This morning we decided that we would take a taxi to The Jade Market Streets and well...you know...shop for some jade. We waited for a taxi in front of our hotel; we told the hotel car door opener person where we wanted to go and showed him on the map, he then in turn translated that to the taxi driver...all good right.....well..... We were trying to follow the route the taxi driver was driving because The Jade Market is really only about 2.5 miles from Shamain Island and we thought we might be able to walk back after shopping. After about the 32 turns down some crazy streets, we decided that we would just take a taxi back to The White Swan after we were finished shopping. Then after driving for about 15 minutes the taxi driver pulls over on a street and motions that The Jade Market is here...David, Ella, and I looked at each other and said "O.K." Well, for a street that is supposed to be lined with shops that sell jade...there wasn't anything there?!?!? Either we were there entirely too early 9:45a.m. or the taxi driver just dropped us off and thought we could figure it out. It looked like there were some shops, but all doors were closed (think like a metal garage door) with the iron grates and locks covering them. So we decided well, we have come this far, we might as well make the most of it. We walked up and down several streets and saw many outdoor markets which are really kind of cool. There isn't a Home Depot or Bulk Food Store here, but there so many little shops that just sell on particular thing. You might find faucets and plumbing materials at one shop, and then the next shop will have Spices, and then the next shop will sell towels, this just goes on and on and on for blocks and blocks. It may seem a bit strange to those not familiar with it, but it seems to work for the people that live here. We are going to try and hit the Pearl and Jade Market again this Saturday with Ann from Red Thread. Another family had already made arrangements for her to help them and after hearing our Jade Market Fail invited us along with them...I will get my jade yet!!! Thanks for continuing to follow our journey!!! ~dee, David, and soon to be Jade Princess Ella |
There is no "one stop shopping" in Shanghai, either. I hadn't realized that until I was hanging out with the wife of one of my American co-workers there and she mentioned it. It can take a day or two to do all the errands you need for running a household whereas here we just scoot over to Wally World for a couple of hours.
ReplyDeleteTaxi rides are always an adventure if you don't have a Chinese-speaking person with you. I've been dropped off in the middle of nowhere, too. No idea where you are, how to get where you were supposed to go, etc. And the drivers can be really rude about it. "You go now!" It's like taxi roulette. At least you made the most of it. LOL
My MIL attempted a taxi ride by herself when we went to the "oath appointment" and we were worried we would never see her again since she could only say "XieXie". Some how she made it to where she wanted and back with no problems (that she has admitted). :O)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear your experience at Jade/Pearl Market and with Ann at Red Thread. I have a friend traveling soon and I've told her that Ann has been praised up one side and down another on RQ.