Go to Those Boring Shops When Traveling Abroad.
The charm of faraway places is getting to do things and visiting places that can’t be done or visited at home, so hanging out at grocery stores, 7-Elevens, and pharmacies can seem like a waste of your precious, limited time. I assure you fellow travelers that this is not the case.
While I treasure the quirky wooden spoons and small pieces of pottery I’ve picked up on my travels, some of my most valuable edible souvenirs are the ones I buy every day – some would say boring – in the markets and shops. These are the places where you will find snacks for people (and teenagers). Here you will find special editions of familiar dishes and brand new consumables to expand your taste.
Wandering the stalls of artisan eateries is okay and good, but does Torvehallern – which I never got the chance to pronounce correctly – Smash , a sweet and savory snack that’s essentially a bag of Bugles dipped in creamy milk chocolate? This is not true. I found these treasures at a gas station and drank a few with coffee. While it’s true that mini Cadbury eggs are available for purchase in the US, I found them at a Walgreens-style store called Normal with crispy almond toffee Dime . Do you think you will find Pringles Shrimp Cocktail at Borough Market? No, fool, you find them at Tesco and you should buy strawberry laces from the brand stores while you’re there. (Then stop by Marks & Spencer for a wide selection of ham and roast flavored chips.)
As for 7-Eleven, it’s worth noting that the worst examples of the genre are in the US. In Copenhagen’s shops, I found Haribo, which I had never looked at before, and Kit Kats ruby chocolate bars. (I also found amazingly delicious hot dogs and meat skewers I ate, as well as a whole bunch of organic juices and paleo options that I wasn’t very interested in.) According to my colleagues who traveled to Tokyo, Japan Company 7- Elevens is fully owned and offers perfectly satisfactory sushi rolls at reasonable prices. So take a break from Instagrammed and the internet, and spend some time in the boring, casual shops and shops that locals do on a weekly basis. This is where you’ll find some real treasures (or at least some really good potato chips).