My time in Yiwu ... so far ...
Trip Start
Jun 15, 2006
1
5
10
Trip End
Aug 26, 2006
Yiwu, China
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Well ... i've been in Yiwu for three days now ... and you've just seen half of my Chinese vocabulary! The other word i know is Shee Shee (thankyou).
It certainly is quite an eye opener here. Yiwu is a major trading/exporting city ... so there are lots and lots of shops selling lots and lots of ... CRAP!
My driver from Shanghai to Yiwu did not speak one word of English ... and i made the mistake of thinking that he was my guide. When he dropped me at the hotel, another man turned up ... my driver took off ... and the second guy did not speak much more than "Driver ... Uncle ... Driver ... Uncle ...". This left me quite bemused, until a THIRD guy turned up who DID happen to be my guide. Talk about confused!
Mei Qin is the husband of the translator/guide Trevor used when he was over here. His English is passable ... sometimes. However, he managed to check me into my hotel (which you have to pay a 'surety' up front), and organised to pick me up the next morning. Here i was thinking i was rich with just under 1,500 yuen in my wallet, only to have to hand it to the hotel as the surety. In China you pay up front ... and receive any remaining credit back when you check out (unless you use it and then you have to pay of course!).
Anyway ...
The past couple of days have been traipsing the markets of Yiwu. Don't think 'market' like the Queen Vic or South Melbourne ... think of a building that is four storeys high and about three or four Melbourne city blocks long ... filled with THOUSANDS of stall about the size of a small bedroom. These stalls sell pretty similar products ... lots of which you would find in The Reject Shop or Mostly $2. There are a couple that sell some quite unique stuff though.
I've seen enough flashing Christmas lights, garlands, Santas and 'icicles' for a lifetime, not to mention those annoying, flashing mobile phone light thingies ... i'm surprised the stall holders are all on the floor having epileptic fits!!!!!
There's an astounding number of kitchen and barbecue products, pots and pans, torches, stuffed toys, beads, sequins and glitter, bells, eyes for stuffed animals, taps, bathroom accessories ... you name it - it's here! (How many times have you seen a Made in China sticker or tag??? Hmmm?????)
I've looked at paintings, executive-style pen sets and business card/wallet sets, lots of cushions, all sorts of electronic gadgetry, photo frames, vases, jigsaws, blow up plastic toys and boats, lady's bags and purses, make up kits ... EVERYTHING!!!
We went to the material market yesterday, which is also where the nut and lolly market is (go figure!!). Saw some AMAZING bolts of 100% Chinese silk - absolutely beautiful material.
It rained all day, but still was high 20's ... so was quite hot and sticky by the end of the day.
Was looking at one stall selling silk, when i heard a very familiar accent. Me - in my quiet dulcet tones - yelled out "Now THERE'S an accent i recognise!". I heard a laugh, and this "quite flushed" woman stuck her head around the bench and said, "Oh my God! Where are you from?". Turns out she was from Canberra, buying silk from the same stall as me.
Today the sun shone brightly, so it was HOT but not so humid today. Not sure which i'd prefer ...
I've mentioned the drivers in China. Today i learnt a valuable lesson. How to cross a road.
Basically ... you wait for a small break in the traffic (unless you're a local then you don't bother) and just step out onto the road and wait for a car to pause before stepping in front of it. The intersections here a very large ... and to see cars, busses, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians just doing what they want is something that will take me a while to get used too. (Have seen the results of two accidents, and today saw a couple of bingles between pedestrians and pushbikes, or motorbikes and pushbikes ...). Scarey stuff indeed.
My guide, his brother-in-law and another work friend took me out for a Korean bbq dinner the other night. Interesting concept, but very yummy food. There's a big pit in the middle of the table on which the waitress cooks your meat right in front of you. Also got my first taste of the local beer. Very nice indeed ... and for 2 yuen (35 cents) for a 600mL bottle ... quite worthwhile. It is also available at the majority of milk bars that i have been to. (might explain the driving!! hehehehe). Mei Qin's brother-in-law (still have not asked his name ... how rude!) kept going "Cheers Pe-TAH" which means you clink glasses then skull ... good thing the glasses were only small, but was still in a very good mood when i left the restaurant. (hic!)
Looked at all sorts of stuff fluffy animals today. Looking at costume jewellery and silk flowers tomorrow.
Having a great time, learning lots ... but missing Australia terribly.
My apologies if my thoughts are quite jumbled and jumpy ... have experienced a lot in the past few days.
Looking forward to catching up with Maree on Wednesday (she booked my flight today), and will start doing the touristy-things then.
Peter
Now ... if you are easily offended ... OR MY MOTHER ... do not read on!!!!!
I have mentioned that Trevor and i are looking at bringing in a container of various items to sell in Australia.
With tongue planted firmly in cheek, we both decided that we would have a look at some "adult" toys as well! hehehe
My guide informed me that there was not one specific market for these ... toys ... but more of a strip of wholesale/retail shops.
After looking at a few of these, i was starting to get a bit bored with dildos, vibrators and sex dolls. So ... have a psychiatric nurse-dominatrix as a friend, i asked him to take me to a place that sold leather toys ... you know, whips etc (hey! where there's a buck to be made ...)
All i can say is he must think i (or Australians in general!) am a freak ... after spending a morning looking at dildos and vibrators etc etc ... me trying to explain to him with his limited English "I want leather sex toys ... you know whips, belts for penises ... LEATHER!!" and then after that (yes, he took me) going "Okay ... enough of that ... off to the fluffy toys ..." well, what can i say!! LMAO!!!!!
Wan An! (good night ...)
Comments
Memories....
Well Peter, your first impressions of china bring a lot back to me. This is indeed a crazy place and one that gets easier with time.
10 months in and crossing the road is a piece of cake now. I still havent come to terms with the crazy traffic but i'm now ducking and weaving with the best of them on my bike. You deal with it by not looking.... thats what the locals do.. and it seems to work fine. Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.
Maree