In-Laws Visiting From China. Ask Them to Bring What?

Keith Young

My in-laws are visiting from Shanghai in a few months. Generally we try to have them buy stuff there and bring it here, and vice versa. What should I try to get them to bring? Particularly electronics/microcontrollers hardware etc.

For our friends in the NSA joining the conversation, I'd like to make it clear I'm only interested in legal items. The last thing I want is my mother in law getting the boot before her visiting visa is expired.

*looks over shoulder to make sure the wife didn't see that last bit

Thanks fellas

User Name

A gross of silicon carbide heating elements!

Heater.

A few thousand of those new LED "filaments", as used in those new LED retro style LED lamps. Not the lamps mind you, just the little LED strip filaments.

For making some cool lighting experiments. Or seven segment displays as demonstrated by mikeselectricstuff here http://electricstuff.co.uk/ledfilclock.html and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_XiunR-cAQ

Ken Gracey

I wouldn't ask them to bring anything unless they already know electronics and live by the major component markets in Shenzhen in Dongguan. Most of what you want can be bought from eBay at the same price we'd pay in the component markets for low volumes. Navigating these shops and making purchases is complicated because they may not be able to quickly get the parts they show in their display cases.

A simple request I wouldn't be afraid to ask of my friends would be for Chinese tea.

Ken Gracey

LoopyByteloose

Puer tea and hand-made silk shirts might be better choices. Silk pyjamas might be wonderful.

In fact, the ShangHai residents are world-famous for their pyjamas, which only recently have been banned by the government as acceptable for wandering around your local neighborhood. (This seems to be one battle the government of China may never win.)

http://www.ferretingoutthefun.com/2013/10/04/snapshot-pajamas/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3723539/Chinas-pyjamas-police-fight-Shanghais-daytime-love-of-nightwear.html

At least in Tokyo, you are still welcome to wander around the neighborhood in your hotel kimono after a nice hot bath. But you may feel a bit odd with so little on.

ajward

Loopy Byteloose wrote: »

Puer tea and hand-made silk shirts might be better choices. Silk pajamas might be wonderful.

In fact, the ShangHai residents are world-famous for their silk pajamas, which only recently have been banned by the government as acceptable for wandering around your local neighborhood.

I wish our local government would do something like this!!! :-)

Amanda

LoopyByteloose

Well, in Japan it is not really a kimono (girls wear those... pretty girls).
It is called a yukata -- a robe.

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ryokan-customs/

Ryokans are all over Japan and some are not expensive. But the experience is all about relaxing and enjoying some peace and quiet. Going to Japan and not staying in a ryokan for at least one night is truly a pity. There are some in Tokyo. The one I stayed in NE Tokyo was about $100 USD for one night without the dinner.

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/japanese-robes/

In southern Taiwan, I suspect some people never wear anything but shorts and sandals year-round. But to do so, one has to have some way of managing the mosquitos.

GordonMcComb

Jammies out in public -- too dystopian for me.

Heater.

Well, over here in Helsinki you can go to the public sauna. When you are cooked enough you will need a beer and a cigarette. Or at least a beer. So, it's out into the street, naked apart from a towel around the middle. After 15 minutes out in the snow and minus 20C, back to get cooked some more. And so on until you are "done".

How can the world be so shy about jimjams? Sounds like Victorian England. Remember Authur Dent? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Dent

Keith Young

Some good ideas here. Too bad, I was hoping you guys knew of some no brainer gizmogadget to bring from China. Tea and silk it is.

LoopyByteloose

Umm... specifically Pu'er Tea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea

The Chinese are very proud of it. All sorts of other things come to mind, but so much of the other stuff depends on personal preferences. There are tea pots, tea cups, and all sorts of delightful terracotta. These are really expensive in the West, but can be a bargain in China.

http://treasuregreen.com/collections/yixing-terracotta-teapots

Are you interested in a statue of GuanYin - goddess of compassion and mercy. Or is that too exotic? When I visited GuangZhou, I purchased a couple about 18" tall at a temple for a very reasonable cost and brought them back to the USA for gifts.

Sizes vary from 6" to quite large. Here is a link to a 23" one that is selling for over $600USD. That is way above actual cost in China. More likely to be less that $100USD, about $75USD is possible. I have a very beautiful 12" one in my home in Taiwan. I think I paid about $50USD due to the extraordinary quality.

http://www.nongnit.net/buddhist/bdivn011/bdivn011.html

Don't try to buy copies of old stuff, you will get cheated. The art and craftsmanship of the new terracotta stands up well on its own.

kwinn

Heater. wrote: »

Well, over here in Helsinki you can go to the public sauna. When you are cooked enough you will need a beer and a cigarette. Or at least a beer. So, it's out into the street, naked apart from a towel around the middle. After 15 minutes out in the snow and minus 20C, back to get cooked some more. And so on until you are "done".

How can the world be so shy about jimjams? Sounds like Victorian England. Remember Authur Dent? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Dent

Have to agree. No real difference between jammies and regular clothing so why all the fuss? A swim suit or bikini is far more revealing.

As to "15 minutes out in the snow and minus 20C", a roll in the snow or quick dip in the lake will get you back to the sauna or hot tub with your whole body tingling in a couple of minutes.

LoopyByteloose

In the USA, it is the running suit that takes the place of pyjamas. But I suspect the weather in ShangHai is a bit warmer than most of the USA.

Here is a wonderful YouTube demo on Zisha Teapots. A lot of work goes into one pot. Personally, I believe that anything with so much craftmanship involved will only appreciate in price over time. You can make collectible Nike running shoes, but what's to stop someone from making a few million copies at a later date?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZU_PNKIEgQ

NWCCTV

The schools here have pajama day at least once a year. Also, in Germany, the women go to the Schwimbad (Swimming Pool) topless. GI's use to go just to people watch!!!

Keith Young

Actually my wife and I have watched Three Kingdoms 2010 a couple times. I asked her parents to get me a small Guan Yu statue. Maybe a picture of Cao Cao as depicted in the show.

Just be warned, this show is The Godfather times 20. (I know you're probably already aware of this story/series Loopy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8rkcJ5sYDI skip to 2:30, but heed my warning. There are 95 episodes. If you do watch it, please don't post any spoilers here.

Tracy Allen

Last year in Shanghai I picked up an interesting drone, well, a toy for my granddaughter. It was a tinkerbell doll where the skirt spins out under LiPoly power to make counter rotating propellers to send it flying, all lighted with bright leds of course. Back in the USA, once we brought it inside my grandaughter was delighted to see that it bounced up and down between ceiling and floor. Some trick. I say that in the past tense because it didn't last long. But it didn't cost much either. The vendors at the busy areas like Nanching road or the town god temple especially at night have clever stuff I don't see here. On the more mundane level is a sun hat that comes folded flat but then expands out like a chinese lantern and glues at the edges. Pops in on itself to make two different shapes of hats. A mind-bender simple but effective. Still functional. The in-laws won't know what is unusual here, but it is a good bet a child will like just about anything that has color and motion.

I'm not a big fan of puer tea, over rated in my opinion. I really prefer a good oolong not so ancient.

Keith Young

Oh, also maybe a new hot pot. Ours just has 1 divider, 20" I think.

For those of you unaware of this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot hard to find restaurants. A couple good ones in Chicago's China Town, good ones are hard to find.

Keith Young

Tracy Allen wrote: »

Last year in Shanghai I picked up an interesting drone, well, a toy for my granddaughter. It was a tinkerbell doll where the skirt spins out under LiPoly power to make counter rotating propellers to send it flying, all lighted with bright leds of course. Back in the USA, once we brought it inside my grandaughter was delighted to see that it bounced up and down between ceiling and floor. Some trick. I say that in the past tense because it didn't last long. But it didn't cost much either. The vendors at the busy areas like Nanching road or the town god temple especially at night have clever stuff I don't see here. On the more mundane level is a sun hat that comes folded flat but then expands out like a chinese lantern and glues at the edges. Pops in on itself to make two different shapes of hats. A mind-bender simple but effective. Still functional. The in-laws won't know what is unusual here, but it is a good bet a child will like just about anything that has color and motion.

I'm not a big fan of puer tea, over rated in my opinion. I really prefer a good oolong not so ancient.

My wife should know the unusual/rare items here. Plus somehow they seem to know the items with an exchange rate. For example I know her parents were getting as much Addidas and Coach as possible while they were here.

Luckily we now live very close to an Outlet Mall so I won't have to drive them around and twiddle my thumbs all day. I'm not much of a consumer, at least when it comes to Outlet Malls anyway. I'd rather buy materials or cool Drafting supplies etc and stick with plain white t-shirts and jeans.

Cluso99

IMHO you should ask for airline tickets to/from Shenzen. Then you can buy what you want

Now I am feeling jealous... never been to China

LoopyByteloose

The lack of hot pot restaurants in the USA is due mostly to local fire codes. When you open a restaurant in the US, one must comply with building codes, fire codes, and health codes.

The Fire Inspectors dislike having individual open flame heat sources at each and every table, unless you provide a means to extinguish an out of control fire. And using propane in a public restaurant that is in an enclosed space is hazardous. Many years ago if San Francisco, we had a hot pot restaurant that exploded due to a propane tank leak. That pretty much ended the ability to open more in San Francisco.

Hot pot is pretty much the Chinese version of going out for pizza. And the Koreans have their barbeque which takes on a similar cult food status.

I suppose that one could easily open a hot pot restaurant in the USA that is all-electric with induction hot plates at each table. But would it take off with people that are non-Asian?

Gadgetman

I once visited a similar place in Bangkok.
It was an outdoors placee with a stage for live music(asian 'rock'... 'nuff said), with a central counter for the food and after you paid for everyone, they brought a charcoal burner of some sort to the table and placed weird 'hubcap' shaped grill on top of that.
I think they got most of their income from drinks because it was HOT at the table...
(No, you won't find it in a tourist guide. I think I was the only westerner there that evening, and I only got there because of a friendly Tuk-Tuk driver)

http://www.templeofthai.com/cookware/asian-tabletop-grill-6210000533.php
(grill)
On top of something like this one:
http://www.templeofthai.com/cookware/thai-bbq-stove-6200000562.php