94 CultureShock! China
collectors has started to develop among the more elite of
Chinese society.
Each large city in China has an antique market, especially
those cities on the tourist route. Antiques can also be found
in some of the larger street markets. Buy with high caution
because many of those just out of the grave Tang dynasty
pieces are younger than your toddler. The knock-off antique
business is robust in China. Look for the more discreet stores
where its owner coddles each piece. If it is a deal too good
to be true, it is definitely not real.More on Antiques
There are well-loved antique furniture stores like Hu & Hu
Antiques in Shanghai, where the religious make pilgrimages
a weekend a month to scour for new arrivals. That’s lifestyle
magazines have furniture and decoration sections in their listings.
There are additional websites and magazines that are resources
for the shops more frequented by expats listed in the Resource
Guide at the end of this book.Purchasing Necessities
Major staples, cleaning supplies and other necessities can
be purchased in one marathon spree at French retail chain
Carrefour, German warehouse store Metro, or the American
equivalent Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs. All of these chain
stores carry both domestically produced and imported food
products and household goods.
The shelves are lined with products from global
manufacturers like Unilever, Proctor & Gamble and Johnson
& Johnson, as well as major domestic and Asian labels.
Carrefour has an extensive fresh food section, catering to
both domestic and foreign habits. You can find everything
from 20 varieties of mushrooms to pre-cooked roast chicken
to fresh baked breads. Its wine section is probably the best
value for money buying imported wines as they are able to
buy in bulk and pass the savings through to shoppers.
There are a number of Chinese and Japanese bakeries in
larger cities. The Marco Polo chain is well established and it