Something's Fishy

When I first arrived in Hong Kong people told me I must check out the Wet Market. They said, "It's like nothing you have ever seen before!" I had a pretty good idea of what a Wet Market was. Walking through the narrow fishy smelling streets of Chinatown for 6 years has left visions that have been ingrained into my mind. I'm pretty sure those sights and smells will last a lifetime. Did I really have to experience them here in Hong Kong? Apparently, I did!



The seafood section of the Wet Market is kind of like going to a fish store...that sells live fish. As one stall owner put it "the more alive, the more better." Wet market products are generally stored for short periods of time and are always expected to be fresh. Freshness is so important that many of the fish are scaled, hit on the head, and cut before being killed. Some stall owners will slice the fish open right in front of you to assure the freshness. Others bag it for you while the fish is still alive. Yes, it's animal cruelty but no one here seems to mind.

As I made my way through the market I ended up in the shellfish section. The shrimp, since they were still alive, were trying to fling themselves into the bucket of water sitting beside them. The stall owner had to keep slapping them down into the basket! I wish I had gotten a picture of this!


There is such a vast selection of fish to chose from. There are fish of all shapes, sizes, and colors. I have no clue what each kind is since the signs are only in Chinese!

The stall owners take pride in the fish they sell. They will tell you their fish is the freshest fish in the market. I'm still not ready to buy my fish live at the market. I hope one day I will be more confident to make the purchase...I just wish I liked the taste (and smell) of fish!