pearls pearls pearls

brd's picture brd
brd
Joined: Jul 18, 2010
Posts: 24
Review of Hongqiao Market
4

buying cheap south china pearls while visiting beijing is a must. there is no other place with such a wide selection of pearls than hongqiao market. go to the top floors and you will find shop after shop.
it is funny to see so many shops put pictures of the shop owner with a famous world dignitary. i always wonder if those dignitaries got a free pearl for their service of being poster spokesperson.
if you go, it is always good to do it the same day at doing the temple of heaven. i would recommend going to the temple of heaven in the morning, exiting at the east gate, lunch at the old beijing food restaurant next to hongqiao, and then afternoon going through hongqiao. you might as well do most your shopping here, since the silk market has higher prices because of the fact that more foreigners visit them. for bargain hunters, when you go shopping for pearls, do not get cornered by saying how much you would pay, always ask them first how low they can go. then you know the bottom basement price, which you can subsequently compare at other shops around. you will find that different shops have different designs and you may end up finding a necklace design that you like better at the next shop. just take your time or theyll just take your money.