I realize that I haven’t written about our holiday in August. We spent 2 weeks in Scotland and a few days down south in Bournemouth and Isle of Wight.
I keep planning to write about the holiday but that involves photographs, and somehow, I just don’t seem to have the time to go through hundreds of pictures. So I keep putting it off. Now, it would take me a lot of time to go through hundreds of pictures, but I figured how I could manage a post. I could talk about souvenirs.
There was a time when we used to come back with loads of souvenirs, all sorts of stuff which gets put away for the moment or displayed the moment we get home. These days, things have changed a bit. Or may be we have got a bit jaded. A lot of things seem similar or repetitive. I prefer picking up something really different, rather than the same old stuff. But that’s us. Daughter, on the other hand, can’t have enough of souvenirs. So we let her pick up a few things.
She is going through a phase where these are the things that interest. Fossils, stones and dinosaurs. All set in her plans to become a dinosaur scientist, apparently. I’m certainly not complaining. I’m so glad that her Barbie and all-things-pink phase has faded away.
2. Shells from various beaches. Some from Scotland, some from Bournemouth. All equally precious for daughter.
Those bits that look like little corals are actually crushed shells that look like coral. We had been to a coral beach on the Isle of Skye and it had these instead of sand. It was lovely and different!
3. Stones from pebble beaches. One of the beaches we went to, had the prettiest stones. Needless to say, Daughter had a ball. Some of the stones that she collected. The rest, I’m afraid, I might find only when we move houses π
4. Souvenir Gemstones. Daughter picked these from one of the souvenir shops, and she spends hours playing with them.
5. Dinosaur Fossils, or so she believes. We went to Isle of Wight, which is the dinosaur island of Britain. Now they say that it is easy to find dinosaur fossils on the beaches if you know what you are looking for. Daughter found these which she is convinced, are dinosaur fossils.
We thought we were the only ones with a dinosaur mad daughter, when another family walked past, with a little girl picking up stones and exclaiming, full of excitement,’I found another dinosaur fossil!’
We have a huge selection of fridge magnets from places across the world that we visited. The only places we don’t have any from is the UK and India. Guess the grass does seem greener across the fence. So now I have one from the UK. Although I have to say, this isn’t the best. I’m certainly on the lookout for more interesting ones. The best ones I had were from Paris and one from Las Vegas. Both, I seem to have misplaced. I just need an Indian one now.
7. Pictures! But of course. That has to be the best part of the holiday, trying to capture all the memories we can, and then reliving it. Sigh. Nothing, absolutely nothing is as good. A lot of times, the pictures don’t come close to capturing the beauty or the emotions that we felt, but they still serve as memoirs of a happy time.
Most of the stuff we dragged back are things which Daughter dug out of sands or selected from millions of pebbles in a pebble beach, but I suspect what she will remember is the fun she had collecting all this.
So are you a souvenir enthusiast? What kind of souvenirs do you look for?
I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st – 7th September 2013. Hop over to see more Day 2 posts.
A decade ago I too was an enthusiastic souvenir collector but over the years have mellowed because of the space crunch. I had collected sea-shells and love to collect the local artwork.
Loved your souvenier collection.
I’ve got loads of sea shells too. Some pretty enough to grace my mantelpiece:)
Local artwork, is something I love too!
Kids at this age, I guess love dinosaurs. Aaryan had so many Dino books and toys. Thankfully he has moved on! π
π Yes, it is all a phase, I suppose. One that I don’t mind too much, if I’m honest
I still have a box containing pebbles and shells that I collected as a child. I also have a scrapbook wherein I have pasted various leafs and feathers. π
My daughters are still at the all-things-pink phase. I believe not for long. π
You do? Wow! We are trying to put together a scrap book. No, she won’t be in that phase for long:)
My son too is a dinosaur fan. He never tires asking me abt them? Just yesterday, he was requesting me to take him to a dinosaur park close by. Also, he was curious to know how their extinction history in the middle of lessons. I just told him a meteor struck the earth and that’s it… end of the dinosaur race. Kids think alike….
Thanks for dropping by on my blog.
Kids do think alike! She loves dinosaurs. She has been fascinated by dinosaurs for over 1- 11/2 years, but recently she decided that she wants to be a ‘dinosaur scientist’ π
Lovely shells and fridge magnets . They bring back the memories ain’t it ? Lovely post btw π
Thank you so much Sridevi, and welcome here. Yes, they do bring back memories.
I prefer to keep memories. Seriously there ain’t much place to keep our things where would I keep souvenirs
Lovely post. I love pebbles of any shape, size and colors
Space is a constraint here as well. I don’t have the space to display stuff. I change the decor every now and then. Take away the pieces on display, pack it away and bring out the ones that were kept away π
They ARE dinosaur fossils π
π Lol! So she believes:)
Everyone who visits the sea shores is fascinated with pebbles of different shapes and sizes. Nice to see your collection.
Yes, there is something wonderful about picking up shells from beaches, isn’t it?
A nice introduction to your blog!
Some of those souvenir ideas were great. And the great thing about exotic souvenirs is that one never forgets the place or the story around them!
Glad I got introduced to your blog through Write Tribe. I am one of the participants as well.
Rickie
http://reekycoleslaw.com/
Welcome here:) And all the best for the challenge.
The souvenirs I collect don’t last very long, Smitha. π They go into my stomach soon. Chocolates are the best souvenirs sometimes π Hehe.
That would have been my favourite one too, if only age hadn’t found a way of depositing every bite I eat on my hips:)
I’m round π but chocolates I gobble whenever possible π
π After reading your comment, I went and gobbled a piece of chocolate π My sin for the day is done:)
Loved the souvenirs on display! My husband loves to pick up paintings from every place we visit. And in places we don’t find that, he clicks pics and frames them.
That sounds like a wonderful idea! I would love to copy that:)
capturing memories of places we have been too.. tough task, photographs do a good job, a journal keeps the writing coming, memories stored up in the brain keeps it for sometime.. or for ever.. and soviniers.. I love collecting shot glasses and they seem to be in every city with its name on it.. shells I love..
That is a good idea! Wonder why I never picked up shot glasses.
Oh wow, these are so cool! Love those pebbles and stones. My mum used to make picture frames from those shells and stones π You rekindled some memories!
We plan to make some picture frames too. We have a huge collection, some from Goa, some from North Wales, and now these. I had to persuade daughter to give away some of them when we relocated from India.
When I read souveniors I thought they would be something regular but these turned out to be super sweet π
Richa
Aww! Thanks, Richa!
They are really some souvenirs. And these small things will always remind you of those trips you made.
Yes, they would always remind us of the fun we had.
Loved this post and your daughter’s souvenir collection, too. She is so innovative. As you say, better let her collect such stuff any day over Barbie dolls and pink clothes! π
Absolutely! Anytime!
I am a souvenir person. I love to bring a bit of the place back with me whenever I am travelling. Most popular souvenirs I bring back are books or whatever is famous locally.
I love getting something local too!
Do you know of Chumbak? It has some pretty good India-based fridge magnets. I hadn’t known you were a fridge magnet enthusiast, otherwise would have got you some when we visited you in India!
π Aww, that is so sweet of you.
Just checked out Chumbak’s online store and wow! What wonderful stuff! I had no idea, thanks so much for telling me that, TGND!
that was nice tour you took us on…beautiful collection π
you can check out my post here:-
Karan – Grand Mother
Welcome here, Karan, will hop over to yours soon.
I love collecting unique souniners from places I go holidaying … But yea off late I make sure that there is something unique or local abt them! No point pcking something I would find at the supermarket down my apartment rt…
‘No point pcking something I would find at the supermarket down my apartment rt’ – Absolutely!
I was an idiot that I did not plan my trip to Scotland all the while I was in UK π₯ Now regret it. Somehow just didn’t get around to it then.
All the more reason to make another trip here π
Sorry I am not interested in giving a 2-3 lakh ka bond to get a visitinf visa π
Oh yeah, I forgot about that!
I just loved that table in which you have clicked every thing…*come spank me :)*
Why would I do that π That is my dining table π