25th & 26th March 2023 Step into bustling Gallowgate and be transported to a traditional Hong Kong style street market. Can the Greggs and and get ready to treat your taste buds to authentic street food that will take you on a culinary adventure, but be prepared to wait. Experience the creativity and beauty of traditional and modern arts and crafts as you wander through the hand-selected group of stalls. And for those who seek natural remedies, indulge in the secrets of Chinese medicine.
For the best experience, I arrived very early and headed straight to the food vendors. This body was not built on fussiness and when I'm not out taking photos, I'm planning my next meal. Cantonese or Hong-Kong inspired food is not a cuisine I sample a lot out with my local favourite (what's up Tatsu in Irvine?) so I was keen to see what the vendors had to offer. As the queue grew, so did the body count in the transformed London Street market. The aroma of delicious curried fish, Hong Kong haggis and much more was wafting its way through the crowd and we were all desperate to be next in line.
Once I bagged a snack, I headed out to the street-art adorned east-end corner. The market boasted a vibrant selection of entertainment for the day and I was settling in for my first instalment, Southern Fist Kung Fu. Lucky patrons were treated to a short, but fiery display of power, grace & discipline by a young Martial Arts student. I didn't catch his name, but he really shined with his striking purple attire against the dreary Glasgow clouds, marvelling us with a mixture of fast paced roundhouse kicks and intentional sword swings.
Among the entertainment on Saturday was a solo rendition of Cantonese Opera, street games and HK Piper & drummer.
Take it from me, when this market returns, leave your bulky backpacks at home and take out some cash. The charm of any market is a haggle, and you can't do that with chip & pin. If you plan on bringing the little ones, please be wary that as the day grew older, the venue got very, very crowded. In some places, it was wall to wall humans. I can imagine that it would be extremely stressful to navigate when you're looking after someone who is 2ft tall.
It's clear that the organisers put a lot of effort and thought into creating this market.
The mixture of Hong Kong & Glasgow aesthetics was a fine-tuned visual delight, the backdrop of the Barras and the lights and banners mimicking a busy side street of Hong Kong was really fun to be in.
Like everything though, it's wasn't perfect. If (but it feels more so like a matter of when) it returns, and you find you have some free time, it's definitely worth checking out! Come out with the idea of exploring the Barras and see the HK Market as a bonus. As some people have mentioned in the event's social media comments, if you're coming from far away or have very high expectations, you run the risk of being disappointed. As a half glass full (most of the time) person, I keep an open mind going in to uncharted territory. It's truly impossible to deny the effort that went in to this weekend. Despite the cries of "over promoted and undelivered" I have to give credit to whoever promoted the market, from poster design to day itself - they did an amazing job, it was packed, it was interesting and it was new. I, for one would like to see it as a semi-regular event.
Once you've said "拜拜" to the HK Market, be sure to explore all the nooks and crannies the Barras has to offer. Barras Market is open throughout the year, with several seasoned traders who have been a part of the market for several decades. So feel free to explore at your leisure, exchange greetings with the trader and relish in the renowned Barras banter. Just be careful not to accidentally wander into the old-school porno aisle like I did (I mean, unless that's yer hing) but let's just say, I made a hasty retreat!
It's been a solid two decades since my last visit to the Barras, and I can now appreciate its unique charm.
Until next time,
Victoria
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