Walking in Wuhan

I went on a trip to the "crazy market" this week, looking for...well, I don't know what.  But it was one of those markets in China that has almost everything.  Anyway, for your viewing pleasure: 

I need to start taking the big camera when I go.  My phone takes okay pictures, but if I'm going to take pictures, I should practice taking good ones instead of just snapping something to have a picture. 

Curses to the Wall!

I've had a couple of posts ready now for a couple of days, but Hubby left without giving me the secret to hopping over the great firewall so I've been stuck without access to my blog or facebook.  No big loss, really, I've been steadily unpacking and the living room, kitchen and our bedroom almost look like real places now.  I think by the time Hubby comes back we might actually have livable spaces to enjoy.  I've also been doing a TON of laundry because half of our clothes arrived smelling of MOLD-EWWWW!!!!  Luckily you can wash most stuff in vinegar and it will get rid of the smell... they also say you can dry clean the smell out--I'll let you know about that one.  And leather (for my dad's vintage blue leather coat that Mr. Route HATES) supposedly can be sponged off and laid out in the sun.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Anyway, since Babes is at school all day, I'm no longer limited to the big box stores for fruits and veggies.  After the Babes got too big to ride in a backpack, I never wanted to take her to the markets because I don't like all the touching.  It's not inappropriate or anything, I just don't want anyone touching my child with hands that were just touching pig innards.  Call me squeamish- I know I am.   Here are two quick shots of our veggie market, where you can also buy fresh Tofu, meat, seafood, and a few pickled, and ready to eat items. 

at the yarn market

I'm sure you all know that I am a knitter, and one of the things knitters like to do is fondle yarn.  Chengdu has some very good yarn stores, but if you need something other than wool, or you want things at rock bottom prices you should head up to the North Market's yarn section.

 This is inside one of the little nooks at the yarn market.  If I hadn't gone with a friend the first time I never would have found it.  I bought my sable(? the picture on the package looks a little like a raccoon) yarn here and I love it.  So soft.  It can be a mess, when you come during the winter it's packed.  There are ladies feeling yarn everywhere, and people sitting and knitting even though the space to walk through is only big enough for two people to squeeze by.

 This is the needle and hook guy.  You can buy sets of needles for next to nothing.  It's awesome!


And of course, I can't go up to the north market without finding things to take pictures of. 

 creepy dolls on strings.

 I never thought to buy bras on the street, but apparently in China that's how it's done.

 Hungry?  There's fruit...

 Tofu?

Or fried potatoes.

The North Market

Unlike Beijing, Chengdu does not have a ton of little markets everywhere for anything you might need (if they do I have not found them yet).  Mostly, if you need to buy something you have to go to a department store (something like Walmart) where the selection tends to be very limited or you have to trek up to the North Market (also known as the Lotus Market).  They have everything at the North Market!  You name it, I'm pretty sure I've seen it (although I don't think I've seen pets... maybe they're there and I just haven't found that section yet).  I finally made it up to the yarn section, which is MASSIVE (I know, most of you don't care, but being a knitter I was in yarn heaven!) but what is weird, is that they don't have a lot of different fibers for sale, it is mostly wool or some type of hair, but not a lot of cotton or bamboo or anything.
Anyway, I finally went to the market with my camera and took a few pictures.  They don't give you any idea of the scale of the place.  I forgot to take pictures all the way through so these pictures are just from a few sections of accessories.
This is a view down one of the shopping corridors.

From Blogger Pictures

Here is a shot of guys on a scooter, notice though, that we are INSIDE!

From Blogger Pictures

A view of the guys on the scooter as they drive away, IN BETWEEN the store front displays! Note, they were not the only people on scooters inside!

From Blogger Pictures

These guys are selling guns, but I have also seen tattoos for sale displayed this same way.

From Blogger Pictures

Get your hot fresh guns!

From Blogger Pictures

I'm curious if they do the ink on the street, or if they take you to a back room somewhere

From Blogger Pictures

You see this everywhere in China, melon on a stick, you can also get pineapple, and corn.  I haven't done it, because if you get up really close, it looks a little gross (my tolerance for nasty is not what it used to be)

From Blogger Pictures

To market, to market to buy a ......

For today's adventure I went off to the great big lotus market (called hehuachi in Chinese). I've been to this market once before about two months ago. It is huge and sprawling and a bit overwhelming. Last time I went I had to take a taxi, which took me 45 minutes. However between then and now the new subway line has opened up and getting on the subway and heading north took maybe half that time. Unfortunately as we were on the subway heading north there was a HUGE fight on the train not half a car away from us. From what we could tell, it was between a man and a woman who didn't know each other, and it might have started over a seat. But they were angry. They were pushing, shoving, kicking, yelling, screaming... I'm talking high drama. I was impressed with the security though, by the time we got to the next station there were security waiting to take them off the train. I swear, the pent up anger in people here.
Ah, but the market. This market is crazy. They have just about everything there. For example, today the people in my group bought Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, stationary, wind chimes, ribbon, painted pictures, seat cushions, fabric, metal snaps, buttons, wall stickers, and toys. We could have also bought rugs, plastic flowers, purses, cross stitch kits, costumes, aprons, blow driers, irons, and furry pants. Plus hundreds of other things that it would take me all day to name.
I think it would take you at least a year to go through every single stall there. Every where you look someone is selling something or other and for cheap. I didn't even bargain at most places because the price was so low to begin with that I couldn't see how the people would make money. For instance a bought about 30 buttons for a dollar. How are you going to make that cheaper, and is it even worth it. Sure I could have gotten it for 75 cents, but why?