"must buy" in ports

[ama22]

When we travel, I always buy:

 

magnets (for friends)

inexpensive pendents (family and friends and me)

giraffes (to add to my collection)

snowglobes (if I find really different ones)

Christmas ornaments (family, friends and me)

 

On our Med Cruise (Istanbul to Rome) in Sept '07, I'll be interested in getting some shawls, silk scarfs and anything else that will be a treasure to remember our trip.

 

Mary Lou

 

P.S. Keep these items coming.

[ama22]

I almost forgot! I also look for cross stitch patterns of the cities we visit.

 

I'm working on making a cross stitch of everywhere we've travelled. They will go on a wall in my hallway with a cross stitch of Chicago (where we live) in the center.

 

Mary Lou

[ladysail2]

...do you buy the cross stitch patterns in the city you've visited, or in your hometown?

 

That's very interesting to do that as a remembrance of the places visited. I'm a quilter and am always on the lookout for quilt/fabric stores. Haven't had any luck with finding any for my Italy/Spain transatlantic.

[ama22]

LadySail2

 

I try to buy my cross stitch patterns in the places I visit. Since I didn't decide to do this project until after I had started travelling, I do buy some here at home or on the web.

 

Now I try to find one where ever I travel, but sometimes it is impossible and then I retreat to home and the computer.

 

If anyone out there has any good web sites out there for travel web sites, please let me know, as there are a few more I can't seem to find.

 

Mary Lou

[sunvalley cruisers]

To crusin Kayaker...sorry to be so late in replying to you...my hard drive crashed on my laptop and I had to get a new one....

The Store for Jewlery is Leslie anne Gerringer Design Studio. Calle delTraghetto, Dorsoduro 2793a (Piazza Contarini-Michel, Near Ca'Rezzonica Museum.) Her beads are made according to Mediecal recipes and are inlade with silver.

To get there take the vaporetto no 1 to CA'Rezzonico stop ...turn left and voila--its on the corner.

I found the shawl at Venetia Stvdivm..(that is the spelling.)..I bought at the shop that is near

Piazza San Marco on the main route to theAcamedia area. Several shops in vEnce..calle LargaXXII Marco, San Marco 2403: Mercerie, San Marco 723)

I don't know if they have a web site...The colors are magnificent. Very rich. Price for a rather large shawl is about $200. But something one would have forever...

I love to shop at unique shops...Particulary love hand crafted goods..

Really recomment the "Suzy Gershman's Born to Shop Series." Put out by Frommer and has many great shopping tips..Have used it all over the world.

 

They have a branch in London too...Much more $$$$.

 

I found Leslie's shop right away. We hopped off the Vaportta and there it was. It was with great dissapointment though that I must say I won't step foot in that store again. When I was looking at the shop through the window a woman came up and unlocked the door. I greeted her with a buon giorno and asked if she were opening soon. She scowled at me and walked in the door ignoring me. OK, I though I'll try again later. So I went back in the store a few hours later and I was the only one in there. I looked for a bit and then greeted her again, asking if she were the designer. She said " I am the one making the jewelry". I tried to talk to her about some of the pieces but she turned her back on me and walked away. So I walked straight out of the shop. I'm certainly not going to buy a piece no matter how much I loved them if I'm going to have a horrible memory of the place. No-thank-you! I've read that Italian shop keepers and sales help can be indifferent but this woman was just plain rude.

 

I did however love Venetia Stvdivm and purchased one of their largest pillows for my bed. Very $$$$$ but it was my one big splurge of the trip. It is outstanding and I thank you for the suggestion of visiting their store. I've never seen the likes of their beautiful silk purses and velvet pieces. I'm contemplating ordering a wall hanging for my bedroom now.

[kda949]

A friend went to Italy last year and brought back a bottle of Lemoncello only to find the exact same brand at Trader Joe's for $10 a bottle. I'm not sure if it tasted exactly the same (someone mentioned earlier in the post that the same brands of olive oil might taste different in Italy then in the US because they have to add preservitives before they export it) but it was the exact same brand - Villa Massa of Sorrento.

If you have a Trader Joe's try it! In Italy it is an apertif- an after dinner drink you sip ice cold (I keep mine in the freezer)- just a few sips is good! I hear that in other parts of Europe it is drinken warm??

I'll be in Italy for the first time this September (Golden Princess- 1st cruise ever!) and plan on doing a taste comparison myself!

[Mrs Seabird]

We're off to Rome and a Med cruise tomorrow. I'm so excited. I've read this entire thread and added the shopping suggestions to my day by day itenerary. Thanks for all the great tips.

[Tina G]

Just remember that you can't take liquids in your carry-on, especially if you have to change planes in Heathrow, or in the USA. Nobody mentioned basalmac vinegar! My son (the amateur chef) said it was totally different from what we get in the USA! I am very fond of chocolate covered cherries in REAL brandy! Yum!

[micruiser2002]

I forgot about the balsamic vinegar. I bought some for my niece and her husband last year on one of my first business trips to Rome. Then I found out from my sister (her mom) that her husband was telling her to save it and only use it for special stuff because it was so good. So when I went back I bought them about 5 different kinds, plus the same one. They love it. I also bought myself some. I was then in a food store here and saw some similar with the same * markings and it was over $30 a bottle. I think I paid about $10. I didn't know this stuff could be so expensive but when you do get the good kind there is a big difference.

 

I thought I say another thread saying the restrictions were changing again about carry on.

[kruzin']

does anyonw have information about glass red cherries they sell in Venice? Months ago I had read that they are available there and they make quite a nice souvenier .I would need a store name and address if any1 out there has this info it would be appreciated

[PINEY10]

You can find the cherries in almost any store that sells murano glass--and there are many stores that do. We found them in one of the shops off St. Marks. They were a little pricey. To boot, when I found that I needed more, I found some on ebay that were cheaper and just as nice (if not nicer) than the ones in Venice.

[Mrs Seabird]

Tina, thanks for reminding me about the liquids! I've been very careful on this end but who knows if I would have forgotten on the trip home! Yikes.

[notmartha]

I always try to buy something that's special to the place we visited, plus one item of jewelry local to the region.

 

Italy:

- Il Papiro paper products, especially their tissue boxes covered in design of Venice or Rome monuments, or Florence scenes

- Sant' Eustachio coffee products in Rome

- gold jewelry, of course

- lots of linens. Especially in the Tuscany region they have these nice jacquard woven hand towel with scenes of San Gimignano or Italian food recipes on them.

- mazipan and torrone candies in Sicily

- silk shawls

 

In French Riviera:

- Provencal inspired linens

- cans of pate/other food stuff

- Provencal pottery

- perfume

- soap

 

In Dubrovnik:

- gold ball jewelry

 

Not really shopping, but anyone else who insists on sending a postcard from every port (or at least every country) visited?

[okgirl]

My sister and I are sailing on the Freedom 03/05/07 and hadn't even thought about Euro's vs US. Is the ship against our S&S in dollar's? But we'll be in port in Venice and Rome several days pre and post cruise so what should we do about money?????

 

Janey

[kruzin']

:) where is the Florence market??

Be careful about buying Glass jewelry in Venice... there's a lot of cheap China stuff around. We were told the Rialto Bridge was full of fake stuff. Funny enough, the best prices we came across for authentic Murano Jewelry was on the Ship! I bought tons, one necklace I bought on the ship was $82 us.....in Venice the identical one was 129 Euro!.

 

The Florence Market was excellent....still kicking myself for not buying more scarves. I bought lovely silk one's for 3 for 10 Euro...other ports wanted 20 Euro for the identical ones.

[The PTCruisers]

Beautiful tapestries from Venice and organic Lavender oil from Dubrvnik.

[cruisetoscrap]

My sister and I are sailing on the Freedom 03/05/07 and hadn't even thought about Euro's vs US. Is the ship against our S&S in dollar's? But we'll be in port in Venice and Rome several days pre and post cruise so what should we do about money?????

 

Janey

 

We found that using ATMs & pulling out the max amount was the best way to get Euros. We also considered credit and getting euros from our bank

[Kiera99]

This is a great thread. I went all the way back to Sep. '05. Any ideas on what to purchase in Istanbul?

[jakvek]

Istanbul has great gold jewelry - 18K and up. Also carpets but do some homework.

[dmk]

In Barcelona, I bought some very beautiful fans. They were quite inexpensive. At one time, I might have used them for decoration but at this time in my life I need to use them to cool off my Powewr Surges. I often get comments on how lovely they are.

[Cruise Junky]

In Barcelona, I bought some very beautiful fans. They were quite inexpensive. At one time, I might have used them for decoration but at this time in my life I need to use them to cool off my Powewr Surges. I often get comments on how lovely they are.

 

My husband bought one of those for his mother, I think they were 1 or 3 Euro's very cheap and lovely.

[MavisMarie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Aviendha:

Has anyone ever purchased the beautiful Venetian masks that I've heard so much about?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am a mask collector which I started when cruising the Med. I have bought many to bring back from Venice and they are quite beautiful. The hardest thing is deciding which to buy.

 

Do you have a favorite shop in Venice where you buy the masks?

[MavisMarie]

does anyonw have information about glass red cherries they sell in Venice? Months ago I had read that they are available there and they make quite a nice souvenier .I would need a store name and address if any1 out there has this info it would be appreciated

 

I bought at least 24 of those cherries. You have to pack them so carefully as the stem is fragile and many of mine broke. I saw them everywhere in Venice but cannot remember the name of a specific store. I don't think you would have any trouble finding them.

[catkoe1]

Hi All,

Since we have booked this trip 5 months ago, we have been tivo'ing many travel channels... One of the shows, Rudy Maxa's, he and his daughter were in Venice. They walked over to the neighborhood of Dorsoduro...they crossed over the Bridge of Fists (I don't know the italian name) and then they went to a mask store that has been in the family for generations... Ca Makana is the name. That is all I know about them. So if you get there a day early or so...the walk was fabulous and the mask store was authentic... not just a"tourist trap" mask store. Of course, I have taken all the above info. off of his show...I have not experienced it yet...but plan on doing this on October 15 or 16th...Good luck!

 

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!!

[ILoveScotland]

DH and I love pottery, so wherever we are we try to buy a piece of local hand thrown pottery. I make sure to save room in my carry on for the pottery. We tend to buy functional pottery, so the green beans might be in a bowl from St. Croix and the one with the potatoes in one from Scotland and so on. Dinner time is always a reminder of some place we've been to in our travels.

 

I also collect boxes and often buy a box even if it's just a cheap tourist thing. It depends on the material of the box how I pack it to bring home.