Day 6 China

Day 6) We seem too stuck on getting up at the wee small hours of the morning for some reason don’t know if it is a form of jet lag or what. We are getting up most days around 5 in the morning so that we are ready and fully prepared for Liam to get up for the start of his day. So this morning we had our daily routine of breakfast and play time with Liam until about 8 am when we went out for the morning to do some shopping and a short visit to weaving institute. We first visited this gorgeous factory called the Nanjing Brocade Research Institute. This was a huge treat to see how these amazing Chinese silk brocades are made all of which no matter how intricate the design are produced by hand. After this we went to Chinese Department store that can only be describes as very high end Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Ave... It is funny because of the way you shop, you shop the different departments get a sales slip and then proceed to the nearest cashier and pay then return to the individual departments to pick up your purchases in the correct sizes, which generally are not out on the rack for sale but still in the stock room to be retrieved after selection is done. This department store is more than just an average American style department store because they have a full grocery store on one level and yet another level that is just restaurants. Our guide did say that all of the Department stores throughout China are of this same name and style. Another interesting fact about retail in China is that if you are buying let’s say cosmetics in one store the price is going to be the same in every store across the country for that brand and every other brand. So that is to say no matter what store carries an item it is the same as the next store and so forth and so on. Prices here in China seem to be controlled more here than we are used to in the USA, we think this may have to do to the fact that China has little to no inflation rate at all in their commerce. We did buy him 4 different one piece outfits, some shoes, and a couple pair of socks for his feet so that we will not offend anyone here in China. Not having something on your feet here in China is considered to be sign of poverty. We then went back to the hotel again for rest and relaxation with the baby, it may seem that we spend a lot of time in the hotel this week but it is what we and China would consider necessary for the bonding process too begin.