Today we needed some retail therapy, so we headed for the Silk Market (Beijing's third most popular tourist attraction!). This is a five story emporium of (presumably all) rip-off gear, all with prices vastly inflated from what you actually pay (we reckoned on getting the goods for around 25% of the asking price).
We bought so much stuff we had to buy a new wheely suitcase! Our cache included Abercrobie and Fitch fluffy fleeces for all of us (except Ross who thought we were really sad! and also who refused to go near the fake shirts, even though they looked fab), a Mah Jong set (which is great and we've subsequently played loads!), 4 CD and 16 DVDs (all of which (so far!) are fine. AND we didn't get stopped by customs, which we were a bit worried about!.
We found a sub-way for lunch - hooray! We then walked through a park, which was interesting, and which had loads of gym stuff (for adults) which was good fun to play on (they seem to have them in lots of Chinese parks) and went to an electronics market which was a bit disappointing, but bought a CD from a Chinese busker who Felix and me liked! We then walked to Ghost Street - a street full of chinese restaurants, lit up with Lanterns - all very pretty. However, the kids refused to go Chinese, so we looked up a 'Western Back-packer' restuarant in the guide, which we found had closed down, but it was really interesting wandering down this more 'local' hutong, and seeing people in their Jammies living in teh streets, and using the stenching public bogs.
We eventually at in 'Grandma's Kitchen'! a rather American Apple Pie establishment, which the kids loved and which did great milkshakes!
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