Shopping in Qingdao

Shopping Malls are easy to come by.

Bargaining does not work as well in Qingdao as the prices are already lower than in other areas of China and the local people close the deal swiftly rather than talk around endlessly. Although, I did have a couple of wins!

Mykal Shopping Centre, Parkson Department store, Jusco Shopping Mall and Carrefour are just like any shopping malls. We had the most luck in buying clothes at Carrefour. I bought a pair of jeans and a skort for Y178 ($29 AUD)

We stumbled across Longshan Underground Shopping Centre in here I managed to find 2 pairs of shorts and a pair of 3/4 pants after some bartering we settled on Y130 ($21 AUD)

I arrived in China with 1 book, 'Mao's last dancer', and a couple of magazines. In all the countries I have visited buying English books have never been an issue. Well this is China. I struggled to read 'Mao's last dancer' at home. I arrived in China and it all fell into place and he was actually from Qingdao. Having finished this book I had nothing to read. Barbara had lent me some books to read. But I had been in and out of bookstores in Tai'an, Qufu and Qingdao and found nothing. I found a book store, Xinhua Bookstore, in Qingdao which on the facade was written English books. I couldn't believe it. There was a whole floor of English Books. I was like a kid in a lolly shop. I ended up buying 4 books for Y300 ($50 AUD). I had finished 2 before getting back to Tai'an.

Walmart is something we don't have in Australia so I was keen to visit. It really is nothing special. A bit of a pick n pay.

Metro
I saw an ad in a magazine for Metro advertising a wide selection of Western Products including beer and wine, cheese, coffee, pasta, chocolate and much, much more! I said to Barbara that I have to go. There are some things that you just can't buy in China that you take for granted at home. Like I've got a dozen bottles of wine in my storage, I can eat licorice all day every day, I don't mind cheese with my wine and I like rice crackers. All of which you can not buy in China.

So off we headed to Metro. It was like a big cash and carry. It had clothes, shoes, gym gear, furniture, food etc. You name it, and it was there. We found dental floss another life necessity not available in China. We were then told that you have to pay for it before you can continue shopping. Now we needed to find out where. Well Barbara almost caused an international incident. Apparently you can't just shop at Metro, you need to be a member. Barbara sweet talked the Manager who gave us a special membership number because we were only in town for the week!

Wandering aimlessly down the aisles and something caught my eye. Now I don't just like, I LOVE LICORICE. At home I seriously ate a 250g bag everyday. It's an addiction. I picked up this plastic container and as I was hugging it I said to Barbara, "Is this Licorice?" She asked me to give her a look. I told her that there was another container I was not letting go of the container I had in my hand. I hugged that container all the way to the checkout. Don't worry about a nice bottle of wine, cheese or rice crackers. I had a container of licorice.

The container is like something you would find on the counter in say a 7-11. It was 1.5 kg containing 150 pieces. I told myself that I would ration it. Didn't work too well. Some people who know my licorice habit well be astonished that it did last 5 days. It was expensive at more than $20 for the container but boy did it make me happy!

I was so excited I sent my Mother a text to tell her that I had found licorice when I was in the taxi on the way back to the hotel. Everyone who I have spoken to knows, I found licorice. I wonder how much longer I will have to wait for my next find! I might be lucky and someone might send me a bag.

Shopping in Qingdao was a little easier than Tai'an. They actually have western sizes. I went into one shop and I was looking at tops. The Chinese assistant very kindly told me that the size 7 would fit me. I politely told her I hadn't been a size 7 for more than 25 years. Anyway I found the top in size 11. I had a singlet on underneath a jacket. I took the jacket off and tried the top on over the top of my singlet. Well I almost caused another international incident. Firstly I have white skin and dark blond hair this always causes people to stare. But just having a singlet on brought in the crowds. I think I became more embarrassed then them in the end. At home I wouldn't think twice about wearing a singlet top shopping. But then I'm probably a normal chest size but not to the Chinese. Ah well, I guess I made their day!