- Day 7 -

Shopping

Being right in the middle of the production line of the world, I had to go around looking for cheap goods, right? Wandering around the streets of Guangzhou after lunch, I was amazed at the shops around - they range from the top end, air-conditioned shops selling top brands like "Levis", to small dark shops in the alleys selling anything from bags, souvenirs, unbrellas to cold drinks. I expected the prices of the wares they sell to be very low, since everything could well have been made within a hundred kilometers away, and labour was so cheap. I was wrong. Looking through the wares they sell, I found that they are selling at prices higher than what I'll expect. Cheap for us tourists, but might not be so for the locals. HK$68 for a pair of shoes is considered very cheap for us, though I really had expected the price to be about HK$30, because the cost price shouldn't exceed HK$10.



Streets of shophouses...

Late Night Shopping

Walking around the streets of Hong Kong was exactly like going for Pasar Malams in Singapore. You can find all sorts of things sold by dozens and hundreds of vendors, from watches to bags, from souvenirs to toys, the branded and the fakes... The big difference in Hong Kong is how everythinng seemed to be faster-paced - loud signboards hanging down from buildings, flashing lights on signs, the idle chatter of people sitting down for dessert, the hopeful-looking vendors, the stuffy environment... Pasar Malam back at home is more comfortable. And in some ways even cheaper as well!