For the past many years, I hadn't been to this bazaar because I was away from Kuching. By the time I came back, the bazaar would usually be over already. I remember visiting the CNY Bazaar in Miri last year though.
This year, the man and I actually anticipated going to the CNY Bazaar @ Kenyalang Park. We went there at about 8.30 p.m., parking the car at a distant and then walking to the commercial centre which was brightly lit.
Stalls were everywhere! And I thought they were arranged in a very haphazard and disorganised manner ... making it not very systematic to navigate. There wasn't a clear path, and sometimes I did not even know which side the vendor was facing. The shopping crowd was there though .... and all were being invited to taste the goodies on sale before buying. Competition was sure stiff!
Thee things on sale were pretty extensive too ... ranging from ....
Colourful and pretty CNY blooms ...
Elegant orchids
3D greeting cards ... this was a carousel!
But most of the stalls sold cookies, cakes, preserved fruits, bbq sweet meats, dried cuttlefish and nuts and so on. Most of the vendors let you try their wares before you decide to buy them or not ...
Preserved fruits
This particular shop was overcrowded with customers ... and I could not even squeeze into the front line where the tidbits were .....
The man had a colleague's son selling homemade festive cookies at one of the stalls. When he saw the man, he greeted him out of courtesy (though the man did not recognise the young lad .... tsk ... tsk ... tsk).
We spent some time at the stall, where the enterprising lad offered us tome testers. I found the cookies all very yummy :))
An array of homemade cookies, price range from RM26 onwards .....
I'd urge everyone to visit the traditional bazaar ..... have a jostle with the crowd as you make your way from stall to stall .... sample what the vendors have to offer ... soak in the din and the festive atmosphere ..... I think that's all part of the fun of visiting a bazaar. :))
Do you happen to know of any other CNY bazaars in Kuching?
ReplyDeleteNo I don't. The malls have a few, but those aren't really the same as the traditional ones. I see many people along the shops at Padungan ... and also at Hon Yan at Ellis Road. I'd not been there yet!
ReplyDeleteI guess the crowd at Padungan might be looking for those Bak Kwa, as there are quite a few shops selling those there. Oh yeah, Hon Yan would be more famous for those tidbits from China I believe, usually there will be containers inside the premises storing all their food items. It could be that it's cheaper and has more variety hence the attraction.
ReplyDeleteHave you been shopping at Padungan or Hon Yan this year? I might be interested to go in the next 2 days. :))
ReplyDeleteI wanted to go there, but I don't really like crowded place. Huhuhu
ReplyDeleteHaha .... I think the crowd is part of the fun. I was there at Kenyalang again last night and I think that there are even more stalls now compared to a few days ago. There were many more things on sale too, such as ornamental baby pumpkins, fresh and plastic flowers, more food! The crowd got bigger too!! Lol. It's all very festive, and worth a visit. :))
ReplyDeleteI went to Hon Yan yesterday and I found that they too have a variety of imported and local goodies .... there's a self-service section selling preserved fruits and tidbits; I liked that because you could scoop the amount you wanted to buy and then just hand it over to be weighed. There were waxed meats, dried cooking ingredients; cookies, vegetables, oranges ... and lots more! I think it's really worth a visit if you haven't been there yet ...
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