Market

Something from Home

Give me a street market in Asia any day

A guy pulls up on his motorbike with live chickens tied together by their feet straddled over every part of his motorbike as the lady at the chicken shop rushes out to greet him. She grabs a handful by the claws and tosses them onto the scales. I have long since left any sense of shock or horror behind as I immerse myself into the culture and explore many parts of Asia. I love it. A true market economy where everything – fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, clothes, spices … spill out onto the streets as motorbikes weave in and out, stopping now and then to load up before zooming off to the next customer.

The chicken lady has made her choice and hands over the money however not before the seller grabs a knife and heads for the birds squawking on the scales. Their tail feathers are trimmed to perfection. No blood letting just yet. For a minute I thought that I was to bear witness as he slit their throats. They’re better alive and fresh. A couple of stalls along another chicken lady sits cross legged with her birds plucked and plumped up, their claws dangling over the sides of her table.

I’m not sure how they got from feathered to plucked but then again that’s not a question I ask myself as I pick up the skinless breasts from the deli down the road. I do however recall distressed chooks dangling above a vat of boiling oil down a side street in Hong Kong. Actually I recall them being dropped in literally cooked alive. Is that any different to lobsters being boiled alive with reports of them squealing for mercy?

Market Place

Markets are kaleidoscopes of colour and noise and are essential pitstops if you are to discover the backbones of societies where butchers, bakers, candlestick makers, juggle for position with tropical fruits and leafy green vegetables with the earth still fresh on their roots. Slabs of bloody meat hang on hooks and fan out on tables glistening in the sun, dripping red onto the floor and those fish that still have air in their lungs flop around on woven trays as their mates get gutted and cleaned while blocks of ice struggle to keep buckets of prawns mildly chilled.

If you have any trepidation and can’t quite work it out, just look for the animals head plonked next to the meat and you’ll know what it is. That is before someone snaps them up to flavour the delicious stews and soups that are highlights of many Asian cuisines. Yes, Asian economies are doing just fine thanks. Keep away the European style regulators that force their standards of hygiene and refrigeration onto others who wish to join them. Greece comes to mind, where octopus hanging up in the sun to dry had been doing just fine for years.

I’ve stumbled upon Cho Xóm Mói by accident even though it’s the largest street market in town. To me this is one of the pleasures of living an expat lifestyle and no matter where our life’s journey takes us I am always fascinated and intrigued as I stumble upon treasures as I get lost merely wandering, letting the streets guide and the sounds distract as they pull me towards them uncovering the cities beneath the cities. There’s a sense of community here and of lives intertwined amongst the barter and organised mayhem. Camaraderie and social interaction that glues society together where scattered amongst the stalls men play Vietnamese chess and men and women sip coffee and tea, it seems all day. Order a coffee and you’ll get an iced tea on the side.

Local markets are of particular interest as I love food and I am happy to sample the offerings held out by welcoming hands as they smile at my reaction to fabulous flavours and, well not so fabulous delights. What better way to know what to buy and what to steer clear of. Local cooking classes which include market shopping for ingredients combine two of my favourite things. The inevitable vibrant colours of the fruit and vegetables would make still life painters set up easel and while away the hours as nearby every imaginable seafood and pieces of meat wait to be snapped up.

Street Vegetable Vendor

You can buy everything and anything here although they are yet to catch up with China in the variety and sizes available in clothes and shoes (large here still means midriff boob tube in many cases) and ‘labels’ are gradually creeping into the mix. These are things that aren’t on my list here or in China for that matter. Why support organised crime, dilute the allure of the ‘real thing’ or slap fake Chanel makeup onto your face in the hope that the lead content won’t strip your skin bare.

Would you support your child toiling away in sweatshops so others can save a buck? Anyway …

The flowers here are a surprise with their variety in all shades of the rainbow. Buds protected by tiny nets cupping them into a holding position in an endeavour to make them last in the heat. At home released from their grip buds flower, roses open and unless you have air conditioning resembling a fridge, wilt in a couple of days. Flowers to me make a house a home so it’s worth the journey every couple of days to freshen up the look. Perhaps an extravagance? At local prices these are the little luxuries that allow those of us living in Asia an indulgence now and then.

I can wander around for ages, snacking on mango and dragonfruit which while colourful with its almost fire like appearance and white centre spotted with tiny black seeds, adds texture but little flavour to fruit salads. Or is it just me? The fresh orange juice laboriously squeezed with manual presses is anything but tasteless, bouncing with flavour as the carcasses surprisingly greenish in tinge lay in bins devoid of their bright orange flesh.

I eat street food but still hesitate at buying my seafood and pork off the racks drifting in and out of the sun. Although I admit I have snapped up wiggling prawns from my local markets in Singapore and survived to tell this tale and in fact returned time and time again. They were fresh and delicious. Nothing ventured … it’s all about picking your target and trusting the lines at some vendors.

Here in Nha Trang I am gradually surveying the scene. I’ve found my favourite fruit and veg stall, my flower lady and my coffee man. I no longer have to start at the top of the price chain and work my way down. The fun and challenge of bargaining left for other purchases. There’s always a feeling that perhaps I could’ve done better. Rule 1, they won’t sell if the price is too low and rule 2, a bargain is what you are willing to pay.

Vendor

These markets have been an incredible find. I go there just to linger and look. Tasting and sipping as I go. I’m still to find my prawn guy and as for the pork chops, they still call from the chillers as the supermarché.

Neil Brook will try anything once and agrees with the bizarre foods motto, if it looks good eat it! He now calls Vietnam home and is looking forward to discovering more of Asia, making the most of this opportunity. A regular contributor to the Aussie travel site The Big Bus Tour and Travel Guide he enjoys sharing his experiences, endeavouring to create a fresh perspective as he travels the globe.@treadingtheglobe I www.treadingtheglobe.com

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