| ST-PETERSBURG, JUNE 2002 - Shopping… ? I am not a big shopping fanatic, but when on travel, visiting little shops, supermarkets, open air or covered markets, it is a great way to learn about the local culture and to see the locals. And I’m not talking about souvenir shops either. |
On one of my shopping adventures, in a supermarket, there was a little stand where one could taste some cake… It was actually good cake, and to my surprise, when I said “two” (in Russian), the girl began to explain all about these cakes in Russian… That was of course a little too much for my limited knowledge of Russian. But as soon as she understood I spoke English, she continued the explanation in English !
But in the little shops, nobody can speak any English, so you just need a lot of time to find the right words in the phrasebook, and of course pointing at things always helps… however on one occasion I pointed at bottles of vinegar when I needed water… Paying for your shopping is often also exciting… a little calculator can do wonders here.
Typical things you might want to try when in Russia are the Russian Champaign , vodka, caviar, and do not forget the huge range of cookies, cakes, sweets, and chocolates. But also take a look at more “common” thinks like fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, and cheese. Especially big meat and fish markets are my favorite shopping places to wander around !
