Focus on the good things, and you'll see the beauty

For the past 20 years or so, my perception of the Sunday Market or normally called as Pasar Satok or Pasar Minggu is that it is a very chaotic place, unpleasant, smelly, overcrowded, disorganized, dirty place.

It changed a few days ago (thanks to Asian Urbanism subject that made me go and research on Kuching.)

This is how Pasar Satok looks like. Hawkers would just layout their goods on canvas or table, sit under a shed and wait for customers. Some would yell.


Sometimes, you'd get to see this. Hawkers would set up canvas canopies to filter sunlight. It makes you feel comfortable to buy things, without the direct heat from sunlight.

When it rains, the canvas canopy would harness rainwater. When it gets too heavy, people would just tilt one side of the canopy to get rid of the water. Simple. Sustainable.


There is a very organized system that needed to be pointed out. There are different areas for meat and poultry, vegetables, fruits, souvenirs, and even flowers. I used to hate going to the wet areas (meat, fish, etc) because you'd get all smelly after spending like 5 minutes there. And I would have to use shoes to keep my foot dry. I prefer the fruit section. If you are in good relationship with the hawker, you'll often get to try some fruits for free. Plus, it smells nicer there.

And just look at the way they arrange their product. Its all neat and clearly labeled. Thumbs up!

This is the best part. A google map image actually shows how Pasar Satok looks like. Its really quite amazing. These hawkers would just sprawl everywhere. Refer to the area in red. Every single laneway is occupied with stalls. And I thought occupied laneways are just unique to Melbourne.


Same thing goes to the car park space. It extends up to neighbouring blocks. There this idea of extending the boundary of a space beyond the visible boundary, which kind of blurrs the distinction between whats a market area and whats not.

This is happening only on Sundays. It is almost like a chipsmore thing; now you see it, later you don't.

If I was asked to redesign the market, I'd probably won't change a thing. I like it the way it is.
Oh, a wider laneway would be better I reckon. Its really not comfortable to squeeze yourself in the crowd.