Beijing Adventures - Shopping in Beijing
Monday, February 28, 2011 Category : Beijing, Shopping 0
Astroboy at a mall in Wangfujing.
It took me so long before I had the time to blog again. I was hoping to wrap-up my Beijing Adventures before February but certain circumstances didn't allow me to do so. I was so busy with work (I do have a day job which pays not only for my basic needs, but also for my wants and caprices, including my travels). And I was sick the past two weeks (allergies; cough and cold). Really. I mean it. Well, okay, let's just say that there's a little procrastination thrown in...little is relative, though. Heehee.
I think, this is going to be my last post about my travel adventures in Beijing, and it's about shopping in Beijing!
To tell the truth, there is not a day when my friends and I didn't go shopping in Bejiing; at least, window shopping. Well, it's really inevitable. First, The Courtyard by the Marriott adjoins the New World Shopping Center, which is just one of the many shopping buildings in Chongwenmen. So, every night, after our tour, we'd roam around Chongwenmen and shop for anything. We scoured the aisles at the grocery in the basement of the New World Shopping Center, and it was glorious! There were a lot of candies, like White Rabbit and Nougat which we used to eat when we were children back home. We bought some, and I added some facial cleansers, Mentholatum, a brand I discovered in Taiwan (also available in HK) and which I actually adore. Plus, it's cheap, too. I was supposed to buy a set of Tsubaki by Shiseido shampoo and conditioner but it's way expensive in China. The fun in shopping for food items in Chinese groceries? Not knowing what they are made of. Heehee. So, caveat emptor.
There are four malls at each corner of the intersection in Chongwenmen near our hotel. One's the New World, one which I forgot the name, one with an H&M inside and Soshow. We entered all the malls but I think we found our mecca in Soshow. For one, it's just like a more organized 168 Shopping Mall. I think, we went there thrice. Also, you can haggle, and even if you walk away, the store keeper wouldn't call you back, unlike in the Pearl Market. I wanted to buy a pair of Ugg-like boots which sells for just RMB 100, but it was one size smaller. My friend bought a winter coat for like RMB 150.00; a bargain because it's of great quality, plus it's colorful and unique and it stands out in the sea of solid colored winter clothes. I think the shop keeper would have given a lower price if my friend insisted because we were the first customer for the day (we bought the item immediately after opening hour).
Bread shop like Bread Talk.
I think, there was more than 6 floors of shopping levels in Soshow; each level for a different department; ladies wear, accessories, men's wear, toys, etc. As I said, it's like 168, but thinking about it, stock-wise, it's like Platinum Plaza in Bangkok. The clothes are more fashionable, and younger. First floor has a bread shop, like Bread Talk...well, it's almost a rip-off of Bread Talk, or if the said bread shop came first into existence, then Bread Talk ripped it off. The breads are almost identical, but Soshow's breads are cheaper. I forgot the name of the bread shop, but I have photos of it [see pics above].
Considering that it was late autumn/early winter when we were in Beijing, a lot of shops were selling winter clothing of all colors imaginable! The only colors I saw being sold in the Philippines were the basic black, blue, brown, red, gray. In Soshow, there were coats in hues of pink, green, lavender...so glorious! Plus, the designs were really girly and cute. Some of the clothing at the other malls are like those, too.
On the upper floors, we saw rows of stalls selling cute accessories and some stalls were selling anime figures and plushies and house slippers and winter booties for kids. I even saw a Totoro plushie of some sort. I was able to buy a set plushies of the famous Plants vs. Zombies characters, including the Zombie, of course!
If you're wondering what treats or souvenirs to buy for your friends and family back home, why not try circling the local malls and supermarkets? That is what we did. We bought those vacuum-packed Peking duck, which, although cheaper, are not as great tasting as the duck from Quanjude. A duck at the grocery costs around RMB 40 up if I remember correctly. Then there are also assorted Chinese sweets, like sugared plums, etc., on sale by the package, or you could just pick whatever candy you may want. We also bought some tea, loose-leaf and in teabags. They're cheap, and teabags are dirt cheap. You can try the flavor and scent of the teas in the different stalls inside the grocery or the mall.
Then, if you're in the Pearl Market, do pick-up those "I Love Beijing" t-shirts, especially the ones which says, "I Love BJ," and believe me, if you give this to your Filipino guy friend or relative, his reaction upon seeing the shirt would be priceless. There are also those Chairman Mao shirts and caps, too, as well as the "I Climbed the Great Wall" shirts. Although you need to haggle really good with the shopkeeper at the Pearl Market. It's for tourists, so expect the prices to be highly inflated. I didn't buy a shirt because I was thinking I could find it anywhere in Beijing, but I was wrong. I was not able to find those in other places. Perhaps, I didn't try hard enough.
Locals and tourists alike also buy souvenirs from those thrift stores, just like the 100 yen stores in Japan, only, it costs 10RMB. Some items are cheaper than 10RMB per piece, some higher than 10RMB. You could buy a dozen of decorative chopsticks, or pocket mirrors for the ladies. Purses and figurines, too, can be bought from the store.
Animal hats are also everywhere in Beijing, and selling like hotcakes is the panda hat, of course. But it's only good for use in the winter, so it's probably only sold during winter/autumn. Funny thing, though. I wasn't able to buy anything to remind me of a panda. Sadness!
So, one thing I learned cool about Beijing, aside from all those culture stuff, is that there's an abundance of malls, and there are lots of shopping places. You'll be the one to say you're tired because the choices are endless. In Wangfujing alone, the malls are side by side and the mall strip stretches quite long. Have a fun time shopping!
