A carnival for foodies

A market in Yunnan offers an array of treats ranging from the province's famed mushrooms, to creepy snake fruits and rice crisps. Mike Peters writes.

On many holidays, I've found myself sitting with women who were chatting eagerly about shopping. In Yunnan province, however, the shopping can take on a nursery-rhyme quality. My friends are going to market to buy a fat pig.

The region is famous for its pork, and visitors who are in the food industry often plan a side trip to Xuanwei town in Qujing prefecture, a day trip from Kunming or Dali. There, Yunnan's most famous butchers await.