DB Handmade fair

The sun was out and the temperature was just nice for a fair: Handmade Hong Kong at Discovery Bay. 

I must say that, despite it being called "handmade", most of the items were pretty high quality – not surprisingly, some of the vendors also sell in mainstream shops such as Dymocks.

I coveted these bean bags so much, especially seeing as you can personalise your covers, but our flat is way too small for one.

Aren't these earrings lovely? At HK$20, they make wonderful presents for nieces!

Frilly beanbags... can they get any cuter?

The piazza was packed because they were also having an Action Asia Triathlon.

Flea marketing at DBay

The washing machine is working overtime again – because of all the great buys I got from the Discovery Bay flea market.

It was our first outing in a long time since our bout of the winter sniffles. But how could I miss this?

Buffalo Wilbur noted that even if I were bedridden, I'd command a wheelchair and still make my way there.

The PALS corner, along with the other charity stalls, are my still my favourites. They always have the most eclectic mix of stuff.

Here are some of my spoils for the day. Good stuff, I tell you.

For those who missed this one, the next is on April 15.

Booth booty

Don't you think these booths are perfect for the Mui Wo ferry pier?

Not only will they add some life to the place, they will also help small entrepreneurs get a start.

Best of all, the police don't have to resort to this to keep illegal bike parkers at bay:

How effective is this?

The one-way street beside Mui Wo Centre was surprisingly empty on a public holiday. Effective policing or just effective letter-writing to the SCMP?

I wonder how long before the cars return.

Wouldn't an easy solution be to pedestrianise the area, paving it with interlocking bricks and some bedding plants and setting up stalls along the way?

It would do away with the need to police the area, give small stallholders a chance to operate at lower cost and add to the vibrancy of the town.

Stall-warts

We don't need to go to the supermarket to get fresh produce.

At the pier, there are always two regulars – I call them the Vegetable Lady and the Banana Uncle because I can't communicate more than "How much?" to either of them.

And sometimes, when the weather's good and the tourists spill out from the ferries, there is also Vegetable Lady 2.0, who sets up her stall outside the McDonald's.

Her vegetables are always so fresh that they catch the eye of many home cooks.

When I was there buying her beetroots (HK$13 a catty in case you're wondering), a couple stopped by and got some too.

Because I brought her luck, and translated for her, she gave me two stalks of spring onions. I'll definitely be back!

Mui Wo carnival

The last time I read about a Mui Wo Carnival, I turned up at the square to find no one there, not even a village cat. So I am quite sceptical about this one.

But then again, the banner is all over the place so maybe the rural committee may make good their promise.

See you there then, on January 23 at the Mui Wo Square. They have promised village food stalls and a Butterfly Hill run. I'm just going to find out what a silver cave model looks like.

Mui Wo fun day

I was Googling Mui Wo, as you do, and came across this event in the government website :

繽紛梅窩日2010
Date: 5/12/2010
9:00-16:00

Detail : 活動詳情：

攤位遊戲、傳統食品攤位、舞台表演

主 辦／協辦：

梅窩鄉事委員會

查詢：

梅窩鄉事委員會

張 女士

2984 8473

As I don't read Chinese, I put the text into the trusty Google Translator and this is what it says:

Mui Wo Fun Day 2010
Date: 5/12/2010
9:00-16:00

Event details:
Games, traditional food stalls, stage performances

Organizer / Sponsor:
Mui Wo Rural Committee

Query:
Mui Wo Rural Committee
2984-8473

The venue, according to the Translator, is Mui Wo Square, Mui Wo, Lantau.

I have no idea where the square is but when I find out, I will let you know.

Edit: Aha, I have found out. The Square is that concrete wasteland adjacent to the wet market. Thank you, Web2.0 Test Runs!