Bird and Flower Market

We visited Kunming's Flower and Bird Market today. Just a couple stops from Jean's house. Asia has so many markets - night markets with food, Beijing's pearl market, antique flea markets, the weekend market in Bangkok, the market in Hong Kong's Kowloon with all the animals. I expected a giant tent with lots of little stalls. Instead, it reminded me of Taiwan, cleaner than most of China, way more expensive than you'd think, and some shops that were museum quality. 

They had crazy plants like this pitcher plant:

We did see lots of animals, which kept the kids entranced, including colored frogs:

lots of live baby mice:

which in turn were fed to live baby alligators and snakes. 

The place was filled with artists of all sorts, especially those in the gem and jade trade. Lots of rocks that were polished and carved into all kinds of jewelry. A more unique artist was making candy with syrup:

After the candy dries, he slides it off and sticks it to a stick so the consumer can hold it like a lollipop.

Leo loved some of the big wooden carvings:

We could not afford much there. A few trinkets here and there but the really cool stuff was very expensive. Like the alligator foot purse which had the actual claw of an alligator foot and was made of alligator skin - asking price was about $800. Leo bought a little pottery guy that you fill with water and he pees. I guess the days of cheap Asian gifts are over.