Work Until You Drop

You see many old women working in Hong Kong, more so than men. And these are individuals in their eighties at least.

There's no State provided social care so the old have to get by as best they can. Besides, I suspect it's a matter of pride and honour to be accounted as being a useful member of the family and society.

I spotted this lady counting her takings in Shek Kip Mei market, a traditional food market where the fish and frogs are kept live until the housewife has chosen a candidate for the daily meal. The creatures are then taken away and despatched.

The meat, which seems to be mostly pork and chicken, has been slaughtered and butchered before it's been laid out on the slab. 

I found the market very interesting as a reflection of Chinese daily cuisine. I had no idea what some of the items were. Pak choi is ubiquitous. All I can say is that it looks very healthy.

You may find the surroundings look shabby and dingey, but everything is scrupulously clean. The stallholders wear wellies against the water that is used to wash everything down. In fact, Hong Kong is one of the cleanest towns I've ever seen. No evidence of any litter. It would pose too much of a public health problem that would cost the State serious money to put right. The Chinese evidently subscribe to the notion that 'Prevention is Better than Cure.'

And natural resources are much favoured over artificial ones. Bamboo is used instead of metal for scaffolding, carnivorous pitcher plants hang in the markets to catch unwary insects, cats are the rodent catchers.

We had 'free time' in the afternoon, so Julie and I went in search of a camera shop to buy replacement tripods. Hers was well and truly broken and I wasn't getting on at all well with mine. Michael's cousin directed us to a location not far away deep in the commercial heart of Kowloon. We were delighted that Google Maps directed us exactly to the shop, which was up an escalator and a flight of stairs.

We each bought a Sirui tripod for $HK750 (£75). Mine is blue, Julie's is red. The excursion also gave us the opportunity to return via the streets and Ladies' Market in Mong Kok, so we spent a bit more.

Extra photo is of a gent at the top of Ladies' Market who has a fine voice and acknowledged me as I passed. 

See the day's photo album on Flickr.

Julie and I sorted out our night photos from the roof of the hotel by casting our rain capes over the offending bush in front of the window and photographing close to the glass.