Jeff in China: Day 26 and 27

Today's posting includes some miscellaneous photos around town, plus the big wedding I was invited to. As always, I am willing to answer your questions about China, and have plenty of China experts here. On Saturday I went to the Fabric market where they have hundreds of tailors, all trying to sell you a custom made suit or a dress. Once you start a discussion with them, they will have you pick out a fabric and a style, and then start negotiating price. They always start high and you have to settle on a price you consider reasonable. I had already ordered my suit, so I was just there for a fitting. She wanted to make sure it was done right, especially around the waist. The pants were completed and they fit perfectly. She was adjusting the jackets. I just paid 500 yuan for each of my two new suites. This works out to be about $77 a suit, very reasonable for a custom made suit. The person I bought the suit from is Mary. She works the stall, selling and measuring, and her husband and other tailors she works with make the suits. She works 7 days a week. The only time she gets off is two weeks for Spring Festival.

The pictures here are from around the campus at night, at the Science and Technology Museum, and the wedding I attended Saturday night.

On a street by Shanghai University, street vendors are usually here from 9:00 to 11:00 in the evening selling snacks to the students. This can include anything from grilled chicken, pork or fish, to vegetables or dumplings

This was a street vendor who just dumped all her boxes on the ground and was selling books.

The Science and Technology Museum. Those low buildings on the right lead to hundreds of vendors with little stalls.

Another view of the Science and Technology Museum

This is a typical vendor and his shop. This one is offering to make women's clothes.

Now we get to the big wedding on Saturday night. It was held at the Four Points Sheraton in Daning, which is a very nice hotel. Here in China, a typical celebration can take place a year or so after the couple is actually married. This is because the celebration is very expensive, and the couple has to work for a while to save the money and to be able to afford it. The couple that gave this celebration is Kimi and Mikino, and they were very nice to invite me. As I was standing around I met Kimi's uncle, who could speak some English since he worked in the States for a while. He was very nice and friendly. A few differences from weddings in America is that there was no dancing, the guests were dressed very casually (like some in jeans and T shirts), and the whole affair is run by a company that specializes in running wedding celebrations. Most people in China are not religious, so clergy do not conduct a service. The food was delicious, typical Chinese style. Fortunatley for me they had a printed menu, so I knew what I was eating.

Below is a photo of the ballroom, set up with a long runway leading to the stage. The bride and groom and other family members walk this runway to the alter. This is done numerous times. Notice the two large screens to the right and left of the stage. These are showing continuous photos of the couple, and they took hundreds of photos, her in many costumes.