The uncomfortable truth behind the mining magnate and politician
Sometimes the best souvenirs are the most useless. Tuttuki Bako is a Japanese toy that serves no purpose other than to annoy a tiny, tortured person inside the little boxed screen. You put your finger in the box, poke the person in the face, and take your finger out. What more could you want in a souvenir?
Leave it to Dubai to provide the most luxurious airport souvenirs imaginable. The largest city in the UAE sells solid, 24-karat gold bars at airport stores to anyone willing to fork over a final US$3,000 before catching their flight.
There are countless methods used around the world that claim to produce the best coffee, but one of the strangest and hardest to wrap your head around is the famous Thai coffee, made with beans collected from elephant droppings. Be sure to pick up a bag before you leave the Land of Smiles.
The Czech Republic has a long history of puppeteering and puppet-making that stretches back to the 18th century, and many workshops in the country still keep the tradition alive today. While most famous for their puppets depicting demons and devils, Czech puppet makers create creatures of all types.
Very different from the toys that became popular in the 1990s, trolls in traditional Scandinavian mythology were vile little creatures, believed to hide between stones and other hidden places. Figurines of these critters will make a unique addition to any mantlepiece.
One factory in Bulgaria that produced the distinctive Soviet-style gas mask has continued to produce them into the 21st century to sell to tourists, and they certainly make for a unique souvenir.
Make sure to pick up a can of that sweet, sweet Berlin air before leaving the German metropolis. Keep it handy, and the next time you're hit with nostalgia, crack open a can of Berliner Luft and get transported back!
Also known as the money frog or the good luck toad, stuffed cane toads can be found in homes and souvenir shops all around Australia. Traditionally sold as good luck charms, animal rights and environmentalist organizations have been advocating for a stop to this wasteful and unsustainable use of the wild animals for years now.
A bottle of water might not seem like the most exciting souvenir, but the source of this Hawaiian water makes all the difference. Kona water is desalinated from water sourced nearly 3,000 feet (914 meters) below sea level, making it spectacularly pure, rich in minerals, and free from the pollutants that float in the ocean's surface water.
These bottle openers, sourced from the nether regions of kangaroos, are a sure-fire conversation starter. Kangaroo meat is commonly eaten in Australia and is even widely exported to over 60 other countries, and cheeky souvenirs such as these make sure as little of the animal goes to waste as possible.
Thailand is famous for its delicious cuisine, such as pad Thai and its many delicious soups and curries, but one of the stranger delicacies of the Southeast Asian country is the scorpion. Scorpions can be eaten boiled, grilled, fried, or, for those with a bit of a sweet tooth, covered in chocolate.
New Zealand's merino possum wool is some of the softest, warmest, and least-itchy wool in the world. Introduced to New Zealand from Australia in the 1850s, bushtail possums quickly became a harmful and invasive pest on the islands, so bringing some merino sweaters home from your vacation is an ecologically sound choice too.
Bezoar stones were historically thought to have healing properties on the Indian subcontinent and in Arabia. These stones, formed from pressurized organic and inorganic materials inside the stomachs of goats, camels, and other animals, while not frequently used in medicine anymore, are still treasured for their historic importance and strange beauty, and make for a great memento.
The remote Cook Islands located far out in the Pacific Ocean are known for their idyllic beauty and pristine beaches. They are also famous for their unique three-dollar bills, something every tourist makes sure to keep a hold of when they leave. Some estimates say more of the islands' bills exist outside of the territory than within it!
Finland's favorite condiment, tar syrup, is quite different from the maple syrup that is so popular in North America. Tar syrup, extracted instead from pine trees, has a very strong and smoky profile.
The closest thing to being in space that many of us in the sub-billionaire class can experience might be eating the way the astronauts eat. Most food that goes up to space is dehydrated, and the desserts are no exception. Before leaving the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, be sure to pick up some dried astronaut ice cream.
Canned air from Berlin is surely a great souvenir, but can it beat canned fog? Bring home a can of that famous San Francisco fog next time you visit the Golden City.
While the actual use of voodoo dolls has been wildly misunderstood by most of the world outside of Haiti and Louisiana, where spiritual Voodoo and Vodou are most commonly practiced, these dolls make great gifts.
A new and novel industry has been popping up around Germany: 3D-printed portraits. Services like 3D Generation in Düsseldorf can scan your entire family in seconds and have hyper-realistic figurines shipped to your door in days.
Green tea-flavored KitKat has made the rounds to most corners of the world by now, but that's far from the strangest flavor available in Japan. Other fanciful flavors that you can bring home include soybean, French salt, and potato.
While frowned upon and largely illegal, the head of one of the world's most fearsome predators is certainly a strange souvenir. For decades, entire shops were dedicated to selling different parts of taxidermied alligators, but as public opinion has swayed towards more humane treatment of the reptiles, these souvenirs are quickly going out of style.
When visiting Berlin, don't give up the chance to bring home a true, tangible piece of history. Tiny but genuine pieces of the Berlin Wall, torn down in 1989, are available for sale in a select few shops around the city.
Sources: (Qantas) (Musafir) (List25)
See also: Bizarre histories behind everyday objects in your home
David, one of the most important figures in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, is known in all three faiths for his gift of playing the harp. When visiting the holy city of Jerusalem, many vendors sell harps that are historically accurate in shape to the one described as being played by David.
The scorpion is something of a mascot in the mostly desert state of Arizona. At some point, someone had the idea to put these protein-filled desert prowlers in the middle of a candy. Against all odds, popularity has skyrocketed, and these treats can now be found all across the state.
The history of Mexican Lucha libre wrestling is rich and fascinating, and the iconic look of the luchador mask is instantly recognized around the world. Bringing a replica mask home is an excellent and distinct way to remember your trip to the beautiful country of Mexico.
While an animal fetus may seem like a morbid souvenir to some, they are deeply rooted in the history of Bolivia and are the centerpiece in many indigenous ceremonies. They are said to bring good luck to all those who possess one, and are often kept on construction sites to prevent accidents.
The infamous cobra wine of Vietnam is made by coiling a full cobra, or sometimes a different snake, in a bottle of rice wine. "Snake's essence" has long been believed to be a cure-all for illnesses in some Asian cultures, and snake wine is one of the most popular methods of ingestion.
Some of the bestselling cosmetics products in the Czech Republic are beer-based. Shoppers can find everything from beer shampoo, to beer face cream and beer soap.
Everyone agrees that the experience of traveling is the real reward: the smells, the sounds, and the sights are the real reasons we explore the world. That being said, it's always nice to bring something back to remember those experiences by, and the more unique, the better. While everyone buys an "I heart NY" shirt in New York City, surely there are some more unique souvenirs out there to keep your fond memories of adventure alive.
Read on to learn about some of the strangest and most unique souvenirs you could bring home from your next trip.
The strangest souvenirs from around the world
Objects sure to raise the eyebrows of your friends back home
LIFESTYLE Travel
Everyone agrees that the experience of traveling is the real reward: the smells, the sounds, and the sights are the real reasons we explore the world. That being said, it's always nice to bring something back to remember those experiences by, and the more unique, the better. While everyone buys an "I heart NY" shirt in New York City, surely there are some more unique souvenirs out there to keep your fond memories of adventure alive.
Read on to learn about some of the strangest and most unique souvenirs you could bring home from your next trip.