Shopping Extremes

Hong Kong is full of extremes. You can go from walking through a street market selling cheap gizmos and gadgets to a mall selling luxury goods worth more than my life. On one hand, it’s quite interesting to experience both sides of the spectrum. On the other hand, it leaves me heavyhearted to see so many people fighting to make ends meet.

The thing that surprises me the most is the number of people who are actually in these stores buying luxury goods. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw jewelry store after jewelry store flooded with people shopping for diamonds of all shapes and sizes.

…and then 30 feet away was someone whose yearly salary doesn’t even come close to the value of a diamond ring.

It rained all day today, so we spent some quality time exploring the [many] humongous malls of HK. Luckily I’ve fallen out of love with malls the past few years so we just window shopped.

…a very good thing for both my wallet and Peter’s sanity.

These elaborate decorations were put up for Chinese New Year.

One mall even had an ice skating rink inside. I mean…

Nearby, there are many different street markets where bargaining is the norm. One popular night market is located on Temple Street.

There they sell all sorts of cheap stuff. Clothes, shoes, blankets, purses, jewelry, etc. The stuff there is so cheap you almost feel bad bargaining at all!

There are a couple of other popular markets in the same area including a flower market, a bird market and a goldfish market.

The flower market stretches a few blocks and each store/stand sells tons of fresh flowers. Rows and rows of beautiful flowers line the sidewalks all day, everyday.

Similar to the flower market, there’s a bird market selling everything bird-related.

I couldn’t help but wonder, how many people here need birds and flowers everyday?!

Crazy.

Don’t forget food markets, which are also quite extreme. There are many huge markets with stands that sell fresh fruit, veggies, seafood, meat, dried goods, prepared food and house stuff.

They sell everything under the sun.

The market itself is a bit dingy, but the prices are relatively cheap and the produce is fresh and beautiful.

On the other side of the spectrum is a grocery store called City Super that is like Whole Foods on crack. Everything is more expensive (or outrageously priced, by my standards). This is where I found the $70 melon and the Green tea hokkaido ice cream.

Peter and I just walk through City Super like it’s a museum—look but DON’T touch (or eat!).

Well, unless it’s a free sample .

You’d think the store would be pretty empty given the prices, but nope, like most stores in Hong Kong it is packed and the check out line wraps around the store (!!).

Incredible.

Experiencing both sides of the spectrum makes me grateful for stores in the US like Target and Trader Joe’s. Not luxurious/expensive but not dingy either.

Although, to be honest, if I lived in Hong Kong I would definitely be shopping in the streets. Not only am I broke, I’m a total cheapskate. I actually enjoyed the street markets a whole lot more than the nice malls.

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Anyways, we’re staying with my aunt and uncle now and dining out every day, a whole ‘nother extreme to talk about!

Check out the view from their balcony…

’til next time!