Travel with a local eye

I love to search out the common shops while traveling.

This means often eschewing the trendy high street and high prices in search of stores where the regular folks live.

As a  self-styled social archeologist, you can learn as much or more about a culture as a guidebook written by your favorite well seasoned traveler.

Just take a walk to the local grocery store, scan the aisles and soak up the differences.
Walk down each aisle, don't be tempted to skim.
The differences will jump out at you. Packaging, presentation and the products.

What are the culinary focuses in one town may not be the same in another.

The same is true from town to town, and of course country to country.

Sponges. Let's just talk for a moment about sponges.