Is there a forensic scientist in the house ?

Unforgivably touristy this photo, but to the outsider, one of the stranger things about Hong Kong is the profusion of shops selling unidentifiable dried things which are supposedly for human consumption. The road which we are currently walking down seems to be their epicentre.
    I'm still not entirely sure what most of these are, or indeed what to do with them, although I have tried the flattened dried squids lightly barbequed and dipped in vinegar, which are not as bad as they sound. The snake skins are pretty recognisable, and I believe these act as a sort of bouquet garni for soup. There also seems to be a brand of flattened duck for sale, which looks as though it might fly pretty well if launched like a frisbee. If there is a forensic scientist out there with any opinions about what the rest of these delights may be, please get in touch.

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    Aside from the puzzlement these dried nasties evoke, there is also the smell factor to consider. Unfortunately in all its multimedia wonderment, the Internet cannot yet transmit odour, which perhaps in the context of this page is a good thing. In any case you'll have to take it from me that the combined whiff as all these shops dry their wares in the street, can disable a small country. Even more amazing is that I am now so used to it, that I barely notice it anymore, and only experience it vicariously when visitors to my house start screwing up their noses and retching.