Olympic Park and the Silk Market, Beijing

Driving back to the hotel from the Summer Palace, we could see the stadium they call the “Bird’s Nest” stadium. You can see why.

After a nice lunch of white rice and special side of soy sauce on Wangfujing Street we went to shop in what they call the Silk Market.

You would think that the Silk Market would sell silk. The name Silk Market refers to the Silk Road.  The Silk Road was a trading route that was like a bridge between Europe and Asia.  Marco Polo traveled the Silk Road to trade silk and jewels and spices.  What is really important is that he also brought noodles to Italy!

The Silk Market in Beijing is a big store except it isn’t a normal store.  It is a place filled with many different stands.  Lots of things sold at the Silk Market are fancy watches and electronics but they are mostly counterfeit. Some stands sold shoes, some sold food, some sold kites and others sold toys. 

We wanted to buy a kite. The Chinese have great kites.  They are often very big and elaborate. They also have small kites that are tiny and cute. 

Pop Pop bargained for a kite.  He is really good at bargaining. 

The person asked for 1,800 yuan. That is nearly $300!!!

Pop Pop said that was too much. 

She showed him her calculator.  He said “No way will I pay that much!” 

She punched some numbers into her calculator.  She said, “This is my best kite.”  They went on, and on, and on.

A couple of times Pop Pop punched some numbers into the calculator and the clerk said, “Oh, no! We won’t be able to eat if you pay that little!”

Pop Pop said, “Well, I wouldn’t want you to be sad,” and he walked away. 

She said, “Oh, no, no, no.  We will just skip dessert!”

Eventually Pop Pop got a very good price.  He only paid 50 yuan for a large kite.

As he walked away from the booth the young man in the stand across the aisle said, “Good price. You are very, very cheap!”

I was proud of Pop Pop!

We left the Silk Market and I was really tired.  We went back to the hotel.  It was a “dinner on your own” night.  We were so tired that Pop Pop went down the street to Pizza Hut and bought a pepperoni pizza to bring back to the hotel.  The pizza was a pizza.  That was all.  It was not terrible but we couldn’t find the pepperoni and it wasn’t that flavorful. 

I crawled into bed and went to sleep.