This morning we arrived in Beijing by first class train. They were all sold out of the cattle cars they call "hard sleepers", so we were spoiled and had the whole cabin to ourselves. Beijing is a drier heat which is what we needed.
It had a rocky start though, our first taxi driver told us he would take us to our hotel for 100 yuan (15 USD) and we're like, "No waaaay!" What an insult that was. THe second one quoted us 80 yuan and after telling him where to stick it-- all in English mind you-- our 3rd taxi driver said he would take us and run the meter. It ended up being 36 yuan; so there are honest taxi drivers in the universe. The real big event today, was watching Leavitt haggle her way to a great price.
These sales people are scary! They would start overly inflating the price so much that it's an insult. Here's how the conversation went for me today:
"Hello would you like uh chessa set?""No thank you, I already have one"
"I make you a goodeh deal""Well, how much""For you, I give you good price" She punches in 2,200 on her calculator.
"What?? You've got to be kidding?!"
"Ok, ok for you I give you cheap" The sales lady punches in 1,500
"Um, I don't even have 1,500 yuan"
"how much you have?"
"I can give you 100 yuan but that's it" The lady is obviously miffed and she then comes down to 500 yuan in price.
"100 yuan is too low, dis is good quality ya? You like ya?"
"It's a nice chess set, but I really don't want it"
"I give it to you for 50 US dollars, you have US dollars no?"
"I have to US dollars and that's it, you want it for that?" She scoffs at my offer and then gives me this angry look.
"You need to meet me in price so we both be happy! You do not come up in price, we both not be happy..."
She berates me for a while and seeing as I really don't care at this point I start talking to her back,"If it wasn't for this chess set, I could see us being friends. You seem nice enough-- almost like kindred spirits."
"How about I give you chess for 150 yuan..." She keeps yacking on and I am so not having her whiney fit.
"Well I just have 100 yuan and only 2 US dollars on me, it's yours if you want it, but thats it."I start to walk away and she is giving me this fuming look. Which is hilarious coming from such a petite Asian. I'm half way down the walk way and she comes over to me, "Ok fine 100 yuan and your 2 US dollah" Yeah, I've got a chess set now :)
It just got worse as we walked around the little markets. In fact, Nat got pinched and Leavitt and I both got slapped with Chinese fans. Seriously, these sales people are brutal! It's funny too, because everything they sell is seriously a dime a dozen. We walked through this place that had gobs and gobs of pearls, another place that was all silk and another place with all sorts of jade.
Beijing has been a whole different beast compared to Xian or even Shanghai. Different dialect (not that it would effect me any) and haggling for everything. We had to haggle prices for water bottles! Which by the way, I drink so much water it's not even funny. I feel like a camel. We met up with our tour group today and we've got a great mix of Hollandish girls, UK chick, Australian couple, Seattle folk, New Englander and our tour guide who is a Thai gypsy. Yep, we are a real pair.
We all went out to dinner tonight and that was a lot of fun. Our 12th girl has been quarantined in a hotel for 5 days with the "swine flu", yeah, I guess she got nabbed. She is not sick with it. Tomorrow is the Great Wall of China and so I'm excited for that. And no, you cannot see the Great Wall from outter space, I lost a bet saying that.
Until the next update, bye all!
Emily the Bruised and Battered Haggler
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