Ladies Market

I'm posting this early this week as l am going to Ryan and Jill's tomorrow, staying over night and then going to Shenzhen with Maureen, the lady whose house we stayed in when we first got here.  I want to get some summer clothes made.  I'm hoping they make bathing suits because although l brought two along, one completely disintegrated and the other one had this wooden ring thingy holding part of it together and l stepped on it and broke it.  She has lived here quit a few years and knows her way around so it should be fun to go and see what new things l can learn!
The Ladies Market (or the Tung Choi Street Market)  is situated in one of the densest urban areas of the world and was infamous for its brothels and Triad activity.  The city has been trying to clean this up and has built a huge new luxury hotel with a mall and many restaurants, but the brothels remain a few streets over and the Triad's are still in business even though it is illegal to be a member.

It doesn't seem to matter what time you go to Mong Kok, it is always filled with people.

The girls in the Chiropractors office were explaining to me that the way we say Mong Kok is wrong, and the M is actually pronounce W as in Wong.  We also say Kok with a K sound and it really a hard G sound!  Probably most things we try and pronounce are wrong!!

Looking down into the Ladies market.  Traditionally it was stocked with only ladies wear and things pertaining to women, but today it has a great variety for everyone.

If you want stuffed toys they have them!

You can buy jade, although l'd be suspect that it's real!  Most of it is some kind of resin!

There are some quit nice pictures, and some are really weird.  Blaine has bought a few radio controlled helicopters and cars at this market.

Wooden trivets and jewelry.

The pashmina scarves and some of the silk runners and table clothes are really beautiful.

There are all kinds of Chinese dresses, jackets, kimono's and kids clothes. 

Of course there are the ever present copy purses!

One stall is full of Nascar hats, jackets, and t shirts. 

If you want fancy beaded purses this is the place to buy them!

And if you don't have enough hair on your head you can buy hairpieces of every description  and color.

Chinese love fancy clothes even for the children.  Some of the dresses are really lovely.

Blaine of course loves to look at sports shirts and  sports jerseys.

There are toys galore!  These are only a few of the types of stalls that are there.  Some don't let you take pictures.  

This street musician was pretty good and switched between English and Chinese pretty easily.  They seem to sing a lot of 80's type songs

You haven't lived until you've been to Stinky Tofu Corner.  That's what we call it.    I have never smelled anything so vile as fermented bean curd cooking.  You can smell it for a block or more before you get there and in the heat of the summer it is absolutely revolting!  

Besides the tofu, they sell all kinds of strange things, like the octopus on a skewer, fish balls, and all kinds of stuff l  have no idea what they are, but it is the busiest corner around with people lined up to buy.

This poor woman on the sidewalk has been there every time we've gone.  She just sits there and people give money l guess.

When you've done your shopping and want some down time, you can rent a room for two hours, or overnight! ( and cheap too! Only $11 Cand.)  In Mong Kok there is nothing you can't buy!!  (Unfortunately, for some things)