Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

If you buy groceries in Australia, you probably shop at Coles. From the original store in Tasmania, their supermarkets have spread all over the island continent. This one is in Adelaide's Central Market, where it competes with dozens of small-scale food vendors like Cactus Quality Fruit. What would tempt you to buy from these merchants? [2011]

Havana, Cuba

Do you recognize a few tell-tale signs that suggest you are not in a market-driven economy? Neighborhood groceries in Havana offer the essentials, but the American concept of a bodega may not fit a shop like this. What would tempt you to buy from this merchant? [2014]

Istanbul, Turkey

Snack food. Choose the nuts: they're perfect formulations of the macronutrients everyone needs on a daily basis. What are macronutrients? Protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Compare to snack foods in the United States. What would tempt you to buy from this merchant? [2015]

Tbilisi, Georgia

That's a candy, not a sausage! It's called churchkhela in Georgia. Thread walnuts onto a cord, dip it in grape mash thickened with flour, dry for several days, and sell on the street. It's the power bar of the Caucasus and is often regarded as the national sweet of Georgia. [2015]

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

This sea lion has broken away from the colony for a few hours to catch some sun by himself. Up the vertical face of the sea stack he climbed, and there he stuck himself to the rock as if held by Velcro. So, take that Cancun! Here's something else you can't see on Mexico's Caribbean coast. [2016]

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas: The sea arch at the very tip of the Baja peninsula is one of Mexico's signature landscapes. In fact, the three most prominent features of hard-rock coastlines are all visible here: caves, arches, and stacks. If your name is Lucas, this place is for you! [2016]

Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Baja's Pacific beaches feature cold water and thundering surf. In fact, most of them are too thundering to be safe for swimming. To get to this one, you leave the paved road behind in Todos Santos and follow the dirt roads over over a series of arid hills and then through a green palm forest. Finally, the dunes appear, and then the ocean. [2016]