party like it's 1999.....wait a second????.....isn't it 2008?

>Following my night of revelry, the morning came fast and furious.  I intended to get up and attack the day and get everything done I needed to do..... the day attacked me first.  What I thought was an anvil came crashing down on my head early the next morning.... actually, it was just my cellphone ringing at 11:30am, but still.  Once again, thanks to the fried beef noodles, I was not too bad, just in desperate need of hydration and completely exhausted - but my stomach was in check. It was Leslie wanting info on my tailor as she had heard good things.  She also wanted me to come with her to the silk market to help her bargain... I think she is the only person in the history of China that has paid full price for anything at the silk market.  I needed to pick up my suits at the tailor's and I wanted to get me some hiking shoes for my trek at the silk market.  It was perfect... well, except for the fact I needed about 13 more days of sleep!  I jumped in the shower (then realized my head hurt when I jumped... so I stopped jumping), and ran out the door to meet the girls downtown (again, running - also not good... when will I ever learn).

First it was off to the silk market. I was the first to find what I was looking for, so I made Leslie sit with me and learn a thing or two about bargaining.  I found shoes I loved (grey eccos - so comfy - ok, fake eccos no doubt, but still comfy).  The girl quoted me 850 rmb.  I quoted back 80. A good rule of thumb is to drop the last number as a starting point.  She said I insulted her, I said she used a crazy pricing system - all in good humour.  We went back and forth, back and forth... she was hysterical, her english was really good and was so quick and funny.  We were haggling over 95 rmb vs. 90 rmb (12.80 vs 13.40)... I said I would only pay 90 because I needed the last five to get coffee - to which she responded... I work everyday in the silk market!  I need the coffee if anyone does!!!! She was so funny.  But I won in the end.  I got my 13 dollar shoes.  I could have got them for 10 no doubt, but she was so great I did not mind giving her the extra three dollars.  Win, win all around.

I do have to confess, however, that I committed one of my worst 'cultural exceptions' ever while at the silk market - unbeknownst to me... I looked like an evil foreigner and it was all a misunderstanding.  Leslie needed a watch, so we went to that section.  At this point I was hit with a wave of sheer exhaustion and was not really with it.  I was standing at the counter and I guess the girl was showing leslie that the face of the watch was scratch resistant.  She was doing this using a screwdriver/needle thing of sorts... then she proceeded to scratch leslie's arm with it, then Julia's.  I had not been paying attention and was in a haze (it was as if I was standing still and everything and everyone around me was screaming and rushing past me...) all of a sudden I saw this woman coming at me with this thing and wanting to scratch my arm with it.  Out of sheer instinct, I pulled my arm away and sternly said 'don't scratch me', looking annoyed... well, I guess this woman did not take it as I don't want you to scratch me with a screwdriver... she took it as "don't touch me because you are Chinese" - She was livid and started screaming.  I had no idea what was going on really, and Leslie was very uncomfortable, so we walked away... at which point we were chased down the aisle and Leslie got what was originally a 450rmb watch for 40rmb while the lady said "this is for you beautiful lady... not for him!" .  I walked away confused and a little confounded.  So, ladies and gentlemen... be careful what you say and do because it can easily be misinterpreted... as, looking back, I can now see how she would have thought that.  

On a positive note, we then went to the tailor's and my suits were SPECTACULAR.  Both Julia and Leslie commented on how nice they looked on me.  They are wool cashmere and lined with pure silk.  The ladies in the store also loved me and gave me free silk ties for the suits and did not charge me the 5% commission for me using my credit card to pay... good times.  Balance was restored in the world.  Then it was back home to nap before the final staff party. 

To be honest, the party was too many people.  It was over 900 and it was so hard to find anyone you were looking for because it was at the Cheng pui gardens which are beautiful, but are comprised of many labyrinthine rooms.  I did have a good time, danced my proverbial pants off - but found it hard to say goodbye to everyone I wanted to.  I did find my hostesses and my boss and we had a good night together.  Following the party, a bunch of us went to Lan Club to continue the celebration.  I was a good boy, however, and made it home by 2:30am (the earliest in the last week!).  The reason was, 10 of us were off to the Great Wall the next morning at 10 and I wanted to enjoy it!  We needed to do as much as possible before it was all over.

David, Leslie and Ethan

Me and Susan... so far away from our days at Sunquest!

Maarten and Audrey

Crystal and Queen get their dance on

The Audi MIP team: Amy, Crystal, me, Queen.

It was an interesting night full of mixed emotions (as all of them seem to be these days) - sadness to be leaving everyone, exhaustion, excitement to get on with my life etc. etc.  I was also really looking forward to tomorrow - and the great wall - I was heading there with some of the best people that I have met while I was here.  It was going to be a great way to end my experience in Beijing...I could just tell.