Of course, when we scratch the surfaces of these places we find that the local flavour is there – it just may take a bit more than the cursory glance we so often give things to find it. Stephen Fry on QI mentioned that most visitors to the Louvre go directly to the Mona Lisa, spend less than three minutes looking at it, then leave the Louvre. The cursory glance – maybe this is all that most modern tourists have time for?
When I travel I like to stay in one spot and take it in, to absorb the flavours and smells. I like to base myself in one small town and sit in cafes, watching the people go about their days, trying to understand what is making the particular place ‘tick’ – I like to scratch beneath the surface.
But I have a confession to make. There are other times when I really welcome the surfaces, the visible global brands.
On moving to Prague, I needed some furniture. I don’t want to spend a fortune on furniture. Money spent on a sofa can be better spent on so many other things in my book. So I turned to Ikea. They make it easy. They are everywhere. We’re all familiar with how the Ikea store works. In Prague there is a regular bus from the nearest metro station that takes you directly to Ikea. Of course the store is so popular it’s always crowded – in fact as I left at lunchtime, there were so many people coming there that they had to control entry at the front door. But at Ikea you know what you’re going to get and that can make it worth dealing with the crowds.
Then there’s coffee. When you’re in a new place and don’t know where the best coffee is, sometimes you’re happy to experiment and get rubbish. But when you’re feet are sore, it’s cold, you’re tired – well then, I have to say it, the pleasure I get from a double espresso in Starbucks really lifts my spirits. It’s the consistency that attracts – knowing that when I order my coffee it will be the same, good coffee I can buy in Dubai, Sydney, London or just about anywhere else in the world.
When I rant and rave about globalisation, when I complain that the main street in each major city replicates every other main street in every other major city, take it with a grain of salt. Like everyone else I like to grab a dose of the familiar to help me through the challenges of a new city, a new country, new people, new work, new language ... I admit it. I like to be able to get a Starbucks espresso. Yet I need to remember I didn’t make these changes to my life for familiarity. I made them so I could experience different things ... so from now on, only one Starbucks a week.
It’s time to find those great, local coffee places ...
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