Buddha's Day aka delicious things in greasy paper bags.

My slumber last Friday night was restless, fitful, anxious. Was it because of my impending exams and the millions of assignments (two) I had due in the coming days? Perhaps because my bank account is in double digits a week from pay day? Nope, neither of those, nor any other issue that keeps me awake at night (who will win America's Next Top Model? Will there ever be a vegan meringue? Is that an alien radar flashing in my room or just my phone recharging?).

I was worried that it would rain on Buddha Day. And when I finally awoke, my nightmare had come to life. It was absolutely pissing down! I stayed in bed a bit longer, thinking it would stop, but it was not to be. So! Clothes, mittens, hoodie, non-waterproof sneakers (fail) and one missed train later, we arrived at the Buddha's Day festivities and pretty much had the whole place to ourselves!

They should really rename the event "Greasy, delicious things in paper bags", but you know, maybe not.

First up, I strolled the concourse, making my decisions, in the end deciding I simply must sample one thing from every stall. So, I did.

Presenting.....drrrrrrrrum(roll)sticks!!!

Layers of gluten wrapped around a little stick and deep fried until crisp, genius!

Next? According to my photos (yes this did happen many weeks ago, I apologise for my lack of catching you up!) it was turnip cakes. Or radish cakes? White, firm vegetable cakes.

Mmmm, so delicious in their gelatinous (but with no gelatine!) bland crispiness, served with chilli sauce, just perfect!

Next up was my favourite snack of the afternoon, consisting of skewered chicken pieces wrapped in lemon leaves. Certainly a new flavour sensation for me, which I hope one day to replicate. Are these real lemon leaves? Tempted to go out and chew on one but I dont want to look like an idiot walking the streets trying to locate a lemon tree for leaf chewing purposes when they'll probably just taste like bitter gross.

Next! Appears to be a dainty little Peking duck wrap, beware you could easily eat a million of these little cuties!

A surprise sweet was next, offered up by my housemate Rebecca who had other missions to attend to, thus was desserting early. These were little gelatinous sesame balls filled with red bean paste. It looks like a tiny demented mouth, whispering sweet nothings at you, does it not? It even has a little pink spit gurgle. Yum.

Next up! Bizarrely naked dagwood dog. These dogs on a stick actually had real life white "fatty bits" in them. Disturbdog! It's really being held very tenderly in this photo, isn't it?Okay, we're finally on the homestretch, one last salty and one last sweet to go!

Deep fried oysters? WELL OKAY! Who am I to resist your greasy charms.

And last but not least (not least because I actually ended up visiting again the next day while I was at work! YEAH! DOUBLE BUDDHA DAY!) was coconutty rice balls filled with saaaalty peanut butter. Two worlds collide. One amazing.

I had to violently shove these down my throat to get them down. That's how full I was.