Walking into the wet market (see above, it's really not wet at all, the markets are just called wet markets because the floors used to be wet with wash off water from fishmongers) it was no bliss for us animal lovers - there was this box full of toads on top of each other, barely their noses above water and certainly no room to move. I don't think they have moved anyway, they were probably panic-stricken. Who eats them? Or are only their legs used? Poor froggies, I say.
Despite of the poor start, it turned out to be a fab visit. We bought meaty bones for the dogs, fish, and lots of veggies and fruit, most of which were 'local' (i.e. from the neighboring countries) and some organic. The organic vegetables looked way better than the 'normal' ones, and now after lunch I can ad that they tasted good too :) There was hardly any difference in price, unlike at the supermarket, where most organic produce is flown in from across the world and can cost three times more than 'normal' products.
The stall holders were mostly Chinese, and not many of them spoke good English. So it was enough to get a fruit in the right kind of state of ripeness and to know how much to pay for it (not, much, the prices were generally 50% less than in the supermarket - so no wonder we needed a taxi home..), so I forgot to ask for the origin of the fish I bought and weather it had been sustainably fished. I kinda doubt it..
Although we had brought our own canvas bags (and a cooler bag), we kept getting everything separately bagged in small plastic bags (too small really to be reused as rubbish bags). Only once I refused a bag (was quick enough), so there's room for improvement for next time :D
Aah, the taste of the mangoes we bought still makes my mouth water.. A date for the next trip to the wet market has already set. Might make it a Friday tradition ;)
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