Before even getting to your
destination, do some research on the shopping etiquette of the country you are
visiting. In Russia, prices are effectively set in stone. In Morocco, however,
it is encouraged to negotiate with the salesmen. Thus, all the slippers, purses, belts,
jackets, etc. in this Moroccan tannery were price-adjustable.
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This picture shows just some (!) of the slippers available at
a store in Morocco.
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Once in-country, think about
how you will store your souvenirs during your trip and how you will get them
home. I found that the most practical
purchases in that regard were things I could use, such as clothing. T-shirts, for example, took up little space
and I could wear them when out and about.
When it was time to go, they could be rolled up and tossed into a
suitcase without issue. My books, on the
other hand, were easy to store while abroad because they just sat on a shelf
but when it came time to leave I found that they made my suitcase exceed the
airline weight limit so I spent a lot of money to mail them home.
If you are looking for
something special, move beyond products that celebrate the country as a whole
and look at things special to the city or town you are visiting. Thus, if you visit a city known for local art
(Szentendre, Hungary, for example) or handicrafts (Fes, Morocco), or what have
you, buy that unique product. You will
have both a piece of the country and of the smaller place you saw.
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A bronze plate from Fes, Morocco. Fes is well-known for its metalworking (among
other crafts) and I still use this plate to hold loose change.
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Sometimes souvenirs can take
a political twist. While the point of
buying mementos is to have a tangible piece of the country, some manufacturers
take this to the extreme. While hard to
see through the display case glass, below is a photo of figurines from the
Spanish Civil War (1936 – 1939). The
figures on the left are holding flags of the Second Republic, that is, the
losing side. There are still living
veterans from the Civil War and discussing the conflict is taboo, so it I was
surprised to see these for sale.
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At left, figurines from the Spanish Civil War. I assume the ones on the right are from the
winning side, but I never could confirm that.
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In Russia, souvenir stands
sold a tremendous amount of merchandise that praised Putin in a playful way,
such as the coffee mugs pictured below.
These are in addition to the many t-shirts that showed the Russian president
photoshopped onto the back of a saddled bear, into scenes from James Bond
movies, and a host of other amusing situations.
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The Russian on the center-top mug says “Crimea is ours!”
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No matter what kind of
keepsake you want, be it fine handiworks, a piece of political history, or a
simple keychain, there is something for every buyer. If you do get a Putin coffee mug, just be
sure to wrap it in a copy of the newspaper “Pravda” or “Isvestia” before
putting it in your bags.
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