Stupid souvenirs
#22
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We bought a painting from a street artist in Paris. <BR><BR>Got it home and discovered it was basically ugly. <BR><BR>My wife said I bought it. I said she bought it. We had a good laugh. <BR><BR>Finally took it to a good artist/framer and he did some work on the picture and then did a killer frame. Stupid thing looks good now...but our guy probably spent more time on in than the original guy in Paris. We spent more on the frame and touch up than we did on the original.<BR><BR>I still get a laugh when I see it hanging in the house. Don't worry....it is a small painting....and in a small area.
#26
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Keep this one going. It is interesting to me to see what kind of junk we all bring home from Europe. I just found my small Mannequin Pis from Belgium yesterday. Bought that thing in 1971 and it still "hangs" around. At least we did not bring one of the large ones for a garden fountain that were for sale. I bet somebody out there has one working in their garden right now.....anyone want to confess?
#27
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Dear curious - I bought a cuckoo clock. It is on the wall in my den which is lined with German, Austrian, Swiss, Italian and Alsatian memorabilia. I use it to tell the time and every time it strikes I am reminded of all the wonderful memories I have of my trips to Europe!
#31
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I actually love all the things we buy, but we have bought some silly things over the years . . . most of them we buy a couple of to give as gag gifts & then keep one for ourselves:<BR><BR>* Playing cards from Greece that look like classical paintings but that are erotic pictures<BR>* Cigarette lighter with a picture of Chairman Mao that plays the communist party song when you light it<BR>* The aforementioned Clinton stacking dolls (ours is the cigar version)<BR>* We try to buy a refrigerator magnet on every trip<BR>* We collect matchboxes from hotels, restaurants, and bars, and keep them in a Balinese bowl on our bar<BR>* We also buy something to use as a Christmas ornament everywhere we go - so we usually buy at least one "tacky" knick knack thing - Eiffel Tower, London phone box, etc.<BR><BR>I am absolutely positive I've bought stupid things - I'll have to look in the back of my closets at home and I'm sure I'll find some things that just make me wonder WHY I bought them!
#34
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Tee-Hee!<BR><BR>While skiing in Germany we had a night out on the town in Garmish. At the Frauendorfer the waitress kept bringing the 'shnapps' for the table. She used what I would descripe as a 'shnapps stick', a long piece of wood that had slots for the shot glasses. I thought it was a clever contraption!! I had to have one! After a wonderful night,afterh a generous tip, the waitress presented me with my very own shnapps stick!! I have it hanging on the wall. It makes an interesting conversation piece!! Stupid to others..wonderful to me!!<BR>JOHN
#37
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Any souvenir that I brought for someone else. After a trip to Poland last year I decided that I would never bring back gifts or favors (hey buddy, can you bring me back a bottle of vodka?) for someone else. I had to check an extra bag for all of that crap besides laying out the money.
#39
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<BR>In Amsterdam - a "Carlos" doll. Basically a GI Joe in drag. <BR>He came complete with Carmen Miranda fruit head dress. and of course he was wearing a full length tropical print skirt.<BR><BR>Must be worth $$$ by now! And yes, I too was under the influence at the time.
#40
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Someone asked about those stupid dancing "Mickeys". Well, I too fell for it and bought them in Florence. They are flimsy Disney characters that "appear" to dance on thier own with the help of magnets whenever a beat (from a boombox) is nearby. I honestly believed it and I could swear that I didn't see any fishing line attached to the guy that was selling them. Needless to say, I got it home and couldn't get it to work. Someone, please help me with this mystery of one of my worst souvenir purchases!!!