I miss Target, Walmart and Walgreens

Jim-Minh wrote:

What does "wet market" mean?

Clearly the phrase isn't in American English, but it's firmly in British English. A wet market sells fresh meat and seafood products, often with fruit and veg, but not always.
It's 'wet' because of the melting ice used to pack seafood and constant washing of the stalls and floor in order to keep them clean.

This interesting and informative post was brought to you by Fred's amazing information incorporated, and anyone reading this should send me a cheque for $10.

Wet market sells fresh meat, fish, poultry (as well as other offerings.)  Dry market is similar to our Farmers Market or flea market or street markets everywhere, with clothing, fruits, flowers, cheese, etc. without meat, poultry, fish.

Simultaneous posts: Fred types faster than I, and he's also greedier.  I'll only charge half of his price while open for negotiations.  Anything to make a buck including undercut the competition.

THIGV wrote:

I think the term is used to distinguish wet markets from western style grocery stores but also from dry goods markets that sell things like shoes and textiles.  Fresh unpackaged meats and fish are sold in these markets, often on reed mats, and the floors need to be washed daily as a result.  The wet market may be only a portion of a larger market like Ben Thanh.

Thanks, Thigv. So just because it has a roof does not mean it is not a wet market (as opposed to a sidewalk market).

If you are in a large roofed market and there is a half step down, that may be another indicator that you are entering the wet market area.  Of course you wouldn't want the wash water coming into the area where you buy clothing.

Fred wrote:

Jim-Minh wrote:

What does "wet market" mean?

Clearly the phrase isn't in American English, but it's firmly in British English. A wet market sells fresh meat and seafood products, often with fruit and veg, but not always.
It's 'wet' because of the melting ice used to pack seafood and constant washing of the stalls and floor in order to keep them clean.

This interesting and informative post was brought to you by Fred's amazing information incorporated, and anyone reading this should send me a cheque for $10.

I've just sent you a cheque from my Nigerian bank account. The cheque is in the name of Thomas Wheelbarrow 15th, Crown Prince of Nigeria.

Could you please forward 50 usd to my account to allow my deposit to be cleared.

You should have been in 2004, a mere 15 years ago. Most of Sai Gon was dark by 10 pm and the majority still carried Nokias and patronised internet shops. Shopping for anything slightly unusual was virtually hopeless. There were a couple of local supermarkets (actually still there) and Zen Plaza had a few imported goodies in the basement.

To be honest, i only lasted 6 months before heading back to Bangkok. Upon returning in 2007, things were beginning to develop significantly.

I imagine there are a few posters here that came even earlier than that?