{"id":34944,"date":"2014-10-02T14:22:31","date_gmt":"2014-10-02T14:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/blog\/?p=34862"},"modified":"2015-01-21T08:57:42","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T22:57:42","slug":"dont-diss-my-stash-when-souvenirs-arent-just-tacky-trash-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/dont-diss-my-stash-when-souvenirs-arent-just-tacky-trash-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t diss my stash; when souvenirs aren\u2019t just tacky trash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tacky. Cheap. Waste of money. That\u2019s what a lot of people think of travel souvenirs. But I have a different view when it comes to mementos you stockpile for yourself.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The emotional attachment runs deep and it\u2019s amazing how much more useful some seemingly stupid knick-knacks can be when there\u2019s a personal experience involved.\"MGBeads\"<\/a>Take my collection of beads and cups from the 2007 New Orleans<\/a> Mardi Gras. Sure, they might spend the majority of time stowed away in a giant Rubik\u2019s Cube; but when I pull out the colourful piles of fantastic plastic, I\u2019m immediately taken back to St Charles Avenue where I\u2019d stand for hours watching the parades and floats roll by, yelling out for someone to throw me something and chatting with Mardi Gras<\/a> regulars armed with fishing nets. The beads have come in handy for dress-ups and the cups are awesome for parties. Pick a krewe: Rex, Zulu or Tucks, perhaps?\"MardiGras\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s my favourite piece of Disney paraphernalia<\/a>. It would be a rare occasion that I\u2019d wear some Mickey Mouse ears, but I can eat eggs or pancakes shaped like Mickey\u2019s head every day of the week!<\/p>\n

\"Mickey1\"<\/a>
\nAs I make my way through my morning plate of Mickies, I can\u2019t think of a better way to remember my time at \u2018The Happiest Place on Earth\u2019.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\"Mickey2\"<\/a>\n

Meanwhile, have you ever witnessed ducks marching along a red carpet? If your answer is YES! then I\u2019m guessing you\u2019ve stopped by The Peabody hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. The Peabody Ducks <\/a>mightn\u2019t be as famous as Elvis, but they\u2019ve definitely claimed legendary status.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/a>

Image courtesy of helenkmurphy<\/p><\/div>\n

\"DuckSwizzle\"<\/a>
\nWhile we\u2019re on the subject of drinking on holiday, let\u2019s talk about a town called St Goar that I visited as part of a Contiki Tour<\/a>. This little piece of Austria<\/a> is located in the Rhine Valley and is famous for its giant cuckoo clock and sweet wines \u2013 my favourite! We headed to an underground cellar where we were armed with a hefty shot glass for a tasting session. We threw down sipped our way through some extremely tasty reds and whites\u2026 then came the ice wine. So syrupy, so thick. There\u2019s a reason it\u2019s called \u2018nectar of the gods\u2019. I haven\u2019t tasted it since (they don\u2019t make it here in Australia), but that shot glass is now my go-to measure when I\u2019m mixing drinks in our home bar. Prost!<\/p>\n

What about you? We want to know what amazing souvenirs you have in your collection. Don\u2019t worry \u2013 there\u2019s no lame-o-meter here.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n