A few years ago, I read a post from someone who collected miniature landmarks from their travels. I decided to stop walking by in horror and start buying one (non-shotglass) replica in every city. We've had a blast deciding which Great Wall or Prague Castle or whatever to buy, and our best stories often center around that search. My favorite souvenir is the photo strip from the photo booth in Paris. There's a picture of the Eiffel Tower superimposed on our faces. It's not as though one could have walked a mile and taken one in front of the actual tower...people love that one.

Wow - my Lay-all wasn't even close. D- but better than most Yanks.
Anyway one more tremendously tacky place i saw was San Marino - this small mouse that roared country nesteled in the mountains not far from the Adriatic is a nice looking country except for its capital city - San Marino, which in summer at least sees a parade of Italians flocking here from all around, and especially from the Rimini string of coastal resorts to buy cigarettes and booze - the streets are elbow-elbow - a mob scene rarely seen. All day trippers, few of whom rise above the hubbub to see two quite remarkable forts that hover above the town.
San Marino - three stars of tackiness! I love it!

Right on PalQ - San Marino, a souvenir store as a city. I love it too - great forts and views.

Concerning the gladiators outside the Colosseum...for some reason we totally missed the PAYING idea of that when we were there. These two guys came up to our wives and acted like they were cutting their heads off w/ plastic swords. So I snap a pic and start to wander off...and it appeared they were about to try and stab me with those plastic swords. They demanded that I pay for the little show. We hadn't lined up or anything...they just pounced on us. So I told them to take their little plastic swords and take a hike. (of course it didn't sound as manly as that...these were big guys...but I wasn't about to part w/ my money for something we hadn't asked for)

Why the Roman authorities allow this charade - the extortionary gladiators to continue their Schlock is the question - someone must be getting part of the take i guess. But here at one of the world's most famous sites this and other Kitsch is allowed to detract from the place - why is it allowed??? this is a sacrilege of the most disturbing proportions!

Last year I gave my hostmom a boxing nun and it was her favorite Christmas present!

I loved many sights and activities in Barcelona, but found the vaunted Las Ramblas the nadir of tackiness, with the statue poseurs expecting money for photos, etc. And all the cafes and restuarants in the area were glitzy and overpriced (we didn't eat in them).
And we loved the Gaudi buildings, except for the Sagrada Familia, which was being built when he'd gone mad with religious fanaticism. Compared to the magnificent attention to detail and sense of wonder to be seen in the Casa Battlo, for example, with its sinuously carved woodwork and dragon-shaped roof, the Sagrada Familia looks like a gigantic meringue dessert. And a tasteless one, too.