Wednesday 7 March 2012

Greece and Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who has commented on my last post. I could spend all day answering some of these points, and it's really made me think.

And... I have also decided what to offer in the giveaway! (see below)

Last night I went to the annual Yearbook Launch of the British Guild of Travel Writers, to catch up with friends and trends. My phone photos are terrible but here's an impression of the slightly surrealistic atmosphere this year. The showgirls are NOT a regular feature of the Yearbook launch, but a reminder that Las Vegas Tourism will be sponsoring the Guild's annual dinner. The girls were actually making themselves useful by selling raffle tickets for the Guild's 2012 travel-related charity, Shelterbox, which provides boxed emergency tents and supplies for people affected by disasters worldwide. A very good, yet very simple thing.


The speaker here is Noel Josephides, boss of Sunvil Holidays. He's very interested in ethical and green issues involving the travel industry, and is a Greek Cypriot. He was suggesting that Guild members visit Greece, whose financial troubles have been in the news, and whose holiday trade has been affected by the recent troubles in Athens.

I always take Foreign Office advice when travelling, and of course I take great care - but otherwise never worry if I am visiting somewhere there's been some domestic disruption. I can remember how people shunned Britain during the IRA bombings, and the idea of avoiding the entire Lake District or Cotswolds just because of scattered events in London seemed pretty strange to those of us actually living here. I would guess the most difficult thing in Greece at present is likely to be strikes and falldown in services, but most resorts would do all they can minimise the effects of these.

Anyway, T and I had already started planning a Greek trip, paying our own way and not writing about it. A real holiday, not work. More of that later, perhaps.

GIVEAWAY

Anyway, the giveaway. I've decided to take up the suggestion of giving items relating to places I've been. I usually pick up small items which I use as stocking fillers at Christmas, or just like the look of. Some are old, some are new. I like them all, but they sit around the house. I love them, but I need to de-clutter.

I've got 10 items and I've decided to give away one or two items from the list to the lucky winner. I don't mind which two items. Some are cheap, some expensive, some old and some new. So if you want to enter the giveaway, this is what you have to do.

First, leave a comment here and say which two items you would like to win, and why. (Or, if you'd prefer to win just one item, say that).

Second, please tell other people about the giveaway - tweet it, FB, link from your own blog, or just tell your friends to come and have a go. I won't be checking up on you but hope you will :)

The closing date is midnight on the 16th of March 2012.

Please don't leave an address or email address on your comment. If you win, I'll contact you and ask you for your mailing details.

(I'll let S choose the winner. He's 10, and quite responsible.)

So here are the giveaways, in no order.

1. A large bar of white chocolate from GERMANY



It is studded with "Ahoj"-Brauseperlen (perhaps some German readers can explain what these are).(** Meike just did: see "Librarian"'s comment below).

A little publicised bonus of shopping in Germany is the chance to pick up all kinds of chocolate bars in unusual flavours, and some of the bars are very unusual and decorative. Expiry date, July 2012.

2. A vintage tea caddy spoon from ENGLAND.

This probably dates from the 1950s, about 3 inches long, (10 cm) plated brass, not bad condition, and it's to sit in your caddy of loose leaf tea, so extremely "English". It's made of lacquered brass, and the little enamelled bit at the top shows the old Devonshire song about Uncle Tom Cobleigh at Widdicombe Fair (click the name if you want to find out the words and tune)



Tom Pearse, Tom Pearse, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee
For I want for to go to Widdicombe Fair
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Day, Harry Hawkm Daniel Whiddon,
And old uncle Tom Cobleigh and all,

etc. etc. It's a great song, with a great tune.

3. Also from ENGLAND, a Royal Ascot souvenir pen.

Actually this was given to me at a press event, and, as it is a Parker, it is probably a good one. But since I got it as a giveaway myself, it feels a bit cheap and stingy to give it as a gift to loved ones, specially since none of them have any interest in horse-racing.

But, Royal Ascot is a huge event in the upper-class toffs' social calendar, it's a wonderful day out for people who do like horse racing, and the amazing hats worn by some of the female racegoers are legendary. And of course, our horse-loving Queen is a huge fan. So if any of that appeals to you, this may be quite the pen.

4. A teeny tiny pack of De Ruijter sprinkles from THE NETHERLANDS.


These are popular at breakfast, and characteristic of Holland. When I first visited Holland, as a kid, I was amazed to see people making chocolate sandwiches, drinking beer and sprinkling this stuff over the bread-and-butter at breakfast. They don't do breakfasts like that in England.

5. Also from THE NETHERLANDS, a secondhand book (in English) published in 1945, when Holland was just emerging from World War 2. It shows the place as it was in those days, in some very nice black and white photos. A bit battered, but interesting.


6. A small trial-size bottle of "Smyrnio" ouzo from GREECE.


7. A 250 g (8 oz) box of chocs from SPAIN.
These are very nice and very popular, but I warn you they are an acquired taste. If you like those particularly Spanish style sticky cakes, sweets and pastries, you'll probably like these. If you go for severe ascetic chocolate, you'll probably hate them.

8. A souvenir of the Stela of Penbuwy from EGYPT.
This is made of papier mache and it's about 3 inches long, so it is quite light. It is full of very interesting imagery. The worshipper at the bottom right is praying to the god Ptah (top left), who is listening (as you can see by the ears arrayed next to him.) The bottom left image shows an embrace, which symbolises a complicated idea about soul, power and the transfer of power from the god. On the top right, are offerings.

The original stela is in the British Museum, and it is coloured, not gold, but this is a nice little decorative item to hang on a wall. In fact, the original stela was found at Deir el Medina, a village where the workmen who worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings lived. It's been partly excavated and it's certainly a hot, bleak place, as you see from my photo. Ptah is a god from Memphis, so perhaps the stela's original owner was also from there, a long way from home.



9. Some guest soaps from FRANCE



They're by the gorgeous Roger and Gallet and I snapped them up at a good price in a Paris department store. I love Roger and Gallet stuff, both the scents and the packaging. Then, I put them in a drawer where they sat and sat and sat. Because we don't use guest soaps.

They've been waiting for their big moment for such a long time that some of the fragrance may have left them now - or they may be fine, because R & G is such a classy brand. I don't know, but they're pristine and unopened, anyhow.

10. Finally this funny little Coqui tree frog pin from PUERTO RICO.

It's only about an inch long in real life. This pin is smaller than that, perhaps half an inch. If you want the real name, it's Eleutherodactylus Portorricensis. Not a valuable bit of jewellery, just a inexpensive but cute pin.

And here are the terms and conditions of the giveaway.

The giveaway is open free of charge to readers of this blog, worldwide, and the closing date is midnight GMT 16 March 2012 . Entrants should make a link of some kind to this blog by whatever means suits them best, and leave a post on the blog stating which one or two items they would like to win. Winners will be asked to supply their mailing address after the draw takes place. The winning entry will be chosen by S after the closing date. I can only mail items where permitted by Customs. One entry per person.. Automated entries will be deleted.

I hope I've done this right, and I hope at least some of these items will hit the spot with some of you.

75 comments:

  1. Hello Jenny:
    We agree that the idea to promote Greece as a travel destination is absolutely imperative in the current climate. of course, one must be sensible when travelling, although a friend of ours seems to be permanently on a mission to go to war zones!!

    Your very generous giveaway items are such an eclectic mix. In looking through them, they made us think of the many experiences you must have had and enjoyed in all those countries, many of which do seem to centre around food and drink!! If we were to be lucky enough to have our names drawn out of the hat we should love the book of 'Holland' in 1945, a time which holds such fascination for us.

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  2. Oooh, I would love that book from the Netherlands! I like what you say about a non-working holiday! My poor husband is married to a blogger and never gets one of those. My camera comes everywhere and everything is fair game for the blog!

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  3. I'd love to visit Greece someday, actually. Basically the whole Mediterranean, I think.

    I'm also very surprised that you still have some chocolate left over from your travels. They'd never last if they were anywhere near me! :)

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    1. Yeah, those chocolates wouldn't last long with me too! xD

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  4. I'd so love the book from Holland - it would find a home on my shelf beside a travel book from 1905 (it tells me how to do a Grand Tour, complete with the number of hat boxes I'll need!)

    Duly tweeted.

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  5. When you think about it, if holiday makers stay away, won't it make Greece's financial problems worse? it isn't a place I'm likely to go tbh. If I want turquoise seas and white beaches I head north to the Hebrides - I also suspect there are less crowds there!

    If I could choose from the giveaway, I'd go for the tea spoon. I'm a rarity these days I think in still using loose tea from a caddy. I have a once-fancy silver spoon with which to measure my tea - but it lost the decorative handle a while ago and it's not so easy nowadays to find an attractive replacement.

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  6. wow. it is fun to see all of these interesting artifacts from your travels...lucky you!! I would choose the book...2 of my sons are fascinated with history and spend lots of time looking at pictures from history..plus I can never have enough books!! I enjoyed this post!
    I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.
    Happy wednesday!

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  7. I thought the girls were showgirls imported from Vegas, they really looked the part. You do have an interesting life, Jenny, I enjoy hearing all about it. I have never been to Greece and always thought that one day I would. I can't see it happening now though.

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  8. Your giveaway is amazing - in that you leave the entrants so much choice and are so generous! As for the Ahoi Brauseperlen in the German chocolate, well, Ahoi Brause usually comes in powdery form in a tiny paper sachet, and when it is added to a glass of cold water, it makes a fizzy drink. It comes in flavours such as lemon, orange, raspberry, sweet woodruff, and was a firm favourite for me and everyone else my age, when one of the sachets cost about 10 Pfennig. Ahoi Brause also comes in compressed form in the shape of cubes. When you pop one of those cubes into your mouth, you are soon able to foam from the mouth in most impressive colours :-) I'm afraid the chocolate with the added fizzy pearls is not entirely to my taste, but I am sure it has its lovers.
    By the way, this is NOT an entry for the giveaway, just trying to help out with explaining about the Brause.

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  9. I won't enter yet, as I won't be able to mention it on my blog until next week. I love the wonderful array of things you've picked up on your travels :-)

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  10. Thank you very much for the explanation, Meike, I think I may alter the listing slightly to include it. I certainly never knew - foaming at the mouth, eh? Hm! :)

    As for chocolates left over, Terra Shield, this is because I bought stacks of amazing German chocolate, gave it to various relatives, ate some myself and then went on a (much needed) diet. SO THERE IT IS SITTING AND LOOKING AT ME.

    I so agree the picture taking can become an addiction, Emm. And Jane and Lance, I have been often to Greece and love the country so much I would really like to do what I can for them so even if I go on a personal holiday, I would also see if I could place a story. That won't be till next year though.

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  11. Jenny . . . what nice giveaway choices. I would enjoy winning the vintage tea caddy and the gues soaps from France. I will be sending your blog on to two friends asking them to visit you and to remember my name in their visit. thanks again . . .

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  12. What a generous giveaway, Jenny. I think what appeals to me most is that little frog pin, but that book about Holland looks absolutely fascinating.

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  13. Wow! What a give-away! You come up with a very creative one! Good luck to you and your readers!
    Thank you for your comment on my blog!
    I like your crocuses on the header of the blog. Will come again soon!

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  14. As I mentioned in my blog, my grandpa fought in WW I, then moved to the US, but did not live long enough to witness WW II.

    If I won, I would pick the Netherlands picture book and the frog pin.

    (I do the same thing with soap, I think I have a bar in my drawer that has been in there for 30 years!)

    Jane

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  15. I'd like the white chocolate because it's chocolate! I'm not entirely sure further explanation is required but in the interests of completeness ... white chocolate is my favourite kind even when it doesn't make me foam at the mouth but this kind will. As every responsible ten year-old knows being able to foam at the mouth to order is both usefull in an awkward situation and also quite cool.

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  16. How generous you are, I'm not here to enter your giveaway though I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by my place and taking the time to comment. Nice to meet you. :)

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  17. I didn't know about any give-away, just came over to your site after you commented on my post about Maggie Smith. You sure have gone to some amazing places!
    Love the crocuses on your header! We must all be eager for spring flowers and scents!
    I'd love the tea spoon caddy...Nice meeting you, Jenny!

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  18. I'll trade you the Ascot pen for a trinket from the Kentucky Derby. It would be fun living in the heart of horse racing with a pen from that far away ;o)

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  19. i would love anything really ,have tweeted

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  20. You sure have a whole lot of stuff for readers to choose from. :)

    The secondhand book looks good for me. ^^

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  21. Stopping by here after your comment on my blog. Will definitely be back.

    I'll second the explanation on the Brause; it's sort of like an Alka Seltzer, except it's candy. Ah...childhood memories!

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  22. I just love the cute little frog pin. I collect frogs and at our home here in Queensland , Australia, we have lots of green tree frogs.

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  23. I agree with you that Foreign Office warnings vis a vis other countries can be misleading. For example, I am in the Philippines at present (and there are a lot of UK ex-pats here!) and the U.S State Department has warnings about traveling here.

    While there is a modicum of danger in the southern part (Mindinao), I have otherwise found that traveling is safe here.

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  24. I'd choose the little tree frog and the caddy spoon (even if the latter is from England). I'll mention your giveaway with my giveaway on my Friday posting.

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  25. i'll plug your giveaway Jenny! fun!
    (not entering)

    also enjoyed the previous post on mcwriting, food for thought. i find there is a glut of advertising that grows daily.

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  26. I love the souvenir of the Stela of Penbuwy from EGYPT,what lovely reminders of your travels
    have tweeted@gumbie23

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  27. I like the tea caddy spoon and the De Ruijter sprinkles.
    Have tweeted as @maisietoo https://twitter.com/#!/maisietoo/status/177698164973895680
    and shared on Facebook as Maya Russell.

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  28. psst... my follow link is right at the top, nav bar. ;)

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  29. oo oo this is really cool...i would def be all over the book...i love books...and the paper mache as well...very neat....what a cool give away as well...

    with the show girls off to the side that must have been some event...would love to visit greece sometime...

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  30. Oh, what a great giveaway, and such wonderful objects! You're very generous.

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  31. You are so generous, Jenny. Each item shows how you traveled worldwide extensively. I’m not here to take giveaway but to say something about your comment on my latest post.

    I read about your daughter’s wedding in May and the paper crane invitation which is really a good idea. She and her fiancé must have planned to make their wedding original, so was my daughter and her husband. My daughter kept most parts secret to us and we enjoyed pleasant surprises. I know how you look forward to yours, Jenny. You look always full of excitement with travels and family events. Have happy days ahead.

    Yoko

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  32. I would love to win the white chocolate bar from Germany, looks really yummy and I'm interested to know what the green bits are. Also the bottle of ouzo would go down nicely! :)

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  33. Have shared via twitter @daisybeefull

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  34. A great idea. I might try this and give away all my debts, hang ups, and ageing T-shirts.....

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  35. What a generous give away. I am loving the papier mache gold piece and the tea spoon. I am a hot tea lover. But, if I were to win anything... which, I rarely do, I would not be picky. You've got such a good eye to capture some amazing pieces of culture.

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  36. Great giveaway! I'd love to receive the souvenir of the Stela of Penbuwy from Egypt, I'd probably use it in a mixed media art piece. I'll post the giveaway on my blog as soon as I have better internet connections.

    Darla

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  37. I liked what you said about travel warning but as you said sometimes you have to use your judgment and sometimes you need to take the warnings seriously.
    I have been telling people about not traveling into Mexico for years, I live 55 miles from the border and we who live here really know what is going on.

    But I would travel to Japan any time. My son his family and my extended family lives in Japan. Lots of Americans left right after March 11 last year and refuse to go back ? But Japan is rebuilding and it is lovely there. I travel back and forth all the time.

    Fun giveaway and very interesting treasures.

    cheers, parsnip

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  38. Just for fun I listed as a follower after your comment about who would become your 200th follower, despite the fact I have been reading you unannounced daily for some time - I wonder if I made it? I also left a comment after the trilogy of photos posted about a week ago - after which they disappeared from your blog - so I hope if I enter your give away the whole site will not go up in puff of smoke!
    Should I be fortunate enough to be one of the chosen could I please have items 5 & 8. 5 for a dear friend who was forced to leave Holland as a young child with her family after the war and fought her departure by turning back the ship 5 times before it made it out of Rotterdam harbour, she was finally defeated and now lives here in Australia and 8 for me just because I love it and it speaks to me. I think it is a rich and beautiful piece with all the allure and mystery an Egyptian amulet should exude.
    Do hope 'S' will consider my request and find my entry worthwhile.
    Thank you for your Blog. I really enjoy your take on the world and love you 'eye' for photography AND would love to see the trilogy of photos re-posted especially the one of the shaman sculpture, would it be ride of me to ask why you removed them?
    All the very best - Colleen

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  39. Thank you for your comment on my blog.

    Would like to visit Greece again, but not this year - nothing to do with the Greek economy. Maybe next year.

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  40. What a great giveaway! If I win, I'd want 1st) the Egyptian stele, 2nd) the tea spoon, or 3rd) frog pin, or 4th) the soaps. I'd put this on my blog but I only have 3 followers so far! So I've mentioned it on Facebook.

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  41. Goodness, this is the most interesting set of giveaway treasures I've come across in a long time! I can't quite choose which items I like the best sine they all have underlying merit. But if I think of which items most caught my fancy, the 2 -- not in any particular order, about equal -- are the English tea caddy spoon and the Dutch book. (1) The English spoon, because it is so very English to think about tea spoons. I lived in the UK for university and graduate school, and spent many years back and forth for work, so I have a very soft spot for English things. In fact, my office used to be steps from Fortnum & Mason (which I invaded for things to take back to the US each time). How much more English can you get than F&M. (2) The Netherlands book, because old books fascinate me, and I love the smell of the aged ink and dusty pages, and always wonder who held the book in years past, and what they were like. I guess both things have a sense of history in them, which is why they caught my attention.

    Good luck with your giveaway!

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  42. there are 2 things i really love. Holidays and my wife (not neccessarily in that order :) ) So reading about exotic locations whilst planning where to go is good fun. As the next holiday is a ways off, it would be nice to make the mrs happy so if i were to win the giveaway, it would have to be the white chocolate and the pen - again two things she really loves and this time the order is correct :)

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  43. I find it fascinating that your Blog has done more to introduce me in a credible and interesting way to the reality of travel to places I have never contemplated visiting. I have a friend who follows you but never comments on blogs at all. I wonder how many people do that on a regular basis. I shall be very happy to mention your blog on mine and therefore also on Facebook.

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  44. I haven't been to Greece for a few years, but it's a beautiful place and I'm glad you're still going on your trip and promoting such a lovely country.

    I'd love the souvenir from Egypt, I think it would look wonderful in my shed.

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  45. I'd love to win the sprinkles from the Netherlands. I had these many years ago and was never able to find them in the stores. Oh I do hope it is for me!

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  46. I know what you mean about people being frightened off a country just because of a few localised incidents. There are still people a bit nervous about coming to Northern Ireland even though it's been quite peaceful for a long while now. In fact the level of everyday crime is so low it's much more dangerous to visit London.

    If I avoided all the cities with a reputation for gang warfare, stabbings, pickpockets, kidnappings etc, I'd never have gone anywhere.

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  47. Hello Jenny! How delighted I was to come find your blog thru Darla of See you There! Our family loves to travel and just reading this post brought back so many precious memories! If I were lucky enough to win your giveaway, I'd most like the tea spoon from England and the Egyptian souvenir. Our daughter is a true anglophile and in fact will be studying at Oxford this summer. Seeing the pyramids, sphinx, and most of all the Tut mask were a life-long dream come true 2 years ago! I'll share your giveaway on facebook! Debbie

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  48. Thanks for the further comments and the giveaway offers. It's interesting to see what people choose and why. I'm still considering whether this is the best way to do a giveaway or if I should stick to the traditional type. Anyhow, S. will be busy choosing the winner. I wonder how he'll do it! I assure you he'll take it seriously.

    Hi Craftymoose! good to meet you, and thanks for sharing the giveaway, I'm admiring both your beautiful work and

    AveryClaire's.

    Debs, I have visited your blog and it's full of interesting things. I want to hear more about some of the things you posted about yourself! :)

    Nick, I think that Northern Irish people are quite incredibly friendly and decent. I went to Sullivan Upper in Holywood for a while.

    Thanks very much GB, I really appreciate your comments, and it pleases me a lot to think that you are doing some vicarious travelling via me!

    GreaseyUK, you're a kindly guy thinking only of your wife but I hope she'll share the chocolate if you win (or let you write with the pen, come to that). :)

    Jenny, I would have been desperately tempted by the biscuits if I'd worked that near Fortnum and Mason. There would have been absolutely no excuses for them expecting you to eat cheap custard creams at the office :D


    Thanks Heather, and I followed your link to the brilliant needle coffin!! Darla,and Lynne also, and I have had some visitors via your blog - thank you!

    I'll leave the rest of this comment later, will post this one for now but there is more I want to say.

    Parsnip, you are right. I have heard such mixed things about Mexico. Sounds like the border towns and big resorts may be scary but other people rave about the interior. It is so hard to tell but I would have no fears about going to Japan.

    Cobweb, thank you for your interesting comment, the reason that post disappeared is that our good friend Blogger got into a total mess with it and kept moving it to the "latest" position. In the end I had to delete it. Wish I'd saved it and the comments but there was no alternative. There were the clouds, the lion man from Trieste.... and another picture too, wasn't there? I can find those again and the comments are still on my dashboard. I would try to resurrect it except that I still don't know how to put it into its correct sequence.

    Boomer, thank you for introducing me to the Cosby show which I'd very often heard of but never seen. :D

    Cheshire Wife, hope you get to Greece, I have always found the people very pleasant and some of the scenery is spectacular.

    Adullamite, you've hit on the things I'd really like to share too (not yours, mine)

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  49. Hi Jenny, thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting. When I saw your first photo, I really did think you had visited Las Vegas!

    You've put together an interesting and diverse collection of items to chose from for your giveaway, but I'm just writing to say hello, and thank you for sharing so many wonderful travels with us here on your blog. I hope you do get to go to Greece for a real holiday without working (but I hope taking photos anyway!) real soon.

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  50. Just continuing, the last post was getting so long but here are the rest of my replies...I'm delighted to hear from everyone who has commented, and it's great to meet new friends. I'm also grateful for the tweets and FB and blog mentions. And now I'll respond to a few more comments...

    Thanks for sharing, DaisyBee, I love your beautiful blog about African weaving.

    Yoko, thank you and yes, we are looking forward very much to the wedding. I loved reading about your daughter's beautiful and creative wedding. It's so nice when people have their own "take" on the theme. My daughter is doing a lot of it herself because she likes making things. I think it's brave of her . I don't know if I will be able to blog about the wedding, I'll ask her and her partner what they would prefer me to do.

    Madame Butterfly and Jane, I have visited your blogs and I'm so impressed by the beautiful stitchery. Great meeting you, and also Susan Kane.

    Patsy, and Pixel Peeper, I have had that stuff as a child too. When I read Librarian's explanation, I remembered that strange feeling of your mouth suddenly filling up with foam, and there is nothing to do but open your mouth.... this won't be the kind of chocolate to pass around in polite company :)

    Brian, it was a real surprise to see the show girls, i can tell you it is the first time we've had them at an event! I think they found it quite interesting really though they didn't need to dance :)

    Akelamalu, it was a pleasure visiting your site,I have become a member because I love your stories.

    Bonnie, it would be fun to do a trade with Kentucky and Ascot! though since this a giveaway I'd be happy with some photos if you win. :)

    Helen the little frog pin is small, it's not fancy but would fit in a corner of a frog collection. I have only ever seen real tree frogs in a zoo, and they're delightful.

    Hi Jeremy, I see you're doing a giveaway too. Philippines always sounds like an interesting and varied sort of place to me, and it is one I would like to visit. Some governments take a sanguine view of certain destinations, some in my opinion over-react, but I have always found the UK advice chimes with my impressions.

    Thanks Monica. I've found the follow but it's only google reader feed and I don't tend to remember to look, but I read that Google is stopping friend connect for non Blogger blogs - so I'm going to need to get used to it.

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  51. What a wonderful giveaway. Very hard to choose but after due consideration I think my favourites are the caddy spoon (my husband takes his tea very seriously) and the guest soaps (they look lovely and would be incredibly useful). I have tweeted about the giveaway as @beachrambler

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  52. Haha lovely post. Love the German chocolate bar :D I miss my good old German chocolate!

    Have a lovely weekend! Cheers from Raincouver, D. :)

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  53. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have the teaspoon. The book from the Netherlands is my close-second choice, ah, but that TEASPOON!!!! LOVE IT!!!!

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  54. Thank you Jenny for stopping by my humble blog, and I am so enjoying myself exploring your wonderful site. I can't wait to discover more.

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  55. I would love to go to Greece someday, and I hope you get that opportunity. What a neat giveaway! I will post on my Thursday post and on Twitter. That book is so very cool, and I'm a fan of German chocolate. (Who isn't?)

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z

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  56. Great post, I was thinking, even before I got to the give-away. The spoon looks to me to be the pick of a very generous selection.

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  57. morning, great contest, but only one winner, it has to be a PUERTO RICO COQUI TREE FROG, he needs a home, and would be happy, with my large collection of frogs, fingers x thanks

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  58. Hi, Jenny,

    First, thanks for visiting The Marmelade Gypsy! Nice to see you!

    I would love to enter your contest and will go in after I send this comment and add a link to my post. I'm selecting as my favorites the beautiful spoon for my morning tea and/or the book on the Netherlands, where Rick and I will be visiting (briefly) next month! But they are all delightful!

    I think Greece sounds wonderful -- I know what you mean about travel advisories. A war is one thing, but other things -- well, let me just say that I remember being in England with my mom in 1973 and it seemed as though the day after we left someplace, the IRA blew something up. We were cautious, but I never would have given up that trip for anything, our last together.

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  59. Hi. What a fun giveaway. Just found your blog! I'm a follower now. What a fun giveaway! I would like to win the tea caddy spoon and the Ascot pen! Would love the choc but am allergic, so....I guess that makes sense!
    Cheers!
    R

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  60. What lovely things you're giving away! If I win, I would love to have the tea caddie spoon.

    When I was a little girl in Canada, my grandmother and I would sit at one end of the table and share our cup of tea. My family is all Scandinavian, and all the rest of the family drank coffee, so I always appreciated my special time and cuppa tea with my grandmother. She always used loose tea, and a little spoon. I don't know happened to her spoon, but I'd love to have another similar one to replace it.

    I have a second reason as well -- my husband is English, and says I'm more English than his sisters!! (Don't think it's true, but to me it's a real compliment!)

    But I'm sure whoever gets the spoon will love it. Thanks!

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  61. A marvellous idea. I really hope too that tourism picks up in Greece. I went to Egypt in October, and they have suffered terribly since the Arab Spring, so it was good to support tourism and it was sustainable tourism too. Anyway, I would like to choose the Holland photos book, as I have been to Amsterdam and am fascinated by the German occupation during WW2

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  62. I have shared on facebook
    www.facebook.com/tiddles12
    and on twitter as @Flashquacks

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  63. What fun to see your travel collection so I'm just commenting and don't want to win anything. I noticed there are lots of food items. I would have eaten them by now. I look forward to hear about your upcoming trip to Greece to hear what it is like other than what is reported on tv these days.

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  64. I read about your giveaway from Darla (fromseatomountains.blogspot.com) I can't decide if the tea caddy spoon or the photography book from Holland makes me tingle and shiver more. Both are wonderful.

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  65. Hello Jenny,

    Hilarious that this should be a comment on this post but you've won my Giveaway! Can you let me have your address and let me know your choice of book from last Sunday's Giveaway list please. Thanks,
    Scriptor
    scriptorsenex at gmail dot com

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  66. Jenny, I just want you to know that I am having the best time making my way through all of your posts. Its terrific reading and wonderful pics. Thank you for giving me an exciting glimpse into other worlds.
    Rose

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  67. You have chosen excellent souvenirs for sending. Good luck to all who are participating in this, and good luck to all the participants!

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  68. Thanks for the further lovely comments, and wow, I'VE won a giveaway! :D

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  69. What lovely giveaways, but my first choice would be the travel book on Holland. My brother-in-law is Dutch and is obsessed by old travel books. I would be his best friend for life if I gave him this. The second choice would be the Coqhi tree frog pin. Love him!

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  70. Hi Jenny,

    Nice to meet you :D What an awesome giveaway, it's amazing what we pick up on our travels!

    If you are a choccy fan and ever in Austria, you should try some Mozart chocolates - they have a chocolate truffle centre, surrounded by marzipan, then covered in chocolate again! They are amazing and come in random flavours too :) I am a bit of a chocolate obsessive and love trying it from different places, so if I won I would really like to try the German white chocolate and the very yummy-sounding Spanish chocs please! :)

    I've been to Greece a few times - never to the mainland but to Zakynthos (loved), Kos (liked a lot) and Skiathos (not keen), and have been wanting to go back for a while!

    Have tweeted this @Laura_Cookies :) x

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  71. Hi Jenny, this is a fantastic giveaway, thank you so much!

    I am a huge chocolate fan, my son recently went on a school trip to Belgium and brought me back some of the most beautiful and heavenly chocolates I have ever eaten! Until then I had never had chocolate from the continent, and compared to 'Belgian chocolate' you can buy in this country, the actual chocolate from Belgium knocked socks off it!!

    I would absolutely love either the large bar of white chocolate from Germany or the box of truffle chocolates from Spain as I now have the taste for original continental chocolates!!

    I have told my friends about your fab blog!

    coppelia100@btinternet.com

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  72. Thanks for the comments and entries. The giveaway closes tomorrow night and we'll be drawing the lucky winner on Saturday!

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  73. I like alll the items and would be happy to win any of them.

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  74. Hi Jenny, wanabee travel blogger here! Cute, interesting items :)
    I'm a bit of an Egypt nut and love the Stela of Penbuwy item.
    It looks amazing.
    I tweeted for you!
    p.s I'm From Us on GFC!
    Thank you!

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