If you were a die-hard shopper, then the Pearl and Silk Alley Markets were your idea of heaven. But if you weren't fond of noise, crowds, and haggling, then they were certainly not your cup of tea. As you can see from the pictures, these places had booth after booth, row upon row, floor upon floor, of various goods ranging from silk scarves, to stuffed animals, to teas, to electronics, to souvenirs. Everything was negotiable. China is one of those places where, if you don't haggle, then you're a fool for paying the price marked. While I do like to shop, I'm not much of one for haggling. Some people really enjoy it and in our group, Jason prided himself on geting a better bargain than the rest of us, and in many cases he did. I don't think I was much fun for the vendors because I'd give them my bottom price, then walk away (you have to be strong). Almost every time the vendor would run me down before I'd turned the corner. Several of them said "lady, you drive a hard bargain." I'm not sure if it was said in admiration or disgust, but let's be clear here, I was not exactly dropping big money on luxury items.
Peggy
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