Zhengzhou Day 5

Today I was feeling very adventurous and asked our guides where I could go shopping. I wanted to negotiate prices and shop somewhere non-touristy (i.e. not Wal-Mart). Vivian wrote down the name of an outdoor market called Are Chee Guong Chong. Something in there means the number seven  I think. I was able to talk another family into going with me so we walked out of the hotel and got a taxi. I showed the driver the piece of paper with the market name in Chinese and he asked me something to which I told him "I have no idea what you are saying to me." He gave me the thumbs up and ten minutes and two dollars later we were dropped off at the market. 

It was cramped, crowded, and dirty in there but there were all kinds of goodies. I was armed with my calculator and ready to shop.  Everyone was eating street food and it smelled really good but I was told DO NOT eat anything from street vendors so I didn't. I bought a few things and thoroughly enjoyed going back and forth with the vendors on the prices. They showed me a price on their calculator then I would show them a lower price on my calculator and we would go back and forth until they gave in.  I don't know why I love that so much but it was really fun. Two women with two children were very interested in us. They were pointing at us and talking about us then came up and started touching us and talking some more. They did not speak English but somehow I had a conversation with them. They wanted to know about the family I was with  and kept pointing at me and the family's new daughter and then touching our hair and pointing some more. I think they were asking if the baby was with me because we both have black hair.

Somehow we managed to get a taxi back to the hotel. That night I went to dinner with several families to a place called New Island Coffee, which sounds like it was just a coffee shop but really they had all types of food. I took a chance on something called hot pot chicken and it came to me on fire. The flames weren't visible in pictures but this contraption was on fire.

Unfortunately my food came long after everyone else was done eating so I felt bad that they were done and were waiting on me to finish. Regardless this meal was really good! Another great day in Zhengzhou.