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Goldfish Diary
2003/5
Goldfish
World: Tung Choi Street - Haven for the Goldfish Fanatics
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In this issue, we take you to
the Tung Choi Street to see the renown goldfish market of Hong
Kong.
The
most important thing for the goldfish fancier when visiting
Hong Kong is
how to get to the goldfish market at Tung Choi Street (Kowloon,
Mongkok). Get hold of a good map and put up at a hotel along
Nathan Road, the main shopping district, and you are off to a
good start! The goldfish market is close to the Mongkok MTR
(Mass Transit Rapid) station and is very easy to navigate on
foot. It is best to visit
the Goldfish Market from 2 p.m. onwards, when most aquariums
will be opened and the crowds start to pack in.
Reputed to be
one of the most populous cities in the world, Mongkok is a scene
packed with age-old shop houses which exude nostalgic memories
of the 1950s. It is in the streets of Mongkok that one really
starts to appreciate the import of the word “crowded”. Though
the locality map may look simple, there is nothing easier than
getting lost in the hurly-burly of Mongkok. If you are traveling
by MTR, alight at the Prince Edward station and take exit B2. Tung
Choi Street is just diagonally across the road. Alternatively,
if your hotel is situated along Nathan Road, take a slow walk to
Tung Choi Street and take in the hustle and bustle of the
streets. |
Busy Tung Choi
Street |
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Bird
street bird talk |
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Flower
Street |
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Ladies'
Street |
Typical
LFS |
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Mongkok is a
very unique place – vendors of the same trade congregate
and compete in the same street to provide the shoppers
with a “one-stop” place to bargain and compare prices.
Near Tung Choi Street, along Yuen Po Road, an
entire stretch of street, aptly named ‘Bird Street’, is
devoted to traders of songbirds and their accessories.
Nearby is Flower Street, which unsurprisingly, is
devoted to just flowers and plants.
Ladies Street, which is perhaps the most suggestively
named, is located just across from Tung Choi Street and
open for business from noon to about 10:30 pm. The
street is devoted to selling bargain items and
attractively priced ladies’ effects such as jewelries,
clothing, cosmetics and handbags. As you might expect,
in the adjacent Men’s Street traders hawk bargain ‘men’s
stuff’. All in all, Mongkok’s unparalleled shopping
diversity is a welcome reassurance that one’s traveling
companions will be kept happily occupied whilst one
tours the goldfish market in peace.
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The
goldfish market itself consists of more than 40 aquarium
shops, which line both sides of Tung Choi Street. In
Hong Kong, the goldfish is the most popular pet fish and
aquarium shops tend to either specialize in goldfish or
at least have a few tanks of goldfish to attract
customers.
When
walking Tung Choi Street it is an absolute must to
behold the varieties and quantities of goods and
accessories in the aquarium shops. Be impressed by the
creativity of shop owners in making full use of their
limited space to display their wares “Mongkok style”,
where everything is crowded, from arrays of plastic bags
packed with small tropical fishes to the large goldfish
in the tanks. The eye-catching displays make it
difficult for even the most casual window-shopper to go
home empty handed.
With
the insatiable demand for goldfish, there are new shipments
every week and the various shops schedule their new arrivals
for different days of the week. So never expect the stocks
of goldfish at the market to remain the same for any length
of time. With some luck, you will have an opportunity to
experience first hand the euphoria of the local goldfish
hobbyists competing for the choicest picks of the new
shipments.
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Eye
full of 6 inches Chinese Ranchus |
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The
ultimate goldfish LFS |
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The
aquarium shops specializing in goldfish are well stocked
with large brightly coloured goldfish. The serious
enthusiast will be spoilt of choice and
got confused by the sheer numbers of goldfish
simultaneously flaunting themselves to passers-by. “This one
is nice. No wait…THAT one looks awesome! Why do they ALL
look so beautiful??? Arrghh…forget the budget, I’m getting
the whole tank!!!”
As
night falls, the bazaar grows even busier and impossible as
it seems, there are even more multi-coloured goods adorning
the street sides. The streets of Mongkok are even more
vibrant and crowded by night than by day. The aroma of food
emanating from the roadside stalls reminds the engrossed
shopper that it is time for dinner. Be adventurous and
indulge in local delicacies and hot snacks found only in
Hong Kong. Again, be mesmerized by the sights of the foods
displayed, “Mongkok style”. By the end of your visit, you
should have agreed that the word “crowded” is synonymous
with the market culture of Mongkok. |
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A rare brown
ranchu |
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Local
delicacies |
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