Chinese Wal-Mart

We took a walk today from our hotel to the local downtown Wal-Mart. We needed to buy a stroller for Teegan. As you can see, it wasn't anything like the vast warehouse building surrounded by a square mile of parched parking lot that we all know so well and don't love.

It was three floors high, with escalators for people and shopping carts. The escalators grip carts so that they don't roll while you're going down-hill. The first floor held separate vendors. The second floor was groceries. The third floor had housewares, clothes, etc.

Many items were recognizable--but I swear there's something strange about that Coca-Cola lable.

Some things were surprising. This is a big pile of fingernail-sized dried shrimp.

Scoop your own! (Yes, those are fish tanks back there in the seafood section.)

Dad found a pile of frozen birds with the heads still attached. Unfortunately, we have no stove in our hotel room, so we couldn't buy any. So sad.

Oh, goody! The deli has them all ready cooked! Lunch, anyone?

Wal-Mart employees are standing by politely at your service, where ever you look. Have you ever seen an American Wal-Mart employee do this? Usually, if you can even find one to ask a question, they tell you this is not "their section" and wander off.

I wanted to buy a snack also. Oh here's the chip aisle! Let's see, we have Blueberry.......Lays.....

Hmm, not sure about fruity chips.... How about these? They say, "Numb & Spicy Hot Pot Flavor" and "Intense and Stimulating."

Numb? Is that desirable for my taste buds?

I ended up going for some "Sweet Tomato" flavor that tasted like tomato soup. Although, the cucumber Lays also tempted me.



Checking out at Wal-Mart is the same. The stroller had no price tag, and a toy car we bought had a hidden security device that an employee couldn't find without destroying the entire packaging and taking the battery cover off of the car.