Souvenirs: joy of travel in retrospect
Everyday reminders of travel: exotic cushion covers
Souvenirs of travel are never far away in my apartment. Maybe I won’t travel to any faraway places in future: my body doesn’t like it much.. However, I’ll never forget the places I’ve lived in or visited, because discreet reminders are close at hand. These cushion covers were collected at random. If only I’d brought one back from the Malvinas, or Chile, or Argentina, or the Tokelaus, or Tonga, or (for goodness’ sake!) Geneva, where I lived for four years… Anyway, I love my accidental decor, and I kid myself the cushions go together.
I wonder, what souvenirs do you bring home from your travels?
KEY
- Christchurch, woven by my sister Prue
- Kyoto, cushion for our favourite doll, Kyoko
- A local shop
- Dhaka
- Ditto
- Marrakech
- Samoa
Amazing! A story behind every one.
I never thought of cushion covers ! Rather more adaptable than ornaments !
Well, it just happened that way by accident. I’m happy!
Yes, they’re good ideas- I usually bring back postcards or fridge magnets…
I think souvenir shops deliberately sell things you might never use. But postcards and magnets work for me too.
I brought back cushion covers from my first stay in Istanbul. The second time, when I lived there for much longer, I had to rather speedily leave, and ended up leaving not only my Gibson classical guitar that my parents gave me when I was 12, but all of the things I had collected while I lived there. I couldn’t haul more than one suitcase up to the taxi rank, you see… 😛 Long story!
I’m groaning on your behalf! How painful. Reminds me of when I left Japan, and was about to get on the plane with an overweight suitcase. I’d figured that (using my overweight cost on my NZ-Japan flight as a benchmark) I’d have to pay $100–$200 fine, and that it was worth it. Well, different story at this end: the cost would be about $1,000. Gulp, I had no way of paying that on the spot, even with a credit card. I just hung around looking plaintive for an hour, with my faithful students surrounding me, until at last they just put me and my case on the plane for an extra (wait for it) $10. Blind luck.
Yes! I often need to take astep back to understand anything! I hope you can check out my poetry caelidotblog.wordpress.com/blog/
What beautiful cushions! My travel souvenirs seve as a reminder that there is so much more beyond my own little world.
That’s so true. I’m so pleased you admire my motley cushions!
I’ve a cushion cover from Canada, but it’s not from my travels,nor anyone I know…I acquired it somewhere. Most of my souvenirs are packed away – in a couple of old suitcases, which I open and look at fairly regularly – imagining that at some point I will have them “out on display” -some of the items are as far back as the 1950s when I went with Mum to the UK to visit my very older sister…others from my personal travels in the 1960-70s when as a teen I was sent away overseas, for reasons that later became “not necessary” but it was too late by then, I was away…some items from the later 1970s…probably a few other things…
(sorry got behind with most blogs…sorting out to start again next week with distance delivery art school)…
I’m glad you look at your souvenirs fairly regularly, and continue to get pleasure from them. Maybe just display one at a time, as the Japanese do with their treasures? You might change the item on display each month — just a thought!
that sounds like an excellent idea – thanks….
I think my souvenir obsession is photos. Simply to assist memory I think.
I think my reply got deleted — if so, let me repeat: photos are the ultimate souvenir, and yours are gorgeous. I need them badly as a memory boost too.,
Oh me too, Rachel. Photos and journals -indispensable.
Cushions are a wonderful trip souvenir. I wish I’d thought of them years ago. I like the way they add instant color as I move them to different spots, and it would be even more fun if each cushion I have held a memory for me. I was never wise enough to have a theme for my souvenirs and as a result most of them have either been discarded or left sitting in a cabinet and ignored over the years.
You’re right, the fact that we handle cushions regularly keeps memories fresh. It’s a small domestic pleasure to rearrange them — and remember.
This sofa looks absolutely beautiful with the enrichment of those valuable cushions, in other words i wanna say perfect souvenirs.
I myself love cushions so much and by seeing your post here I think I would bring same kind of souvenirs back home.
Great idea!