After visiting the eyeglass market with Brad Barnes on Saturday, I find myself motivated to find a new market area for toys. It’s Christmas shopping time and I’ve heard there is a big toy market, so after a little research, off I go. The market is only one block from a train station, so it’s a fairly easy trip. I find the toy market, and it is big. There are rows and rows of vendors selling all manner of toys. I had my usual fun time, checking out the items that appealed to me, and eventually trying to settle on a price with one of the vendors.

I found some good items, and after I make the deal, the vendor helps me pack it so I can easily transport it on the train. That’s something I’ve noticed before. Because most of the people in Beijing have to walk long distances, the vendors know the best way to put several boxes together with tape and sacks to make it easy to load it into a taxi, or carry it on a train.

Back home later, I have to get everything out of the boxes, test it, make sure I have batteries, and then pack it again so we can get it home in a suitcase. Sometimes that’s easier said than done.