Day 4 - Guangzhou leather wholesale market

This was the first real eye-opener of many of us in the trip.

Many of us came into the place with the mentality that we are there to shop, much to our surprise, and disgust in some cases, that it is not to be.

We were seperated into groups where there is at least a guy amongst the guys for safety reasons.

Most of us came back to the assembly area empty handed, as well as disappointed.

Many of the vendors there simply aren't interested in doing 'business' with us simply because they know we are not there to do business, but to shop.

In other cases, because we were all dressed in our blazers, some of the vendors were rather intimidated by our presence as we were travelling around in big groups of at least 7 people per group.

3 major incidents that took place in that place were:

1. When Edward and I were in one stall, the moment we went in and picked up a wallet to see, the staff hauled us out of their store and close their doors, and switched off the lights and drew the curtains.

It was only when we walked around the bend when we realised why, there were police patrolling in the area, and that stall, along with at least a dozen others, had something to hide. We could only think its bootleg goods.

2. A couple of us walked across the street and there was a stall we managed to strike a deal whereby we buy at few belts at a predetermined agreed upon price. But when the girls picked out their belts and were ready to pay, the stall owner hiked up the price. We got upset and walked away, with the lady hurling vulgarities at us.

3. Just before we left, Tiffany and a group of girls were ready to buy a few wallets (or was it bags?) at a stall in the complex, after they agreed on a price, Tiffany went aside to collect the money from those who wanted to buy while the vendor went to another outlet to get the bags. It was then when someone heard that vendor telling other vendors while smiling, "今晚请你们吃饭!" It was then they realised that the vendors were trying to make a quick buck out of us, they quickly left the compound before the vendor returned.