Last day in Jing de zhen

Last day in Jing de zhen, maybe. No email confirmation about our flight change from Shenzen to Xiamen.

We are up early, so no breakfast, we are off to WalMart. Now, those of you who know me well know I am NOT a fan of WalMart. However, if the town has a WalMart in China, then it is a destination point that every taxi driver knows, even in our (maybe I should say my) poor Chinese. Across the street from WalMart and down an alley is supposed to be a Monday morning event here in Jing de zhen. This has been the center for porcelain production for better than 1000 years. Thus, there is lots of stuff out there to be found. And that is exactly what we are looking for: The Monday morning found things market. Not sure it translates as such, but that is what we were told it was when we first arrived.

Lo and behold we arrive. An empty lot filled with vendors down on their rears with blankets of shards and misc spread before them. It opens at 6:30, we are some of the first to arrive at 6:40. Not much but broken porcelain, but to us collectors that is fun too. Except everything is similar: blue and white, Qing Dynasty (1600-1900), bottoms and more bottoms. Get half way down the lane and there are some better things, little figures, some broken stem cups, some interesting wine cups. I get 8 wine cups at one vendor, but am getting bored. See a couple of statues, and ask the price for one but she replies 800 RMB! That is better than $100.00 USD! Gees, I thought we were in the back woods here. We haggle, I offer 100, that is RMB not $, and she comes to 600. From there it is pretty much a stalemate, and I walk off two times, only for her to make some other statement to bring me back. I go to 200 after she comes down to 400, but neither will budge from there. I leave again, and she drops to 350, so I go back. By now she has gotten me a stool form an neighbor, she takes pity on this old man going down and back up each time, it ain’t easy. I tell her 300, and she groans and shakes her head. Grace whispers that it is a nice piece, for the fifth time, and I tell her yes, but not at that price. I offer 300 one more time, she counters with 320, and I walk, again. I get two vendors away and she sends a guy to bring me back. 300 is OK, she caves, and I feel fantastic. Until I do the math and realize I paid > 1/3 of her asking price; that is always my target. But it is a nice piece, and I am happy.

We walk some more, but start hearing a commotion to our right, and as we get to the end of the lane, another whole area opens, this one with the real vendors. We have been with the beginners. These guys have Song Dynasty wares, Mao memorabilia, wood carvings, rare and newly old things, it is a place where you could spend weeks looking. Surprising tho we do not really find anything in this area we want. Most I have already, or it is prohibited from being taken out of the country. So we enjoy the stroll, but add no more. But there is bargaining all around, and some intense and heated exchanges for sure.

Finished at about 8:30, if we get the right taxi we can make it to breakfast still. We do.

Back in the room we look over our new stuff, and are pleased. Nap time, apparently I did not appreciate how tired we were yesterday, because we are still tired after a good night’s sleep.

After lunch, no confirmation. I write an email, but my hopes are dimming. Grace and I go investigate another hotel that may be nicer than this one. Find an incredibly clean and neat one just across the river, the Jin Jiang Inn. Nobody speaks English, but Grace ends up talking to someone on the phone who does, and we check out a room and get their card. Who knows, next time?

Further down we find the Holy Mountain Hotel, a very nice 4 star like ours with an incredible gift shop. About thirty major ceramics artists are represented, with 7-10 pieces each. We enjoy looking, this is great stuff. We grab a beer in their lounge and rest some, those feet get a work out here.

Back to our hotel and we get cleaned up for dinner. Baixu and her friend Albert come by and take us to the Six Thousand Flavor Restaurant. Where else? Food street! The menu looks more like a hardback book, with page after page of great pictures and prices. They may actually have six thousand choices. Pictures attached needless to say. Best food so far on the trip, by far. Well, maybe short of M on the Bund food, but great. And surprisingly, Baixu picks up the tab! I argue, but she will not budge. They drive us home, but Baixu tells us goodbye as she has a staff meeting tomorrow so we will not see her again until we return or she comes to the US. Not so far fetched as she was in England last year and is headed to Australia next February.

Another great day in China.

Gotta check my email.