Souvenirs from around the world: maple syrup from Canada, a jar of Berlin Wall rubble, coffee that’s been through a cat
- Keepsakes from far-flung destinations run the gamut from clichéd to quirky – arguably, cans of Iceland ash belong in the latter category
Once upon a time, no self-respecting European tourist would return home from Spain without a straw donkey and a pair of castanets stuffed into their suitcase.
The trend of bringing souvenirs back from trips abroad has declined among Europeans over the decades, however. Until travel was curtailed by Covid-19, they were more likely to stock up on duty free booze and cigarettes before boarding the plane home. Globally, though, stocking up on holiday mementos is bigger business than ever.
Take-home trinkets range from clichéd keepsakes such as Dutch clogs, French berets and Australian boomerangs to less familiar items like Mongolian cashmere scarves and camel hair carpets from Chad. Here are a few more – many hugely popular, others unique and some downright quirky.
When the Berlin Wall separating East and West Germany fell, in 1989, shrewd citizens began stockpiling lumps of concrete, some still bearing the graffiti that was ubiquitous on the West German side. Prices start at a couple of euros for chips chiselled from the infamous 45km divide, to a million euros for intact slabs. There are even jars of Berlin Wall rubble with a magnet attached that can be stuck to fridge doors (You knew it wouldn’t be long before fridge magnets made an appearance). Be warned, there is a thriving market in fake specimens – certificates of authenticity aren’t hard to forge.
Hong Kong provides tourists with a profusion of souvenir possibilities, from clay teapots and jade chopsticks to embroidered Chinese jackets and cheongsams. And that’s just on Temple Street. Nearby Ladies Market is the place for designer handbags of dubious origin, discounted clothing and toys.