a fun place to poke around and hone your bargaining skills! Caleb, Seth and Madelyn jumped right in and wouldn't take no for an answer to their price. They actually didn't buy much, but decided they might like to come back here to Christmas shop. Watch out, grandparents!

Notice how people gather to watch the Western kids.

I love this shot of Seth, in full bargaining mode!

Peaches

This morning Mr. Wu showed me some beautiful peaches he had gotten from a sidewalk vendor at the Chinese market. They were perfectly ripe, and large. Later in the day I asked him to take me to the market so I could get some. He described to me on the way there how this was just the right time of year for these Shanghai peaches. Too early, no good. Later, no good.

We pulled to the side of the road by the area where the peach vendors were. I got ready to get out of the car, but Mr. Wu stopped me. "You talk, maybe no good," he said. Now I may not speak much Chinese, but I know enough to bargain. However, it is fairly well known that Chinese people give their own a better price than they would give a foreigner.

Even on peaches, I guess. Mr. Wu brought me back two bags of peaches, about 14-15 total. I think he paid 21 RMB, around $3 USD. Such a deal. Good thing I didn't talk.

Hair Product Update

Well, I checked out the "Bright Essence of Hair Scale" that I posted about a few days ago. It seems to come out in a stream, rather than a spray, which rules out hair spray. I tried just squirting a little into my hands and putting it on my damp hair as if it were a spray gel. Finally today I asked Mrs. Shi what it is, and low and behold, it is a conditioner that is supposed to be applied to dry hair.

Who knew?

Hair Product

Tonight we did a little shopping at Carrefour after church. As we were leaving the health and beauty care product area, we spotted a spray bottle with a clear liquid in it titled "SHIN DY". It looked like it could be hair spray. However, the only English in the bottle by way of description was "Bright Essence of Hair Scale." All the rest of the information was in Chinese characters.

I bought it. I'll let you know what it turns out to be.

List

Last night I started a list of things I would like to buy in the US when we are home at Christmas. We've been making a mental list for a few weeks, and I decided I'd better get it on paper so we don't forget. Some of these things must be available here, but either I haven't found them yet, or the ones I have found just aren't the variety we are used to.



Here is the beginning of the list:

chocolate chips
vanilla, and other flavorings for baking
instant pudding
ranch dressing (it's available at City Shop, but is in such high demand they're almost always out of it)
dry onion soup mix
envelopes of taco seasoning
vanilla chai tea bags
contact solution
good smelling mousse
cold cream
stuff to stop Gwen from biting her nails
hair rubber bands for the girls
Scotch tape (the real stuff, not cheap imitations)
colored construction paper

Shopping

Yesterday afternoon I went out shopping by myself for the first time since we have lived here. Yes, I have run to the Chinese grocery store on our corner alone before, but this was different. I actually got myself a gingerbread latte at Starbucks, and strolled around the mall alone. It was so nice!

I browsed in a few large clothing stores, just to see what kind of things are available, and I did see some things I liked. The styles, although western, are a little different here... or maybe I just don't know what's in in the the States! I found some nice black corderoy pants that I thought I would try on... until I started looking for my size. The sizing is completely different, and I kept holding pairs of cords up to see if I was anywhere close to the correct size. I ended up with something like a 155/60A... although I might have that wrong. This size meant nothing to me, but it seemed close to the right size when I held the pants up. I got in the dressing room and pulled them on... but not really. They were WAY to tight. I left the store.

I was telling Scott later about my experience trying to find the right size pants... and we were giggling about the fact that most of the Asian women are so tiny, that shopping here for me is like needing the Big & Tall size!

A Small Loss

I am slowly becoming aware of the fact that culture shock is experienced in layers. We've certainly had some bumpy spots on the road to normalcy as we've adjusted not only to life in China but also to apartment living, an urban rather than a suburban lifestyle.

The other day I realized an aspect of our "old life" that I really miss, something I hadn't thought of before. It's doing errands. I know that seems like a silly one, in light of all that there is that is very, very different, but as I thought about this I actually shed tears.

We can't drive in China. It isn't because they drive on the other side of the road or anything, but simply because it is a different type of driving, an agressive, "playing chicken" type of driving. The firm Scott works for asks us not to drive here. So six days a week we have Mr. Wu to drive us, and he has been great. There is only one of him, and obviously only one vehicle, so we've had to do some compromising on who goes where when, but taxis are plentiful and cheap and I've gotten braver about using them, so that has worked out okay.

But doing errands.... what I miss is going out by myself on a Saturday afternoon to tool around in the car on my own. Stopping where I want to stop. Not having to arrange when I will be picked up when I'm finished, but hopping in the car and then going on to the next place as my need or fancy arises. Mr. Wu is terribly accomadating, and he would certainly run me here and there if I wanted him to, but the fact is that I don't know where Here and There are around here! I know all the basic things, but I miss the little places I used to go in the States.

I guess this is all a blessing in disguise. The fact is that I can't shop like I used to. I wasn't ever a big shopper, but I enjoyed time out browsing at Target or Old Navy. There's no Target here, no Old Navy, at least not that I know about. And I guess that's a Good Thing, at least for now.

At Least I Have Something

This morning I was in the Chinese grocery store that is right outside our apartment complex. We were hunting for a rain poncho for Caleb, who is packing to leave for his class trip later today. This little store sells everything, including shoes, bikes, pajamas, etc., in addition to food. A little like a Super Walmart... but Not Really. Not at all.

Anyway, as we were browsing through the rain ponchos trying to find the right size for Caleb (no small task, as rain ponchos are a big deal here, especially for bike riders), I noticed that I recognized the tune of the song playing over the store loud speakers. It is common for Chinese stores to play American music, but somehow today it struck me funny to sing along with ABBA to "Dancing Queen" in this little Chinese grocery store. I felt like doing my own little dance right there in the aisle. It made me feel at home.

I may not be able to find things I need in the stores here, I may not be able to read the labels, I may have to guess at what a certain product is, I may not know where and when to get my produce weighed... but I WILL sing along with the music they play!

At the Fabric Mart

The fabric marts in Shanghai are well known for the custom made clothes you can have made for extremely low prices. Last weekend we visited one. It is three floors of tiny little stalls, each with its own fabrics and tailor. Each tailor has garments he or she has made hanging around the edges of the stall as samples so shoppers can see what kind of work they do. If you want to have something made, you can choose a style from among the samples, or bring a photo of a garment (like from a magazine), or bring a garment you already own that you would like to have copied. Then you choose what fabric you'd like it to be made from. It is fun just to see all the many beautiful fabrics!

The kids had fun looking at the hundreds of styles and colors of loose buttons that one vendor had on display. Both Madelyn and Seth bought themselves a little bag of buttons that they hope to use in a special creation.

There are also some vendors selling ready-made ties, scarves, and belts that can be cut to size. Caleb and Seth found neon (one pink, one green) and black striped and checked ties they liked for 10 RMB... about $1.20. They ran into some school friends at that stall, and all four agreed to wear the ties they bought to school the next week. Unfortunately, it was decided by the powers that be at the school that neon ties did not fit the uniform dress code!


Madelyn especially enjoyed all the glitzy fabrics in this stall.

A larger size stall than the typical.
The stall where Scott ordered a suit... notice the non-existent dressing room facilities... if you want to try on the pants you order here, you'd better not be shy!

Saturday Shopping

I now remember that in one of my very early posts from China, when we had first arrived, I noted that it was not a good idea to go grocery shopping on the weekend. It is just insanely crowded.

Earlier today I forgot that I had made that mental note, and went to Carrefour to shop in the late afternoon. The store was very busy, but not as unmanagable as it had seemed when we shopped on the weekend the day after we had arrived here at the beginning of July. It probably seemed more managable today because I was not extremely jet-lagged or shopping with all my children, like I was on that first trip to Carrefour.

What I noticed today was that all sixty-three of the check out lanes were open. So I actually didn't have to wait that long to pay for my groceries. Yes, you read it correctly. 63 check out lanes. All open.

There are a lot of people in China.

Yuyuan Gardens

Saturday we went to Yuyuan Gardens. We didn't actually go into the garden portion, but instead just enjoyed all the traditional style Chinese architecture and fun little shops. We live quite close to this area and will definitely go back for the garden and more browsing.

Daddy steals a smooch from Gwen on the Bridge of Nine Turns. Madelyn and I counted... the bridge actually has many more than nine turns!


This building is very old... it used to be an assembly place for blue cloth merchants. Now it is a tea house.

Our crew heads into the thick of the crowds. We were approached at every turn by vendors with a paper brochure of purses, who would say, "Hello sir, hello lady. Bag, watch?" Foreigners are easy targets for selling designer-look purses and watches. Scott tried hard to resist, but he is a sucker for watches and he came away with a couple. Always for gifts, of course!


Of course there is a Starbucks... more than one! I think we saw three of them in this several block area.

Come, come visit! We will happily take you to Yuyuan Garden, and we'll even take you into the actual gardens themselves!