When visiting a new place, try the following steps:

1. Aimlessly walk and go with the flow of people. Move in the opposite direction of tourists.

2. Visit grocery stores and look for farmer’s/wet markets. What do the staples appear to be? Are there lots of spices? What items do people crowd around?

3. Where do city/government/construction/transportation workers get their coffee and lunch? Spots like these tend to cater to those on a budget and prefer “local” staples and flavors — every day food.

4. Ride the mass transit (bus, train, subway). How do people sit? Where do they look? What stops appear the most popular to non-tourists? Get off and explore those spots.

I follow those 4 steps when I travel now. I developed them when I worked on cruise ships. I don’t think they’re novel. In fact, many people from outside of the US travel that way.

That’s a benefit of diversity. Strangers influencing you to find and live a better life.