Gifts to take to Family Members

[ttwjr32]

David -- the stores here are simillar with the exception the food is
             on the top floor. they want you to go thru everything else
             before you get to the food. and there specials are really good deals

[brett]

Willy - I got a box of Ferro Rocher for Christmas. Needless to say I'm sending them to China, as they're regifting chocolates, not eating chocolates :icon_cheesygrin:.

I did notice Snickers and M&M's in Wuhan, the Snickers was good but my lady confiscated the M&M's and ate the lot :icon_cool:.

[ttwjr32]

i havent seen the peanut m'ms yet?? just choco ones

[shaun]

How do you think Peanut M'Ms would go over in China?

[rockycoon]

Somthing I just noticed in your writings, are you saying that even in china they have junk mail? just curious....or (fireplace starter).

[ttwjr32]

no fireplaces here in china in the houses

[Voiceroveip]

Hmm Carrefour is conquering the world, second biggest retailer in the world after Walmart. They are all over here in France, started on a discount model and later beefed up prices when all the smaller retailers were either dead or acquired.

I hate them but they are a good place to shop in China, there are over 100 there now. For those looking in Shenzhen, there is one right off the Gangxia metro exit.

From my experience, facial cream for ladies are the absolute killer, I got requests for Body Shop and Nivea products ... which you can find in China as well if you look, there's a Body Shop store in a shopping center in Shenzhen/Shekou, even European chocolates are omnipresent in stores (at least in Shenzhen), it will be harder and harder to bring something really unique and inexpensive.

From France I would bring wine/champagne as Chinese prices are sky high and the selection is still limited. Some local food specialities like foie gras could work, and of course Belgian chocolate, but not the one in bars mind you, rather a box of Leonidas ...

[brett]

I found a wine store in Wuhan - it sold a selection of wine from around the world at eyewatering prices. I bought my prospective inlaws a not terribly good Spanish wine, but even that cost about 100RMB :s.

Interestingly my prospective inlaws drink Chinese red wine (that Great Wall stuff) on a daily basis, but they drink a shot measure worth of it and so a bottle lasts for weeks. I guess they don't care that it tastes foul when it goes off, they've just drinking it for the health benefits!

Chocolates and food that can be shared is always good.

Oh and there is a Carrefour in Yichang apparently. Strangely French supermarkets haven't cracked the UK market, but the Germans have made good progress over here :s.

[Voiceroveip]

Hehe I bought a half bottle o Champagne for 440 RMB for New Year's eve, unknown brand too. Then I found a shop in Shekou that had Moet & Chandon for 400 RMB a full bottle, unfortunately 1 day late, but Moet is not that good anyway. Some young French wines were to be had from 150 RMB in Shekou, not that bad.

The German hard discounters are all over Europe and still growing fast (Aldi, Lidl), Carrefour tried the UK market but was eaten alive by Walmart same as in the US, so I don't think you'll see any of their stores in the UK for a good while, unless some aquisition becomes possible.

So how does Great Wall wine taste anyway? And what are those 12000 RMB dried meat? boxes that can be bought in those luxury shops?

[brett]

The Great Wall wine was ?. Actually I was really unwell the following day, although that might have been lovesickness or a bad McDonalds lol. Great Wall produce loads of different wines in all price brackets but I was running out of RMB and could only afford the cheap stuff.

My lady's father was most fascinated by the Japanese aluminium pepsi bottle my lady brought to show him, he was poking the inside of it with a pen and everything so I'll try and find another one to bring them next time.

[Willy The Londoner]

From France I would bring wine/champagne as Chinese prices are sky high and the selection is still limited. Some local food specialities like foie gras could work, and of course Belgian chocolate, but not the one in bars mind you, rather a box of Leonidas ...

What I would do for a kilo of Belgium Chocolates right now is nobody's business.:heart::heart::heart:

Willy

[RegnisTheGreat]

Willy: If you introduce me to a good Chinese gal my age and we hit it off, I'll buy you your weight in Belgium Chocolates. :angel::angel::angel::angel:

(note: you and only you on the scale, unaltered western scale, under normal earth gravity) :icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

[shaun]

Willy,

I alway knew you could be bought.  But I do not know what to do here.  You have changed from Viagra to Belgium Chocolate.  What am I suppose to do with all of this Viagra?  You don't use it any more and I do not need it.  Don, remember SHAUN DOES NOT NEED VIAGRA, DON DOES. (Rocky)

Shaun

[Peter]

Last year I visited a Winery at the river Mosel in Germany. They told me that almost all of the production  by the river Mosel that year was already bought by Chinese and Japanese companies and was being exported to Asia.... There must be at least one bottle of German wine somewhere in China :idea::icon_biggrin:

[Voiceroveip]

What I would do for a kilo of Belgium Chocolates right now is nobody's business.:heart::heart::heart:

Maybe that could be arranged soon