HEY MISSY!

hey missy! Hey MISSY! Hey Missy! hey MISSY! HEY Missy! hey MISSY! HEY missy! hey missy! HEY MISSY! hey MISSY!

Little did the hawkers of Shenzhen know, Missy was my childhood nickname. Walking through the aisles of Luohu Commercial Center was like a walk down memory lane. Okay actually it was nothing like my childhood... even the way they yelled hey missy was completely different, but regardless it was a good time.

I have so much I could share about this experience, but I'll just give you a few highlights.

Tailor made clothing. Did I have any intention of getting anything tailored? No. Did I find a super cute pea coat in a magazine that I got to pick my own fabric for and get measured for a perfect fit? Yes. I couldn't resist with my good friend Jojanna who goes to a fashion school right there telling me what was the most flattering style for me. Cross your fingers the tailor does a good job, it was highly recommended, but China is probably the least reliable place ever.

Designer clothes. I don't typically wear designer jeans, but when there is a store with a bazillion different pairs for cheaper than a pair at Old Navy would be of course I'm going to get some. I'm not even all about the label, but there were two Chinese women pulling all sorts of sizes and styles out according to my liking. It was like having two personal shoppers who wanted nothing more than to provide me with the perfect pair of pants. 

Spa. So it wasn't really a spa, but for lack of a better word that's what I'm calling it. In HK last month I paid $350 to get gel nails with glitter and stones. In Shenzhen I got gel nails with twice as many jewels, french tips lined in glitter, and a snowflake painted on. Along with a pedicure, 1 hour foot massage, 1 hour shoulder, neck, & head massage all for $270. I was in heaven. Seriously I felt like royalty. Thank you China for giving me that once in a lifetime experience. Well probably twice in a lifetime... I'm planning on going back in a couple of weeks.

Facial hair removal. Weird, I know. I didn't even think my face was that hairy, but the elderly Chinese lady found plenty to remove using her traditional Chinese method. As we were sitting at the tailor this lady came waddling by with her string and all of us girls sat there as she basically plucked the hair from our faces with a string. It was really crazy. Quite an audience gathered around as 3 foreign ladies endured this process. One man who was watching was really great at English and gave a nice commentary along with a history of the method being used. It was basically what was done in China before razors even existed and the lady who did it had it down to an art. 

It was a nice day in Lo Wu. 

Not everything was so nice though. 

China is dirty.

People smoked inside the mall.

Weird smells were everywhere.

I was paranoid about pickpockets.

The guy who massaged me was creepy and I had to pretend I was married.

I had to pee on a squat toilet. Curious? Click here.

And on my way back to Hong Kong 3 people had to look at my passport and finally take it to the "Duty Supervisor" to approve that it was indeed a picture of me. I was getting really nervous.

Trapped in China? No thank you.