Travelling to any destination is incomplete if you don’t return with a souvenir. While most souvenirs are personal memorabilia, here’s a list of some of the typical things you should be looking out for when you’re out shopping on your next vacation
New York City
When you think of souvenirs from New York City, the large red heart with I and NY on either side is sure to cross your mind. While this is the typical souvenir to pick up when in The Big Apple, you can also look out for miniature replicas of The Statue of Liberty, snow globes with the city’s skyline or replicas of the yellow taxi that dots the city’s busy streets.
Image source: Flickr
Paris
Nothing symbolises Paris better than the Eiffel Tower, so it’s a must that you buy at least one miniature replica of this wonder of the world. These replicas won’t be difficult to find as they are available all over the city for as little as 2 Euros. You will find them in all sizes and finishes – bronze, silver or gold. Don’t forget to pick up a bottle of the classic Vieille Prune (plum brandy).
Image source: Pixabay
London
Big Ben, the double-decker bus, the black vintage cab, the red telephone booth and the guards outside the Buckingham Palace are just some things that define London. Mini replicas of these are exactly the knickknacks you should be carrying with you on your way back from the land of the Queen.
Image source: Flickr
Egypt
Of course, you should pick up miniatures of the Pyramids and the Sphinx but make sure you also buy the scarab beetle and the Nefertiti’s head, both of which are symbols of ancient Egypt.
Image source: Pixabay
Amsterdam
The best keepsake to buy when in Amsterdam is the wooden clog shoe. Whether you’d like to pick up real-size ones that you can wear or small imitations, these handmade wooden shoes are available in a wide variety of vibrant colours and designs all over the city.
Image source: Hippopx
Moscow
Without a doubt, the matryoshka dolls (also known as babushkas or ussoan nesting dolls) are a must-buy when visiting Moscow. These cute dolls are a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size that is placed inside one another. These nestled dolls represent an object’s relationship within a similar object that appears in the design of many natural and human-made objects.
Image source: Pixabay
Munich
When in Munich, you’re going to be drinking more beer than water, and while you’re at it, don’t forget to pick up one of the steins you have your beer in as a memento to take back with you. These beer steins are traditional beer mugs made out of stoneware, porcelain, wood or glass and usually come in half a litre or a full litre.
Image source: Pixabay
Venice
Just like a trip to Kashmir would be incomplete without buying a replica of the shikhara, so will a trip to Venice if you don’t pick up a mini version of the gondola traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat.
Murano glasses are another must-buy item when in Venice. They’re special not only because they were a major part of Venetian commerce in the 9th century but also because making Murano glass is very complex. Made from silica, it is melted at high temperatures. As the glass passes from a liquid to solid state, there is an interval when the glass is soft before it hardens completely, allowing the artisan to give it shape.
Image source: Pixabay
Iran
The carpets from Iran are considered the finest in the world. They date back to ancient Persia and form an essential part of Iranian art and culture. They are special because of the amount of attention poured into their making. Weavers spend anywhere from a few months to a few years creating one of these cotton, silk or woollen beauties, giving them exquisite and detailed designs.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Istanbul
When you think of Istanbul, it’s the cobalt blue pottery that instantly comes to mind. Turkish ceramics are known to be one of the finest work of art in the world. There are different modern and traditional designs of Kutahya and Iznik Ceramic you can choose from.
It may now be available in every nook and corner of India, but the traditional evil eye or blue eye is a must-have souvenir from Istanbul. Used either in bracelets, earrings, key chains or pendants, this blue eye is said to ward off negative energy from your surroundings. It redirects the energy to itself and breaks instead of allowing you to absorb the negativity.
Image source: Flickr
[Originally published by Afternoon D&C in December 2011]
