I was gullible for several reasons.
I had only been in Shanghai for a couple of days, having just arrived from Taiwan. Being a foreigner in countries like Taiwan and China can be a little bit difficult if you don't know any Chinese.
I mean they have a symbol for like every word, it's a much more visually complicated language compared to Almost any other.
If any girl walks over and starts talking to you while in The Bund area and if she asks if you want to get tea/coffee or food.. Then immediately tell her to fuck off!
Though, I'm a little embarrassed to share this not so pleasant memory, I will and then I'll go back to not thinking about it!
I was innocently walking down the crowded bund area of Shanghai. I was wearing my straw hat which has become somewhat of my trademark. Just being a non-Asian race gets you lots of attention in China! So when random strangers, talk to me as they have quite often in China, it's not too out of the ordinary. A couple girls bitches commented on my interesting straw hat as a conversation starter. They seemed nice and asked me if I wanted to go get coffee. Sure, why not.
Then we went into some super fancy place and sat at a fancy table in a fancy private room. A waitress handed us fancy menus and everything on it was expensive as hell, however, that can be expected for such a fancy place. But that's OK, I was willing to splurge a little.. Though they suggested coffee when I first met them, we ended up ordering food and some exotic tea. We shared big fancy platters with many samples of things like fruits and meats and even a dish of chicken hearts. They also ordered several coke's with whisky.
We conversed while eating and drinking and they spoke good English. Which they probably used to frequently scam foreigners. I was enjoying everything until the bill came.
It was of course, a very outrageous price but I was still unaware of their true nature and expecting that we'd split it. Especially since they quickly ordered any little thing they craved at anytime. But then they reluctantly proclaimed that in Chinese culture the man always pays.
After angrily trying convincing, I managed to get them to pay about 1/4 th of the bill, and they claimed that was all the money they had. The price I payed is one I'm way too embarrassed to reveal. but I can tell you it was a ridiculous price.
Soon after, we said goodbye and they got on a train. I started walking and then surprisingly very soon, 2 other girls approached me again and also commented on my interesting straw hat, during that brief and very familiar conversation they also asked if I wanted to go get coffee. I was shocked. It was like the exact same conversion with different people!
I realized then for sure that this was a common scam in the bund area of Shanghai.
My hat, which I loved so much and which I found in Australia and also bragged that I got it for free, had in a way been used to take my money. I don't know how they would have approached me or started conversation if I was not wearing it, if they even would have. So In a way, I felt that I had spent a lot on my free hat.
I discovered how well known this scam is just a little bit too late. Right after this terrible incident, I heard about it so much from other people who also got scammed, including a friend of mine.
But there is a difference, other people were typically asked to attend a special tea ceremony. So, perhaps I just look like a coffee person?
I've even stumbled upon other blogs writing about the special expensive tea.
In conclusion, It's definitely not my intention to give anybody the wrong impression. China is an amazing place to visit and most people I met there were very legitimately kind-hearted and friendly. Unfortunately, this was one of my first experiences in China and others as well. The only places I've heard about this infamous tea scam is in Beijing and Shanghai and it seems to be only in the main touristy parts as most typically are, I've also heard there are many scammers around the Eiffel tower, for example. More reason to be extra alert in any city center and spend time off the beaten path with real people.
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