Favorite Souvenir from your Med Cruise

[Hoyaheel]

We do Christmas ornaments too - easy to pack, don't have to fill the house with knicknacks all year round. And if we can't find the right ornament - or we forget - we make ornaments out of other objects. Like the Costa Rican coins we drilled holes in to hang on the tree:D

 

I have a ton of Turkish tiles I bought on my first trip to Turkey, back in the mid-90s, with my family. I can't wait to buy more when my husband and I stop on our cruise next month:D

 

Also - we do lots of photos - enlarging & framing is so cheap these days - I'm looking for new artwork for my office - my old artwork - framed prints from Florence, from a trip when I was in college. You might say I hang on to things:p

[dolittle]

We are not to big on souvenirs but , when you are at the Vatican all the cheap souvenirs they sell beads , small statues and so forth can be had for 75% less if you walk A block or two away.

[CathyCruises]

I have a line drawing of the chandelier that the factory sent me before they started making the piece. I actually had to sign a copy of the line drawing as evidence of my approval before the work would begin.

 

I've never done an attachment. I think I've stumbled my way through the process.

 

It looks beautiful--thanks for sharing!

[GlendaleCruiser]

I love everything I've ever brought back from Italy, but hands down, our chandelier in the dining room has the best story. It's a long and complicated story but here goes:

 

ksps...you wouldn't happen to have a photo of this chandelier to upload for us to see, would you:)

 

That's what I was going to ask: Can you post a picture of the chandelier?

 

I would LOVE to see it:D

[ksps cruise fan]

 

 

That's what I was going to ask: Can you post a picture of the chandelier?

 

I would LOVE to see it:D

 

If you look upthread, you'll find a post from me that includes an attachment of a line drawing of the chandelier.

[eh2zed]

Leather belt from Florence outdoor market. Where is it today; around my waist;):D:D:)

[dalgirl]

So many souvenirs and memories to count...

 

The door pulls on the cabinets in our house we bought before the house was built:)

 

The glass bought in Italy, pottery from France and Spain, wood from the caribbean - now all over my house - each piece a memory and each sales clerk a wonderful, chatty, lover of the same things I love. You get into some good conversations while they carefully wrap each package.

 

My Colleseum tee-shirt:)

 

The handbag I bought in Florence with the help of another cruise passenger we met on the ship and decided to link up to see Florence together - she was even more crazy than me - she talked the clerk into a lower price before I could even begin to haggle, and when we showed our husbands, she instructed them "no, you cannot touch it, just admire":D

 

The little magnets I get my mother for her refrigerator - this next trip, she gets to buy her own!

 

The Christmas ornaments on my tree - it takes for ever to decorate, we have to revisit each one.

 

the prayer beads from the Vatican for my nephew's wife and children - and the little extra statue a nun put in for free just for me:)

 

Way too many to many souvenirs and memories to count and too much happiness to believe - because it is never really the things - but the experience:)

[susiesailor]

Ours was a little hat like the ones the gondoliers wear in Venice. Our basset hound wore it in his Christmas picture. Fit him to a T. :D

[Judge_Mental]

Limoncello PERFUME- Isle of Capri- the perfume place on the hill near the gardens. Don't know if it all still exists (was there in '98). It has lasted FOREVER (tiny bit still left) and everytime I use it, I go back to my memories of the sun, sky, little beach at the bottom of the hill and the amazingly colored blue of the water.

[joandian]

I buy a gold charm for my bracelet everywhere we go. Last cruise I bought

a Matador from Spain,

Coat of Arms medallion from Monaco,

A Leaning Tower - Pisa,

Ponte di Vecchio - Florence,

Coliseum - Rome and the

Dome of St Peter's - Vatican (Vatican gold was 3 times more expensive!),

Gondola - Venice

Coat of Arms medallion - Debrovnik

 

and 9 large blocks of Toblerone fruit and nut chocolate. YUM!

[Poconolady]

We do ornaments too, and often times they are hard to find--out of season, so I am always looking for souvener type items that I can make my own keepsake ornaments. My favorite ornaments are from Germany and Prague. My favorite thing that I have brought back from the Med was a big bag of Herbs de Provence that I got high atop a hill in the quaint town of LeBeau. I use them in many dishes, omelets, cole slaw, on a french garlic bread, sprinkled over pastas, I am just about out of them--we are going back to Provence in a couple of months and I will again be looking for my herbs.

I used to buy and hang drawings, watercolors,photos, etc of places we have visited, but I ran out of wall space. Now I purchase ones that are no larger than 8x10 and place then in a large album that is a wonderful coffee table book of our travels. Memories, memories, memories,

[euro cruiser]

A few years ago I started buying reusable grocery store bags from places I've been, and I use them when I shop at home. They often start interesting conversations with other folks on line - a couple of weeks ago a young man from Ireland spotted my Tesco bag and started telling me how homesick he was. Usually the conversations are more upbeat however, with chats about various strangers' travels.

 

I also have a shot glass that I bought from a nun at the gift shop on the roof of St. Peter's basilica. It just struck me as odd ... why were they selling shot glasses among all the religious items? ... so I brought it home with me.

[yorkiemomjn]

We do Christmas ornaments too - easy to pack, don't have to fill the house with knicknacks all year round. And if we can't find the right ornament - or we forget - we make ornaments out of other objects. Like the Costa Rican coins we drilled holes in to hang on the tree:D

 

I have a ton of Turkish tiles I bought on my first trip to Turkey, back in the mid-90s, with my family. I can't wait to buy more when my husband and I stop on our cruise next month:D

 

Also - we do lots of photos - enlarging & framing is so cheap these days - I'm looking for new artwork for my office - my old artwork - framed prints from Florence, from a trip when I was in college. You might say I hang on to things:p

 

I love this thread! We went on an Oceania cruise to the Baltics this year. We took a lot of pictures and picked out one of our favorites and sent it on-line to be put on canvas. I just love it, so we are planning to do this for each of our cruises. We are going back to the Med. next April. Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions!:D

[pacmom]

For those of us who collect Christmas ornaments.....if you can't find one from that particular place, look for a key ring. When you get home replace the ring part with an ornament hanger ot just hang it by the ring. Pat

[texancruzer]

 

I also have a shot glass that I bought from a nun at the gift shop on the roof of St. Peter's basilica. It just struck me as odd ... why were they selling shot glasses among all the religious items? ... so I brought it home with me.

 

This is too funny........ thanks for the smile !!!!

[dalgirl]

For those of us who collect Christmas ornaments.....if you can't find one from that particular place, look for a key ring. When you get home replace the ring part with an ornament hanger ot just hang it by the ring. Pat

 

Why am I not that smart???:D But I have been fortunate finding ornaments even in July - they know what we tourist want;)

[Got2Cruise]

A beautiful piece of jewelry from the Ponte Vecchio, Florence. Religious items bought at the Vatican. And, yes, Limoncello.:) I wish I had more time to shop for leather in Florence.

[ollienbertsmum]

A beautiful piece of jewelry from the Ponte Vecchio, Florence. Religious items bought at the Vatican. And, yes, Limoncello.:) I wish I had more time to shop for leather in Florence.

 

 

When I was first married I had two different family members who travelled for work and sent me postcards from where they went. I collected lots. Once the family were old enough I could afford to travel myself and I have added to the collection by writing our names and dates on postcards and sending them home from the ports we visit. It is interesting to look for postboxes and stamps in the various ports. It is also such fun when you get home, waiting for the cards to arrive.

 

It is a really cheap souvenir, but very personal - you have made it yourself. I sometimes refer to them when I am trying to recall dates when we made our various trips.

 

I now need to do a vacation that involves the African continent because my collection has very few African countries.

[onevacationlover]

Wish now I would have bought a hand towel for my kitchen at each port in Greece...instead a just purchased from two seperate ports..they look great in my kitchen

 

Love the murano glass refrigerator magnets..they are very nice..

 

Lots of leather items in Florence...particuraly the waste baskets with our initials...

 

Beautiful handmade plates for display for top of cabinets....always have lots of questions from visitors

 

Mask from Venice...

 

BUT of course, I also bought 5 rings and a pair of earrings too

[sk84fungirl]

Here's the thing...

 

I purchased quite a few things during my trip. I have many favorites. Here are a few:

 

• Barcelona - original art from a street vendor
  
• Rome - Leather purse and briefcase
  
• Athens - olive oil (wish I had purchased some in each port!)
  
• Izmir - rug
  
• Istanbul - scarves and turkish cotton bags
  
• Malta - blown glass elephant
  

[sk84fungirl]

A few years ago I started buying reusable grocery store bags from places I've been, and I use them when I shop at home. They often start interesting conversations with other folks on line - a couple of weeks ago a young man from Ireland spotted my Tesco bag and started telling me how homesick he was. Usually the conversations are more upbeat however, with chats about various strangers' travels.

 

I also have a shot glass that I bought from a nun at the gift shop on the roof of St. Peter's basilica. It just struck me as odd ... why were they selling shot glasses among all the religious items? ... so I brought it home with me.

 

 

What an awesome idea!!!! Recycleable bags for different countries. Wish this thread was started BEFORE I went to on my Med cruise. Guess I will have to schedule another...;)

[2pbears]

Some may think this is a little hokey, but we started collecting Christmas ornaments from every place we have traveled many years ago and after being fortunate enough to travel to great places in the US and Europe, our Christmas tree (which is 12 feet tall) has nothing but these ornaments on it. It is always so much fun to unpack them every year and remember the places we have been and how much we enjoyed each trip. Can't wait to add to the collection in September while in Barcelona then Italy!

B. Cole

 

I don't think that's hokey at all. We have been doing the same thing for many years and we look forward to pulling out those ornaments each year at Christmas time. Lots of wonderful memories!

[janetop]

"LBD" and several pearl necklaces and earrings in Mallorca. I wear the dress a lot for formal night on the cruises...it is calf length and is simple, flowing and very flattering. Husband helped pick it out so it made it special as we don't clothes shop usually together. These were all treats from him.

[Dee1161]

This is a great thread!

My favorite purchases are:

 

Turkish rugs from a government run school in Kusadasi

Murano vase bought in..... Murano :)

Ceramic oil dispenser with sunflowers on it from Florence

Masks from Venice

And the many bottles of wine purchased throughout Italy :D

 

But the best are the memories...Mother's Day in Tuscany, walking through the ancient ruins of Olympia and Ephesus, cappuccino in Portofino, our foray into Bosnia :eek:, seeing the Pantheon for the first time.... and sharing it all with the people I love most.

[cer10lee]

Limoncello PERFUME- Isle of Capri- the perfume place on the hill near the gardens. Don't know if it all still exists (was there in '98). It has lasted FOREVER (tiny bit still left) and everytime I use it, I go back to my memories of the sun, sky, little beach at the bottom of the hill and the amazingly colored blue of the water.

 

Love that perfume! I have a tiny bit in a bottle in my bathroom now. We are returning to Capri in October and I plan on buying more.

 

It is the Carthusia perfume factory, the smell is divine!