Monday December 21, Mom and I took the train to China.
We went to a place called Shenzen.
Shenzen is just across the border from Hong Kong right in China.
Holy Cow, there was so much to see and do, and we didn’t do much at all!
Well, I guess I should say we didn’t make it too far into Shenzen… We got “trapped” at the Mall and it was not like any mall we have in the States!
Well, I guess it kind of is, but there are so many more stores and little booths and shops than in the States.
Also, it was 5 stories!
This picture only shows a portion of the mall. Inside there are just thousands of shops, all crammed in close together. It really is overwhelming!
I wanted to go to the tailor and have some clothes made for me. That is where we spent most of our time, and we didn’t see much of the mall. There were quite a few tailors in a row. We went to one Mom had had some stuff made at before, and they recognized her. The owners of the tailor shop are 2 sisteres, whose “American” names are Nancy and Cindi. Well, Mom had some fabric that she was going to have made into a dress and jacket so she started talking to them about getting her clothes made. While she was doing that I was looking through books and looking for clothes to be made.
Once I had decided on the clothes I wanted made, the tailor took us around to the fabric shops. It was amazing. They were all in this large room, and just jammed in right next to each other. There were probably 100-200 separate vendors with any and every kind of fabric imaginable! Oh man, I ended up with more clothing being made than I had planned on! It was just so cheap! And now the more I think about it, the more I realize that there are more things that I think I’m going to have made when I go to pick up my clothes!
Once I picked out fabric we went back to the little shop where the tailors worked. I then got all my measurements taken and off we went. I am super anxious to go back and get my clothes and go in for a fitting. They will be ready to pick up on Dec. 28, but that is the day that we leave for Bejing. So, I won’t go pick them up until we get back to Hong Kong.
Well, that whole excursion took quite a few hours. Both Mom and I were pretty tired after that. So we went and got a little snack and then I wanted to go see her pearl vendor. I have been wanting some black pearls. So, the pearl vendor was also in a large room with many little carts/booths. Holy cow, seriously there are so many vendors and people crammed in such a small space! I ended up getting a very beautiful strand of black pearls and a pair of earrings. I love them!
I was so totally on overload while we were there! Also, any shop that you walk past or any vendor that you walk past the sales people will stop you and sometimes even grab at you… “Missie (they call women Missie), you want handbag… or watch… or iPhone… or manicure… or whatever they are selling. Oh man, the sales people are so overwhelming!
Because I was so overloaded, I didn’t take many pictures. I will take more when I go back to pick up my clothes! Mom may have to take them, as I am sure I will be overwhelmed again! I don’t love people! :)
Have I mentioned I was overwhelmed? :)
If you look closely on this picture above, you can see the running trail that Dad and I would run on! It had quite an impressive view itself!
There were also some deserts that weren't so good, in fact, downright nasty! And I just have to say, my mother isn't quite the innocent person most people believe her to be! She gave me this desert and told me to try it. So, thinking that my own Mother would tell me if something was not good, took a big - o'l bite of it... and promptly spit it out! It was so gross. It was this gelatinous bean curd crap that was so bad. Look closely in the picture, it is that green leaf thing on the circle plate next to me. It was horrible. Mom just laughed and laughed after I spit out the bite. A little conniving, isn't she! :) 
