A trip to the Market 去一趟市场

Once you move out of Qingdao's busy city centre, nestled near every residential development is a market. The floor is often nothing more than bare dirt and the stall holders lazily wave flies off their wares. Other stands spring up by the roadside, changing from day to day.

Passing rows fruit and vegetable sellers, the sound of crowing cockerels steadily increase into a cacophony. At the back of my local market are the poultry stalls, selling various kinds of chickens, ducks, geese and the occasional goat.

Far more interesting, and disturbing, is the seafood and fish section. Trays of clams spurt water onto passersby, the glazed eyes of dead fish stare blankly upward, crabs lie bound, or upside down with their legs jerking in the air. And then you spot strange flesh coloured leeches and wonder how that could ever be made into something appetising.

A trip past the meat stalls makes me glad I'm a vegetarian. Yes, that is a whole cow's leg in the photo, hoof and all. According to a teacher, nowadays most Chinese shoppers prefer to buy their meat from supermarkets.

I mainly use the market for fruit and vegetable shopping, but when I do go, I find it's still fun to wonder around before shopping, especially to compare prices. Woe betide if you ask “多少钱？” (duo shao qian). No, you learn the name of the fruit/vegetable you want, say it as confidently as you can and ask “怎么买？” (zenme mai).  The vendor spends the briefest of moments to look you up and down. In that split second they know that you are foreign, and therefore a less hardy haggler than the usual customer. They will quote you a number, the price per half kilogram (斤) of desired item. I've seen locals pick up fruit, sample it, complain and demand a lower price. I lack the mettle and language skills to tackle a Chinese stall holder in this way, I content myself with getting a few 毛 off here and there.