September 18, 2025
China trip has been enlightening! We have so many notions of this far off land, so glad to have had this experience.
Any guesses as to what this is? It's in the subway underground shopping area at People's Park in Shanghai. Clue the Blue and Pink are significant.
They have a
Marriage Market, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons the Parents, Aunties and Grandparents of eligible singles come to the park with billboards and look to arrange marriages for their Kids. It's got a good success ratio, better than 50% and public opinion of the ones we talked to, is that it works - a lot of these are of 2nd marriages for ones that didn't do well, first time with a
love match. Average ages 30 to 55. It was raining the Sunday we went to see in person - so they also post weekly here. We translate some and it surprised us with some of the info and cracked us up with others. Enjoy!
I went with Sherrie to Get a manicure and pedicure - it took about 3 hours and a whole lot of chatter!! Meet the ladies of Qianqiao Nail Art also located underground in the People's Park subway shopping complex. The young 18 year old next to me here was super chatty once she found out we were from USA. You know I love a challenge! Her first question - she wanted to know what social media I used?
In China - Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Google anything are all blocked - only way to access is a dedicated unique VPN. Apple products work because they produce there and have agreements in place. Next we got into celebrities - they love Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber. Wanted to know how they could open a salon in USA - would give me free Mani/Pedi !! Wanted to see pictures from our travels and the Ship. Paying them took a good 1/2 hour too. No CC machine and for some reason my ALI Pay the Venmo of China would not connect. Ended up going to another merchant in clothing shop, who I paid, w CC and then she paid them! Sherrie's Ali Pay wet right thru! only time mine would not. Odd? Somehow ended up with sparkly butterflies on my fingers too!
Do you know these two? Angelbaby is their current biggest celeb and Labubu is a craze everywhere.! Pop up stores, huge long lines for all variations of this crazy doll. We thought they were calling it L'PooPoo - found out that translate literally to a lot of giggles !
Other interesting facts I found out:
They typically work 10 hour days 6 days a week - some 7 and Monday is a common day off.
Professional MD's, Engineers work the longer hours.
It is cheaper to have food home delivered after a day at work, then buy for yourself and cook. Plus they are exhausted.
Diabetes and Obesity on rapid rise, big issue because of all the fast food.
It is now encouraged to have 2nd or 3rd kid but most only still have one or none because of expense.
It is illegal to find out sex of baby prior to being born. Due to abortions that were previously happening.
In marriage game much better to have a daughter than son (or ATM as they joke! ) He has to bring a lot of family cash to marriage.
They only have one real work Holiday, Chinese New Year. They were hard pressed to name another when asked.
Western influences everywhere, English signage and brands abound, our clothing and music.
No pictures of fearless leader in their homes, new leader much more progressive.
Have their own social media and equally crazy about
WeChat
- were shocked to find we don't use or have friends on it.
