Contrast of the senses

So we started the day treating ourselves to the hotels spa, massage and pool. Nice & relaxing. Then, for a complete contrast we decided to cover as many of the famous Hong Kong markets as we possibly could in a day. So we found the gold fish market, where as the name suggests, one could buy (if one were so inclined), a goldfish in a bag. Or a turtle. Or a aquarium plant (also sold in clear plastic bags). Interesting. I was quite impressed that Harri didn't try to buy anything (to add to his extensive collection). Next stop was the flower market. Not quite the same as in Amsterdam. In this case there were shops of mostly orchids, but also ornate displays of cut flower, presumably for weddings and such occasions. Here they wrap their roses up in gauze, still don't know why. They also have blue roses, which I found a bit creepy. Then we were led by the sound of chirping to the bird market. In terms of number of tourists, this was definitely the quietest, but certainly not in terms of noise levels - the birds, parakeets, budgies, parrots etc were obviously competing to show off their vocal repertoire...

All these markets caused a bit of sensory overload. I was looking at all the bright neon signs posted between the buildings, trying not to bump into too many people, registering what people were selling at each stall (and deciding in a split second whether it was worth stopping for a closer look), trying to block out the sometimes unpleasant and certainly overpowering sewage and/or broth? smell and finding interesting local things to eat. Anyway, we stopped over for lunch of noodle & dumpling soup, polished off by a custard pie, deep fried dough stick (not unlike churros in spain) and bubble tea (with small jelly balls which get stuck in the straw as you suck the tea - another interesting experience...) before heading to the "symphony of lights". This is a 10-minute light and music show that you must not miss if you ever come to Hong Kong. Basically you stare at the city skyline and watch breathless as all the skyscrapers are lit up (in rhythm to music). Absolutely stunning.

and then some more markets for a dodgy dinner of (just to make your mouth water): razor clam shells in chili sauce, deep fried squid, beef with ginger, duck and greens with garlic (something between broccoli & asparagus).

Let's see how our stomach copes with all that tonight...