the tale of lola’s favorite travel souvenirs
how do you feel about them? i like to bring a few home. i prefer the practical travel souvenirs…like food, scarves or t-shirts i’ll wear to the gym. maybe spices. my favorite souvenir for my most special places i visit are gold charms for my charm bracelet. i don’t buy them everywhere i go. only the places that have some deeper meaning and touch me in some way. YES that’s right. lola’s a sentimental gal.
i picked up some things that i just LOVE in Cambodia. Cambodia is a very special place to me for soooo many reasons. i bought a ‘i heart Cambodia’ t-shirt that i just love. paid $5 for it. whether i wear it bumming around, to sleep or to the gym, it’ll bring a smile to my face every time i put it on. i also bought a ‘floppy hat’. if you’ve been to Asia, you’ll know what i mean. hats are a big thing there to protect your head and face from the sun. while mine isn’t terribly floppy, it IS very cute and i paid something to the tune of 3 bucks for it. then there’s the ‘traveler pants’ i bought as a joke. these are akin to harem pants and many people wear them almost as a fashion statement. i’ve actually come to really love these pants too – $10. they are really comfortable, and again, remind me of my lovely time Cambodia. they make me laugh because of all the jokes with my friends about them and now that i own them, ACTUALLY like them, AND wear them – well, the joke is on me!
BUT my favorite travel souvenir (and maybe of ALL TIME) is my impulse buy of a gold buddha charm. on my last day in Cambodia, i was walking through a dank market in Koh Kong and was reminded that i wanted to look for a charm for my bracelet at the end of my trip. i didn’t even barter (which i suck at) much to the friend i was with chagrin. i don’t care. unless it’s fake, i totally love it and got an amazing deal for it. i will treasure it always.
- it’s from Cambodia.
- i impulsively bought it which makes it more fun!
- i was accompanied by a wonderful friend who i’ll forever be reminded of when i see it.
- AND it’s vintage and traveling somewhere else in the world it’s never been.
this goes back to the sentimental side of lola. i love to bring new life to things that are old. i believe in recycling. i don’t need shiny and new. i need meaningful. and this charm meant something to someone(s) else and now i carry it on with me. it may sound silly but it’s BLISS for me.
BEST news of all. i dropped by the jeweler once home to get a quick estimate of it’s value. ummm, yeah, i paid $130 for it. highway robbery in Cambodia – i’m sure BUT this baby at first look appears to be worth $600 to $700 so who’s complaining? certainly NOT me!!
what are your favorite travel souvenirs?
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