Sep 14th, 2012 at 10:00AM: It only takes a minute to buy a souvenir from someone on a beach but if you stop to find out about that person's life, you might take away more than just the memory you're holding in your hand. In May, while visiting the Greek island of Kos, I took an excursion boat to Pserimos, a tiny little island with just a few dozen inhabitants, and bought a handmade magnet (see photo below) from a local ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
souvenir posts
What's It Like To Live On Pserimos, The Remote Greek Island With Its Own Gmail Account?
Sep 14th, 2012 at 10:00AM: It only takes a minute to buy a souvenir from someone on a beach but if you stop to find out about that person's life, you might take away more than just the memory you're holding in your hand. In May, while visiting the Greek island of Kos, I took an excursion boat to Pserimos, a tiny little island with just a few dozen inhabitants, and bought a handmade magnet (see photo below) from a local ...Gifts From Abroad: What To Bring Your Family When You Come Home
May 4th, 2012 at 11:30AM:
My wife and I travel a lot, sometimes together, sometimes separately. We both have careers that require us to travel and while it can be tough to be apart, at least we have the regular ritual of seeing what gifts from abroad are popping out of each other's suitcases!
My wife just came back from an astronomy meeting in Tokyo and brought back this haul of loot. The Japanese are masters of ...Souvenirs: Anatomy of a prized possession from the road
Feb 19th, 2012 at 9:00AM: Souvenirs are difficult for travel writers. We travel too often to be slapdash with souvenir selection, for one. Some frequent travelers focus on a particular thing: snow globes, pens, local magazines, liqueur, rugs, candy.
Others ignore the self entirely and redirect the impulse, choosing to make souvenir purchases for their friends, family, and neighbors.
Me? I like beach towels. I'm ...Brooklyn Bridge celebrates 128th anniversary
May 24th, 2011 at 12:15PM:
If you are in New York today, consider paying homage to one of the city's most venerable landmarks: the Brooklyn Bridge, which turns 128 today. The iconic bridge opened in 1883 after 13 years of construction. As is common with mid-week birthdays, the main celebrations happened over the weekend, including a special offer to get a $28 tattoo of the Brooklyn Bridge from a local tattoo parlor. ...The Obama pen: weirdest African souvenir ever?
May 16th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Obama is big in Africa. There are Obama shops, Obama hotels, Obama t-shirts, even Obama: The Musical. A craze of naming babies Obama hit the continent when he was elected. Even better, the proud parents could fill out the birth certificate with an Obama ballpoint pen.
I came across these in a shop in Harar, Ethiopia. A friend of mine worked for his campaign, so it seemed the perfect gift. The ...Retail therapy: Istanbul ShoppingFest begins March 18
Mar 16th, 2011 at 3:30PM: Every year, many people visit Istanbul to shop in the historic Grand Bazaar to haggle over carpets, Turkish tea glasses, and souvenir t-shirts. But most locals do their shopping in Istanbul's many malls, markets, high streets like Istiklal near Taksim Square and Bağdat on the Asian side, and neighborhoods such as posh Nişantaşı and funky Çukurcuma. This year, from March 18 to April 26, ...Holiday World offers exclusive roller coaster photos online
Dec 13th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Holiday World is known for its roller coasters, including The Voyage, which has been named the world's top wooden roller coaster for the past four years.
The holiday-themed park plays host to thousands of coaster enthusiasts each year, and many of them like to capture photos of the coasters from different angles. In fact, park officials say, some coaster enthusiasts beg for a behind-the-scenes ...Top 10 souvenir hats from around the world
Jul 23rd, 2010 at 9:30AM: Ever notice how every airport, tourist trap, and hotel gift shop is trying to sell you some kind of hat? That's because a hat is local. In a globalized world where McDonald's is universal and Duty Free in Dubai sells the exact same sunglasses and chocolate as Duty Free in Detroit, it's nice to know that there are certain things (like hats) that you can still only find in certain far-flung ...Affordable Paris souvenir: glass yogurt containers as candle holders
Jun 29th, 2010 at 12:00PM: Souvenir shopping can be a frustrating and expensive task, but sometimes, you know you've found the perfect souvenir as soon as you see it.
On a recent trip to Paris, I was pleased to find that my hotel breakfast included single-size servings of yogurt in adorable little glass containers, which I knew could easily double as candle holders once I rinsed them out.
Over the course of a week, I ...What to do with old travel t-shirts - Souvenir tip
Jun 22nd, 2010 at 5:23PM: Recently my mother presented me with three garbage bags full of t-shirts that she had cleaned out of the attic. T-shirts have always been my favorite travel souvenir. Many of them were sized for an eight year old and most were dreadfully stained, but I could hardly get rid of them. They were my mementos!
Instead of tossing them, I cut out all of the images and logos and made a travel quilt. The ...Hotel stationery makes a great (and free) souvenir - Souvenir tip
Jun 22nd, 2010 at 5:23PM: Instead of buying traditional souvenirs like art, postcards or even a miniature of a famous monument, here's a great non-traditional way to remember your trips: pick up a sheet and envelope of the hotel stationery.
Most hotels keep some sort of stationery in the rooms -- whether they are tiny little scratch-pads or elegant letter-writing paper -- and envelopes which have the hotel's logo and ...Trade souvenirs when traveling - International travel tip
Jun 22nd, 2010 at 11:03AM: That White Sox hat you're wearing above your "I hiked the Grand Canyon" t-shirt may be a hot commodity in some countries. Many items we take for granted are both unique and highly sought-after in many foreign nations.
If you find something at a vendor's stall you like, offer that vendor something of yours in exchange for that good. Maybe he'd like your hat, or that extra shirt in your bag. ...Hand-drawn directions - Souvenir tip
Jun 21st, 2010 at 5:23PM: It's been said that hand-drawn directions can be a window into the soul of a culture.
When you find yourself not knowing exactly where you're going, ask a local to draw directions for you. Keep a store of interesting napkins or papers and a pen on hand to take advantage of the opportunity of being lost.
Asking for directions might also lead you to start some great conversations and to gain a ...Save and label wine corks - Souvenir tip
Apr 29th, 2010 at 1:34PM: A great take-home and space-saving souvenir for wine lovers are corks from bottles you've enjoyed while traveling.
What to write on the cork is up to you, but I usually include the date, where, and with whom I drank the wine.
At home, purchase or salvage an empty vase, bowl, or jar and simply start keeping the wine corks in there. The cork-filled vase also passes for decoration over the ...Capture your footprints in the sand - Souvenir tip
Mar 8th, 2010 at 5:56PM: If you're a beach bum like me, your vacations are to tropical places. Pictures of sunsets at the beach are pretty, but after a while, one beach looks like the rest. A better souvenir is to take a handful of sand. Once you get home, empty a spice bottle and fill it with the sand. Label it with the beach name and location. Consider making a note of a special memory on the label. After several trips ...Roadtrippin' with a theme - Road trip tip
Feb 20th, 2010 at 8:53AM: Road trips are meant to be fun and adventurous. Up the stakes by picking a theme for your trip!
Choose a theme that you and your travel buddies agree might be interesting, and do your best to center your stops and sightseeing around this theme. The possibilities are endless:
Food theme: Eat only barbecue across the Southeastern U.S.
Sports theme: Pit-stop at small town parks for quick ...Buy stamps - Souvenir tip
Feb 19th, 2010 at 12:55PM: If you're traveling abroad on a tight budget with absolutely no extra room in your suitcase for a souvenir, then buy a stamp. Even the lowest denomination stamp of any country is colorful, cheap, and easy to find.
When you get home, mount the stamp in the middle of a piece of poster board, write the details of your trip on the back of the poster board, and put in an inexpensive frame. You'll ...Hit the bookstore, buy a local author - Souvenir tip
Feb 15th, 2010 at 1:09PM: Hit up a local bookstore for a good, unique souvenir.
Many self-published authors sell their books through the local storefront and many of those books are based in the area in which they live. The souvenir is not only unique, but it's entertaining and lacks the gaudiness that many souvenirs display.
Plus, you may get smarter about your destination, which makes any trip more satisfying. ...Photobomb your own photos with a funny character - Souvenir tip
Feb 15th, 2010 at 10:16AM: Let's face it: How many souvenir t-shirts can somebody have? Most people take generic souvenir photos, as well! Think outside the "souvenir box," and make your photos unique! How? Bring along something "unexpected" to place in the photographs -- a beloved childhood character perhaps, or maybe a small stuffed animal that represents the location you're in -- and purposely photobomb your own ...Hit the supermarket - Souvenir tip
Feb 14th, 2010 at 6:35AM: The simplest and cheapest way to do your souvenir shopping is at a supermarket.
Almost anyplace you travel, there will be a traditional food, like "Vermont maple syrup" or "Scottish shortbread." Great supermarket gifts include a specialty bottle of oil and vinegar, a local bottle of wine or alcohol, exotic spices, teas and coffee -- and don't get me started on snacks like chocolate, dried ...
