cleo

I so loved the thread regarding where, when and for how long we are traveling and thought I'd see if others have neat quirky souvenirs (apart form the obvious - wine from France, chocolate from Switzerland, etc.) that they bring home. <BR> <BR>I'll start: <BR>Fridge Magnets - not too tacky - so that I can use it to hold up a pic from the trip in a place (kitchen) I see a great deal of. I have a poker chip from Las Vegas, a mini London "tube" sign, a hand-formed lobster from Nova Scotia and an Okopogo from Kelowna. <BR> <BR>Starbucks Mugs - I have one from Vancouver, New York and London so far. <BR> <BR>I will be adding to my collection in 13 sleeps!

Amanda

The only POINT in collecting fridge magnets is tackiness! Luckily, all of the ones you described are tacky. <BR> <BR>My husand and I collect magnets from every city/country we visit, except for the time my husband went to Hungary on business. He claims he couldn't even find a fridge, let alone a fridge magnet.

Meg

The tackiest "souvenir" I ever saw was a giant rainbow lollypop with a picture of the Pope's face plastered on it. Just plain strange.

Meg

The tackiest souvenir we EVER bought was a large plastic peanut that opened in the middle and had a tiny little chicken that peeped. We have a friend who challenges us on every trip to bring her that TACKIEST thing we can find. She also has a plate with our picture in the middle of it from James Bond Island in Thailand. And a bottle opener shaped like a wooden shoe from Amsterdam. It's fun to have an excuse to buy something so awful on each trip - kind of makes up for the embarassment of buying it! <BR> <BR>For myself, I try to buy a small watercolor painting from a street artist and some Christmas ornaments from every place we visit.

Ess

I don't know how quirky they are, but I have a thing for souvenir plates that hang on the wall. I love the really old ones when I can find them. No one in my family will let me hang them all over the kitchen, though. I don't know why. Isn't that why they call it a kitsch-en?

Santa Chiara

My favorite are "popopeners," bottle oppeners with the Pope's visage emblazoned on the medallion-shaped handle.

Jennifer

At my last job, an on-going challenge was to find the tackiest snow globe. I was the reigning champion when our division was dissolved, having brought back from New Orleans a plastic green alligator with a snow globe in its stomach, containing, for some reason, a teeter-totter.

sandi

We found a great snow globe in Rome for a friend that collects them. It had St. Peter's Basilica in it and rising up behind it, towering over the church with his arms outstretched was the Pope. This won the place of honor on our friend's mantle.

elvira

Fridge magnets: I've got so many they're interfering with Norad; the tackiest is the *I "heart" craps* from Vegas. <BR>Candles: a gold Eiffel Tower, a gold Nefertiti head, a grey Chinese tomb soldier <BR>Salt and Peppers: Arc de Triomphe/Eiffel Tower; Amsterdam row houses <BR>A miniature Maltese boat, covered in the dust with which it came; slugs for the Maltese slot machines <BR>Many, many gargoyles (including two fridge magnets) <BR>Playing cards with portraits of French royalty (avec tetes) <BR>These dumb pens that have water in the top and something that slides back and forth - from Milan, London, Munich, Venice (it's a tradition among the Loons). <BR> <BR>And the Eiffel Tower that lights up.

nancy

Oh Boy!! <BR>Can't wait to get to Italy. <BR>Thanks for some great ideas. <BR>Kitsch is cool.

Thyra

The stuffed-lime green, Loch Ness Monster...... <BR>and plastic drink coasters from Greece with greek couples... well, um coupling.

Paige

Not from Europe, but in Key West my hubby bought a coconut carved to look like a gorilla's head. Also have fridge magnets from everywhere. We got a really cool coffee cup in Switzerland painted black and white (like cow spots) with a little ceramic cow inside looking up. snicker snicker!