No I've never seen whole artichokes anywhere....I"m in the same boat as you..

Yes.  In specialty supermarkets and grocery stores.  City Life in Shanghai, for example.  And each "choke" costs an arm and a leg.  Man, I sure miss inexpensive, fresh artichokes!

I see then in my local Walmart sometimes in  the imported fruits and veggies section and when I do... I buy some...unless they are old and crappy which is often.

Yes, the local open air market has them and I have seen them in Carre Four a couple of times, it is not part of their regular assortment. 

Never, but even if I could find them. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be anywhere near be decent.