ParknShop is a Hong Kong based firm, hence it has been in this area for less than 10 years. We walked most of the way on the shady side of the street, but we finally had to cross the bridge over the main road. [You can not jaywalk because there is a fence in the middle of most large streets). There are a lot of pedestrian bridges and overpasses, probably one every quarter mile. There are very few traffic lights to delay traffic. Car is definitely king over pedestrians.] Not to complain, it is 40 steps up and 40 steps down. More annoying when you are carrying your shopping home.
ParknShop is in the basement of a tall building. We read the ads and then take the escalator down.
Like most modern supermarkets, the produce department comes first.
Next comes the meat and take-out section. You can buy your meat under plastic wrap. In addition their is a butcher to make your special cuts. Keep out of the way of the cleaver.
The rest of the supermarket is what you are used to. The dairy and cheese area is smaller than in the U.S. The rice, tea and oil sections are much larger. You can even buy loose rice and tea. When you checkout after shopping, you can pay with cash or a debit card, credit cards are not accepted. Upon leaving the supermarket you are forced into passing a series of stores and kiosks. Below is the bedding store were we previously bought our mosquito netting. [Shown on the right side of the picture.]
After dropping the packages at home, cooling off with an ice tea and recovering from walking up the four flights of stairs to our flat, we went down to our local shopping street. The English translation of the street is Rhinoceros Street. Rhino is about a car and a half wide. On the ground level are a large number of stores. Almost all are definitely owner run. The first picture shows the first three stores, a key maker, a seamstress and a restaurant. [that is the restaurant where we ate frog.]
On the second and above floor people live in the walk-up flats. As is usual in town, the wash is always trying to dry.
Some more of the stores as we continue down on the street. The plant shop is were we bought a plant for our flat. It helps to clean the pollution out of the air.
Every time we go down the street there is a crowd watching people play Chinese Chess.
There are also street vendors selling produce and seafood. This gentlemen is selling live eels.
Next comes our neighborhood grocery store. It sells basically can and paper goods. No produce, fish or meat departments. [Early supermarkets in the U.S. did not have those departments either.]
Across the street is our favorite BBQ place. I am buying our lunch.
Next comes the live market. The front section is multiple fruit and vegetable vendors.
I'm buying a watermelon I did not want to carry all the way from ParknShop. We also bought some Holland Peas [aka snow pea pods] for dinner and some Wonton from a noodle vendor. Each of the vendors is an individual business person.
Towards the rear of the live market are the wet market stalls. Meat, fish, and poultry vendors are shown. Today I did not see any turtle or frog.
Finally the egg vendor.
Shopping done we climbed back to our flat, cooked some rice and ate the BBQ.
