FINAL FOUR CITIES

I've decided on my ultimate four. I wasn't happy with cheese OR architecture, so I went right back to my research and did some more scouring online for a different type of market that was interesting and different.

Solution: A Flea Market. I'd considered flea markets earlier but had centred my focus on produce markets, but flea markets are (for me) the most interesting and still call under this theme.

DESTINATION 1:

Arkonaplatz Flea Market, Berlin

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Berlin_Arkonaplatz_Flohmarkt.jpg

This market is all about treasure, bartering and scavenging. I want the postcard to highlight the junk and magic of flea markets.

It's going to be difficult to distinguish the location of this flea market since there's little architecture surrounding it and the wares being sold won't really give away the city's identity. I'm going to have to do a bit of research into the city and find out what type of trees those are in the image, if the cobbled streets are specific to the city and whether there are any more signature clues I can include. I don't need it to be blatantly obvious, but I think it would be great to make a postcard that actually communicates something about Flea Markets in Berlin.

(Update: They're chestnut trees)

http://farandwideblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Berlin_arkonaplatz_market_Far_and_Wide_Blog-9.jpg

Lovely junk! It feels like my project lacks authenticity when I've not been to most of these places and I don't actually know what the markets smell, look and sound like. I have been to Berlin though and it was hectic, very visual (coloured buildings and art EVERYWHERE) and very loud. I hope that this little bit of experience helps me with this postcard and feeds into some Berlinzzzzy vectors. Also, I'm a sucker for carboot sales and the photos online look just like the table top adventures I have every Sunday, so I could find some similarly strange objects there to touch and study.

DESTINATION 2:

Kansat Mango Market, Bangladesh

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELsbPxT0spHIuipu_gl23rYQzHb8TzDiUMPL0ZREEKwRuvh5rFzf9wfLvSmFEOlQXW29YmUHoOwh8GULNVD66-W0QBwRR4pX-RgxExXQbje1X2tcEBmdGooKQWVQleir5VWBBhEGfba0/s640/_wsb_487x327_mango+to+market.jpg

This is a produce market and I want the postcard to celebrate the farmers and locality of produce.

Mango, mango men! These chaps just make me smile. Look how proud they are of their mango haul. 

There are two parties involved: growers and buyers. I need to find out how the mangoes are grown, how they are brought to the market and how the vendors sell their produce. I'll also have to learn about the customers - why they shop at the market, what they are looking for in this mass of mangoes and why they love mangoes so much???

I'm totally going to have to eat some mango to get a TASTE for this postcard.

DESTINATION 3:

The Vevey Market, Switzerland

http://d3ev8gv3qkgraz.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/market-at-veveys-grande-place_rs.JPG

This is a traditional Swiss Old City and a scenic market. The postcard should communicate the reputation and age of the tradition.

Atmospheric, perfumed, colourful and traditional. I've also just discovered that in the Summer months, Vevey hosts a Folklore market. 

http://static.mycity.travel/manage/uploads/6/24/13013/5c70ef2f295338ffe57ebd40240f48bd977c5978_800.jpg

Completely juxtaposed to Leeds' attempts at a traditional German Market for Christmas, the summer Marches Folkloriques de Vevey throws the spotlight on its own heritage. Complete with wine, costume and music, this summer spectacle is exactly what I was looking for: market tradition with authenticity, not just for commercial gain.

DESTINATION 4:

Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, Thailand

The concept of floating markets is culturally unique to Thailand, a completely different process of shopping and selling. This postcard should portray the unusual and beautiful local custom.

http://img.allw.mn/content/travel/2013/08/1_see-the-floating-market.jpg

Although this tradition has become somewhat commercialised and targeted to toursits, the floating markets still retain their true Thai way of living.