Christal Wagner Photography
A SWEET SPOT FOR SOUVENIRS
Having time to reminisce this morning, I dusted off my electric Moka Pot and scooped in the grounds. A wave of nostalgia runs over me just hearing the water begin to boil with the scent of the espresso simultaneously beginning to seep into the air. I am brought back to a specific time and place. A view of a piazza through an open green shutter window. The barely audible voices of venders setting up their fruit markets on the cobblestone street below bounces through my window as I too prepare for the day. I am reminded of the much loved burnt pot on my host family’s stove and an evening picnic set atop the city walls where we could gaze into the Tuscan hills beyond. Although you can certainly purchase this coffee pot in the US, perhaps even at a Target nowadays, the Moka Pot created in 1933 by Italian designer Alfonso Bialetti reminds me so vividly of my travels and mornings waking up in Italy with a delectable pastry and of course, an espresso.
Although the Moka Pot was actually a post-trip present gifted to me by my partner, It stirs up memories and emotions and I’d consider it to be a souvenir of a time. I always mark my travels by purchasing a few souvenirs and sometimes, I discover something new that I want to introduce into my everyday way of living, hence the Moka Pot. It’s perfect for mornings when I have time to sit with my thoughts, let my mind wander, and enjoy the moment I’m living in.
When I travel, I always purchase souvenirs that remind me of the time and place. I love to sprinkle memories of my travels around my house, as they catch my eye when I pass and I am instantly refreshed. Don’t tell my partner, but one day, I sort of hope my home will feel like a museum of colorful objects and artifacts from a lifetime of exploration! Am I giving you serious Indian Jones vibes?! Now, I am not quite as eccentric as I made that sound but, I do love to decorate my living space with art, color, and the rich memories of travel. Currently, in our home, you might find yourself on more of an “I Spy” adventure of little trinkets than a museum of treasures, however, large or small, all are just as valuable to me. Wandering around from room to room you might pass by a painted ceramic feline friend from a shop in downtown Cozumel tucked between books, a hallway with quirky prints from the music festival Bonnaroo by artist Chuck U, and a deck of tarot cards and prints by Italian artist and illustrator Alexander Daniloff.
While I love souvenirs I do believe in budget travel and purchasing from local artists whenever possible. When I was younger, I remember traveling to NYC and shopping at the same big department stores we have in the midwest. Why?!? The purchasing of the souvenirs is part of the journey and should mostly happen while you adventure. I do not travel to shop, but rather I shop, as I travel. Maybe its wine from a vineyard you visited, or a local coffee brand and bean, or item from a boutique you stumbled into while on an evening walk. These items can be practical, affordable and rich with culture if you venture even ever so slightly off the path.
On a fourteen day stay in Lucca, Italy, my partner and I explored daily, always finding new streets with new treats to enjoy. Some times we grabbed some prosciutto for a salty snack and other times we picked up little things to take home to savor like the bottle of Lucca wine we still keep displayed on our rack. Walking anywhere near Via Fillungo, a main shopping stretch, a local perfume shop was oozing scents of the sea that could be noted as soon as you would arrive on that block. Aqua di Lucca became the scent of our evening walks. On our last night we decided that we should buy a bottle of what turned out to be a unisex cologne. That bottle of still sits on my dresser and will run out this month, a whole two years after purchasing it, wearing it, and enjoying the memories it stirred up.
I have a few favorite kinds of souvenirs that I pick up from every place I visit. An easy item to pick up is a postcard. Some I grab to send out to family members and friends on my mind, others I keep for my own reference, and recollection. Postcards often feature high quality images representative of the area. While sometimes image is an accurate depiction of area, other times it is hilariously awful. Either way there is always a variety of postcards available to suit everyone’s style and sense of humor, plus, they are very cheap to collect! I do love visiting museums and often photography is either not allowed, or, a camera is unable to capture the art appropriately. I do find museum gift shops to be often over priced, however, the postcard rack is bursting with affordable tokens of the experience. My collection of cards is ever growing as I have picked up postcards since I was just a kid visiting Graceland in Memphis.
Since I am an earring maker myself, I cannot resist earrings made by artists of other areas. My favorite pair has to be from a store called My Ocean run by Bahamian artist, Tanya Klonaris-Azevedo, and her husband. The day I visited the store in Nassua, the power was out in the entire area. Most stores were dark and quiet but the door was open to My Ocean and two young ladies working invited me in with their welcoming smiles. The store was filled with vibrant textiles, bath and body products, lovely ceramics and handmade jewelry. The pair of earrings I purchased feature a gold-plated metal square with a bit of chain and little pink and magenta fabric pieces dangling. I love to seek out local artists and galleries when traveling picking up handmade crafts, art pieces and prints. Since I myself am an artist, I am interested in supporting others doing a similar things and I am always on a budget. You don’t need to be rich to make these discoveries but you do need to venture into the little stores and galleries that may be tucked away in slightly less traveled corners.
I have stayed in Lucca on two different occasions and one of the most memorable shopping experiences was when I stumbled upon the night market and what looked like a tented library. The night market featured local artists with jewelry and much more. The tent in the middle of a quiet piazza where several intersecting streets seemed to just end, featured used books, stamps, postcards and other unique items. When I returned to this area with my partner a few years later we found several more gems! From books on Italian folklore, comic pornography (!), aged maps, local artist prints, old postcards featuring wonderful historic images of the surrounding streets, this was the ultimate thrifting experience. These items while some of the most inexpensive souvenirs I have ever picked up, are some of my most beloved treasures as they hold history and were definitely an adventure to peruse and uncover, and for me, that’s what it’s all about.Â
What trinkets have you picked up to remind you of your travels?
I recommend checking out these folks out, if you are traveling to any of these places anytime soon, give them a visit!
NASSAU, BAHAMAS
LUCCA, ITALY
https://www.aquadilucca.it/en/
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
https://cargocollective.com/chucku
(Discovered at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN, USA)