Market day

disclaimer: Those with weak stomachs should probably never, ever visit Hong Kong.

Our second adventure was a trip to the market. And I'm not talking about a grocery store here, I'm talking about the real, old-fashioned, outdoor markets that have existed since the beginning of civilization. There are two major tourist attractiony ones in Hong Kong, Graham Street Market and Cat Street Market.

This is the entrance to Graham Street Market.

Graham Street is really just an alley, packed on either side with stalls and booths that sell almost anything imaginable to eat, along with some things that defy imagination.

This is a lovely vegetable stand.

As you can see, by stand, I mean pile of plastic crates full of various vegetables with a woman sitting in the middle of the pile.

All the vegetables looked perfectly fresh, no squishy tomatoes or wilted lettuce here. This stuff was probably picked within the last day. Graham street is a bit like a giant farmers market. Except for the man slicing fish in half while others swim in the tank beside him. Except for the 30 pound bags of rice with scoops in the top so you can measure out your portion. And except for the slabs of meat hanging from hooks complete with the occasional fly.

By the way, those things hanging over the tub with the fan to keep the flies away are entrails. Whose? I don't know. We gave that booth a wide berth.

At a less tourist-friendly market in the 'Old China' part of town we also saw a goat head stripped of half of its skin, but with horns still attached, and a man butchering a cow. I could tell it was a cow because he had the cows legs laid out on the table next to the giant head.

Fortunately, not all markets in Hong Kong are quite so gruesome.

Cat Street Market was devoid of all animal parts.

Though it did have a lot of animals carved out of jade and other ornamental stones, along with jewelry, clocks, teapots and scads of Chairman Mao memorabilia. I found presents for both of my parents here. Grant found a Chairman Mao pocket watch. It was lot like the mickey mouse watch I had as a kid, only instead of keeping time with his arm Mao just waved at whomever had opened the watch.

I leave you today with a quote from Tommy Smothers, "Red meat is not bad for you, now blue-green meat, that's bad for you."