Went on the free HK Market Safari Tour.
We started at the Market square, where the original market used to be (not anymore) in front of the Tin Hat temple at Yau Ma Tei. The temple’s main deity is the goddess of ocean/water to protect the fisherwomen and fishermen settlers (Tanka) of Hong Kong. There is a lot of incense burning as this is the time of the year to thank the higher powers for the year that’s almost passed. We learned about traditional fortune telling that one does at the temple – a lot of fun too!
Then we headed to the Jade market, where we learned how to differentiate between the real jade and a fake one.
After that – straight to the fruit market. Three highlights there:
- Langan fruit – tried them for the first time and like it.
2. Dried tangerine peels is considered a very expensive medicine. You can see garlands of them hanging across the market.
3. Durian fruit – it smells like poop but we are told is tasty to eat. It’s so awfully smelling that it’s prohibited from being eaten in hotels! We didn’t dare to try it. 🙂
- After that was the Lady’s market (which I couldn’t care less for as it sold some souvenirs and fake Lois Viton and D&G brands).
- Then the Temple Night Market, which we told was a total tourist trap, so we didn’t eat there but tried a bit of street food, where the locals eat.
- Totally unrelated to the above, the scaffolding in HK is made of bamboo!
