Starbuck’s Mugs

Paris Marathon Training: Week 10 of 18
Today’s target run: rest day

Now, before I am chastised about collecting them, I am sure we all have things cluttering our closets from our travels that we just as soon not brag about. Russian nesting dolls, a table sized version of the Eiffel tower, wooden shoes from the NL, a Mexican sombrero, or any kind of wooden carving “stuff” from the Caribbean. I suppose I could admit to a similar purchase, here or there. And not that there is anything wrong with that. It is just that our souvenir purchases these days lie more in the realm of textiles/home furnishings, books, tableware, furniture, artwork, and Starbuck’s Mugs.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I’m becoming a little worried…two cities in a row, and not a sighting one of a Starbuck's coffee shop. Not that I can’t get along with out a trip to Starbuck’s. And yes, I am all for savoring the “flavor” of local coffee houses, even though I am not much of a coffee drinker.

No, my concern is really of a purely “souvenir-istic” motive (yes, I know there is no such word but it seemed to capture what I was trying to say). Recent trips to Brussels and Amsterdam would have normally meant an obligatory trip to Starbuck’s where the purchase of a “city” mug would have been in order.

Of course, we encountered that identical situation in Italy, but I had anticipated that the Italians would have scoffed at US coffee franchises, so I never really expected to find a Starbuck’s store.

With curiosity begin to brim, a quick trip to the Starbuck’s website brought about a shocking revelation. There are only 8 countries in EMEA in which Starbuck’s operates, and I already possess city mugs from 5 of the 8 countries. A similar ratio was (6 out of 9) was uncovered in my collection of AP Starbuck’s coffee mugs, where the percentage would have been much higher had I actually visited Australia and New Zealand.

First, no passport stamps in Europe, and now this. What is a tourist to show for their world travels?

PS – I’ll anticipate the question: No, it does not count if I don’t visit the country and purchase the mug myself.