You only see what you know (Goethe)
Halle’s early history relates to harvesting of salt. The names of the city Halle and the river Saale origin from old expressions related to salt. An appropriate souvenir from Halle (Saale) could be a portion of salt, produced with technologies of the 19th century in the Hallors and Saline Museum (Halloren- und Salinenmuseum).
A typical souvenir of Mariazell is a snow globe featuring a miniature of the basilica. More than 100 years ago a producer of surgical instruments in Vienna named Erwin Perzy tried to develop an extra bright lightsource for use as a surgical lamp. As a side effect he figured out a new method to produce snow globes and actually the first piece used in these globes was a model of the basilica.
At a glassworks in Lauscha, generally known as Farbglashütte Lauscha – ELIAS Glashütte, I joined a workshop about how to decorate a Christmas tree. To my surprise I learned about a US traditon to hide a green Christmas pickle in the tree. This tradition is pretty unknown in Germany but the glassworks sell a lot of these pickles to the States.
Fun presents found at my hotel room. A box of Lebkuchen and the artist Albrecht Dürer as toy figurine. Actually Nuremberg is for both pretty famous. By the way a big exhibition with the works of the young Dürer will open on May 24th. A good reason to go back to Nuremberg soon.