I love travelling and visiting new destinations with their unique cultures, including their history, food, architecture, and art. And of course it is fun to purchase products that encompass these unique attributes to take home. But trying to find something different from the trinkets mass-produced for tourists can be difficult. But it is worth pursuing. Look for handmade products and artisan foods local to the region.
Look for Local Products
Years ago, my wife-to-be and I discovered that when traveling we enjoyed investigation the nooks and crannies related to the locals. This included food – what they ate and restaurants they frequented, as well as other unique products.
Here’s an example. This past Christmas week we visited Colmar, France and some some of the surrounding towns and villages. Many of of them had outdoor Christmas Markets in the old parts of the towns. These made it fun to walk around these mid-evil town areas, which were typically closed to cars during the holiday. We sampled Vin Chaud (hot wine), delectable foods, and artisan stalls without having to dodge cars. Unfortunately, like everywhere these days, many of the products for sale were mass produced for tourists. But we discovered that if you took your time, you could find unique treasures such as pottery, woodwork, local foods, and artisanal wine.
You can also find surpises in places where with still family-run businesses that have around for a long time. Montmarte outside Paris is a good example with its small shops. Many family run food businesses continue to make generations-old recipes, such as Les Petits Mirtones. We stopped there on one the tours we went on – a wonderful Patisserie, Cheese, and Wine Tour. Their fruit tarts were amazing.
When was the last time you stopped by a pastry shop to taste unique and fresh delicacies? Ahhh, with a café or espresso?
