Fortunately a couple of days before we flew to Hong Kong, I bought some Stegmann slip-on 
shoes. I knew the minute I put them on that I’d made a good choice. They were extremely comfortable and light, didn’t need breaking in and the punched leather uppers gave good ventilation. We walked a lot during our holiday and these shoes were seldom off my feet. I was glad I’d taken them rather than my trainers.
After our stroll round the food market in Kowloon our guide Jackie led us to the Mongkok markets. Our first stop was in Flower Market Road where there were at least 50 different flower stalls selling fresh flowers, pot plants, seedlings, shrubs and garden plants.
The place was a riot of colour, both blooms and foliage. Delicate rose buds were individually encased in little stretch net hoods so they didn’t open too soon and there were some gorgeous flower arrangements and posies waiting to make someone’s day.
Nearby we visited Yuen Po Street, famous for its bird garden. Locals gather in the courtyards with their songbirds and there are quite a number of stalls selling colourful birds, cages, bird food, feeders and other accessories. It was very relaxing strolling along with other Sunday amblers, admiring the flowers and birds, enjoying the heat and not missing Melbourne’s 10C temperatures one bit.
