Shopping Day

Today was a scheduled shopping day at a silk factory and then the multi-floored Pearl Market.

Silk has a long history in China, and we all probably know how silk strands are gathered to make threads. We learned today that China has developed a new unique type of silk product. By getting 2 silkworms to work together to make 1 cocoon, the strands overlap and mesh together. The strands then can't be separated. Workers stretch the cocoons by hand and layer them to create duvets that take advantage of the hypoalergenic properties of silk. The duvet filling is stable, and doesn't need to be quilted (quilting is a sign of a fake). The silk itself can't be washed or it will shrink, but all the coverings can be washed.

The Pearl Market had 6 floors of merchandise, 2 floors devoted to freshwater and saltwater pearls. The small vendors on the lower floors were quite desperate. We had been warned that bartering was a necessity. The vendors frequently quote a price 5 times the true value and we found the haggling both amusing and tiring.

Emily was again her happy self today. We put her down for a late afternoon nap and woke her up to try to get her back on schedule. Not one cry when she finally woke up after being changed and dressed - only smiles and giggles. We're going to take it easy tomorrow and skip the excursion to Tiananmen Square. We'd rather rest-up for our long flight home day after next.