But one the of places I love to pop into the most is a proper local supermarket. It isn't somewhere that I would intentionally plot on a map (we made an exception though for the infamous La Boqueria in Barcelona, and the Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Markets). Ok, who am I kidding, it's a secret guilty pleasure allowed to me as the navigator, so perfect for this month's linkup!
Parisian supermarché, Spanish strore comestibles, Moroccan Medinas, German Bäckereis, Dutch supermarkten, French Boulangeries, and the singular joy that is passing half an hour in the American institution of Walmart, which should have really a section all of it's own. (We popped in whilst in Florida, and a guy offered us a kitten. Which I probably would have adopted left to my own devices...)
What is it that's so fascinating about Supermarkets in other countries? Everywhere we travel (much to my Mr Kiwi's amusement) I
like to spend a good half an hour browsing the shelves I'll never need, looking
at food I'll never buy. The variety of brands, new flavours, fascinating produce, indecipherable packages, day to day goodies (I'm looking straight at you Dutch hagelslag), new drinks, inscrutable flavours and variations of our staples.
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| My last expat supermarket run in New Zealand - they weren't all for me!! |
Usually at some point in a holiday we'll pack a picnic of local goodies to enjoy in the park, nip in do grab a quick drink or snag a pair of fresh croissants before running onto a train we're about to miss and just take a minute or two to have a gander.
It's impossible to resist a slice of local life, to check out the real flavors and ingredients that hop in homely pots. It's just the same as looking in someone else's trolley, right? Speaking of other trolleys some of my favorite are Rebecca and Kelly's - it's just a shame that our guest host Polly lives all the way in Doha... #anyexcusetovisit
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| Maltby Street Market, London |
It has occurred to me that though I say it's a guilty pleasure and I have to drag the other half in, sometimes that's not really true...
Am I the only one?
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Brilliant! I love the weird and wonderful packaging that you see it foreign places. I also find it interesting when there is a different name for same products that we have at home.
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Angie
SilverSpoon London
Foreign supermarkets are the best! Though I'm somewhat alarmed that you only lasted 30 minutes in Walmart...
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE going to supermarkets and food markets. It's just exciting, all that food being in one place! x
ReplyDeleteThat last photo is from Walmart, isn't it? :) I never thought I'd say this, but I often miss that store. Never have I been anywhere else where you can buy literally everything you need in the same place. It's overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteI love grocery shopping in new places even when we went up to Umea I had to check out their ICA to compare to my ICA!
ReplyDeleteI have never experienced a Walmart, but I think that, like Mr Kiwi, I could definitely get into the role if I went there! Foreign markets are awesome :)
ReplyDeleteI love doing this too!
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's that (embarrassingly) exciting moment when you realise a foreign supermarket stocks some of your favourite things! x
I'm lucky that my bf likes going into international supermarkets as well, if only for the fact he's always searching for the elusive thomy mayonnaise and mustard found in switzerland. I just like seeing what there is and what they call things.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought to pop into the supermarket, but it is a good place to pick up a drink or small bite to eat. I shall be keeping that in mind for the next time we're away. Stupid really, considering I pop in and out of the supermarkets here in Belgium all the time for a quick snack/drink.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I do love a good fruit and veg market! I like looking at strange veggies!
We often pop to the supermarket, you are right. And especially in France I always know what I want to buy that I remember from holidays when I was little! That thick fruit syrop for making squash is so much better than Robinsons!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE going into supermarkets in other countries. It's my favourite thing :)
ReplyDeleteYou should have actually seen my face when I discovered that a Parisian supermarket sold Timtams. For LESS than UK retailers do. Hallelujah!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously the next time you go to the US, make it a priority to pop in. Put it on your tourist visit list. It is insane!
ReplyDeleteOh no, we ended up in Walmart several times - once just to people watch from the instore Starbucks.... the words insane come a little to mind...
ReplyDeleteI adore it - especially when you find something at home that's plain and boring all tarted up :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it's all ever so tempting! (Except in one place in France which was proper manky... we were there for about 3 seconds!)
ReplyDeleteThose macaroons and doughnuts...oh, my, god. This is exactly why I love wandering the local supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteI know, right!? All of the hidden, exotic delights!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's not just me! :D What's your favourite country?
ReplyDeleteI totally do this too!!! I like to just pop in and see what items that we are missing out on in the US or even in different state. I'm always interested in yogurt, other countries always seem to have such interesting flavors. I just like to look around. The other thing I find interesting is the different packaging.
ReplyDeleteThis is so random but I totally get it! I love the French supermarkets the best, mainly for the vast range of cheese and cheap wine
ReplyDeleteHaha! How random. I actually hate going to supermarkets HERE, so I avoid them like the plague!
ReplyDeleteYum yum Tim tams! Why don't the uk have them yet!? I love going to supermarkets in other countries too!
ReplyDeleteThis is a definite guilty pleasure for me too. I always try to leave foreign supermarkets with something new I've never tried before.
ReplyDeletePolly xx
Follow Your Sunshine
P.S. Yes, pleeease come and visit Doha!
I love checking out supermarkets while travelling. The choccie and chip aisle is a fav.
ReplyDeleteSupermarkets are so fun to explore! Even after living in Prague for 8 months now, I still wander around the aisles and find all sorts of new goodies and strange things for sale :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I scrolled to the photo with the Pizza Shapes I squealed out loud. OH JESUS I MISS THOSE. I love looking around foreign supermarkets too (even those ones here in London). My fave sections are noodles and cheese. You can always find new stuff to try there.
ReplyDeleteThat doughnut isle is amazing
ReplyDeleteBloody hell those donuts! I love supermarkets and always check them out if I spot one when I'm travelling...in our village in Croatia they have a tiny little supermarket and as they know my Croatian is limited they teach me a new word every day that I go into the supermarket and I teach them the word in English.
ReplyDeleteI get SO excited by foreign supermarkets. Particularly in America where the possibilities seem endless!
ReplyDeleteI love browsing the supermarkets when I travel. It is fun getting a look into the foods the locals are purchasing and eating.
ReplyDeleteAll the heart eyes for those macarons and donuts!!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, YES! I love exploring local supermarkets! They're so intriguing. Plus: I love that you do supermarket runs when you're back in NZ ... I *always* do that in the US. I also spend too much time taking pictures of the chips (crisps) aisle. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great one Emma! I often do the same thing and I actually often end up buying stuff! Most recently in Singapore, I found myself buying panda essence with a grand plan to bake panda cake but guess who hasn't done so still! But I sometimes find that the exact same fancy foodie gifts you find in airport gift shops are often the same ones found in the local supermarkets for a fraction of the price!
ReplyDeleteI've not been to the US at all, so I definitely will put it on!
ReplyDeleteAaah, we get our groceries delivered once or twice a month (the perils of living far from a good supermarket & not having Pop-eye biceps ;)) so I guess this makes up for it!
ReplyDeleteRandom is my middle blogging name!
ReplyDeleteYoghurt is a good indicator of the area - seriously!
ReplyDeleteWait, panda essence? Whaaat?
ReplyDeleteThe first place (after a visit home to shower) that I went to off the plane was a supermarket - seriously! I came back with 5kg of goodies - for a wide variety of friends who have been kind to me in the past!
ReplyDeleteI know right!!! The UK would be a much happier place if they stocked Tim tans - especially as a nation of biscuit dunkers!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not alone!
Oops, I meant PANDAN essence - a type of leaf! No way would I ever agree with panda essence - it's my dream to see a real panda one day :)
ReplyDeleteLOOOOL! I thought it might be a cutesy baking thing :)
ReplyDeleteIt was agony & ecstacy, I'm not going to lie!
ReplyDeleteFab isn't it? There are always such fascinating flavour combos...!
ReplyDelete...not to mention those US cereal aisles which are always miles long!
ReplyDeleteIt was donut porn, no question!
ReplyDeleteLisa's post was mouthwatering, 98 steps and all! Some things are just worth it!
Isn't it just!?
ReplyDeleteShapes, oh how I adore them!! We need to get a UK equivalent ASAP!
ReplyDeleteNoodles & cheese are particularly fascinating local flavor microcosms :)
Do you sometimes just buy random stuff to see what it's like? #guilty
ReplyDeleteUtterly classic supermarket browsing staples!
ReplyDeleteOne day we'll pop in, one day!
ReplyDeleteMe too! Supermarkets are a neglected part of travel! My favourite so far: Portugal, Spain & Croatia. US ones were completely disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI really think I will bring some home next time I visit. Do penguins not work in the same way?
ReplyDeleteOoooh I bet Croatian supermarkets are fascinating!
ReplyDeleteEhhhh they do, but the texture of Tim Tams (especially the caramel centred ones are quite different...
ReplyDelete