23.09.2012 - Sunday
Our final day in Pingyao was a combination of artistic enlightenment, heavy bartering and moon cakes. Matt and I started the day by attempting to climb a top the ancient wall. After being told that we could only get up there with an expensive tourist pass, we sought the alternative option. Climb a different infrastructure to get the views. Which we managed to achieve, quite successfully. And at a greatly reduced price. Frugal for the win!
Afterwards, we headed for the last set of exhibitions being held in the Audi car yard. There were works from Parsons, Columbia University, as well as a number of Oceania institutions. The quality of the work was as varied as the locations, and much of the work in this area left a bit to be desired. And what we really desired was a spot of shopping in the ancient streets.
Returning to the main streets, Matt and I put our bartering skills to the test, and although we began slowly, we quickly built up momentum. Before we knew it we were performing the obligatory ‘walk away’, as well as a series of utterly disgusted faces to let the shop keepers know their prices were too high. Matt emerged the champion barterer for the day, bartering a pair of glasses from 55 to 15 Yuan.
The weekend in Pingyao was exactly what I needed to feed my creative bug, as well as my travel one.
