What’s your favourite souvenir?

[Seat0B]

I love to collect earrings and necklaces, leather goods, scarves and Christmas decorations from the places we visit. I have some beautiful earrings made by people in the Lao PDR affected by US carpet bombing during Vietnam War, some spectacular glass and wire ones from Prague, dainty pearls from Tokyo, Ampelmännchen from Berlin, pearl flowers from Hawaii, a coppered birch leaf from Colorado, the top of an ancient key from Oslo….and these are my favourites to wear most days. I have over 20 scarves of wool, silk, cotton from my travels in the Middle East, Morocco and Asia (particularly Indonesia and Lao PDR - beautiful hand woven silk from a women’s collective). Luckily as I live in a cold climate, I get to wear them a lot. Christmas decorations from everywhere as we often travel in the December/January period.

Oh I miss travelling.

 

[Caversham04]

Fridge magnets are a favourite. Bought this one for the missus during a solo trip via SFO.....

 

[Skyhawk]

Souvenir T towels.

 

[ellen10]

I am enjoying reading this thread.

On my first trip to Europe as a 19 y/o I bought a charm bracelet and collected a charm from each country I visited. I still have that bracelet.
On later trips I would buy a doll, small plate or something relating to each country. These are happily displayed in my wall unit.
We also collect fridge magnets, and I must confess to some very nice earrings in my later years of travels.

All these "things" bring back countless lovely memories

 

[Muppet501st]

Great thread.
Whilst our fridge is covered in magnets, we have "souveirned " a few special crockery pieces
Ones that stick out, the Guinness glasses from the Dublin Storehouse, a mug from the Hobbiton, GreenDragon inn, and a couple of Dennys mugs ( dont judge )

 

[BAM1748]

I buy a few trinkets but these days mostly just take photos. Although one of my favourite items is a salt and pepper shaker from Mount St Helens, it's glazed ash in two parts in the shape of the mountain. With both salt and pepper part together it represents the mountain before the eruption and if you lift off the salt form the top the shape of the mountain changes to the way it looked after the eruption.

Tacky but fun.

 

[MARTINE]

Great thread.
Whilst our fridge is covered in magnets, we have "souveirned " a few special crockery pieces
Ones that stick out, the Guinness glasses from the Dublin Storehouse, a mug from the Hobbiton, GreenDragon inn, and a couple of Dennys mugs ( dont judge )View attachment 254070View attachment 254071View attachment 254072

Great thanks so much for this.. you Both look so happy.

 

[MARTINE]

I buy a few trinkets but these days mostly just take photos. Although one of my favourite items is a salt and pepper shaker from Mount St Helens, it's glazed ash in two parts in the shape of the mountain. With both salt and pepper part together it represents the mountain before the eruption and if you lift off the salt form the top the shape of the mountain changes to the way it looked after the eruption.

Tacky but fun.

Tackier the better I say… love the mountain ‘reveal’

 

[Cossie]

Ahhhh, beer glasses, have collected a few of those over the years, beer labels, yep I’m one of those annoying people that peels labels off and also grab coasters….. sigh!

 

[VPS]

I am enjoying reading this thread.

On my first trip to Europe as a 19 y/o I bought a charm bracelet and collected a charm from each country I visited. I still have that bracelet.
On later trips I would buy a doll, small plate or something relating to each country. These are happily displayed in my wall unit.
We also collect fridge magnets, and I must confess to some very nice earrings in my later years of travels.

All these "things" bring back countless lovely memories

I too collected charms for my bracelet in each city or country I visited in Europe on my first trip but I was burgled and some low life fancied it and it wasn't the same just buying new ones so I gave that idea away. More money for earrings

 

[Nukie]

Very satisfying to know others collect!
I collect fridge magnets but restrict myself to ones not from Australian places. Also little original pictures, usually found in markets.
My very favourite souvenir is a penguin feather from Antarctica, picked up, not plucked!

 

[MARTINE]

As per all the AFF posters - I love travel and momentos mean I can keep enjoying (especially during lockdown). My favorite is my white Matrushka (some call these Babushka but former correct) doll from the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow which takes pride of place in my bathroom!
What is your favourite souvenir ?

It has been so lovely eveyone in the AFF community sharing stories behind souvenirs , the memories they evoke and photos too.
I hope the moderator will allow me to tweak and we can now also share ‘tacky but terrific’ souvenirs.
There may be some overlap!!!
I ‘love’ my 1-Mt Etna jug (covered in what looks roadside gravel attempting to look like lava!!) 2-giant map of Italy bottle opener still used by our family 40 years after purchased.
….unleash the hounds !!!

 

[chelzmalee]

I don't really buy souvenirs unless something takes my fancy. I'm a fan of fridge magnets though.

This is my most loved I think - a glass globe from Prague.

 

[MARTINE]

I don't really buy souvenirs unless something takes my fancy. I'm a fan of fridge magnets though.

This is my most loved I think - a glass globe from Prague.

View attachment 254100

Love the matching nail polish too..

 

[2infinity]

I collect pumice and ash from volcanos I have visited.

I try and do similar too. Great memories of a 6mile trek over the lava fields of Hawaii before scooping out some fresh red hot lava as a souvenir.

Excellent! I have some ash from Mt St Helens somewhere.

I bought this little gem when I visited Mt St Helens (awesome trip by the way). It's a volcano paperweight made using the ash of the 1980 eruption.

 

[nickykim]

Try to buy a small piece of locally produced glass each trip, although when I visit family in Auckland its really just an excuse to visit Peter Roo’s shop in Devonport. My favourite - particularly like this blown, then sandblasted rice bowl from Otaru, Japan

 

[Seat0B]

Mr Seat0A and I also collect Glühwein mugs from the Christmas markets in Germany. You pay a "deposit" of €2, refundable if you return the mug. We have others, but this gives the idea. As it is a cold and rainy 8 degrees in Canberra today, a couple of mugs of warming Glühwein would be just the thing! I love the Christmas markets. Each one has its own character. I love all the festive foods, the music, the amazing hot dogs and preztels, and of course, that is where I buy a lot of my Christmas decorations.

Great idea for a thread @MARTINE - we can re-live some of our happier days.

 

[MARTINE]

Mr Seat0A and I also collect Glühwein mugs from the Christmas markets in Germany. You pay a "deposit" of €2, refundable if you return the mug. We have others, but this gives the idea. As it is a cold and rainy 8 degrees in Canberra today, a couple of mugs of warming Glühwein would be just the thing! I love the Christmas markets. Each one has its own character. I love all the festive foods, the music, the amazing hot dogs and preztels, and of course, that is where I buy a lot of my Christmas decorations.

Great idea for a thread @MARTINE - we can re-live some of our happier days.

View attachment 254157

Very good value 2euro for priceless memories . Skol !!

 

[kiwitripper64]

great thread
These live in my wallet. First family trip to NY and a ski "licence" for the tree runs in Japan. I am allowed to keep them as they dont clutter up the house

 

[Nathant123]

Can’t say I’m much of a collector but I have collected a few things throughout my travels. Don’t really have a favourite but I did buy a nice papyrus from Egypt and not the cheap, fake type that the touts try to offload at the usual tourist sites. Also bought a menorah from Israel and a small springbok rug from South Africa. Can’t wait until we can resume travels..