In real life, I’m overwhelmed and anxious a fair amount of time.
On vacation, I have no worries. There’s no cooking, no cleaning, no errands…
I wish life were like that all the time.
I also wish I could bottle that life up and bring it home.
Since that’s impossible, I make due with the next best thing: SOUVENIRS!!!
5 of my favorite vacation mementos
1. New Orleans, 1995: Voodoo Doll
We bought this voodoo doll at Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo because it’s festive and a little creepy—just like New Orleans.
I mean, it’s a city where Zydeco music and fresh-from-the fryer beignets co-exist with the feeling that you’re being watched by something hidden in the shadows. (Yes, I admit that I’ve read Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.)
While technically, she is a voodoo doll, I think she’s harmless. How much trouble could a doll wearing metallic leopard print and banana earrings make?
And no, don’t bring up Chucky. It’s not a fair comparison. Chucky was creepy even before that serial killer possessed him.
My voodoo doll is pretty.
technically yes, we brought home a voodoo doll. But really. How much trouble can a doll wearing metallic leopard print and banana earrings make?
(And no, Chucky doesn’t count. Even before he was possessed by the ghost of a serial killer Chuck was super creepy.)
2. Barcelona 2006: Book about the work of Gaudi
I bought this book because for me, Barcelona is Antoni Gaudi.
So much imagination. So much fun.
I wish more buildings were like his.
As someone who once interned at an architects office—and has experienced what it’s like to work in the design/build field—I have three questions:
1. How did Gaudi think this stuff up?
2. How did he have the balls to present it to his customers?
3. And how did he convince his clients, not just to sign off on his designs, but to PAY for them?
I have no idea, but I’m really glad he did.
3. Paris 2009: Pirate Peppermill
The one thing Ron, Lindsey and I all remember* about our visit to the Pompidou Centre was this movie. We only saw about 10 minutes, but it was hysterical.
The main characters in the movie were a drag queen named Goldie Glitters and her hunky husband, hero. It was funny enough that I let Lindsey continue to watch, despite a few risqué scenes which probably weren’t appropriate for a 15-year old.
“I want to be a queen,” a depressed Goldie tells Hero.
“But Goldie, you already are a queen,” says Hero.
“Not that kind of queen,” says Goldie. “A real queen. A homecoming queen.”
Cut to a fantasy sequence of Goldie, crown on head and roses in arms, waving as the marching band parades by.
For years I’ve wondered what that movie was, but was unable to find anything via Google. But thanks to the magic of AI I now know: It was an X-rated 1996 movie, Garage Sale.
The appropriate memento would have been something too embarrassing to put on a shelf where our friends and neighbors might see. And what good is a souvenir you have to hide?
So we bought a pirate pepper mill.
What does a pirate pepper mill have to do taking our daughter to see what turned out to be X-rated art?
Not much. But we bought the pirate the same day.
It reminds me of that day an still takes me laugh.
That’s all that matters.
*Lindsey says she also remembers lots of penises, but nothing specific.
4. Amsterdam, 2014: Sketchbook and Lyra Groove Coloring Pencils
The merchandising at Dille & Kamille roped me in. How could I not buy something. (Think Dutch Crate and Barrel.)
Not a mismatched set of all-white mis-matched dishes. That would have been too hard to squeeze into my already overstuffed suitcase.
But art supplies?!?
I’ve never met an art supply I didn’t want.
So I selected a handful of Lyra water-soluble crayons and a sketchbook. Then, I got to work.
5. Jaipur India, 2014: Elephant pillow
I know. Elephant souvenir from India. How cliche.
But in Jaipur you get to ride the elephants up the hill to the Amber Fort. And they paint the elephants’ faces with vibrant pastels so they look like pachyderm fairies.
It just makes you want to wrap one up and take her home with you.
(To my animal rights activist friends: I am aware that this is hard work and somewhat abusive to the elephants–please forgive me.)
Later that day, we spotted a lone elephant and trainer walking down a residential street. The man nuzzled the elephant. The way my neighbors nuzzle their dogs!
This made me realize that elephant wasn’t an employee of the tourist attraction. He was an independent contractor. And, he was a family pet.
Wow, I thought. How big of a yard do you need to keep an elephant?
What is your favorite memento you’ve brought home from vacation?