Neilikka
09-28-2008, 08:16 AM
Russia is an eminently marketable brand - it has everything to appeal to international consumers - folk themes, originality and local color. You can prove you've been to Russia without bringing back a madein-China T-shirt of dubious taste saying "MOSCOW," in English. Here are ten of the most popular souvenirs:
Vodka
Let's face it, what people really expect is a nice, genuine bottle of the stuff, not some inane dolls of varying sizes which fit into each other. Brands such as Flag¬man and Russky Stan¬dart are popular, and special bottles in wooden cases can run into the thousands of rubles. I knew a Russian woman, however, who always brought in a bottle of Absolut from America. What does that signify about Russia's own "little water"?
Matryoshka dolls
Actually, they have been around for a scant one hundred something years and the original idea came from Japan. Personally, I've always thought that they resemble painted Japanese wooden dolls called kokeshi. They became a symbol of Russian folk craft only after winning a bronze medal at the 1900 World Exhibition Fair in Paris. Nowadays, you can find variations on the theme - presidents of Russia, composers, football players, or have one made to order of your family or pets.
Caviar
This is one of the top three things a tourist wants to take home - and one of the first three you shouldn't. First, caviar harvesting in Russia has been banned since 2007, so you're very likely to buy a spurious substitute, which might be the eggs of some other fish, or even frogs. If you do get the real stuff, you're breaking the law, especially by crossing the border. Just forget about it.
Soviet paraphernalia
Badges, flasks and watches are the most popular, and prices range from a 100 ruble bill ($4) to several 5,000 ruble bills ($200+). The greatest concentration of such goods occur on Arbat street.
Painted boxes
This is my personal favorite, possibly because I have a fetish for small boxes. However, I think anyone would be delighted by a laquered box depicting Russian landscapes or fairy tales. Mass-produced boxes are fairly cheap, "genuine" ones made by well-known artists run into the thousands of dollars.
Soviet propaganda
All souvenir shops and most bookstores have a range of choices of Soviet propaganda posters and cards. They are actually quite interesting to look at and far from being worthless from the artistic point of view. In some places, you can find kitschy parodies.
Gzheli
The name comes from the village where these blue and white ceramics originally came from. From spoons and teapots to elaborate figures, there is a myriad of choices.
Ushanka. That's a Russian cap made of fur with flaps for the ears. For a long time they used to be as ridiculous as they are popular, bought by tourists to laugh at, or by misguided expats new in town, but these days, they're "in." Some of them have made it onto the runways in Paris and Milan.
Chocolates
Russia isn't Belgium or Switzerland, but Russians love their chocolates no less. The historic Krasny Oktyabr ("Red October") factory still make popular classics such as the Alyonka, while there are a number of new manufacturers making elaborate chocolates that rival those made in Europe. My favorite is the Komilfo.
Cheburashka
Chosen as the official mascot of the Russian Olympic team since the Athens 2004 games, this cute character has become widely popular. There are a lot of collectibles, from dolls to wearable items; so pick up a few items at the store Bosco Sport.
Vodka
Let's face it, what people really expect is a nice, genuine bottle of the stuff, not some inane dolls of varying sizes which fit into each other. Brands such as Flag¬man and Russky Stan¬dart are popular, and special bottles in wooden cases can run into the thousands of rubles. I knew a Russian woman, however, who always brought in a bottle of Absolut from America. What does that signify about Russia's own "little water"?
Matryoshka dolls
Actually, they have been around for a scant one hundred something years and the original idea came from Japan. Personally, I've always thought that they resemble painted Japanese wooden dolls called kokeshi. They became a symbol of Russian folk craft only after winning a bronze medal at the 1900 World Exhibition Fair in Paris. Nowadays, you can find variations on the theme - presidents of Russia, composers, football players, or have one made to order of your family or pets.
Caviar
This is one of the top three things a tourist wants to take home - and one of the first three you shouldn't. First, caviar harvesting in Russia has been banned since 2007, so you're very likely to buy a spurious substitute, which might be the eggs of some other fish, or even frogs. If you do get the real stuff, you're breaking the law, especially by crossing the border. Just forget about it.
Soviet paraphernalia
Badges, flasks and watches are the most popular, and prices range from a 100 ruble bill ($4) to several 5,000 ruble bills ($200+). The greatest concentration of such goods occur on Arbat street.
Painted boxes
This is my personal favorite, possibly because I have a fetish for small boxes. However, I think anyone would be delighted by a laquered box depicting Russian landscapes or fairy tales. Mass-produced boxes are fairly cheap, "genuine" ones made by well-known artists run into the thousands of dollars.
Soviet propaganda
All souvenir shops and most bookstores have a range of choices of Soviet propaganda posters and cards. They are actually quite interesting to look at and far from being worthless from the artistic point of view. In some places, you can find kitschy parodies.
Gzheli
The name comes from the village where these blue and white ceramics originally came from. From spoons and teapots to elaborate figures, there is a myriad of choices.
Ushanka. That's a Russian cap made of fur with flaps for the ears. For a long time they used to be as ridiculous as they are popular, bought by tourists to laugh at, or by misguided expats new in town, but these days, they're "in." Some of them have made it onto the runways in Paris and Milan.
Chocolates
Russia isn't Belgium or Switzerland, but Russians love their chocolates no less. The historic Krasny Oktyabr ("Red October") factory still make popular classics such as the Alyonka, while there are a number of new manufacturers making elaborate chocolates that rival those made in Europe. My favorite is the Komilfo.
Cheburashka
Chosen as the official mascot of the Russian Olympic team since the Athens 2004 games, this cute character has become widely popular. There are a lot of collectibles, from dolls to wearable items; so pick up a few items at the store Bosco Sport.