Treasures From My Travels

Been there, done that, got
the t-shirt. And the
mug. And plenty of other souvenirs that allow me to perpetually enjoy the
journey. There is no rhyme or reason to my collection of travel mementos. They
range from artistic to asinine, expensive to cheap and everything in between.

There are those little
tchotchkes I could easily slip into my carryon bag and the more cumbersome items
that required a bit more ingenuity to pack and get home.

Then there are edible and
drinkable souvenirs – wine from France or Italy or South Africa, the original Budweiser from Český Krumlov, Czech Republic. There’s also chocolate
from Belgium or Switzerland, the delicious pastel de nata from Lisbon–
which linger in your memory long after they’ve been consumed.

Some souvenirs I
encounter daily, like the beautiful painting of an African landscape I got in
Africa that hangs in my living room, the plates and bedspread from Provence,
and magnets that that adorn my refrigerator. While others, such as the sandals
from Capri, and the Christmas dishes I bought in Copenhagen, are only brought
out during the appropriate season.

No matter how little or
often I see these souvenirs, they never fail to bring me a bit of joy as I recall
the journeys that brought the treasures into my life.

Do you collect souvenirs?
What are some of your favorites?