Panjiayuan & Pearl Market

May 12

Today we opt to forgo much of a history lesson and instead do something we think will be both novel and interesting for the kids.  We search out an outdoor weekend market called the Panjiayuan Market and finally make our way there by mid-morning.  Once there it is a chock-a-block assortment of both old relics, interesting Chinese cultural items, and old flea market type souvenirs.  We browse the stalls for a while before deciding to purchase each child a “chop” of their own.  They take a long time to choose the color, look and feel of their stone, of course comparison shopping along the way, until each one has found their unique one.  The vendors will then carve their names translated into Chinese onto the bottom of the stone.  Once the carving is complete, the stone is inked and the stamp is applied to a piece of paper as a kind of stamped signature.  Paulie and I enjoy looking at all of the old prayer bead, old jade, army type curiosities and Tibetan clothing.  We decide to leave around 3:00 and search out a restaurant for lunch which we find and enjoy a nice meal.  Afterward, Annie and Paulie return to the hotel while Sam, Hudson and I decide to retrace our steps to the Pearl Market.  This time we are ready for them and have gone into this adventure pretty sure of what we intend to purchase.  We tackle our initial items first and then leave enough time, but no nearly enough money for the incidentals.  We leave around 6:30 and return home.  Once there, we have dinner and pool games before calling it a night.