Souvenirs from Haiti

The road between the compound we stayed at and the hospital was lined with vendors selling their handiworks - or handiworks of their friends.  I tried to buy at least one small item from everyone.  The items in the picture above are made out of  wood.  There are no zebras or elephants in Haiti - think the local make these items because tourists are suckers for them!  They will also tell you that there are elephants, "on da uddter side o de mountain."

These are lovely hand painted cards.  I am amazed that these didn't get bent on the flight home.  They were in my camera bag.  I'm thinking about framing them.

I bought several bracelets.  I have another one that is made in the same fashion as the one below, but it has my name on it and the colors are black and lavender.

These two pieces of metal art are currently on my dining room table.  There are cows and lots of lizards in Haiti.

I bought a couple of paintings.  I should get these framed.  The one above is a painting of the patient tents.

I bought several sets of these necklaces in different colors.  They are made out of beans and seeds.  Some of them are coco beans, some are coffee beans, and I don't know what the red seeds are.  

These two items are my favorite things.  I think they are both made out of mahogany.  The mask is going to hang in our basement, and the mortal & pestle is sitting in our entertainment center with the other two I have.

Side 1

Side 2

The pestle

I brought back gifts for my mother and my mother-in-law, but I have not seen them yet to give them their gifts, so no pictures yet of those things.

I was amazed that I fit all those things in my suitcase.  I had some room because some of things I had packed were donations that I left there.  I still had to pack carefully, though!