Kathy - what wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing them.

Judy

More great photos! Is that mystery fruit jackfruit? I hope AiP will be along soon for a firm identification!

Jonathan

The mystery fruit is durian.
When you see it, run. Run !
It is the stinkiest fruit on the planet. Smells like cat poop.
I am not exaggerating. Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific have expressly banned durian on their flights.
Durian lovers - I consider them real pervs - from southeast Asia actually organize durian charters.
Btw, durian season is around March and April. This means don't, I repeat, don't, go near any Asian supermarkets during those months.

Kathy, the color red is big in the supermarket displays because the supermarket was preparing for the Chinese New Year, and red is the New Year color.
Btw, Kathy, did you see any screwy English. Restaurants and supermarkets in China are famous for that.
I suppose your supermarket did not have a lane called "A time sex thing". See photo of supermarket here.

Americana, thanks for identifying the durian. (Here's the wikipedia entry with more info.) I didn't notice any odor, but I didn't get that close. Maybe that's why they were cutting it and selling pieces wrapped in cellophane. Several people did seem to be buying it.

90% of the bras on sale were red, which I assumed had to do with the Chinese New Year. Interesting to think of all the Chinese women wearing such sexy underwear...

Kathy

I am giving away a huuuge cultural secret:

1. Southern Chinese, especially the Cantonese, (the people of Guangzhou [formerly Canton] and HK) are exceedingly superstitious. (Mea culpa.)

2. Many Chinese like to gamble.

3. A rumor started a few years ago that wearing red underwear gives good luck, especially in a casino. -- Am not making this up.

4. Many Chinese go to Las Vegas wearing the afoementioned items of clothing. A group of my childhood friends - about 10 of them - made a New Year trip to Las Vegas, all wearing red underwear, including, especially, the men. Hey, they won big time!

Great photos Kathy. I love supermarkets especially seeing the different products. I also loved the pictures of the shoppers.

I wonder if the durians had been frozen. A local Asian store 99 Ranch sells durians. They are out in the open in a huge bin. I've checked them out but I haven't noticed any significant smell from them. They are noted as frozen.

Marta,
The durian that you had encountered is probably also off season besides being frozen.
A normal fresh durian in season is something you would notice, whoa.

Kaydee

What an amazing trip for you. And what a contrast and departure from the European trips you've had to date.

There you have a culture that embraces everything new, everything west, everything that points to the future and sadly at times, conveniently and selectively abandones the past, cultural and historical alike.

Whereas in countries such as France, you have a culture that embraces the past and fights to keep the modern world away.

There is no right or wrong, just history that moulds the difference between these cultures.

I am glad you like Hong Kong, where I spent a substantial amount of my childhood. Every time I visit the ex-British colony, I am amazed at its fast pace and forever changing skyline. Isn't the Star Ferry one of the most amazing harbour cruises in the world?!

Well done!

s

quote:

Isn't the Star Ferry one of the most amazing harbour cruises in the world?!

For me who was born in HK, the Star Ferry is also the best kept secret therapy. A couple minutes on the cross-town ferry and your big city Angsted-out mind is reset.

Great reading, thanks.