Vivian and I decided to go wandering. We had intentions to find the Carrefour, but the lady at the hotel front desk said it was a 10 minute cab ride or over an hour walk. So we thought we’d go looking around and then take a cab to Carrefour, as we both want to look at suitcases and we needed more laundry stuff.
We went back to the main shopping area, just to look around. It’s located less than a 5 minute walk behind the hotel, and would be less if half the streets on the way weren’t closed to be a huge construction site that smells like a urinal. It really is like that Chengdu area, but significantly bigger. We stopped in many stores and were followed around by employees who were either eager to help us, or afraid we were planning to steal. There are make-up stores, like what you’d find in a department store (these were in Chengdu also) where each high-end brand has it’s own stand. But here in China, the stands are L’Oreal, Maybeline, Oil of Olay, etc. And the prices are higher.
We found the starbucks (there are 2 or 3 in this shopping area) and ordered Iced chocolate (rather than hot chocolate) because it was the first truly hot day here in China. SOOOO good. The lady there told us if we kept walking in one direction, we would get to a place where we could see the Yangtze river with great views (and find another starbucks!).
We decided to go to the area to see the river (no need for another starbucks) , but as we were walking, I said “I may be crazy, but I think I just read ‘Carrefour.’ oh no, that is a sign for the plastic surgery hospital.” but we walked a couple more feet and sure enough, there were Carrefour signs all over the place!
We were literally jumping for joy and screaming “Carrefour! Carrefour!” and desperately tried to figure out how to cross the street. And as we were doing so, we got really mad at the hotel lady who told us the closest one was really far away. Grr…. This one was underground, I think. Kind of weird placement. And you had to go in through the main door, but then walk the entire length of the store before they would actually let you into the store itself.
The first thing we did was look at luggage. We can get fairly large luggage for really cheap, like the most expensive ones were about $60US for the size we wanted. So depending on what I hear from mom, I am most likely to get a big suitcase. I should have just brought the bigger one I had at home, but it wasn’t actually at home, it was at my aunts house and completely full (I still have to return to pick up lots of things from when I moved out of her house in NJ 2 hrs ago). Plus, I just didn’t have time to get over there. But it may not have been in great shape anyway, because I had gotten those suitcases as a present my senior year of high school (1999) and got these new ones the year I was graduating college (2003), or I should say the Christmases before those years (so 1998 and 2002). I think I got the new ones to replace the old ones.
So anyway, I think we are definitely going back to get cheap suitcases. If I haven’t heard from mom (or can’t get online before we have to go buy them) or can’t make up my mind, they should be big enough that I can carry my small suitcase in the big suitcase.
The main reason I am worrying about luggage is that we have to fly to Wuhan, our next city, and getting this resolved now is preferable before we fly.
Anyway, also at Carrefour, we bought body wash/detergent and I got two AA rechargeable energizer batteries and the charger, I’m assuming with Chinese plugs, so I hope I can plug them in anywhere while in China. I also finally found a shower puff (I don’t really like washcloths) and got a scotch brite sponge for cleaning my plastic container that I steal brunch food in.
After we left Carrefour, we went back to one of the stores we had liked. The mall next to our hotel in Chengdu had this store, but it was very small, about the size of a bedroom, so not at all big, just a few racks of clothes. But this was a 4 story store, and the best way to describe it is a Chinese H&M. It’s actually called Meters/Bonwe. In the small shop version in Chengdu, I bought the best shirt. It says:
Love Life
Spread Yourself
Yup. That is what it says! Hehe They had the same shirt at the big store here in Chongqing. Vivian and I had started our shopping today looking specifically for funny phrase shirts. And we sure found a few. Some I can’t remember because we had read about 20 shirts and they all said ridiculous things. One also said
We are only one
Really? See the irony? Hehe ok
Anyway, back to the store. We liked the clothes, so we decided to do some actual shopping. They do sizes completely differently here. They have a size that is the length and then the size that is the width (either bust or waist).
I had picked out a few shirts and was crossing my fingers they were the right size. A nice male employee who spoke a few English words tried to help. I pointed to the tag and tried to indicate whether it would fit me. He understood and said no. He then got me a bigger size.
But when it came to the capris I was looking at, he went through the piles, and pulled out a pair and said “biggest size we have.” Vivian and I laughed! I was like, hey now, I’m not THAT big!
But then it was time to try on. The shirts fit fine, but I am definitely more busty than the average asian woman. However, the pants were very big! They weren’t huge, but there was definitely room to gain about 15-20 pounds, which I don’t intend to do. So I went two sizes smaller, and the guy looked at me like I was crazy when I pulled out the sizes, but I said “no, I’ll try them on.” and sure enough, that size fit!
So I got two pairs of capris, one could be worn dressy or casual, the other is more lightweight and casual, like cargos. And Vivian convinced me to get light non-tight cotton shirts, so I got two. So two pairs of capris and 2 shirts came out to under 400Y, or about $60US. That’s nothing!
We got back and decided it would be a good time to swim, so we went to the swank hotel pool and did some swimming. I hear the fitness center is fantastic, so I hope to make it there a few times, but it was also good to get in the pool and swim many laps and to play with the kids (our kids, not random kids).
Today is Christine’s birthday, and though she is vegetarian, she has invited everyone to dinner upstairs in the steakhouse, yea, that really expensive place. I won’t be able to order steak (she heard they have fish, and she’ll eat fish). I’m thinking just a salad may be over $10US. But I’ll have to see.
It does appear as though I have put on a bit of weight. I weighed myself and it was the highest it’s been in years. So I need to be more careful about what I am eating. I have done well staying away from the grease and fried foods, but now I need to lessen the American food and fancy Chinese food as well. The people on tour losing weight are eating brunch and peanut butter sandwiches all day, no Chinese food, not even American food or fancy Chinese food. It is just so hard to eat well. The vegetarians are having trouble eating altogether. But I do think I need to be a bit more careful. I don’t want to outgrow all of my clothes or to gain weight doing the show. I need to eat more steamed food, but even the vegetarians have tried to order steamed vegetables that end up coming out greasy and with various animals included. It’s really weird. I don’t know how these Chinese people stay so skinny!
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