That first morning in Auckland, New Zealand, my friend and her family took us to the Farmer’s Market at Parnell…
They call it the French Market as it is supposed to have a French theme.
Strawberries were in season so we saw lots of those and they were pretty cheap too…
I think these were organic breads…
See if you can identify which one I think looked like a character in Sesame Street. LOL!!! (Oops!!! According to my friend’s hubby, they’re dog biscuits. Vitamin sticks! Hmmmm…whoever said, “It’s a dog’s life,” is sadly mistaken!)
This one sold freshly-made gourmet sausages…
…with all kinds of names that I had never heard of before. One could help oneself to the samples – I certainly loved that! Wink! Wink!
The lady here was selling whoopie pies and whoopie pops…
…but I was saving tummy space for brunch so I did not get any to try.
At another stall, one could easily see that they were all gearing up for Christmas…
Everything looked so pretty!
More sausages, anyone?
These were smoked and cured chorizos and the like, if I’m not mistaken.
Now, this man was definitely not French – he was Italian and he made these stuffed pastas…
…for sale at the market.
There was a stall selling fresh raw oysters but of course, I would not touch them with a ten-foot pole. If you’re one of those oyster-lovers, remind me to tell you my “looks terrible, smells terrible, feels wonderful” story when we get to meet. I’m afraid I cannot share it here as it is not very suitable for general consumption. Rancangan ini sesuai bagi semua lapisan masyarakat! LOL!!! 😀
I did buy these oyster fritters though…
…at NZ$10 for three. My daughter loved them but not me. They were not like the fried oyster fritters that I used to buy at The Fish Shop, a New Zealand franchise that had outlets in Malaysia at one time, and loved a lot. The batter came across to me like some kind of pancake and the oysters were pretty much uncooked – raw! I just tried a bit and that was it. Give me our or chain (oyster omelete) anytime! Hehehehehe!!!!
There was a pâtisserie in the adjoining building…
I did not buy or try anything there either.
Well, what I enjoyed most here was the very nice songs rendered by this busker at the market…
…so much so that I found some place to sit and listen to him sing. Actually, I thought he looked like Willie Nelson and sounded like him too. He sang some of my favourite Christmas songs like “The Christmas Song” and “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” so beautifully that I was wishing I could get up and dance but unfortunately, my missus and everybody else were pre-occupied somewhere in the market, totally engrossed in looking at the things that they were selling.
All too soon, we had to adjourn some place else for brunch so I had to no choice but to get up and leave. I walked out of the place, crooning along to the lovely singing in the distance…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
ah… nice… always like to go and see what the locals offer.. just like sibu and its pig’s head… hahaha… so, when is your next trip there…?
No plans at the moment. Just came back…shy lah, go again so soon, impose on people only…
Arthur,
Punch your mouth seven times!!!!!!!
I know! I know! Sure you would love to have us there and sure I would love to go again. Uploading some of the photos right now and gee, I think we did more in those 6-7 days than anyone ever would in a 14-day guided tour, thanks to you all. First chance I get, you’ll find me knocking on your door once again… 😉
Those fruit and food sure looks tempting. *drool*
Everything looked so nice…but we were saving tummy space for brunch – so mostly look see only…
Why our pasar malam / pagi looks so muchy different T-T
To each his own… I don’t mind ours actually…just that I don’t fancy walking around in the heat so I hardly ever go.
oooh, this is an interesting market!! so many nice food there that i wanna try.. hmmm, that could probably be an excellent session of market street buffet huh?? hehehe~~ :p
Ya…eat all the samples you want, el cheapo you! LOL!!! You get that at the supermarkets here too…on certain days. You still have that in KL? I used to go to the one at SOGO in the mid-80’s – so many things to sample, every aisle – a complete meal in itself. LOL!!! 😀
Sorry to say but the organic breads are in fact dog biscuits and other doggie treats. Our dogs very posh over here you know”
Oops!!! Muahahahahaha!!!! I wish I could swap places with yours – treated like royalty. 🙂
Wonder what would be your reaction after you bought a few of those vitamin sticks and nom nom nom all the way and finally get to meet up with the rest of the gang until Simon says…haha.
LOL!!! That would be hilarious! Good thin I’m never into organic bread and stuff so not likely I would buy that and eat. Phewwww!!!!! 😉
Hahaha!!!…that’s a good questions from Bananaz.
His imagination, memang hyperactive one! LOL!!! 😀
I love farmer’s markets! This one looks awesome. I particularly like all the home made goodies.
I certainly enjoyed the visit…very much. very different, very interesting.
I could spend the whole day at that farmer’s market. So many nice things and lots of food to look at. And those sausages are what I would go for 🙂
Yes, I would love to go again next time I visit Auckland…and next time around, I would want to eat some of the stuff that they sell there, never mind that they may not be the best around. Just grab something and sit by the side and eat…or go to that little cafe behind the busker. An experience that we can’t get anywhere here…
I certainly would love to spend my time at the farmer’s market to see see look look at all the nice things and the entertainment at the street. Even the dog biscuits looks cute. The oyster fritters look too oily though.
Personally, I would not encourage anybody to have those but Melissa enjoyed them very much. To each his own, I guess – one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
ahhh..something like a pasar malam or pasar pagi… nice!! Can shop shop there.. hahaha… but knowing you, shopping is not for you.. but music is certainly in your ears… yes, he indeed looks like Willie Nelson, with the beard and the shirt… 🙂
Yup, shopping’s more for the ladies – Shereen enjoyed bringing my missus to all the kitchen shops and all…and they loved browsing around, I’m not really into that…but I did see some nice stuff here and there. Maybe I will blog about that sometime…
Do!! Let me know what nice stuff… I am a lady ma.. hahaha…
Akan datang… 😉
Love traipsing round farmers markets when I was studying in Australia… Lots to see and absorb! And I surely miss the sight of those readily available huge strawberries 🙂
Yes, I really enjoyed the trip to the market – something different from what we have here. The strawberries here are smaller compared to those at the farms – huge ones – the smaller ones, I think they sold cheaply for jam or something.
their items seems so vibrantly fresh,
i mean with just the color you’ll know its quality was great
Yes, everything looked so good…
but my eyes ere drooling for those pastries and chocolates
it all looks perfectly done
Hmmm…you’ve a sweet tooth eh? I’m more into salty, savoury stuff…
Next time you come, we’ll hit all the nice and high class farmer’s markets. The rest if really we got nothing to do, then only would I bring you to those and you will be surprised the vast difference between them. Personally, Farmer’s markets are a little bit pompous and not necessarily selling cheap produce whereas the ‘ working men’s ‘ markets are more down to earth with produce reasonably priced, direct from the grower and equally fresh. Most produce grown here is almost as good as organic as very few farmers use chemicals and pesticides.This is because chemicals and pesticides are very expensive unlike back home.
…and I guess they’re very strict about the use of those things there, not like here. Anything goes, just for the money… 😦 I really enjoyed myself at this one though – very different from what we have here, very interesting indeed.
Mmm…I love the organic bread!
I agree, everything looks so pretty…including the lady. Haha! 😉
Lady? Where? LOL!!! Those were bread for dogs, according to my friend. They certainly looked good enough for humans, don’t you think? They certainly have a very good life these days… 😀
I love the farmers market there. Clean, colorful and pleasant.
…and lovely weather to stick around in the open too!!! 🙂
Interesting place with a local touch. Vitamin sticks for dogs? Wow, canggih huh 😛
These days, looks like it is better to be a dog… 😦
This is the place I was looking forward to read…I keep thinking will Shereen bring you to any pasar pagi or perhaps pasar malam..ahahhaha.
Always love to visit local market seeing them selling fresh food and all sorts of food just like the organic bread.
Those are for dogs!!! They really look so nice, fit for human consumption. So lucky to be a dog there – not in Asia – may end up becoming somebody’s dinner. Hehehehehe!!!!
Nice set of street photography. I specially like the first pic. Those summertime markets are so nice, I like em´ a lot.
Yes, I had a great time there, so very different from the ones we have in Malaysia. It was a wonderful experience!
P>S. Thanks for dropping by and for commenting. Cheers!!!
I just love markets! Lots of lovely fresh food to enjoy.
Me too, especially the ones overseas. So different from the ones here, so interesting. I could spend the whole morning there!
I’ve heard that the market there is something to behold.
I’m happy you chose to share your link at ‘My Corner of the World’ this week!
Yes, I loved every minute of it! Wouldn’t mind hanging around there the whole morning but my friends had other plans – I was in Auckland for a week only. Had the best time of my life there!!!