You know, even if you go “off the beaten path,” you’re still just a tourist. Just one who is “off the beaten path.” It’s like the conversations about experiencing the “authentic” culture of a place. If you want true authentic, move to wherever for a couple years and just live it. I enjoy traveling and I almost never do touristy stuff, but I have no illusions about not being a tourist and trying to get some sort of authentic experience that only scrapes the top of a deep culture.