Chow Kit wet market

Last weekend I visited Chow Kit wet markets on the north side of KL, which is apparently the largest wet market in the area. What's a wet market? It's a market that sells perishable goods such as fruit (these are lychees) 

(Edit - I am reliably informed that these are Rambutans. You open them by twisting off the skin and eating around the seed, they are a bit like lychees and are apparently very yummy)

    as well as meat & fish

It's not just seafood & poultry, it's not unusual to see the stalls displaying trotters and even cows heads.

Given that the stalls are all under corrugated iron roofing in 34 degree heat and with no air-conditioning , it was surprising how little it all smelt. Probably a testament to the freshness of the produce, although there were also some distinctly stinky parts and whenever something splashed your leg you didn't want to look down and see what it was.

The market was also in the shadow of a local mosque and it was very atomospheric wandering around the cramped streets surround by high-density housing and listening to the Imam calling the faithful to prayer.

However some things transcend all cultural boundaries and this lad wearing thongs rode past me on a very nicely put together brakeless track bike. He could barely reach the pedals but he was loving it, and as you can see he was very proud when I asked to take his picture.

There was a hawkers market in the middle of the market which is supposed to sell excellent local food. As someone writing a blog overseas I should of course be praising the best of the local streetfood and taking pictures of the deep-fried intestines that I was enjoying. But I have to admit I had no idea of what anything was, got scared and left without tasting anything. A short monorail ride later I was back in the Golden Triangle enjoying chicken wings & Tiger beer.....