Children's Day
Yesterday one of the girls at Starbucks asked me what I was getting Myles for Children's Day. What-huh?
This is an important holiday here in China. I know that in Shenzhen there are tons of fantatic things I could be taking Myles to, like at the Children's Palace and the Children's Library, but I am still a little unsure of getting around in the city. Cab drivers can get you to bars and shopping malls; getting to a museum on a MAJOR street in a popular destination like FUTIAN is next-to-impossible.
So Myles did get his Children's Day present yesterday. A new bike! I was hoping for a trike or something more at the level of a two-and-a-half year old, but Myles being so big (even by American standards), we had to get a real two-wheeler with training wheels. Pedalling is still difficult for him, so mostly I just push him along. More work than I wanted for me, but as Randy noted, it is easier than carrying him everywhere.
Part of the adventure was the actual shopping. Our friend Mickey took us to a store in Sui Wen Tou. I was excited to go shopping with Mickey because she is really good at negotiating. This is a sever disability of mine here. I cannot negotiate a price. Everyone will tell you that the real price of something in Shenzhen is at least one-half to one-third the sticker price. Heck, even the guide books tell you that. The first two weeks I was here I tried it, but with little real savings, maybe 20 RMB here or there. One day I bought a pair of fake Chanel sandals, agreeing to the advertised price (168 RMB), and I think the girl in the shop felt sorry for me, realizing how handicapped I must be in not trying to talk her down. She immediately gave them to me for 100.
But Mickey is a Master. She helped Randy with Christmas shopping in December, and the stories he tells--at one point they had walked out of a store in disgust and the shop lady followed them down the street shouting lower and lower prices until they turned around and bought a purse for something like one tenth the inital price. Myles tried out some bikes with pedals, some with motors (AAAAHHHHHHH). When we settled on this one, I noted the price was 185 RMB. Not too bad. I could tell from the way Mickey was talking to the woman that she was telling her that she had bought a bike for considerably less than that down the street (hand motions). When Mickey came back to me, she said that the price was down to 140 RMB which was a better price than we would get at the other store and a better bike. She tried not to let the shop woman see her giggle at that. So with that and another set of new cars, I can now tell people here when they ask what I got Myles for Children's Day.
Here Myles is with Mickey on the back of his bike.
And if there is any wonder about Myles "going native," here he is with his bike this morning. We just stopped at the Park N Shop for milk and cheerios. One grocery bag went in his basked, the other wrapped around his seat and resting on the rack in the back.
Again, just so you know, I still have absolutely no problem using my son as a pack animal :-)
This is an important holiday here in China. I know that in Shenzhen there are tons of fantatic things I could be taking Myles to, like at the Children's Palace and the Children's Library, but I am still a little unsure of getting around in the city. Cab drivers can get you to bars and shopping malls; getting to a museum on a MAJOR street in a popular destination like FUTIAN is next-to-impossible.
So Myles did get his Children's Day present yesterday. A new bike! I was hoping for a trike or something more at the level of a two-and-a-half year old, but Myles being so big (even by American standards), we had to get a real two-wheeler with training wheels. Pedalling is still difficult for him, so mostly I just push him along. More work than I wanted for me, but as Randy noted, it is easier than carrying him everywhere.
Part of the adventure was the actual shopping. Our friend Mickey took us to a store in Sui Wen Tou. I was excited to go shopping with Mickey because she is really good at negotiating. This is a sever disability of mine here. I cannot negotiate a price. Everyone will tell you that the real price of something in Shenzhen is at least one-half to one-third the sticker price. Heck, even the guide books tell you that. The first two weeks I was here I tried it, but with little real savings, maybe 20 RMB here or there. One day I bought a pair of fake Chanel sandals, agreeing to the advertised price (168 RMB), and I think the girl in the shop felt sorry for me, realizing how handicapped I must be in not trying to talk her down. She immediately gave them to me for 100.
But Mickey is a Master. She helped Randy with Christmas shopping in December, and the stories he tells--at one point they had walked out of a store in disgust and the shop lady followed them down the street shouting lower and lower prices until they turned around and bought a purse for something like one tenth the inital price. Myles tried out some bikes with pedals, some with motors (AAAAHHHHHHH). When we settled on this one, I noted the price was 185 RMB. Not too bad. I could tell from the way Mickey was talking to the woman that she was telling her that she had bought a bike for considerably less than that down the street (hand motions). When Mickey came back to me, she said that the price was down to 140 RMB which was a better price than we would get at the other store and a better bike. She tried not to let the shop woman see her giggle at that. So with that and another set of new cars, I can now tell people here when they ask what I got Myles for Children's Day.
Here Myles is with Mickey on the back of his bike.
And if there is any wonder about Myles "going native," here he is with his bike this morning. We just stopped at the Park N Shop for milk and cheerios. One grocery bag went in his basked, the other wrapped around his seat and resting on the rack in the back.
Again, just so you know, I still have absolutely no problem using my son as a pack animal :-)
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