Journeys and Adventures

I literally “stumbled upon” some fantastic photos (and a great travel photography/souvenir idea) on My Modern Metropolis, a “social network about sharing modern day experiences.”  In a post on February 21st, Eugene shared the story of 56-year-old freelance photographer Michael Hughes and his photos of cheap souvenirs being used to “replace” world landmarks.

We’ve all seen the snow globes, magnets, and shameful replicas at our favorite sights around the world, but have you ever thought how close they might be to the real thing?  Or thought to use those cheap souvenirs in a photo?  Michael Hughes has and has done a fabulous job.

Purchase a set of souvenir postcards of Hughes’ great work at fivefootsix—or find the time, the patience, and the cheap souvenir to take the picture yourself!  (And be sure to check out the rest of Hughes’ work…there are more great photos here.)

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I received my postcard from Lynne of A Malaysian Abroad this weekend—as a part of the 2009 Postcard/Link Exchange, she mailed the above postcard from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to my home in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.  It took just about two weeks to arrive and was worth the wait.  

     In all my travels, I haven’t really made it to Asia yet (I’ve been to Israel, but that’s it!), so the picture of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, built in 1897, wets my appetite even more for the sights and sounds of this whole other world I haven’t been able to experience yet…I plan to make it that side of the world somewhere soon!

     Until then, I’ll enjoy postcards like this from Lynne.  Visit her site often and there might be another chance for a postcard!

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Shopping for souvenirs is an important part of any vacation.  While you’re able to purchase magnets, shot glasses, and postcards at pretty much any destination in the world, each destination also has its’ own unique souvenirs.  Morocco has several choices of those unique souvenirs:

Tagines: The uniquely shaped pot used for cooking special dishes of the country (with some sample recipes here) is available everywhere around the country.  Usually made from local terracotta clay, tagines come in varying sizes and colors (some are more for decoration) and can be very cheap.

Rugs: Like Turkey and Egypt, colorful woven rugs of many designs, textures and sizes are also frequently seen in Moroccan markets.  For higher quality rugs, don’t expect the prices to be cheap, but don’t let the seller charge you too much either.  (My friend was able to buy her rug for 1/3rd of the original asking price!)  Be sure to really check for quality, ask how to clean, and think ahead about how to pack your purchase.  One more tip: prices will go down considerably if you purchase more than one and pay in cash.

Thuya wood: This wood, from a tree native to Morocco, has beautiful coloring and is used to create some exquisitely designed products ranging from picture frames to table-tops.  Again prices can range on these, but you don’t need to pay a high price.  Some beautiful pieces can be very cheap if in the right neighborhoods (one of the streets in Essaouira seemed to have the best prices).

Fabrics: Colorful fabrics ranging from flowy to rich are available as scarves, shirts, pillow cases, and caftans, one of the traditional Moroccan garments worn for special occasions.  It’s a nice place to stock up on pashmina and cashmere scarves at a cheaper price and I find some of the clothes very stylish (and comfortable) with prices that make a budget shopper happy.

Spices: Souks, the Arabic word for “markets,” are fun places to wander in.  Bright colors, fresh fruits and vegetables, smiles and shouts surround you.  But it is the tall stacks of colorful powders, piles of fresh herbs, and the assault on your nose that pulls you to the spice stand where men give you presentations, explain various uses, and serve you tea.  Ras el Hanout is a popular blend of 35 spices.  Be sure you see the full pieces of the spices with a decent blend (not all the cheap stuff) and have the seller grind it for you.

     Unlike most Western countries, bargaining is expected on everything (except for food).  Approach it like a game, start very low, and don’t fall for their honed sales techniques (but be reasonable).