The Red Market

While the kids were in school, Kyle, Leah, and I ventured over to the Red Market, a traditional, wet market in Macau, named for the buildings red bricks.

A wet market is a food market with the freshest fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meats.  Before refrigeration this was the best way to obtain fresh food.  The fruits and vegetables have recently been picked or harvested and the seafood was typically killed and gutted on the premises.  Pigs, cows, birds, and other animals were also butchered at the market.  To help keep the floors and general areas clean, water is used extensively, giving it the name of wet market.

Today, however, they do not allow larger animals to be butchered at the market; but fish, chickens and smaller animals are still freshly killed, cleaned, and prepared for purchase right in front of you.  With the mix of blood, guts, fish, water, dirt, and who knows what else, the market smelled HORRIBLE!  I had to cover my nose and control my gag reflex a few times.

Upon entering the market, I saw a woman cutting up a whole chicken and noticed that behind her were crates of live chickens.  I quickly turned to head down an aisle of fruits and vegetables.  I ended my brief walk through the market passing the stalls of freshly gutted fish.  I'd seen enough and was ready for fresh air.  

Kyle, on the other hand, had a morbid curiosity to see more.  He explored the other levels and even videoed a real, wet market exchange.  A customer pointed to a live chicken, the vendor held it for the customer to inspect closer, the customer confirmed that was the chicken he wanted.  The vendor then cut the chicken's neck, drained the blood, and put it aside to pluck and cut up further.  Kyle got his Red Market thrill so hopefully we will not be back.  I'll buy my food at the grocery stores - they're fresh enough for me.