The summer travel season will be here before we know it and with the cabin fever that most of America has experienced this winter, I’m sure it will be a busy one. Tourists have collected travel kitsch since the Crusaders plundered their way through the Holy Land. Postcards, pennants, shot glasses, spoons, as well as, a plethora of other items have topped the list of must haves from exotic and pastoral locales. These items are readily available at estate sales as they lose their meaning once their purchaser has passed. I have a different take on souvenir purchases; I try to find an antique or vintage piece that I can use and enjoy in my home decor. For example, two summers ago we did an old-fashioned road trip, packed our mini van and headed to Maine and all points of interest along the way. One of our favorite stops was in the Hudson Valley of New York where we did some antiquing. We picked up this unique sign made of cast iron for a jewelry shop. Originally it would have hung on flange outside the store. This purchase carried special meaning for us because we also visited the American Clock and Watch Museum in Connecticut. This wonderful souvenir now hangs in our living room and is a daily reminder of our special trip out East. So forget those shot glasses and t-shirts and purchase an antique as your souvenir of your next trip. It definitely won’t wind up in your estate sale.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.”—Augustine of Hippo
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