Although Dave would probably disagree with me, I consider markets to be a must-see whenever we travel. Our last night in Barcelona was spent on the tourist Street “La Rambla”, where we discovered one of these buzzing tourist hot spots.
The reason I like markets so much is not because I enjoy shopping. It’s more because I like seeing what different countries offer in their markets. While you’ll find wooden carvings of elephants in Thailand, you’ll find knotted bracelets in Indonesia. Even from city to city, you see differences. Luang Prabang, for example, is famous for its giant slippers!
In Spain, it was no surprise to see smoked meat, spices and olive oil for sale in the markets.
Of course, there were some surprises too. We didn’t think Spain was known for its candies but they were for sale everywhere in the market. I imagine locals also visit and stock up on their favourite sweets.
There were also a kiosk or two that really surprised me (and I don’t find many things surprising after living in China for nearly 6 years).
I can never stay in these markets for long because they tend to be pretty crowded, but they’re usually an interesting and quick stop.
Compared to Asian markets, this one was downright empty!!!!
Day 16 will be up soon!