My Cherished Souvenir that Rings a Bell of Nostalgia

And travels with me

As cliché and boring as it may seem to collect fridge magnets as travel mementos, my husband and I have turned this into our cherished tradition.

We’ve added a little twist to this by making it a mission to select magnets that hold a personal memory from each journey.

It’s not just about the name of the place; it’s about the stories we collect along the way.

We usually wait until the whole trip is done, and then we start the hunt for the perfect souvenir. We want it to capture the essence of our journey, the experiences, and the feelings we had.

Like some of these here —

We were on a similar quest when we were wrapping up our Amsterdam adventure.

But before we dive into the souvenir hunt, you’ve got to know what really made our trip unforgettable — two things we fell head over wheels, I mean heels for — Cycling and mouthwatering Dutch fries.

Cycling Around

Amsterdam was where my love for cycling reignited.

Back in the day, I used to cycle to school, but then, as I got older, I kind of moved on from it.

But in Amsterdam, everything changed.

The best way to truly experience the city is to become a local and hop on a bike.

I’ll never forget those moments when we got lost in the charming narrow lanes, paused by picturesque canals, and simply enjoyed the city while pedaling through the lively streets.

We even decided to take a bike tour that would take us to hidden gems and we absolutely loved the experience.

At the end of the tour, our guide, who was fantastic, told us about a little shop he runs. He suggested we drop by if we had the time (we were too tired that day, so decided against it).

Now, you might be wondering, why is this little detail important to the story? Well, stay with me, and you’ll soon find out.

Dutch Fries

Amsterdam is famous for its delicious Dutch fries. They serve them up with all sorts of tasty sauces, like mayonnaise, ketchup, and even peanut sauce.

These fries, oh boy, they’re thick-cut, crispy, and a real street food delight in the city.

We decided we had to try them in the legendary Manneken Pis stall.

It was late at night, and there was a really long line which we did not mind because once we had those piping hot fries dipped in all sorts of goodness, we wanted more.

So we returned the next morning and devoured them all over again.

Needless to say, the souvenir I wanted to carry back home had to be a mixture of both our obsessions.

We scoured many places, looking for something that would connect with both our loves but sadly found nothing. We reluctantly settled on this as it at least represented one of our interests.

Just to be clear, I am talking about the cycle part and not the weed on the wheels :)

Now coming back to the shop the bike tour guide mentioned.

We had a bit of time to spare before heading to the airport, and we figured, ‘Why not drop by?’. It felt like a nice way to say thanks and support a small local business.

We stepped inside, and boy, that shop was cozy and full of character. It was mostly stocked with bike parts and tools, which got my husband all excited.

Meanwhile, I was just wandering around, killing time, really.

I strolled to the back of the store, and there, in a little corner, I found a collection of cycle bells.

And right there, it was, my perfect souvenir, just hanging out like it was waiting for me.

I screamed, jumped, yelped (all in my head of course). I grabbed it and practically dashed over to my husband. He took one look at what was in my hand and instantly knew — there it was, our special find!

It felt like Amsterdam had somehow wrapped up our entire adventure in this one quirky item.

It was a symbol of our rediscovered love for cycling and the fantastic times we had savoring those delicious Dutch fries together.

Ever since, I have moved continents, owned 3 different cycles, but one thing has stayed constant — that bell, snugly resting on my handlebars.

Every time I give it a little ring, it’s like a gentle reminder of the time when I rekindled my love for cycling!

It’s more than just a souvenir; it’s a memory bell that brings back the joy of exploration and the delicious taste of adventure.

Thank you Globetrotters for giving me such a brilliant idea to write about my favourite souvenir as part of the October monthly challenge.

I’ve loved reading stories about different souvenir experiences.

I particularly enjoyed Ellen Eastwood’s take on her rocky souvenirs:

Exploring the souvenirs in Richa Singh’s collection and reading about the fascinating story behind each one of them, was so entertaining.