Written by: Sandra Latcham
If you haven’t heard, one of the best shopping events of the year is on right now and it’s on at the International Pavilion at the EX. If you love to travel and shop, or perhaps for those of us who may not get an opportunity to travel to such exotic places as Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Russia or Saudi Arabia, to mention a few, the International Pavilion is the perfect place to get a little glimpse into their culture and buy some unique gifts and souvenirs, even such items as exotic spices and perfumes, large bronze statues of Ganesh, clothes and home décor items….the list goes on and on.
When I was a little girl, I loved watching the ethnic dancers and singers in their colourful costumes perform on the International stage and then the excitement afterwards of walking around with my mom for hours to pick out the perfect souvenirs from my favourite countries! This might have been the beginning for my passion to travel and see the world!
The best part about all the shopping is that many vendors are importers that never sell directly to the public so it is your chance to purchase some rare pieces or get some really good deals. On this being the last weekend, the prices are also slashed at many of the booths, for example, amber at the Polish booths is likely 50% off ( my favourite).
A small taste of items that may interest you may be saffron from Iran (really good prices), military relics/outfits from Russia, reindeer pelts from Finland, silk robes from China, pashminas from India, sheesha pipes from Turkey or Iran, Japanese kitsch and unlimited choices for jewelry and purses! There is definitely something for everyone.
In my numerous trips to the International building this year, I thoroughy enjoyed seeing mothers and their young daughters picking out that “special” souvenir or keepsake from their trip to the EX. It brought back many memories of my own childhood. Those little keepsakes might get lost or broken but the memories will last forever.