Most Treasured Souvenir
 

What is the most valued or loved momento you brought back from Europe?

In college I brought back my fiance (corny- but my now-husband proposed on the Ponte Vecchio bridge).
My other favorite momento is my plug-in and light-up Leaning Tower of Pisa.

I bought a beautiful handmade plate/bowl in Assisi that is now hanging in my living room.

Otherwise, my most treasured sourvenirs are probably my pictures!

Tracy

I'm with Tracy - it may be corny but my best souvenirs are my memories and my photographs... and my travel journals too - all entangled together really.

I often buy foodie/ drink items and occasionally ornaments and artwork but it's the memories that are the thing.

Light fixtures. We have a gorgeous chandelier in our dining room from Paris & one in our living room from London. We did have to rewire them though!

I took my camcorder and when I replay the dvd's on my big-screen TV, it's almost like I'm there again!

Plus I got great video of the young lady who picked my pocket while I was filming in the Curia Julia. That was pretty funny! (Fortunately, all my valuables were tucked away in inaccessible places so she did not get much from me.) :)

I try to buy original watercolours or other small paintings from the local artists when we go to a major city.

My favorite is a $20 abstract of the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo. A person ahead of me bought the one I really liked and I kinda got this one as a consolation prize but everyday I look at it I see something different. It's an absolutely beautiful, subtle piece.

Memento

In 1999 on my first trip to Italy I too found 2 beautiful platters in Assisi but the were actually made in Gubbio. It was before all the shops in Assisi began looking like galleries. This place was old and musty and filled, floor to ceiling, with stacks of beautiful ceramics. I dug through them (joyfully) and found my favorites. I use them every chance I get and think about that wonderful shop.

A sterling stuffing spoon that had belonged to the first Lord Manners.

Definitely my pictures.

One of the strangest momento though, that never fails to raise eyebrows, are the small (dime-sized) pebbles I keep on a window sill. They were all stuck in the soles of the boots I wore to Blarney on my first trip to Ireland.

My favorite though - is my collection of gluhwein mugs from Germany - I have one for every year since I started going in 97. (and only one had to be begged from a year that I didn't get to go in December). They're from all over and each has the location and year on it.

Nice to know someone else keeps the gluwein mugs. They are fun.

Our favorite souviner from many travels to Europe is one that was very inexpensive.

We were stationed in the Army in Germany in 1970. We visited Oberammergau and found a wood carving we really liked.... but it was $30.00! We could not buy it then due to the expense.

We saved our money, went back about 6 months later and bought the carving. It is still standing in our house today and reminds us of how much $30 meant to us at one time. You cannot replace those memories.

What...No Cat Puppets from Venice??!!

That's what happens when you drink too much Grappa and shop with my wife.

However, since we sometimes call our real tabby cat the Tesoro Oro (once again after drinking Grappa), and since the puppet resembles him, I guess our Venice cat puppet must be one of our most treasured souvenirs.
((H))