Markets ~ More Than A Shopping Experience

Markets come in different shapes, levels and venues. The goods, sights, cacophony of sounds and aromas bring alive a country’s soul and culture.

For us shopaholics, they represent the search for that perfect memory to take home with us, the new and different that remind us of exotic adventures and different cultures when we’re back home.

Overnight the streets outside our hotel in an exclusive part of Mexico City were filled with stalls and vendors selling all manner of goods. The exotic tropical fruits were especially entrancing since they served as breakfast for the next few mornings. I love these farmers types markets because they’re a great introduction to local foods and crafts.

In the South of France the perfect quilt and linen store. What an absolutely superb souvenir that you can snuggle up to every morning and relive the adventures of that perfect trip to France.

A local artisan market across the street from our hotel in Cusco. We spent many a pleasant hour browsing through the various nooks and crannies. There was something for everyone on your shopping list and more. We definitely helped the local economy and loaded up our suitcases before we moved on from this location.

Piazza Navona was the original site of the chariot races and roman games. On my first visit here my imagination gave wing to a charioteer racing his chariot to victory amongst the cheering crowds. Today, all manner of street artists and artisans ply their ways. Lined by restaurants with fountains playing its a great place to spend a pleasant evening in Rome, dining and browsing.

Souq Waqif is best known for falcons and horses but it also has a lot of local goods and foods for a traveler to spend a pleasant afternoon over a snack and browsing.

In the Plaza Mayor in Madrid the square is lined with little shops that sell beer, tapas and all manner of souvenirs. We actually went in here because this place had the bulls head and this kind gentleman allowed us to photograph ourselves with the bulls. While principally I’m against bull fights and any form of cruelty to animals but we were in Spain and bulls play a large part in the culture and the shop keeper was welcoming.

As we drove from the airport into the Peruvian highlands we passed this street market which is really a market for the locals to buy their daily necessities. It serves as a great insight to how the locals live in this region and what they eat and buy. Really getting down and dirty as they say.

Cartagena wandering through the little streets and shops tasting coffee and gelato. Here’s where I found some great tchotchkes to bring back for friends and family.

Clearly a trip to Dubai would be incomplete without visiting some of the state of art malls but definitely incomplete if you didn’t visit the gold souk. While this ring is not the souvenir to buy, I did buy myself little gold earrings that I wear when I travel since they’re small, comfortable and serve as a great reminder of my trip to the Gold Souk.

The iconic New York toy store that had the piano that children could play by walking on it. It was a must do stop for me every time I went to New York which when I worked for a company headquartered in New York I visited frequently. It is so sad that the store has now closed but I know I will remember it forever as will others who have visited there.

Markets ~ More Than A Shopping Experience

Markets come in different shapes, levels and venues. The goods, sights, cacophony of sounds and aromas bring alive a country’s soul and culture.

Incredible Istanbul