Wheels of Addis

We climbed The Peak on Boxing Day. On our way home, we decided to stop in Aberdeen, which is on the other side of Hong Kong island.

We took a break in a little park where men gathered with their pet budgies. It was either them taking their birds for a walk or the other way around. I’m not sure.

Right beside the park, we found this delicious vegan shop full to brimming with kaleidoscopic sweets. Each lotus paste bun more tempting than the next.

But there was another reason for coming to Aberdeen - sweet though the men with birds may have been. The reason was the fish market. Vast and bustling, this enormous indoor market was virtually dancing with bright lights and vivid colours.

Prices were marked on styrofoam so they could sit in the water in with the seafood.

These women were buying enormous whelks:

I really liked the simplicity of the scales used to weigh the fish:

So what did we have for dinner? Well, fish of course! Stir fried prawns and Tom Yum Goong. Fresher than fresh from the market.

If there’s one thing that’s exciting about Hong Kong (not counting the nightly light show), it’s the food. And while dining is pretty thrilling in and of itself, the best way to truly appreciate the food is to visit the markets.

We spent a heady afternoon in Wan Chai Market, where the stalls are virtually buckling under the weight of all the produce. 

In the fish section, shrimp kept jumping out of their baskets and straight onto the street. Fish and eels slithered on the pavements at our feet:

This corner meat stall proudly displayed every single part of an animal on offer. The heart, the lungs, the horns…

This lady sold beancurd in every guise, including noodles:

We were out shopping for Thai ingredients. Tuti was going to teach me how to make some classic Thai dishes, like satai and green curry. Here she is with a basket full of lemongrass and limes.