Souvenir Sauces

In one afternoon I saw: a wall covered in shot glasses, a barrel full of tambourines, frogs in every article imaginable  and coffee cups shaped like butts and breasts. Going souvenir shopping in Old San Juan is the very definition of quirk.

Ranging from artful crafts like handmade cigars or wooden mask, all the way to the cliche key chains and t-shirts, no matter what your friends back home like, you will find something in OSJ for them. Hand made soap? Check. Fancy jewelery? More than you could afford to look at. Towels with scantly clad women in them? Oh yeah.  They even have Bruce Lee posters, and Chinese weapons…I don’t know why, but they have ‘em. Check La Tanca street.

Wooden and ceramic signs declaring “Captains booty” with skull and bones sailors grinning their dead smiles liven up the otherwise standard coqui and El Morro pieces. Not that there is anything wrong with our iconic vistas, but speaking as a citizen of this great island, sometimes its good to see the goofy stuff right up there with the classics. Classics that are everywhere from shot glasses to ashtrays!

The stores are scattered throughout the city and almost none are alike. Like the restaurants, you will keep running into them, so stopping by for a quick look is really part of the tour experience. And also like restaurants, in some of them you will be able to find traditional foods, candies, sauces, and rums, with the exception that you take these home with you with out the doggy bags.

Souvenir Vejigante Masks

Remember the main things when getting a souvenir for someone, is asking yourself: “what do I want to tell them with this gift.” If you want to enlighten them, you might get them a “Vejigante mask” (above pictured) and instruct them about a fun, time honored tradition in Puerto Rico. But if you want to make them laugh… then maybe your best bet is the pair of breasts coffee mug.

So in the spirit of helping out , here are some recommendations on where to begin scavenging for souvenirs:

1- Eccua Imports- Located on La Tanca street: This is the best place to start the search for souvenirs, their variety is what makes the store a must visit. In here you will be able to find: towels, Puerto Rican flags, clothes with the PR flags on em, bathing suits, coffee cups (yes, even the big breasted cups), thimbles, cold drinks, and much much more.  But what about the most important part: the price? Eccua Imports has some of the lowest prices of all the souvenir shops. Check em out.

2- Any of the fine smoking stores – Don Collins, the independent craftsmen in Plaza de Colon, etc: Not just for cigar lovers, these stores are great one stop places to stock up on some great Caribbean rum and leather articles. For those who love cigars though, you will find everything from your Double Coronas to your Robustos and Churchills. And more lighters than you can probably see in one visit.

3- The independent sellers all over the city – From homemade treats to indulge your sweet tooth, intricate wood sculptures you wont find anywhere else, hand made clothes, and gallerias stocked with art raging from antique to “made last night”. What can you not love about being able to meet the people behind the work? You will not only get something for a loved one, you will learn about the reasons, symbols and details that have culminated in the artist’s work in front of you. These will often include details of our history, local and national, that have been forgotten by the mainstream. This is the true and most important souvenir you could ever take from us, and give to your friends and family.