Apart from pictures and passport stamps, what collectables have you brought back from your travels?
Yes I agree that is the main issue with any souvenir...an awful lot are made in China,...I know I tend to via away from them in looking for those authentic ones... they can still be found if you are patient!
Reply to this My son collects hats so I buy him hat/s known in those countries/places I have been and magnets particularly the word of the place like LOS ANGELES or HONGKONG DISNEYLAND.
Reply to this Wow tannismc, I LOVE your christmas tree idea. Sorry, but I think I'm gonna have to copy you! 😊 As for me, I tend to just purchase stuff I like that I can decorate my room or house with. For example, when I went to Beijing, I found an artist that sold me an awesome looking scroll he made with the saying "attain the peak of perfection" on it for 3 American dollars. In Hong Kong, I picked up some Buddhas. In Colombia (where my parents are from) I got some traditional stuff. But the one thing I ALWAYS make sure to get is some of the countries currency (bills and coins). I'm an Economics/Finance major, so I have this plan to collect currency from every country in the world. But most importantly of all, I collect great memories, photos, and new friendships.
Reply to this Shot glasses.
I started to collect them on my trip. Started by wanting to get a good but not expensive souvaniour at Niagra Falls and then after a short time I started looking for one every new place I went. I came back with about 20 or so but didn't get one for every place I went which sucks lol.
they are good tho coz they say where you have been, there cheap, they look good, they have variety and a practical usage if you need them klol.
Reply to this Yes but Walkindude....Do you get to fill them and use them later?? .. heehee
Reply to this Can if you want, not advisory to carry them filled up in your bag tho lol.
Reply to this well I do a fair bit of traveling and to have something small to carry is important. even though they may not be authentic to where I am, it will be a picture or word of where I am. I purchase plenty of t-shirts as well, and the shirt itself isn't usually made in the place I am, so it's OK by me.
Keep a smile
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... everyone needs
... Reply to this "Been there" T-shirts are good souvenirs! You can even use a souvenir T-shirt to wrap delicate, fragile items that you might pick up!
Reply to this One time when I was in Bucharest there was a guy selling keyrings with a plastic Budha on them. There was a button to press that made the Budha glow pink. At that time, my brother was considering becomming a Catholic priest. I used to sometimes needle him by getting all the facts wrong when I was talking with him about religion and deliberately mix it up with other religions.
I bought the glowing Budha as a present for him. I showed it to my sisters first and my brother in law. They wanted to know if I have more of them because they all wanted one too. It was such a ridiculous item that I only bought it as a joke and had no idea that everybody would want one. :D
Reply to this I was recently in Montañita, Ecuador. My friends showed me a store where you can get custom made surfer shorts. You can choose the pattern and/or colour of the shorts and they will measure and make them for you. Thelabel even says "Montañita"
Brilliant souvenir.
Reply to this To follow up from halefg and Ruffie's comments I make it a policy to only buy goods manufactured in the country which I am visiting. So for example, if it says 'Canada' on it I expect it to be made there, not in China, Cambodia or wherever else. With baseball caps, this is pretty difficult, however I did find one in Victoria, BC that was made in Canada, or so it says on the label.
I also bought a couple of good quality hooded sweatshirts, made in Canada, at Vancouver Airport, a couple of Canadian-made t-shirts in Whistler; and a t-shirt made in Vancouver in Montreal (well, same country) on a previous trip.
Auckland Airport has a 'Made in New Zealand' shop where I bought a nice cotton t-shirt, though I avoided all the goods made out of possum fur. Ironically transitting through Hong Kong, it occured to me that it was the one place where one would want to buy souvenirs made in China.
Reply to this I always bring back a christmas tree ornament from wherever we go on vacation. Our Christmas tree is turning into a great conversation starter.
Reply to this I have brought back incredible knowledge about being green amd living more eco friendly in my daily life.
Reply to this I am also a magnet collector. In places that they are difficult to find I usually buy something small and light and make my own magnet. You can buy packets of magnets (to make fridge magnets) from craft shops really cheaply. That way you can choose something you like and something that was actually made in the country you are in.
D MJ Binkley: There are fridge magnets in Cambodia as I bought one! I only saw them on sale once though.
Reply to this Being an Economics/ Finance major, I tend to bring home a little of each country I visit's currency. It's a little momento, and personally, I think a country's currency tells a lot about them. For example, the U.S. has classical Greek/Roman features in their currency which shows they're influenced by the Western way of thinking. Also, I think the pyramid, the "In God we Trust", etc. denotes several norms about American culture.
Reply to this I still have some of the old pre-Euroised currency notes, the Belgian ones with James Ensor and Rene Magritte and the French ones with Claude Debussy and Antione de Saint Exupery. The Euro notes have various 'classical' style architecture, which don't really say a great deal. The aqueduct on the 5 notes always makes me think of 'What have the Romans done for us brothers?', the last time Europe had a single currency. I've also kept one of each note from Canada and New Zealand, places I am less likely to return to that soon.
Reply to this "In God we Trust"
It seems weird to have that on the currency in a country where not everybody is religious.
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