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!

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