In Reply to: Tegallalang Shopping posted by Tracy W on Sunday, 15. May 2011 at 07:32 Bali Time:
We walked North of the Rice Terraces and got the carvings, he did not speak English, between Kampung Cafe and the rice terraces we got the vase and the paintings, again no English. At the Rice Terraces she spoke English but the prices were inflated and I got my commission, it was insisted that I took something as I refused cash.
We drove about 5 kms back towards Ubud from the rice terraces and got the ladders and mirror and light shade all within walking distance, at the lamp place the guy only spoke Balinese, the ladder lady and mirror guy spoke Indonesian and no English.
If you use a driver as a translator you WILL pay commission, I know as I was offered it until I said it was for me and then the prices went down to the fixed prices, most of the shops all dealt in wholesale as they asked if the items were for a business or not but will still happy to sell them to us. The Batik lady spoke English and got the calculator out, as soon as I spoke Indonesian to her she put it away and the price changed from 150,000 to 45,000, she even apologised for trying the higher price.
Apart from the Rice Terraces there was no bartering involved.