Describe a souvenir that you bought while travelling

A souvenir I really like is a small hand-painted ceramic plate that I bought in Marrakech two years ago. I was there for a week with my mother during the winter holidays, and we spent one entire afternoon in the souks.

The plate is about the size of my hand, and it is decorated with blue, yellow and white geometric patterns. In the centre, there is a small flower design, which is typical of Moroccan pottery. I found it in a tiny shop run by an old man, who explained that the artists in his family had painted plates like this for generations. At first, he asked for a very high price, but I'd read that bargaining is part of the culture, so I smiled and offered half. After about ten minutes of friendly discussion, we agreed on a price in the middle, and he even added a small bowl as a gift. Now the plate hangs on the wall in my room, and I look at it every day.

I decided to buy it for a number of reasons. First, I wanted something that was genuinely made in Morocco and not mass-produced in a factory somewhere else, like many of the keyrings and fridge magnets that you see in tourist areas. Second, I liked the colours, which are bright and cheerful. Third, it was a way of supporting a local craftsman. But most importantly, it reminds me of the trip, the smells of spices, the sound of the market and my mother laughing at my bargaining. It brings a little of Morocco into my daily life.