Shopping Day

Today was shopping day and it was the first day that it hasn't rained since we have been in Guangzhou. It is very muggy however but no umbrellas... yea!!! Molly, our guide in Guangzhou, took us to the mall area right in the city where the locals shop. First stop was a shop that had nice vases, carvings, and other items. We got a picture of them hand painting some vases and hand inking pictures (so cool to watch). Then we moved on to a clothing store. While walking there was lost my dad and on other family that stopped to take a picture so they missed us turn into the store. After I noticed they were missing, Molly went out and found them (whew!!!). The store was overwhelming and hot. As soon as the sales ladies saw me with an outfit in my hands they brought over one after another and waited for me to nod or shake my head. If I needed a different size, they quickly ran and looked for the right size. I got maybe 6 nice quality two piece outfits (pants and shirt) for around $200 U.S. Dollars. The checkout process was also difficult. First you give everything to a salesperson and they write up a ticket, then you need to find the cashier to pay, finally back around the store to pick up everything in the various departments. Someone heard that they set up things in this way to give more people jobs even if it is not efficient for us. The hardest was the language barrier which we don't encounter much on the island.

Once we were back we got some lunch and since Malia was actually letting me shop today (basically the first time since we got here) we went to a couple stores near the hotel. The one we wanted to check out was closed for the holiday (a grave sweeping day to honor those no longer with us) but next door were to shops that had the right colors of shoes that I have looked all over for. Again, clothes and shoes Malia's size are hard to find on the island. I think with more toddlers being adopted the selection gets more picked over. Tonight we hope to walk around and see more of the sites along the river. Tomorrow is the blessing at the Buddhist temple and the gardens (I think).

P.S. My parents found out that KFC delivers on bike to the island and somehow they found a small Disney store on the island.... only my mom could spot that!!