Comments on: Of Shopping Malls and Supermarkets: Visiting the Unvisited http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/ Nomadic Matt's Travel Site Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:10:28 +0000 hourly 1 By: NomadicMatt http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-41481 NomadicMatt Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:19:28 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-41481 If you think a mall is a mall is a mall, you aren't looking hard enough. Yes, they all have shops. Yes, they are all there for people to buy things. But the food courts, the shops, the style of clothes, the items sold are all a local flavor. It's like mcdonalds..looks the same on the outside but inside, the menu is actually different. If you think a mall is a mall is a mall, you aren’t looking hard enough. Yes, they all have shops. Yes, they are all there for people to buy things. But the food courts, the shops, the style of clothes, the items sold are all a local flavor. It’s like mcdonalds..looks the same on the outside but inside, the menu is actually different.

]]> By: Kerrin @ MyKugelhopf http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-41452 Kerrin @ MyKugelhopf Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:48:13 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-41452 I'm absolutely with you on the roaming around when traveling. You can have totally unique experiences that way, just wandering around and discovering streets and people and places not on your radar. I have to admit, I'm not into malls though - at home or when traveling. But supermarkets, 100%. Wherever I go, whether to a neighboring Swiss village or another country or continent, I always hunt down the local markets. And I always visit a supermarket - it's so fun (and funny sometimes too) to see the local products, specialties, packaging and all. I head right to the chocolate aisle of course, but then just bounce around seeing what catches my eye. I love to bring back things that I can only find there. Whether or not I eat them when I get home is another story....! :) I’m absolutely with you on the roaming around when traveling. You can have totally unique experiences that way, just wandering around and discovering streets and people and places not on your radar.

I have to admit, I’m not into malls though – at home or when traveling. But supermarkets, 100%. Wherever I go, whether to a neighboring Swiss village or another country or continent, I always hunt down the local markets. And I always visit a supermarket – it’s so fun (and funny sometimes too) to see the local products, specialties, packaging and all. I head right to the chocolate aisle of course, but then just bounce around seeing what catches my eye. I love to bring back things that I can only find there. Whether or not I eat them when I get home is another story….! :)

]]> By: karen http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-41413 karen Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:33:12 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-41413 There are no tourists in malls back home? Really? Where do you live? Of course there's tourists in malls. Maybe not wearing backpacks and cameras, but they are there. Always. The more one travels, the more one should realize a mall is a mall is a mall. They're basically all the same: an American-style tribute to consumerism. I don't know about you, but I travel to get *away* from that. I will admit visiting a French hypermarche for the first time is an educational experience, but otherwise local markets are so much more interesting. ymm(obviously)v. Visiting a major department store in a city is a good way to gauge local culture, better than a mall, I would say. One trip to Europe years ago I made it a point to buy underwear in every large city I visited. Interesting, inexpensive, useful souvenir. There are no tourists in malls back home? Really? Where do you live? Of course there’s tourists in malls. Maybe not wearing backpacks and cameras, but they are there. Always. The more one travels, the more one should realize a mall is a mall is a mall. They’re basically all the same: an American-style tribute to consumerism. I don’t know about you, but I travel to get *away* from that. I will admit visiting a French hypermarche for the first time is an educational experience, but otherwise local markets are so much more interesting. ymm(obviously)v. Visiting a major department store in a city is a good way to gauge local culture, better than a mall, I would say. One trip to Europe years ago I made it a point to buy underwear in every large city I visited. Interesting, inexpensive, useful souvenir.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-41412 Daniel Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:58:38 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-41412 How true. Another dimension to the food aspect of travelling. How true. Another dimension to the food aspect of travelling.

]]> By: Kirsten http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-41410 Kirsten Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:19:05 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-41410 I LOVE going to local supermarkets and malls when I travel! I LOVE going to local supermarkets and malls when I travel!

]]> By: Joshua Samuel Brown http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-27519 Joshua Samuel Brown Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:57:34 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-27519 Ego sumo proinde ego sum Ego sumo proinde ego sum

]]> By: @TheWorldCalls http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-27421 @TheWorldCalls Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:32:12 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-27421 LOVE hitting the local grocery stores! We were so embarrassed when we got to checkout in Italy, tho, and found out we were supposed to pre-weigh and sticker our produce. They rolled their eyes and sent us back to do the deed. Lesson learned--watch the locals before you plow forward! LOVE hitting the local grocery stores! We were so embarrassed when we got to checkout in Italy, tho, and found out we were supposed to pre-weigh and sticker our produce. They rolled their eyes and sent us back to do the deed. Lesson learned–watch the locals before you plow forward!

]]> By: Andrew http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-27401 Andrew Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:25:12 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-27401 Agree so much with this tip. Always visit a mall when traveling and if in a city for an extended time go food shopping and make a local dish in your room (if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen that is). Agree so much with this tip. Always visit a mall when traveling and if in a city for an extended time go food shopping and make a local dish in your room (if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen that is).

]]> By: pam http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-27399 pam Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:17:17 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-27399 Supermarkets are THE BEST. THE BEST. I'm not crazy about the shopping mall scene -- consumer frenzy feels the same all over the world to me, but I do love to wander around a shopping mall food court in a far away place because they're so different everywhere. Once, in search of dinner, we ended up in a shopping mall food court in Richmond, BC -- it was like a mini-vacation to China, so unexpected was it. Amazing. What you said, Matt, good advice. Supermarkets are THE BEST. THE BEST. I’m not crazy about the shopping mall scene — consumer frenzy feels the same all over the world to me, but I do love to wander around a shopping mall food court in a far away place because they’re so different everywhere. Once, in search of dinner, we ended up in a shopping mall food court in Richmond, BC — it was like a mini-vacation to China, so unexpected was it. Amazing.

What you said, Matt, good advice.

]]> By: Megan http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/of-shopping-malls-and-supermarkets-visting-the-unvisited/#comment-27004 Megan Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:20:47 +0000 http://www.nomadicmatt.com/?p=3349#comment-27004 I love going to supermarkets in foreign countries, but I'll only wind up in a mall if it's a rainy day... and all the museums are expensive or closed. Getting away from American consumerism is one of the high points of travel abroad, I think. Also, maybe this is because I'm from Texas (where everything is bigger!), but I see tourists in Texas shopping malls all the time. I think it's part of why people travel to the States to begin with. It's cheap, and you can shop non-stop. I love going to supermarkets in foreign countries, but I’ll only wind up in a mall if it’s a rainy day… and all the museums are expensive or closed. Getting away from American consumerism is one of the high points of travel abroad, I think.

Also, maybe this is because I’m from Texas (where everything is bigger!), but I see tourists in Texas shopping malls all the time. I think it’s part of why people travel to the States to begin with. It’s cheap, and you can shop non-stop.

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