One of the things I enjoy doing when I have the time during a research trip or when traveling generally, is to look around food shops and supermarkets. I like to see the way that shopkeepers lay out their goods and I like to see what sort of items are for sale.
Perhaps there is some kind of social science interest there. I’m not qualified to comment on any of my observations in a scientific respect – I just find it interesting to see how different cultures display their goods and the brands and kinds of products for sale.
Bread flour for sale
Bread and cakes appeared to be very much in favour here in Taipei. That I found particularly surprising and interesting based on my previous limited knowledge of Asia.
Varieties of cake mixtures and bread mix
Perhaps even more surprising was the next encounter. The variety of potato based products. So it’s not all rice and noodles then! Travel does broaden the mind and puts to bed any preconceived ideas of what a particular place ‘should’ be or ‘look’ like.
A variety of potato products on sale. This was a fairly small convenience store near the library
Very interesting decorations on the fruit in this photo. It could have been because this was taken during the run up to Chinese new year. I was in Taipei from 10th to the 16th February 2007 and Chinese New Year that year was the 18th that year.