Shop Until You Drop If your vice is shopping, there are two outdoor clothing markets in Beijing that may cause you palpitations of the heart. My wife and I have been hitting both of them recently, trying to get ourselves outfitted for the deepening winter. The first is officially called Yabao Lu Clothing Market, but most people refer to it more ethnically as "the Russian Market." The reason for this nickname will become apparent if you walk west from the Friendship Store on Jianguomenwai Ave. one block to Ritan Rd., and then take a right turn towards Ritan Park. When the signs of every store and restaurant you pass are written in the Cyrillic alphabet, you know you have arrived. Everywhere you look, you will see stout blonde women wearing fur hats buying everything in sight -- entire wagon loads of coats, hats, scarves and sweaters. Saying "da" and "nyet" and bargaining up a storm. For Russians, of course, shopping abroad is a serious business, a kind of Olympic sport, and this market is not geared towards mere amateurs. If you happen to be a large foreigner, however, you will be glad for the Russian sizes. The prices are cheap, but unfortunately the stall owners are often uninterested in bargaining, or dealing with you at all unless you are buying in bulk. My favorite activity here is not shopping, but watching the parade of people -- particularly at the end of the day, to see the stout, blonde ladies as they ride home with satisfied expressions on pushcarts that are overfull with their new possessions . . . carrying their haul back home to Minsk and Smolensk and other cold northern places where the store shelves are empty. The Xiushui Silk Market near the U.S. Embassy (a few blocks to the east) is smaller but more upscale; here you will find yourself in the land of Calvin Klein and the feisty Ralph Lauren polo pony. The stalls themselves are in a narrow cramped alley -- so hang onto your daypack or purse, and be prepared to make your way through a dense throng of bargain-struck foreigners who are buying up everything in sight. Silk is the main attraction here, from splendid neckties, scarves, dress shirts, to boxer shorts with colorful cartoon designs. But you can also find astonishing deals in sweaters, ski suits, even state-of-the-art Northface gortex jackets. The pace is like a frantic carnival, and here you should be prepared to bargain. A few weeks ago I bought a lovely duck-down overcoat with a quilted hood. The stall owner started by asking 580 yuan (about $72) -- a bargain in itself. But I offered 200 yuan and we went through the obligatory game. He shook his head angrily, as if I meant to leave his family starving on the streets. Then I began walking away and he stopped me, asking how much I wanted to pay. Eventually we settled on 300 yuan --$37. I don't know if he would have gone lower, but I certainly left feeling I had gotten myself a bargain -- a winter coat that would be at least $200 or more back home. The following weekend I picked up a thick wool turtleneck sweater for 100 yuan ($12), and three pairs of Eddie Bauer silk boxer shorts with little fish on them for our grown sons -- another 100 yuan for the lot. So shop until you drop. Beijing is definitely a capital place for clothes. Next Week: Toad's Venom, Etc. From the Editor in Chief: If you have some travel or work experience in China to share with us, we will be very excited to hear from you! Send your feedback by e-mail or regular mail to ASM Overseas Corporation. Thank you! And if you liked this column, please check Expats In China (International Community in China) for more interesting and useful information on life in China as a foreigner, including calendar of events, entertainment, housing, employment, classifieds, personal, etc. |
