After a whirlwind tour through Guangzhou, Beijing and Xi’an, we headed back to Hong Kong in preparation for our next international flight. We had 2 days left in this amazing country and we decided we wanted to have a bit of last minute fun, so we decided a shopping trip was in order. But for those who have been to Hong Kong, one would know the prices are pretty steep – unless you go to some of the famous markets in Kowloon where bargaining is the expectation and you can have fun with all of the knock offs available.
At night, we roamed the Temple Market where the salespeople would yell at us “Copy watch, copy bag, copy purse” – at least they were open that they were selling copies! We found all kinds of knocks offs and cute little things that we can’t get in Canada. It was a fun way to really see all the things they make in China (the world’s factory). Of course we had to make some purchases and everything is negotiable. We bought cute umbrellas, USB sticks, luggage tags and other knick-knacks.
The next day, we visited the famous Jade market – where a lot of the jade is fake! We learned that if you tap real jade there is a dull tone, but fake will give you a high tinny tone. Also, real jade is cloudy when put up to the light and the minerals can be seen. With this info in hand, we wandered through the stalls and were hounded by the sellers who wanted us to be their first lucky sale of the day. In the end, we purchased some cute jade jewelry – but not before we brought the price down from $50 dollars to $5! I keep telling the girls…always be ready to walk away. They will never sell it for less than a profit.
Next on the tour was the goldfish market. For two blocks, the stores sold everything related to fish and aquariums. We saw all sorts of goldfish as well as exotic fish for sale. It was really neat to see them swimming in their little plastic bags.
From there, we visited the flower market where we saw beautiful blossoms and amazing colours.
Our final market was the bird market. The Chinese people love their birds, and this market is full of beautiful songs that would improve anyone’s mood.
The markets of Hong Kong are interesting and unique within this incredibly modern city. We really enjoyed exploring and interacting with the sellers. It was a fun way to spend our day and learn more about the culture.
Sadly, we are now leaving our Chinese adventures behind. Originally we were not going to include China on our trip because it is such a large country and we just did not have the time to cover it properly, but we are oh so glad we did! Our time here was fantastic and we learned and did so much in a very short period of time. We know we will return one day to explore this intriguing country and learn even more about it.
Now we are moving down under to the Land of Oz! Stay tuned for more of our adventures!
Comments
6 responses to “Zai Jian China!”
Hi Kat,
Thanks for this lovely blog and beautiful photos! The flowers and birds at the market captivated me! I wouldn’t have been able to leave the flower section! Love, Mom
Hi Mom,
The flower market was gorgeous and so many different types that we don’t often see in Canada….it was really beautiful! The birds were just lovely…just too bad they are in cages.
Cheers,
Kat:)
Thank you for a most enlightening visit. With you , I have seen a new, modern China.
Hi Herta,
We also discovered a modern China as well….didn’t know it existed….now we know better!
Cheers,
Kat:)
Have enjoyed all your blogs about China! Look forward to the chapter on Australia! Travel safely and love to all, Doreen xoxo
HI Doreen,
You should add China to your bucket list….it’s an amazing country! We will visit again for sure!
Cheers,
Kat