Last night, after the wonderful sushi dinner ($16, Stuart LOVES eating here!), still wanting to stretch our legs from the drive, we head for the Chinese shopping mall. There is no other kind in Richmond! It's like being in China, without leaving Canada. It's just like a shopping mall in any city, but it's all Chinese. Again, no english signs, and no english speakers. But, we did see lots of funky clothing stores and the Chinese version of the Dollar General. Yikes!
Today is our last day to be a tourist. We still have the rental car, and go back to Granville Island for breakfast. It's cold this morning, I'm wearing wool socks and hiking shoes, polar fleece coat. Beautiful, sunny day! Traffic is heavy, but is made lighter by the fabulous bus system here. And, this is a biker's city. Bicylists are everywhere, which makes them more respected than in other cities. It's a good place to NOT own a car.
After Granville Island, we head to Chinatown, to see the public Chinese Garden, eat lunch at Pnohm Phen again, and do a little touristing. Lunch was as good as it was at the beginning of the trip! Stuart ordered the fabulous chicken wings, which come with lots of garlic, cilantro and a dipping sauce of lemon juice and black pepper. I ordered a two noodle dish, served with a broth or don, on the side. $18. Delicious!
After lunch, we tour the shops. Nothing is written in English here, and we soon learn that no one speaks English, either. There are several produce markets, and lots of Dried Things markets (they can say, 'No photo' in English). Of course, there are lots of tea and ginseng shops, and the usual Chinese Stuff shops where you can buy all sorts of cheap stuff. The strange thing thing is that I see almost no tourists. As the Lonely Planet says, this is like leaving the country just by crossing the street. A couple of streets over, you are in a different world.
The bakeries are all doing a knock-down business today. There are piles of pretty little cakes, slightly larger than a large cupcake, all the same color. We figure out they're called Moon Cakes. Later, I learn that tomorrow is a big celebration, the Mid-Autumn festival. Here is what Wikipedia says:
"Mooncakes are Chinese pastries traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; moon cakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival, one of the three most important Chinese festivals.
Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2-3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are rich, heavy, and dense compared with most Western cakes and pastries. They are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea.
Most mooncakes consist of a thin tender skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling. The mooncake may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in its center to symbolize the full moon. Very rarely, mooncakes are also served steamed or fried.
Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony" as well as the name of the bakery and the filling in the moon cake. Imprints of the moon, the Chang'e woman on the moon, flowers, vines, or a rabbit (symbol of the moon) may surround the characters for additional decoration.
Mooncakes are considered a delicacy; production is labor-intensive and few people make them at home. Most mooncakes are bought at Asian markets and bakeries. The price of mooncakes usually ranges from $10 to $50 (in US dollars) for a box of four although cheaper and more expensive mooncakes can also be found."
We didn't buy a mooncake, but they sure looked tasty.
No clue what all those dried things are in the bins! Well, I can identify a dried lizard when I see one, but I have not clue WHY they are for sale, two to a stick..
Our last night, after doing a final packing, we go on a hunt for the famous Richmond Chinese Night Market. It's cold after the sun sets, and we both wear our polar fleece jackets. After a couple of false turns, we find lots of cars, and parking lots with signs advertising parking for a fee. We luckily find a free place on the street, and follow the sparse crowd. Tonight is the last market for the year.
No admission, it's like a county fair, without the rides. We cruise through the food booths, the usual fried food, but it's all written in Chinese. Thank goodness we can see what they are cooking, and can point! We take turns ordering food, sharing, sort of like a walking dim sum. The green papaya salad is good, but Rim Wang (in Wilmington) is better. The biggest surprise is the fried ice cream. Who says the south has everything? We also finally learn about Bubble Tea, a local drink advertised everywhere. It's gross: milk (I think, it's white); impossibly colored green things, sort of like a jelly bean; ice; red beans (yes, beans) and probably sugar. YUCK! You drink it with a very large straw.
Time to go, we travel home early tomorrow. It's been a wonderful trip!
