Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> When people I know
> are going on a trip to a far off place and ask if they can bring me
> anything I would typically say nothing expensive, because items in
> gift shops are rarely from that country unless visiting China. I
> appreciate them snail mailing me a few picture postcards much more
> than poorly made chachkas bought in say Denmark but made in Hong
> Kong...

LOL! I know what you mean. The souvenir shops here all have loads of pretty
seashells for sale. Hey, it's a good ocean vacation souvenir, right? Many
of them even have "Virginia Beach" painted on them so you'll remember where
they came from. Well, you'll remember where you bought them but most of the
nice looking ones came from somewhere else. They don't even live around
here.