Thursday, May 26, 2016

Souvenirs - From Places I Have Actually BEEN

I do actually manage, sometimes, to find vintage souvenirs at thrift shops that are from places I have actually visited myself.
When I do, rather than selling them, I figure they're keepers, instead.
 I thought I would show you some of them today.
Let's start with Volcano, right here in the Mother Lode Gold Country of California, and closest to home for me.
 I could get there in about an hour and a half:
I was tickled when I came across this sweet little souvenir box from Leoni Meadows. Getting there would take me a little over two hours - not bad. I went there with Tina back in 2011; I wrote a series of three posts about it back then.
San Francisco - about a three hour drive from here - until you factor in bad traffic, and then, who knows?
But yes, I'm happy to say that I've been on a Cable Car (many years ago!) and I've been across the Golden Gate Bridge a number of times in my life, too:
I found a key-shaped thermometer from Caspar Beach, near Mendocino.
 Unfortunately it takes about 5 hours to get there from here.
Wish I was there right now. Oh, how I love it over on the California coast!
I found a vintage Lotus bowl featuring scenes of attractions at the  "Trees Of Mystery".....
....which is along the Redwood Highway in northern California.
Now, getting THERE would take me about eight hours!
But I can be ready to leave in about an hour, if you want to go:
Okay, so if we're already up near Trees Of Mystery, we're very close to the Oregon border, so that's where we're heading next!
Only about two more hours, and we could be in Cave Junction. (More on that, below).
I have managed to find three pretty Oregon souvenir plates.
 I love Oregon, and I'll pretty much go there any chance I get.
 Heck, I've been tempted to ask mere acquaintances or even strangers if I can ride up there with them, when I overhear someone say they're going!
(I could always fly back.)
One from Oregon Caves, and two other very pretty ones:
Tina and I stayed in Cave Junction once when we were on one of our trips years ago, and I went to Oregon Caves with a girlfriend back in 1979, and did the cave tour and all of that. 
We had a great time.
I also found this bear souvenir from Oregon Caves:
It was funny, because when I saw the bear sitting on a shelf at a thrift shop, I thought it was probably a California souvenir, with the California Grizzly, our state animal, on it.
 Then I picked it up and looked at it more closely - nope, Oregon Caves! 
No problem - I'll take it!
Farthest from home, we have a souvenir plate from Florida featuring oranges.
I've been to Walt Disney World twice, so yes - I've been there!
And that's about as far from home as I've ever been, actually.
So that concludes my little gallery.
 Hope you enjoyed my souvenirs!

1 comment:

Tina Dawn said...

I love them all! I collect them too, but strangely, mostly close to home, places I go to all the time. You have some great ones! I will go traveling with you! (Oh, I guess I have! LOL)
I especially want to make the drive up the California coast and into Oregon. A friend is buying a home in Port Orford, a place I really love. Maybe next year... Love T