Fa Piao- Chinese Invoice

China is very funny about their receipts..... Some things must have at least 3 pieces of paper to make them official but others need so papers or identification..... For example...

You can buy a new sim card from a grocery store for your phone without any identification or anything BUT if you want to change your calling plan you must go to the mobile carrier, have your passport and a resident ID to change your calling card plan...

If you want to get a propane gas tank for your gas grill then you need your passport, your residence ID and show up in person otherwise they will not work with you. Of course, they don't speak English so you have to bring an interpreter with you as well.

Don't even think about returning things in China.... You may exchange or get a store credit but you cannot get your money back once you have purchase something.

Doing taxes in China gets even more complicated because they have 2 kinds of receipts. The official one and the "normal" one. If you want to get any kind of deductions then you have to get a 2nd receipt each time you leave the grocery store. I have even had people come up to me and ask for my "long" receipt. She wanted to claim my purchases on her tax form.

I sure miss the American easy return.... Next time you have to return your items just think of me and what a PAIN it is here in China!

We are back in China

I knew we were back in China when I went to the grocery store and the guy in the line next to me had about 20 lbs of pork (all different parts) all laying in the bottom of his cart... Did not have my camera to get a good shot but I am pretty sure there was a whole leg, some pig trotter (front legs) and so other unidentified pieces squishing through the wire squares of the cart.... Uhh the smells and sites of China are never boring.

Just to give you an idea of the "rawness" of meat here. The lady at the wet market was nice enough to lift the head for an appropriate shot of this pig's last photo....

Blondes in China

Since all of the Chinese people have dark or black hair, it stands to reason that if you are blonde with blue eyes then you "stick out". Savannah has encountered many people who she does not know just come up to her and ask they they can get their picture taken with her. Many would like to touch and pet her hair but she able to move before they get to her hair. Here are some photos of her experience as a "movie star".....