Yummy!

September 18  Another lazy morning, followed by hard-fought battles of negotiating for baby clothes. Negotiating for everything in getting tiring. I really enjoyed the game at first, but it takes time, and it's wasted if we find what we want but I can't secure what I think is a good price. I'm probably too greedy. Ethan and Kerri were feeling a little under the weather, so they stayed behind when our group headed off for the pearl market. It turns out the market is nothing more than a collection of wholesale jewelry shops in the center of a huge. mall. Those in our group in the know characterized the prices as no good, turning me off from any possible sales. I was surprised, given that the pearls are from here or Japan.

The real draw was the walk there, which brought us through the Qingping market. We've all heard of exotic markets. This was the exotic market. The saying is that the Cantonese will eat anything on four legs. They were wrong, because scorpions, beetles and millipedes have more than four. One of the photos nearby features these items. Of course, they're all available live as well. Also available are snakes, turtles, frogs and various fish, all for consumption. Dried stuff of all manner was available, as were deer tendons and bengal tiger paws, which might have made getting through customs at O'Hare a little more criminal. I'll save those pictures for viewers with strong stomachs and low animal sensitivities. Karen — these photos are not for you.

Eric