Farmers Trading Market, Yangshuo 01-2010

*Warning: there is a photo of a dog stall. I've put the photo right at the end if you do not want to see it.*

The rural markets of China were always going to be interesting places. I had read you can buy everything there, from live or butchered animals, vegetables and all sorts of ready to eat things. Upon walking through the entrance, there is a big sign hanging up written in English advertising a dog restaurant upstairs. Each to their own.

Aside from the market staples of vegetables, fruit and meats, there is the added smell and noises of live animals in cages that isn't particularly different from many other poorer countries' markets. Also not unusual for some parts of Asia (I've only seen it here, but I know Vietnam has it also) is the dog stalls. Seeing live dogs in cages and eventually being hoisted up on hooks isn't the nicest. Welcome to the third world.

On happier news, there's nice food to be eaten too. Moon cakes and miscellaneous other sweets I didn't recognise, morning fresh mantou bread and a black sesame type hot thick liquid for the cold. I settled eventually in a local restaurant serving Li River snails with a claypot of rice.