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Unique gifts from the Caribbean?
So the question is always asked,
"What kinds of gifts shall I take back home from xxxxxx for my friends and family? We want something that is unique." So o.k. all you well traveled Island experts, what kind of gifts did you take back home for family & friends from the <font color="orange">Car<font color="blue">ibb<font color="green">ean<font color="black"> ? :) I once took a little bottle of sand & bottled "Caribbean Sea" for a cousin who lives in Canada. I was visiting her in winter. :) She still has those two bottles to this day! </font></font></font></font> |
Rum, of course.
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Rum Cake from Tortuga Rum Co. in Grand Cayman - but also found it in Turks and Caicos as well.
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From Jamaica :
Walkerswood Jerk seasoning. They now have a Rum Jerk Seasoning. Anything by "Starfish" - starapple, mango, tangerine scented soaps. Blue Mountain coffee candles. They smell soooo good! Tia Maria coffee Liqueur. Those Rum cakes (so neatly packaged for travel) and of course...Jablum (Blue Mountain) coffee. Anything from Wassi art pottery. |
Another vote for rum cakes! Yummm! =9
Rum balls from USVI Susie's Hot Sauce from Antigua Gilly Gobinet art prints from Antigua Sea glass jewelry from Anna's Art Gallery in T&C Turks & Caicos roasted coffee Hand-woven baskets from Middle Caicos |
Cruzan Rum and the Hook bracelets are great...shop around to get a good price. I wear mine all the time!
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Boring ol' us.....t-shirts and rum!
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Where I live in the States, Appleton Rums are only 25-50 cents more in price than Jamaica, so not worth brining back. Instead: Handmade tin nutmeg graters and whole nutmegs with the mace still on -- less than US$1. Logwood honey, passionfruit syrup from local supermarkets, freshly-parched coffee beans from local growers hit the spot for friends. I buy good non-touristic art, paintings and carvings, often commissioned sicne most sources on island are tourist-carvings and paintings and ,tho I can rarely find, 19th cen.Jamaican furniture. Framed photos often also make the best gifts/memories.
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jamaican blue mountain coffee and cuban cigars (i know it's illegal, so it makes it that more meaningful to certain friends 8-))
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Well, considering how often I'm in Cuba, my best gift for friends is some nice Cuban Cigars.
We sit around the backyard and enjoy one of life's great pleasures. A fine cigar, a drink and some great conversation. |
hey <font color="red">canuck</font>,
Your Cuba expertise is needed on the Caribbean thread : <font color="blue"> "Weather between Xmas and New Years and a few more ???" </font> |
What about Guavaberry liquor from St Martin?
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nutmeg graters...hmmmm...never thought of that one Tiverton.
I have a friend that can't get enough bottles of "Ting" soda. :)Everytime I visit her I'm compelled to take a couple bottles. |
Erica's Hotsauce
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In St. Kitts you must purchase batik and Brinley Gold Mango Rum!
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We always buy locally crafted gifts from island artists and craftspeople.
They preserve the culture. Check out this lifestyle and culture site for info and ideas www.virginvoices.com |
Bahamian baskets.
Nevis straw rugs. Grenada spices. CD's from island musicians. Local hot sauce. Artwork! |
joan, how do you pack those straw rugs?
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We stayed at the Turks and Caicos CLub on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (the main island) and brought home really pretty conch bowls with spoons.
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My neice brought me one of those conch bowls with a spoon! I think she got it on a cruise to the Bahamas.
On STJ, I always stop by Freebird, great jewelry and great prices. A stop at St. John Spice and some Blind Betty's hot sauce. Got a local painting from this sort of homeless artist in Coral Bay. Pretty funny story I will tell sometime. But the most original thing I found was a keychain in Vieques. Someone took beer caps and filled them with resin and put these colorful sequins and a medal of St.Christopher (the patron of travel) inside! I bought one and everyone at home had to have one!!! |
Do NOT get the chocolate fudge with rum in it - whew, it will knock your socks off - the flavor is too strong to eat it!
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LOL Jagirl, you should've seen us going through the San Juan airport hauling our five foot round rug from Nevis. But seriously, they rolled it up and tied it with twine for travel, and we just checked it along with our suitcases.
I didn't have the heart to set it on the floor, so it's hanging on the stairwell wall in my home! We even have pics of the ladies who wove it, really makes it meaningful. |
I often see visitors to Jamaica purchasing large wooden carvings and always wonder how the heck do they get them back home?
Anyway...I brought back some amazing beaten tin work from Haiti. Everybody loved them. In Cuba I found a "wind chime" made from bamboo and snail shells. :) Loved that one! I also bought two carvings made from a cow horn and a cow jaw for a friend of mine. |
Have been able to bring back carved
chairs (in 2 pieces) in a zippered large hockey-style duffle bag which beachtowels/bubble wrap for padding. Airline check-in/carry-on rules are forever changing tho and many are now charging quite a penny for oversize/overweight luggage both ways. If you can put up with spending a good day at the MoBay customs shed (or hire a customs broker) air cargo is the cheapest way to ship both ways and generally reaches 2-3 days. It's a hassle for the only way, unless you want to spend a fortune and Fedex it... |
For me I simply will not spend money on any commercial or mass produced "souvenirs".
I shop carefully and always look for the art gallery, carving, etc., that is produced by a local artisan. I am especially fond of the carvings that I have bought directly from the "artist" at his studio where you can watch his creations take life. That's my way of supporting local artists and having a souvenir that has special meaning for me. Steve |
Eh, Canuck-toi, let me know which artists on island now making those
JBG voodoo dolls ;) |
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