The Fabric Market

I still find Shanghai intimidating.

At this point, I really shouldn't. I speak enough Mandarin to get by. I have a driver at my beck and call. I know where to get what I need, and I know how to get there.

But still, certain places remain which I am scared to attempt.

The Fabric Market was one of those places. I kept hearing about people getting new wardrobes at a fraction of the price - and everything tailored to fit perfectly. It sounded wonderful, especially since so few stores sell clothes to fit a Western body. But a mass of cloth and thread and throngs of Chinese people sounded like too much for me. How would I figure this out?

Dave finally pulled me out. He needed a new suit, and had a reference for a good tailor at the South Bund Soft Spinning Fabric Market. So we told our driver the destination, and he took us straight there. Like most interesting points in Shanghai, the fabric market is in Puxi so we had to cross the river. We took the bridge, which rises amazingly high. Once across the river, it descends in a stacked spiral where you feel as if you're going down the drain. Immediately at the bottom of this spiral, we turned off of the main road onto a small side street. We wound through some of Old Shanghai and ended up in front of this multi-storeyed building with the name written on the front in English. As I exited the car, I chastised myself and immediately felt comfortable. I was afraid of this?

Of course, there was no need to be nervous. The fabric market is

popular with foreigners and Chinese alike, and although the tailors and the masses were primarily Chinese, we saw plenty of rich looking men and women strolling the aisles. The fabric market resembles most markets in Shanghai - they are not actually outdoors, and do not resemble a street fair or a farmer's market in any way. These are full little shops, packed in close to each other with a decent aisle separating them.

We headed straight to our recommended tailor - Judy's on the 2nd floor. Each shop had mannekins dressed in suits and wool coats clustered outside their doorways, and lined their ways and entries with finished clothes and bolts of cloth in all different colors. The place was a rainbow of colors and a vast array of textures, and both of our girls were happy to wander around for quite some time. Dave arranged for his suit, which we are to pick up on Saturday. He bargained to pay just over 700RMB - this is around $100. For this they will copy a Brooks Brothers suit Dave had tailored to fit him in the states, just a few months ago - at a much steeper price. They will do handstitching on their highest quality fabric, and they will line the inside with silk.

We wandered some more before leaving the market, looking at the pajamas, jeans (sign-posted as cowboy fabric), shimmering dresses, and flowing skirts. I couldn't resist - as Judy is making Dave a suit, someone else is making me a skirt. I only wish I had brought my mother there - she spent much of her time in Shanghai on the look-out for good skirts; and although she didn't leave empty-handed, I think she would have enjoyed getting one made.

Once we'd had our fill of the market, we headed out into the damp June day. Shanghai has seen a cool summer so far, drenched with rain nearly every day. We left the market during a dry patch, and the rain remained at bay for the next hour or so. We left searching food, but found a fun new neighborhood. Whereas the market had signs posted in English and foreigners exploring its wares, the street were clearly China. Homes piled on top of each other, different floors built at different times and out of different materials. Some looked very old, and some just looked ramshackle. People abounded - men wheeling long bamboo poles through the streets on bicycle carts, mothers carrying babies, people hanging their laundry off of street signs. The market atmosphere continued for a few blocks, with people selling their goods on the street. We saw clothes rods displaying children's clothing, blankets carefully laid on the ground showing antiques and beautiful wood furniture, plant shops, book traders, and more.

As we moved away from the bustle of the market, we enjoyed a window into the world of old Shanghai. We came across a woman washing bowls on the sidwalk, and noticed a wok near her. As we watched her work, it became apparent that she was running a small restaurant and we asked to eat. She happily showed us a table and a menu, and began speaking in China. We caught very little of what she said, and we couldn't read a thing on her menu. But we knew enough to ask for common items - we ordered two plates of fried rice, and she asked if we wanted soup with it. Soup commonly comes with your meal in China rather than a drink. Yes, we wanted it. We sat at a table on the sidewalk, and waited for our food. Very quickly, we had company.

These girls had been watching us for quite some time. They had come upon us as L-- and S-- climbed onto electric horses for a short but noisy ride. They watched the rides and the riders with interest, and followed us as we moved along the street. In the picture above, their stares and fingers are pointing at us. Their courage slowly grew, so that by the time we began to eat they had joined us at our table.

The gal in blue (12 years old) had learned some English, and was pleased to be able to communicate with us. Between our rough Mandarin and her very small English vocabulary, we were able to introduce ourselves to the girls and learn a bit about them. Each of them was very sweet, giggling at our girls and enjoying our mispronunciations. As L-- and S-- finished eating, they welcomed them into their play and were mindful to keep both girls safe and happy.

Venturing out always has its reward, and this afternoon was one of our best yet. The list of places that intimidate me in Shanghai grows ever-shorter, and each time I cross one off the list I vow to complete the rest. Next goal - take on the Shanghai Train Station and hitch a ride out of town.