This one is generally used when the writer wishes to appear more open-minded to different cultures than he or she really is. It’s intended to indicate that sauntering through a group of poverty-stricken stall-holders, who are desperately try to eke out a living by selling complete tat to gullible foreigners, is in some way a pleasant experience.
Woe betide the writer says what many of us actually think. Which is something like: “The markets are colourful, if grey/ brown dirt can be deemed a colour.
“The stall-holders are terrifyingly aggressive, and are selling nothing that I would even consider buying back home. But I’ll buy some statue inexpertly carved out of cheap wood, because that makes me look broad-minded and well-travelled. And then I’ll happily go back to shopping at Tesco*.”
Tags: travel writer clichés
“Privileged glimpse” = The mayor’s office organised this for us. You ordinary mortals are never going to see it!
This was a thoughtful column. Great job! I would disagree with you on one point: Duranat’s website is not hideous. It’s not pretty either, but it gets the job done, and who am I to argue with his success. I would dearly love a site as big as his, but that will probably never happen in my lifetime.