GLOBAL BAZAAR
Our foremothers were gathers, and their lives dependent upon successful shopping. Have fun and don’t forget to haggle!!!!.
1) Any true global shopping trip must start in Paris. Many designers and perfumers have shops on Rue du Faouborg Saint Honore. Paris is divided into 20 districts, or arrondissements. It is located in the 8th district on the right bank of river Droite. Pierre Cardin, Givenchy ,Guerlain, Hermes and the list goes on and on ( as your bank balance drops into le toilette!!).
2) Before we leave France, stop in Provence at the beautiful market town of Aix-en-Provence. Calvados is not a local purchase while in this shopper’s paradise. It is a type of apple brandy, produced in Normandy. Provence is also famous for ceramics and wine, especially the world renowned Chateauneuf du Pape.
3) At our next destination, shop in the congested, treasure filled streets of ‘souk’-Cairo. The term is used extensively throughout Middle East.
4) The word ‘Bazaar’ is Persian in origin but is used in many other countries including India. The ‘Hindi’ word for market is ‘haat’. in Malay it is ‘Pasar’. But in Kuala Lumpur you are just as likely to be shopping at a bazaar or in a glittery western type mall.
5) The Pasar Malam is Singapore’s night market. Tang’s is a major departmental store and Orchard Road is a major shopping district in Singapore.
6) Takashimaya- Tokyo is the flagship branch of this giant departmental store chain, we could also be shopping its stores in New York, Paris or Singapore. It started as a kimono (traditional Japanese garment) in Kyoto in 1831, opened its first departmental store in 1922. Akasaka is one of Tokyo’s financial districts. Mitsui is a name used by several companies ( chemicals, banking, manufacturing, computers…). Mikimoto has pearls if you have Yen….lots of Yen.
7) If we cross the Pacific but still want Chinese food and wares. We might head for one of North America’s “China Towns”. San Francisco is the largest, Vancouver is the second largest. Chinese are Vancouver’s largest ethnic minority. In addition to shopping and food. the China Town also contains the peaceful Dr Sun Yat Sen classical Chinese garden.
8) In 1945, it made sense to establish the jewelry business in a huge country rich is precious and semi precious stones. That just what Hans Stern did. He was a Jewish German immigrant, arrived when he was just 17 years. Later his first store in Rio De Janerio. He was called by Time magazine as “ The king of diamonds and colored stones”. Today there are stores all over the world.