Mobissimo

Wow, that was Proustian.  Nice.  If you're a traveler, you know that not only do you have to bring back something for the loved ones in your family, but also you like to keep a momento for yourself.  Perhaps a stuffed piranha, a shellacked crab, a miniature Leaning Tower of Pisa, whatever, you still buy it.

Here's a curious trivia tidbit from U.S. history:  In 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams took leave from their Europe-based diplomatic duties and traveled to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit the home of William Shakespeare. Not much was recorded of the occasion, but one fact of their pilgrimage to the Bard's birthplace stands out: At some point during the tour, the two American statesmen brandished pocketknives, carved a few slivers from a wooden chair alleged to have been Shakespeare's, and spirited them home as souvenirs.

While MobiBlog does not condone such vandalism, why do we do such things?  Even though the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum is obviously off limits to touching, of course I reached and rubbed it.  Why?  Don't know, but it felt good.  Regardless, souvenirs are as necessary as plane tickets, they are a must for any trip.  Next time, bust out your pocketknife and carve up a San Francisco Cable Car.