Tag: Souvenirs

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What Everybody's Buying in Fiji: Masi Tapa Cloth

Where: Fiji
May 22, 2013 at 10:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

After a few days, or even a week, on any of the islands of Fiji tourists leave with stellar suntans and big smiles on their faces from saying "bula!" all over the island. But the souvenir that your friends and family really want is the traditional masi, or tapa cloth seen all around Fiji.

You may remember our original feature on the masi, from when we headed to the islands for the unveiling of Fiji Airways and their new airplane livery—it's a traditional pattern painted all around the airline's new Airbus A330.

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What Everyone's Buying in Singapore: the Sarong Kebaya

Where: Singapore
May 17, 2013 at 11:27 AM | by | Comments (0)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

Fun fact: the iconic "Singapore Girl" of Singapore Airlines is so iconic that, in 1994, she became the first commercial, non-celeb figure to enter Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London.

The clothing itself is simple—a traditional tailored kebaya top with sarong skirt. It's also quite timeless; this has been the uniform of Singapore Airlines' female flight attendants since 1972 and part of what makes the look of the Singapore Girl such a long-lasting favorite is the lovely batik print.

No matter what airline you're flying to Singapore, at some point you'll be faced with the culture of Singapore Airlines and this florals-on-a-field-of-blue design. From billboards to glossy magazine ads, to the Girls themselves walking through Changi Airport, the SIA sarong kebaya appears over and over and eventually you may find yourself wanting a piece of the action.

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What Everyone's Buying in Istanbul: Türk Kahvesi Cup Set

May 16, 2013 at 1:35 PM | by | Comments (0)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

Yes, Istanbul has Starbucks. Inside those Starbucks, as in every other cafe in the city, you'll be able to order the thick, deep umber of Türk kahvesi, or Turkish coffee. Starbucks won't offer it in anything more than a plan white espresso mug, but elsewhere you'll likely lift exquisitely styled cups decorated in copper or even more precious metals, each with its own lid.

The bazaars of Istanbul offer sets of these mugs, often with a matching sugar bowl or carrying tray. They're beautiful and make excellent hostess gifts, but resist the urge to keep them away in a curio cabinet; they're best appreciated in use!

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What Everyone's Buying in Rome: A Pin-Up Calendar of Priests

Where: Rome, Italy
May 15, 2013 at 1:07 PM | by | Comment (1)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

How could a simple black & white calendar, with the simple name "Calendario Romano" cause such a titter among tourists? Simple—by borrowing the pin-up concept and applying it to handsome Roman Catholic priests.

Spend enough time in Rome and you'll begin to notice they're everywhere—the fathers in their conservative black vestments—having un caffe e cornetto next to you in the morning, or petting a cat on a windowsill. The calendar selects 12 (having a chiseled jawline is more qualification than being actually ordained) and photographs them in innocent occupation, though their eyes betray less than innocent thoughts. Preview all 12 months on the back of each calendar.

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What Everyone's Buying in Cusco: Alpaca Fiber and Textiles

Where: Cusco, Peru
May 14, 2013 at 11:53 AM | by | Comments (0)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

3000 BCE. That's how far back historians have been able to date preserved pieces of traditional Peruvian textiles. The vibrant colors, intricate weavings and completely unique designs (for each one!) make the fabrics of Peru popular the world over, and doesn't be surprised if planeloads of tourists at Cusco's airport are toting patterned bags or donning new ponchos made from the materials.

What you'll want to look for are garments made of alpaca fiber, ever rarer than cashmere and available in over 20 natural shades. Even Peruvian pima cotton is highly prized, and many fine linen shops in the tourist district will be happy to help part you from your money.

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What Everyone's Buying in Bali: Kopi Luwak Coffee Packets

Where: Bali, Indonesia
May 13, 2013 at 12:26 PM | by | Comments (0)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

Kopi Luwak. In the movie "The Bucket List," it's the favorite drink of Jack Nicholson's character; he calls it "the rarest beverage in the world." We wouldn't exactly say that, but it is pretty rare and not to mention expensive, with a reputation as being only for connoisseurs.

Of course all this makes it a terribly in-demand souvenir purchase for tourists to Bali, though purchasers may not always realize how it's made: an Indonesian civet (like a possum) eats a certain type of coffee berry. Its digestive system digests the meat of the berry, adds enzymes to the bean inside, and then poops out the bean. These beans are then collected, cleaned and sterilized, roasted and ground into coffee powder.

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International Travel 101: How to Mail a Postcard Home

May 6, 2013 at 10:46 AM | by | Comments (0)

Who doesn't love opening up the mailbox to see a postcard in the mix of bills and Bed, Bath & Beyond flyers? The exotic postmark and some lovely snippet of scenery is good for at least a few minutes of travel daydreaming, and it's like—"hey, I have cool world-traveling friends who care enough about me to send a postcard!"

Return the favor and send postcards when you travel. Be that cool friend. Just make sure to do it correctly or risk your awesome postcard arriving weeks late or not at all.

We probably mail 50 postcards total every year from 15-ish countries, but our father worked with the US Post Office for over 35 years, so we grew up with his griping about mis-addressed mail. Suffice it to say that the proper way of addressing mail is drilled into our brain.

Without further ado, our top tips for mailing postcards:

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What Everyone's Buying in St. Croix: Hook Bracelets

April 29, 2013 at 5:24 PM | by | Comments (0)

Welcome to "What Everyone's Buying," a new series on souvenirs, wherein we investigate what tourist trinkets are the hottest selling in hotspots around the world.

If you've recently spent time on St. Croix, chances are you left the island a "hooker."

Where to buy: Most locals will say you can't visit STX without picking up Hook Bracelets, which can only be found at Sonya Ltd in Christiansted. The bracelets have been made by hand for more than 40 years so each one is completely unique. There are several imitators throughout the Caribbean but any Crucian will tell you Sonya's is the only place to get the real thing.

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After a Weekend in Amish Pennsylvania, We Too Love Intercourse

February 24, 2012 at 2:10 PM | by | Comments (0)

Why yes, this rather dapper mug does say exactly what you think it says. And no, it’s not rude. Because it’s a souvenir from our trip to Amish country, Pennsylvania. And yes, we thoroughly enjoyed Intercourse.

Yes, not only is Intercourse, PA, a real town; the fact that it’s in the middle of the Amish-inhabited Lancaster County gives it that little extra kick. Apparently, the origin of the name is not clear, but locals told us it either comes from the “intercourse” where the two main roads cross in the center of town, or it’s from the old word for conversation: “intercourse”.

None of which innocent explanations, of course, stops the local “English” (as the Amish call the non-Amish) from raking in the profits. We’ll bring you plenty more Intercourse next week; for now, hopefully this is enough to whet your appetite.

Photo: Juliab for Jaunted

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Angry Birds in an Airplane! Kinda Sorta.

February 9, 2012 at 11:40 AM | by | Comments (0)

We're not going to lie, but Angry Birds might still be our favorite game to play on a plane. It can be played when in airplane mode (ahem, Alec Baldwin) and is the only game that makes us occasionally laugh aloud, all while flinging birds towards mean little pigs. Well, the creators of the game have already announced opening up theme parks designed around the game, but there's more (of course).

If you're huge fan and you've already got Angry Birds flip flops, hoodies, keychains and all those little tchotchkes, our recommendation for your next layover in Helskini is to stop pulling the slingshot and hit the new shop for your favorite characters. The Finnish masterminds behind the game have opened up a little plane-shaped Angry Birds kiosk-shop in the middle of Helsinki International Airport.

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Paris Says Its, Uh, Monument is Bigger Than New York's

Where: Paris, France
January 20, 2012 at 3:46 PM | by | Comments (0)

Someone's got issues.

That was our second thought when we saw this postcard in prime position at a Paris newsagent. Our first thought was "what the hell, is this a Vegas postcard or something?"

No, it seems that size really does matter to Parisians. Not only do they feel the need to boast about the size of their, uh, tower by plastering it in all its phallic glory over every piece of tourist tat, but also they're fully invested in the "our monument is more monumental than your monument" game, even though—yes—this Statue of Liberty does exist in Paris, though realistically on a far smaller scale. We can thank Photoshop for this fantasy depiction.

Poor old Lady Liberty. What we need now is for Dubai to make a similar postcard pitting Monsieur Eiffel up against the Burj Khalifa. That'll make the Parisian smugness wilt just a little.

[Photo: juliab]

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Blast from the Past: Real Photo Postcards

November 10, 2011 at 1:35 PM | by | Comments (0)

Walk through Times Square and at almost any of the cheapie souvenir shops in the area, you'll be able to score 10 postcards for $1. A steal for sure, but a closer look at the cards reveals that they're often outdated, faded or—worst of all—boring.

Travelers from the 1900s through the 1960s would have had a heart attack over this, since back then sending a postcard meant something. It was almost required of you to mail postcards from your destinations to your family, friends and neighbors, and the quality of the card was important.

Real Photo Postcards were popular for this reason. Printing on photo paper meant the picture would be solid, with no printing dots or gradients; it was as close to actually being there (except it was black & white). We were recently presented with this photo postcard from the heyday of the first Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth. At 724 feet long and 85,000 gross tons, she was the largest ship in the world and sailing on her meant you'd be sending a slew of photo postcards.

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