Bring It Home: Smart Souveniring

Bring It Home: Smart Souveniring
By Dan Vierria - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, July 8, 2007
Story appeared in TRAVEL section, Page M

http://www.sacbee.com/travel/story/258084.html

"We wuz robbed!" just isn't the lasting impression we need after
travel shopping. Unfortunately, bad deals happen.

"Everybody gets that sinking feeling that they've paid too much," says
Laura Morelli. "It's buyer's remorse."

Or, that great-deal high is deflated upon arriving home and spotting
"Made in China" on the "authentic" Mayan artifact.

Morelli, author of travel shopping guides "Made in Italy," the new
"Made in the Southwest" and the upcoming "Made in France," says the
easiest way to spot an American at an airport is "the size of their
suitcase." Yes, we are souvenir and gift buyers when traveling.

Morelli learned savvy travel shopping the hard way. Young and
gullible, she paid too much and bought inferior-quality items.

Earning a doctorate in art history from Yale and living in five
countries gave her the experience and knowledge to avoid the bad deal.
Chatting by phone from her Connecticut home, Morelli passed along some
advice.

Q: Where did you first go wrong?

A: Murano glass. When I first visited Italy, I signed up with one of
the hawkers to take me to glass-blowing factories. You're led into a
shop where you would pay way too much for lesser-quality Murano glass.

Q: How'd they snooker you into the purchase?

A: There are people who stand around in major tourist areas and say,
"Hey, take a free ride to the factory for a free tour." That trip made
an impression.

Q: What's the basic strategy for avoiding paying too much?

A: Rule No. 1 one is to buy what's traditional in each place. Don't
buy Murano glass in Rome, buy it in Murano. Buy directly from the
artisan when you can. Say you're visiting New Mexico and want Pueblo
pottery, you could go to one of the artisans there.

Q: The most obvious signs of getting a bad deal are ...

A: Try to avoid buying off the street. Airport shops and cruise ship
ports are not a great idea.

Q: Are there any exceptions?

A: Some places in Latin America have a long tradition of street
vendors and that's perfectly legitimate.

Once I was in Palermo, Sicily, and there was a shop down by the cruise
ship ports. It looked like a classic tourist trap with tacky stuff.
But something caught my eye in the back of the store. There were some
of the most beautiful handmade wrought-iron headboards I'd ever seen.
Turns out they were made by the proprietor's father.

Q: What types of places are most reliable?

A: One great place to buy is museum stores. Typically they'll carry
quality things. Another is a craft market (or fair) that's staged
maybe once a year. You can make a personal connection with the person
who makes the goods. An Indian market and a Hispanic market are held
in Santa Fe annually. The people who sell there have to pass muster to
be a vendor. There's quality control.

Q: How can we learn more about authenticity?

A: If you know you're going to Guatemala, do some reading ahead of
time. Find out about local craft traditions. If you want to come home
with something you'll treasure, do some research ahead of time.

Q: Why is shopping such a priority for travelers?

A: Everybody wants to come home with some kind of souvenir from their
travels, something traditional, native from where they've traveled.
But it's very hard to tell you're getting a good deal if you don't
know the culture well.