Just Smile and Wave Boys, Just Smile and Wave

If you've seen either of the Madagascar films you'll remember these pesky penguins, always with a plan, and always trying to be inconspicuous in the process. This is how we have felt for the past 2 days while visiting the Great Wall and especially today at the Summer Palace. We were stalked a fair amount yesterday by the street vendors at the base of the climb to the Great Wall, but nothing prepared us for the aggressive elderly trinket sales folks at the Summer Palace and the shop keepers at a market we went to afterward. For folks from Alabama who preach no thank you's, yes ma'ams, and no sirs, saying no thank you simply becomes redundant and you have to smile and wave and continue on. It seems rude but after about the 5th no thank you to the same elderly lady circling the group, you realize she is not going to stop if you continue making eye contact with her. It's a hard tactic and one that we are not at all familiar with in the states. 

Baily was approached by a handful of teenage girls wanting to take their pictures with her and they were very polite and thankful, quite unlike the vendors. She was flattered and gladly posed with them. Channing had another group of young girls smiling shyly, waving, and saying hi to her too. Our guide said it was a holiday and likely they were from outside of the city and have not seen too many, if any caucasians, let alone a tall blond female. I think we were just about the only caucasions at the Summer Palace today, indeed an odd feeling. 

We needed to purchase a coat for Fisher today as we leave in the morning for Hohhot. We went to a local 4 story market which was claustrophobic and nerve racking for all. Once we found the children's area, we were swarmed at the entrance to every booth, imagine a flee market but inside with small 5x10 booths packed floor to ceiling with clothing. We spotted a coat that seemed to be about what we needed, so then the bidding began quickly and firmly. We got what we needed for a reasonable price and headed out without much further eye contact or pausing to browse as it was unnerving a bit, so we headed for the exit. It was a good precursor of what we will likely encounter in Hohhot as there are hardly ever any white people in that area. Just smile and wave boys, just smile and wave...