Day 4: 13 October 2005

Today’s program is to go to an area just east of our hotel, called Xinyucheng area. This is a part of old Shanghai that is preserved and now a tourist attraction. We decided to walk and not take taxi. We left the main road and just walked east. We went through some narrow residential streets that don’t have many tourists walking through. The locals had a good look at us but we never felt unsafe.

After 10 minutes walk, we had arrived to the entrance to Shanghai Old Street. It had some beautiful dragons and one of those old gates. Trade and small shops was buzzing with activities. It is at first over-powering to take it all in but after awhile it is kind of settling in. It is so different to the Western way and it forces you to deal with it. I like it.

EXCEPT for all those street hustlers that comes up and say “Lady, watch, dvd, bag” etc The polite “no thank you” x 3 works and keep on walking. Later on boyfriend came up with a great line ”nah, we do bittorrent” They don’t get it but this will kill off any purchases of pirate dvds, that market will die because of another pirate market.

Let the haggling commence but I feel uncomfortable doing this so boyfriend steps in. I don’t care if it is stereotypical and letting “the man” dealing with it. From the country where I was raised, you are obedient and pay what the price tag says. But I am getting that hang of the procedure and that is:

1. As a buyer, have a target of what you are prepare to pay … say 100

2. Seller sees western people walking and thinks *cashzzzing* and double the price

3. Seller says I’ll give you a good price … taps in 200 on the cheap calculator

4. Buyer, boyfriend, says shakes his head and hands in a “no no no” geasture

5. Seller gives calculator to buyer, says how much do you want to pay

6. Boyfriend taps in 70

7. Seller laughs, makes gestures that should be interpreted as he will make a huge loss if he sold it at that price. He will then type in 160 on the calculator with the expression that he is giving you such a good deal now that you must take it.

8. Boyfriends say no good price, no good price and type in 80 on the calculator. If the seller don’t agree with you then start making noises that you will think about it (Saying no is rude in this culture)

9. Seller might then type in 120

10. Now it is time to leave, start picking up any bags etc and leave the store then usually the Seller will shove the calculator to you again and boyfriend types in 100. Deal is usually done. OR take out the 100 note hold to the seller, who usually will agree the deal.

Both parties are more or less winners, we have haggled down from £14 to £7 for a bag, tea set or chopsticks and £7 is not much money for us. The seller has probably made an absolute killing cos he knows what price he purchased the stuff for. Probably pennies, if you ask me.

I bought a new backpack in the way above, all by myself. The start price for this Samsonite (?) backpack was 180 and I had in my mind that I would pay 100 for it. I got it for 100 and I am sure that the seller didn’t pay that much for it.