She crossed from France to Hong Kong for her true love, stepped into an unknown world with……amazing wet markets, the pace of life, a funny title “lou-po”(wife). This is a journey of a French young woman turning into a Honghonger. From the bizarre wet market to colourful decorations for local festivities, Christine invites you to enjoy her daily adventures in a Chinese society which she calls home.

Contrary to the general impression that wet markets are smelly, dirty, and slippery, Christine finds that they are actually fun places to walk around and shop. As a French lady, Christine’s learning experience has not been without disappointments, such as being overcharged, given old veggies or pushed to buy more. Nonetheless, in Hong Kong, most sellers are generally very kind. Like in France, vendors remember the preferences of their regular clients. _e kindness of many sellers help her overcome the fear of speaking Cantonese. They even take time to explain to her how to cook this and that. It is the warm atmosphere that she loves most. Christine finds it exciting to discover lots of new foodstuffs such as Chinese yam. She even discovers ingredients, such as lye water, a kind of alkaline solution that is not used in Western countries. Last but not least, this book helps us understand the real French lifestyle which often sounds so “elegant” and sometimes “mysterious” to most people, who are curious to know the answers to the following questions: Do French eat foie gras and escargots every day? Do they always have meals that last for ages? Do all French people have a wine cellar full of good bottles? … and a lot more. Be it foreigners or Chinese people, everybody can explore the wet markets and learn to appreciate their atmosphere and benefits. Using the English-Cantonese vocabulary list and the guide about market specificities, start your own journey right now!

An unusual book of quirky essays, some deeply personal. Xu Xi writes from within, of Hong Kong's vanishing culture and sensibility as it transforms itself into a space that is 21st Century China. She zooms in on her own life in the city: on family, friends and a professional history as both business executive and author, on moments that offer wry observations of the shifting world around her. She casts her eye on films, pop stars, public transportation, and muses on the political, without losing sight of the distinctly apolitical culture that evolved through a history as the former British colony and Chinese "Special Administrative Region" after the 1997 "handover."

The biographical essays in this book - first published in 1962 -- give a sharp and fascinating picture of some of the Europeans who helped establish the colony of Hong Kong and lived through its early years.