The Saga Continues...

>> Sunday, June 04, 2006

Hello all! It's time I mention one of my favorite things about China...the shopping! Back in the states, my specialty was the clearance rack. Over here, I swear it's just one big clearance rack, but much cheaper! We were given all of the bargaining tips before we came over. You know, take their offer and bargain to about 20% of their offer, walk away (and they always call you back), and wife comes up to bargaining husband and says no way (this one works great). As one girl at church put it, "shopping here is a full contact sport!" Thanks to the people in our ward and a wonderful couple who lives a building away, we have been told where the many different types of markets are. There are clothing, toy, shoe, electronic, flower, jewelry, souvenir, antique markets...you name it, they sell it.

So, needless to say, we've done a bit of shopping. I told Travis that it is almost an addiction to see how low can you get the price. By the way, don't think it's just me...Travis has become the bargaining king. Oh, and the food here is so cheap! I must admit that we have struggled with the cooking thing. With limited ingredients and only a stove top, we're not sure what to cook for dinners. If any of you have any good stove top recipes, we would REALLY appreciate you emailing them to us! Sometimes it's just easier and cheaper to go out to eat. At a restaurant by our house, we can order 4 or 5 Chinese dishes and only pay 4 U.S. dollars for the whole family.

Speaking of shopping, the next pictures are from a big outdoor shopping center with a little market of souvenirs, restaurants, and outdoor Chinese opera (which is absolutely horrid by the way). It is called Wan Fu Jing (spelling?), and I couldn't pass up pictures of some of the creatures they have skewered and being sold for food! Enjoy!


Yep, those are seahorses and scorpions...yummy!

A delicious arrary of beetles, other bugs, hearts, octupus, and who knows what else.

The next pics are from our trip to Temple of Heaven. It is where the emperors held ceremonies to worship heaven and pray for good harvests. The buildings and surrounding gardens making up the temple were beautiful. It was kind of foggy and rainy that day, but made for fun pictures.









10 comments:

Anonymous 9:04 PM  

ALERT... I know Jean well enough to know that the pictures of Kaleb and Barrett smelling the flowers was not spontaneous. Do not be fooled by her deceptive scrapbooking techniques. Also, those little china statues that Kaleb and Barrett are posing by are creepier than circus clowns. From: Jason Dalpias

P.S. Holly says hi and she wants you to bring her a scorpion on a skewer.

Smith Family 6:07 AM  

No prob Holli, do you want it wigglin or dead, cause they come either way!!! And as for your astute observations Jason, Jean is fuming mad at you for destroying her deception. She posed them at least 431 times to get that "candid" shot

Anonymous 2:44 PM  

Ok, so I thought I would get in on the action. I love hearing about your adventures. Just because I haven't emailed before doesn't mean that I haven't been checking up on you every second to see what new and exciting things you are doing. You know how good I am at emailing you Jean. And I'm going to have to agree with Jason on the "spontaneous" photos!

Anonymous 9:12 PM  

Great pictures, Jean! I though Kaleb and Barrett were just looking for more bugs to eat. Our secret in Prague was to have the members at the State Dept. score Connor some Mac and Cheese. But for what you are paying for meals, forget trying to cook!

Anonymous 9:19 AM  

For the record Chinese people don't eat bugs... At least the 11 million or so living in Taiwan.

Paul

Smith Family 6:47 PM  

All right smart alec Paul...just so you know, I saw two Chinese people eat a scorpion on a stick and some kind of beetle thing on a stick. However, we realize that it is not normal food...people were standing around and laughing while they ate them...like it was some kind of dare.

Smith Family 9:13 AM  

Ya paul, i don't like your tone of voice. Try calling my wife a liar to my face!!!

Anonymous 8:39 AM  

I don't like all the contention that I am feeling on this site. If this blog can't clean up its content and tone down on all of the fighting, then I am going to have to keep my family from viewing this filth. Maybe Paul and Travis should go and find the back of a Ford Bronco and work this out like real men. -- Jason D.

Anonymous 10:13 AM  

Fightn' words. Best be careful, remember here in the great USA i can buy guns just about anywhere. What you going to do... poke me with a chop stick?

Anonymous 4:59 PM  

The one dollar shirt has found its way to China! From Glendale, to Prague, to Beijing...that's a truly global costume shirt right there.

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