Another Shopping Adventure, the Wuxi Flea Market

The words “flea market,” in my mind, conjure up images of roadside tables or open-air markets where people sell their knick-knacks, rare finds, and cast-offs.  In China though,  flea markets are taken to a whole new level.

I'm not sure exactly what is on Floor 2, but I'm sure that
"Small articles of daily" and "Horological glasses" are
what I have been missing from my China journey.

A walkway between the huge buildings.

Now I know where to find the
largest stockpile of reusable bags.

Try to imagine a mall, dollar store and a few buildings that look like they belong at the state fair, and I think you have a pretty good idea what the Wuxi flea market looks like.  There are 4 or 5 massive buildings with several floors housing any and everything you might or might not need   Clothes, luggage, pottery and ceramics, cleaning supplies, pantyhose, artificial flowers, jewelry, hair accessories, clocks and electronics and many other things. It is one of the most overwhelming places I have ever been.

Pottery shop

So pretty!

Looking down one of the long, long hallways.

Just a few pots and pans to choose from.

Office supplies

Artificial flowers

A few Chinese essentials: wedding envelopes,
door hangers, and all things red.

Although the goods are grouped together (and there are signs in both English and Chinese), I really have no idea how people figure out where to shop for things.  Thankfully, a few of the women I went with had been there before!

Anyone catch what these signs say?

We were all looking for different things, one mother wanted jewelry, nail polish and trinkets for her daughter’s birthday party goodie bags.  Another mom wanted stickers and supplies for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.  Another woman in our group was looking for Chinese ceramics, and I needed a wig (for my sister-in-law’s Halloween costume) and an iPad cover. 

A whole wing of this building was devoted to wigs.

After a few hours of looking, searching, and discovering, we left feeling pretty proud of ourselves. To reward ourselves, we even picked up a few extra items we didn’t know we needed!