For 142 years and counting, the City Market has been one of Kansas City's most enjoyable places to walk, shop, and do business for people of all colors and nationalities. At least seven languages -- English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, and Italian -- are spoken there on a daily basis. And on Saturdays, when the farmers' market becomes a world all of its own, the mix of cultures makes for great people-watching. Families, couples, and singles converge on food vendors hawking fresh fruit and veggies from the common (apples and tomatoes) to the exotic (Morelle mushrooms and uncured green olives). Chickens, ducks, rabbits, roosters, and pot-belly pigs fascinate youngsters and can be just as vocal as their vendors. Maybe the most delightful -- and unscripted -- sideshow on Saturdays is when three people try chasing down wayward birds. About 30 merchants work the market year-round (and the market hosts Christmas in the City on Saturday, December 2), so there's always an opportunity to get a feel for what makes the place so lively.