Open-air markets in Asia -- original B&W photos from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Korea -- SteemitPhotoChallenge Entry

Growing up in L.A., my family's kitchen was always replenished at the supermarket. Traveling to Asia, I absolutely fell in love with the HUGE open-air markets and bazaars where vendors would come to sell their vegetables, fruits, meats, prepared foods, and other goods. The incredible smells wafting through the air, changing at every stall... which also includes the occasional burst of an overpowering fishy aroma. People buzzing about with a focused energy, haggling for a deal or merely catching up on the latest news and gossip since they last popped in for produce.

Travelers (like myself) undoubtedly make up part of the clientele, but make no mistake: these markets survive because of repeat business from people who live nearby... because unless you're growing and raising your own food, you can't get much more local than these markets!

[EDIT:] This week's photo challenge specifically requested black-and-white photos, but I've also posted the original COLOR versions of these pics if you'd like to see them!

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Above you'll see a row of bulk spice & dried goods vendors inside the Bogyoke Aung San Market (ဗိုလ်ချုပ်အောင်ဆန်းဈေး) in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). This area is especially known for its flavorful chile powders and medicinal turmeric.

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Outside of the market, vendors walked the streets selling their wares, including this gentleman who carries two large baskets of bananas across his shoulders.

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This photo is from Hanoi, Vietnam. A vendor sits longingly by her scale as a woman sorts through fresh limes, all while another wave of motorbikes passes by her stand.

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This is from the Jagalchi Market (자갈치시장) in Busan, South Korea. I know that only three entries are allowed for the photo challenge, so I'm NOT entering this last photo in the contest. I just wanted to share it because it's an impressive place -- it's the largest fish market in Korea! -- and I highly recommend it to anyone who gets to visit the area! :)

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Big thanks as always to @jamtaylor and @berniesanders for making the #SteemitPhotoChallenge happen! And thanks to @violino for the awesome theme suggestion this week: "The Soul of the City."

All photos taken with my old iPhone! The shots from my Canon are nowhere to be found when I need them of course lol