Second-Hand Market in Xiaguan
Every Sunday in Xiaguan (下关), as well called the New Town of Dali, a popular second hand market takes place. Popular, because farmers and city people alike offer old stuff, ornamental plants, animals and all kinds of useful and useless things on the streets.
You might call it a typical fleemarket with tendencies to peculiarities. That’s because you will find piles of medicine being presented next to working tools and CD’s.
You will find the market about 15 km south of the Ancient City of Dali. If you follow the G214 Highway from there you will recognize many people on the right hand side.
Rush hour is about noon, when most of the rarities already found a buyer; so try to come early. It is mostly wild and loud; but only for calmer souls. On every corner haggle and weigh out. It is quite usual to negotiate a price which is half the one (or even more) they tell you in the beginning; knowledge about material and language required though. It is getting strange when among the hustle an old woman receives a dental treatment from a man in a white coat. Strange on the one hand, normality for the people from there.
On a sunny Sunday therefore, you will have quite some enjoyable time around here. Wandering past the sometimes more or less professionally build stalls and perhaps managing to grab a real bargain. Nobody complains when eventually you do not buy the object you take into consideration. Sometimes they, after you decide not to buy, even yell at you absurd cheap price to convince you after all.