As in all tourist towns, souvenir shopping plays a major role in the local economy. Every city has to capitalize on what makes it unique. I really enjoyed checking out what was marketed as totally Venice. The two main tokens to take home are masks and murano glass.
The masks are so interesting. They can be either paper-mache or leather, and they come in thousands of different faces and sizes. Jokers, cats, doctors, birds, Medusa, cry babies, princesses, and much more lined the windows on the streets. Pinocchio is a popular choice, since after all he was Italian. Some masks cover just the eyes, some whole faces. Different adornments include bells, feathers, ribbons, and sparkles. Some tie behind your head while others are held up via stick. The best part was that a lot of mask makers will make them in the windows, though they all had no photo signs so I didn't get any shots.
The murano glass also comes in a variety of forms. From bright blue to sparkly gold, the glass comes in every color under the sun. Jewelry, candy dishes, picture frames, light fixtures, watches, and miniature animals are among the glass goodies available, once again making for great window shopping.
Both of these come in a variety of price ranges. The cheap knock-off versions are on the outdoor stands, and prices change depending the quality of the store you wander into.
Souvenir shopping in Venice has definitely been my favorite out of all the cities I've visited. Its merchandise is just as unique as its public transportation.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
get a mask! then you, me, and krista can wear them in the suite while pregaming next year and look super intense!
ReplyDelete