One of the things that we do whenever we travel, whether in state or to another country, is to have appetizers at a couple of different restaurants every night that we’re there. We’re not big eaters to begin with, so sitting down and finishing a large meal most likely means leftovers that will end up being thrown away. So, instead we have several small appetizers, basically tapas style that we can both share, which allows us to try several different dishes. This is especially true when we’re travelling to a place where the food is so diverse or exotic, like when we were in India. Because we don’t want to take up a table, we’ll usually sit at the bar or in the lounge. We tend to feel that we get better service when sitting at the bar because you get a chance to actually talk to the bartender and get to know them a little. If we find a place that we really like, we might visit them several times while we’re travelling, but still going to at least one different place in the same night or day.
Shrimp and GritsFried CalamariMexican Appetizer inside Caesar’sPeel and Eat Shrimp
We tend to walk as much as possible when we’re visiting someplace new. This allows us to really get a feel for the city, but also allows us to stop at a variety of places to eat or find places that we’ll want to come back later and grab a bite. Walking also has the added benefit of working up an appetite or burning off the food we’ve just consumed. Because we don’t tend to keep ourselves on a tight agenda, this allows us to just pop into a place that looks interesting and give them a try.
Spicy Tuna on Crispy RiceMoroccan DessertSpicy ShrimpTapas at Parker & QuinnScallops at Parker & Quinn
If you really want to savor more flavors of a country, city, or region, try going to several restaurants, pubs, or eateries and sampling a few small plates at each one. Or, better yet, wander through the city, stopping every now and then to experience something a little different everywhere you go. You will get to meet more locals, savor more food, and enjoy more of what the city has to offer.
The old saying is true, without risk there can be no reward. Perhaps risk is too strong of a word, maybe it should be that if you don’t take the chance, you’ll miss out on a great experience. There have been several examples of this during our travels, but there was one experience that stands out for us. A few years ago, we had the pleasure to travel to Chennai, India, on business. The trip as a whole was one of our favorite trips, even though there was work involved. While we were there, a co-worker invited us to their home for dinner. We immediately accepted, not wanting to offend anyone, but to be honest, we were a little apprehensive.
Chennai from the Hotel RooftopOrnate Rickshaw
The night of our dinner was one of our last nights there, so by then we had eaten quite a bit of Indian food, which we love, and had done our best to eat every meal like a local. We had a driver while we were there, not quite ready to take on the challenge of driving in India, so we gave him the address where we going and we were off. We turned off the main road and quickly found ourselves in a maze of tiny side streets filled with a mix of poverty and middle class buildings. After a few minutes, our driver informed us that the way that he thought we needed to go was not correct and he needed some directions. We gave him the number of our co-worker and after a few minutes of back and forth, we were on our way again. Then a few minutes later, we were at a stop, apparently the directions were too difficult and again he was on the phone. This time we waited until the husband arrived on motorcycle to escort us to their home.
Street VendorsNeighborhood in Chennai
We arrived at their apartment and walked up to the third floor where we went through a large wooden door with an image of Ganesh intricately carved into it. Typical to our experience in India, beauty can be found in surprising places. We entered into the living room, which had a couch, chair, coffee table, and large TV on an entertainment center with MTV (or something similar) playing. We were ushered to the couch as their two young children, both boys, showed us their favorite toys, much to their parents annoyance, not that we minded. We have a friend who is a cultural anthropologist, so he had prepared us for many of the things that we encountered while in India, but having dinner at someone’s house was not one of them. Our co-worker and her mother-in-law were in the kitchen, diligently wrapping up the meal that we were about to be served. There was one other room in the apartment, the bedroom, to be shared by all five members of the family. This was the life of a middle class family with a dual income from jobs working for American companies.
Temple StreetsHindu Tapestry
After a little conversation, translated by a friend of the family, TV trays were placed in front of us and our meal was about to begin. As we had been sitting on the couch, friends and neighbors had been slowly arriving and there was a small gathering outside of the door to the kitchen, not saying anything, just there to observe these strange westerners. We were given glasses of water and our first dish of fried fish was brought out to us. We needed to drink some of the water during our meal, but we didn’t drink too much, just in case. We did our best, using only our right hand, to eat while still having conversations with those that had gathered. We were their guest, so we would eat first and they were honored to serve us. It was just their way of showing us respect, but we weren’t prepared to eat while everyone watched, especially without utensils.
Streets of ChennaiRooftops of Chennai
We wish we could describe the food in a way that would give it justice, but it was all delicious. After each course, we were offered “one more” of what we were having. When we said yes, we would get two more. We’re not big eaters, we usually share meals when we go out, so this was one of the largest meals either of us had eaten in years. After the fish came a potato curry with some flatbread (and then one more). Then for dessert, we were served a bowl of Rasmalai, which is made of sweetened condensed milk and a round dumpling in the center of it. It was wonderful, but eating that with our fingers was definitely an adventure, I’m sure many of the smiles were smirks at our clumsiness.
Dinner with FriendsOx on the Streets
After the meal came the blessing. We were given gifts, a statue of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus as a symbol of respect to our God and a statue of Vishnu in honor of their religion. Flower wreaths were placed around our necks and we were given fruit. Then a small round container was opened and handed to Dona for her to put the Bindi on the center of the forehead. That moment turned out to almost big our biggest faux pas of the evening as we didn’t realize that it was powder and instead of using the thumb to apply it to the forehead, Dona started to raise the canister to her forehead. Everyone quickly came to the rescue and showed us the proper way to do it. We thanked everyone profusely and left to find all of the neighbors crowded around to watch us leave.
Our GiftsThe Statues
Our driver had waited for us, so we got into the car and started making our way back to the hotel. We didn’t get far before we got behind an ox cart with a large statue of Vishnu on it. The cart would stop every few buildings and people would come out to the street and offer prayers. Slowly but surely, we made our way back through the winding streets, past the animals and throngs of people, and back to the familiar honking, motorcycle and rickshaw filled main thoroughfare. Back at the hotel, we were full and exhausted, but we knew even then that our evening at their home for dinner would be one of our fondest travel memories ever. We wish we had more pictures to share of the evening, but we were there as their guest, not as tourists, so we did not take any other pictures of that wonderful evening. Since returning home, we’ve tried several times to replicate the potato curry that we were served, without much success. Some things can’t be duplicated.
When travelling to countries outside of your own, there are few simple things that can make your trip more enjoyable and the locals more likely to treat you with respect. There are plenty of tips for travelling, but these are focused on things that can apply to any country that you visit. These are the things that we’ve learned over the years and we keep them in mind whenever we travel outside of the country.
Learn at least a few phrases of the language. Whether the only thing you can say is good morning, good day, how are you, or thank you, by speaking (or attempting to) in the local language, the people you meet will appreciate your attempts. Many people from English speaking countries will assume that English is spoken everywhere and just expect everyone to speak in English. The people of every country are proud of their heritage, traditions, and language, so we believe it is a matter of respect to at least try and learn a little of their native language.Fish Monger in Morocco
Our Favorite Poolside Waiter
Eat where the locals eat. Depending upon where you are travelling, there are often many restaurants that cater to tourists, but we’ve always found that by asking our hotel manager, local bartender, even the policeman on the street, that you can find more authentic meals by eating where the locals eat. They might not be as fancy and often won’t speak any English at all, but if you’re adventurous, you can end up eating something that you would have never expected just by pointing to something on the menu and taking a chance.Grilled Octopus in Spain
Lunch at a Moroccan Restaurant
Act like you’re a local, not a tourist. This is more about a state of mind than anything else. If you walk confidently as if you belong in your environment, it is less likely for bad things to happen to you, such as being the target of a pick pocket. Figure out directions to where you’re going before you go so that you’re not walking around with a map in your face. This has the added benefit of allowing you to keep your eyes on your surroundings instead of reading pamphlets or maps. The more you’ve prepared in advance and know what to expect, the easyier it will be for you to relax, enjoy the people instead of fearing them, and see more of what the city or town that you’re in has to offer.Jewish Quarter in Seville Spain
Temple Prayer Booth in Chennai India
Stay at or go to as many different cities and towns as possible. Sometimes when we’re in a country, we’ll have a base camp where we do our exploring from, but we usually still add a couple of nights in different cities as well as day trips to nearby towns and attractions. Other times, we’ll spend two days in one location and then we’re off to the next. Some of the most fascinating things we’ve seen or done have happened when we’ve left the larger cities and spent time in the smaller towns.Estapona, Spain
Stratford-upon-Avon
Respect the local customs, traditions, and religions. The greatest thing about travelling is learning about all the different people that inhabit this world. Not all of our belief systems are the same and in our opinion, the world is a better place for that diversity. So, learn about the culture of the place where you are travelling. Learn simple things such as whether certain hand gestures are offensive, what body parts should be covered, and what types of public displays of affection are allowed. We always do our homework and read up on the do’s and don’ts when visiting a country, which was something that we learned from a friend of ours who is a cultural anthropologist. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to make sure that what you do while you’re in a foreign country doesn’t offend or upset anyone’s belief system.Blessing Elephant
Flamenco Dancers
Going to foreign countries is truly a magnificent experience, but one that is made even better if you do a few simple things that will make it that much more enjoyable. Perhaps it really is as simple as following the golden rule to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, but sometimes, when we get out of own environment, we tend to forget that it is the simple things that make everyone’s lives a little better. Hopefully, the next time you travel abroad, these simple tips will help make your trip a little better.
