The end

Our final installment on the Beijing trip began with yet another market. Every weekend over 3,000 vendors gather at the dirt market for some serious bargaining. I am always up for bargaining and I think I'm pretty good at it. The Philippines has trained me well. In China, the game is much more serious. They started the prices so ridiculously high that in most cases we ended up paying 10 to 20% of what the original asking price was. It was fun. Nate was exhausted packing around all my hard earned bargains and while I could have gone on for a few more hours, he and Holden were begging to go. I think the extremely heavy vases I bought last were the final straw!


Holden doing a little bargaining himself

The statue portion of the market

The tin toys

stalls and stalls of vases and teapots


After we stopped to drop our packages at the hotel, Nate went off by himself to the toy store to replace toys that had been left at various locations around the city before it became apparent to a little someone named Holden. With his arms lighter, he stopped at yet another market and did a little of his own smooth talking. Afterwards we were off to see our last tourist spot, the drum tower.

Stairs up!



Just a reminder how great this kid was and that he was a mere 4 year old traipsing around the city constantly being touched and photographed by strangers and told "don't touch that," "don't climb that," and "come here."


View of the bell tower from the drum tower




The drums are pounded every half hour.


Yes, I want to eat this face, don't you?



The light and red color was so great at the drum tower I was set on having pictures taken here.

THE END!