One of my passions in life is travel. I'm fortunate enough to have the time and ability to travel to a new country or two every year (aside from the last couple years, sadly). Woodworking (and collecting) as a hobby for me came a bit later and I soon realized I could combine the two! Suddenly, instead of buying carved trinkets from the souvenir shop, I sought out the raw material itself. Not as easy as I initially thought, but a fun adventure nonetheless. I haven't yet traveled to a country for the primary purpose of seeking out wood, but I have definitely gone on some serious "side quests" for good wood. If you'll allow me to reminisce on my recent adventures...
My first "wood as a souvenir" venture was in Indonesia on the island of Java (Yogyakarta specifically). I was being driven through a village on the way to some temple or whatever and noticed it seemed to be a village entirely dedicated to woodworking, making all kinds of furniture and carved objects. I perked right up and asked my guide to make an unplanned stop. Unfortunately the only picture I took at the time...
I wandered into a shop and browsed around for some items I could make use of and found some big blocks of purple-ish wood. I asked the owner what kind of wood it was and she said "Sonokeling". After some furious Googling, I felt like I hit the jackpot! East Indian Rosewood!
The following year I went to one of my bucket list destinations, Easter Island. As far as I knew, it was a treeless dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I definitely wasn't expecting much in the way of wood. Welp, turns out I was wrong! While the native species were pretty much extinct, some recently introduced species were fairly available for the local craftsmen. I happened upon one of them just as he was milling up his blanks (you can see one one mine laying on the log in the foreground...
With a bunch of sign language and Google translate, I managed to ask him for a few boards of God-knows-what mystery wood. I asked him what the name of the wood was and he responded, "Alberto". Probably not a generally recognized species. My Spanish had failed me. Haha. I spent all evening looking up wood species of the south Pacific and I think I settled on Southern Silky Oak. Here is a close-up of a board from the same day (I might post in the "Identification" forum later to be sure...
Later that year I went to Bali (back to Indonesia!) and was determined to get some cool wood. My tour guide could not wrap his head around why I would want regular blocks of wood. "Only the poor people work with wood" he told me. Facinating how culture differences manifest themselves. He took me to some standard souvenir shops with overpriced carvings and "authentic" carvers outside the shops that miraculously awaken and whittle when your car drives up. I finally convinced him to bring me to the source! (second pic is of them cutting up a block for me...
Upon my return to the hotel, I realized the blocks reeked of diesel or gasoline. Seeing that second picture now, I think I see the source from whence it came. I likely couldn't bring it home with me without setting off alarms in every airport I flew through on the way home and ruining everything in my carry-on. I have no idea what species of wood it was I had cut up for me. I guess it will remain a mystery. Such a bummer.
The last trip I made before the pandemic hit was Morocco. I think most of us exotic wood lovers know what Morocco is famous for. Thuya burl! I did my research and discovered there is a specific city that is the epicenter of the stuff. Essaouira, on the coast. Holy moly, the whole city smells like Thuya!...
It was all so cheap compared to what we pay State-side! I told my tour guide I was a woodworker who would like to find plain pieces if possible. He hooked me up with several large pieces for free through a shop-keeper friend of his! Of course, I bought several more from other shops for pennies on the dollar too ;) He got tipped well. Haha. I also picked up some "lemon wood". A pale-yellow wood that I assume comes from the trees that sprout the fruit of the same name? But I haven't been able to find anything online to corroborate that. Another future post to the Identification forum, I suppose.
My travels don't only take me internationally. One of my last business trips before the pandemic was to Northern California where I made time to visit an outfit called, "The Walnut Place" in Davis, CA. Such a cool operation. The owner is a super down-to-earth guy that was so generous with his time and was super fair with his prices. I bought as much figured Claro Walnut as could fit in my suitcase! (I even had to make a trip to Home Depot to buy a saw to cut some of it down)...
While on the domestic front, I even took a road trip to the guy that self-proclaims to have coined the phrase "wood p*rn". Bought some wych elm burl from him.
The wood I collected on these trips has so much more meaning and I wouldn't ever think of selling them. I haven't even made anything with any of them yet! I need to get over that (hoarding) instinct. Now that countries and destinations may be opening back up slowly but surely, I want to plan my next trip.
Has anyone been somewhere where you collected special wood pieces as a souvenir? Any recommendations? I am an off-the-beaten-path kind of guy, so not much intimidates me. I kinda want to go to Finland for Massur Birch. I have even entertained thoughts of going to South America for Snakewood. So much is unknown though! Could be a huge waste oro time in a boring place. Haha.
I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences outside of your local region, international or domestic!
My first "wood as a souvenir" venture was in Indonesia on the island of Java (Yogyakarta specifically). I was being driven through a village on the way to some temple or whatever and noticed it seemed to be a village entirely dedicated to woodworking, making all kinds of furniture and carved objects. I perked right up and asked my guide to make an unplanned stop. Unfortunately the only picture I took at the time...
I wandered into a shop and browsed around for some items I could make use of and found some big blocks of purple-ish wood. I asked the owner what kind of wood it was and she said "Sonokeling". After some furious Googling, I felt like I hit the jackpot! East Indian Rosewood!
The following year I went to one of my bucket list destinations, Easter Island. As far as I knew, it was a treeless dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I definitely wasn't expecting much in the way of wood. Welp, turns out I was wrong! While the native species were pretty much extinct, some recently introduced species were fairly available for the local craftsmen. I happened upon one of them just as he was milling up his blanks (you can see one one mine laying on the log in the foreground...
With a bunch of sign language and Google translate, I managed to ask him for a few boards of God-knows-what mystery wood. I asked him what the name of the wood was and he responded, "Alberto". Probably not a generally recognized species. My Spanish had failed me. Haha. I spent all evening looking up wood species of the south Pacific and I think I settled on Southern Silky Oak. Here is a close-up of a board from the same day (I might post in the "Identification" forum later to be sure...
Later that year I went to Bali (back to Indonesia!) and was determined to get some cool wood. My tour guide could not wrap his head around why I would want regular blocks of wood. "Only the poor people work with wood" he told me. Facinating how culture differences manifest themselves. He took me to some standard souvenir shops with overpriced carvings and "authentic" carvers outside the shops that miraculously awaken and whittle when your car drives up. I finally convinced him to bring me to the source! (second pic is of them cutting up a block for me...
Upon my return to the hotel, I realized the blocks reeked of diesel or gasoline. Seeing that second picture now, I think I see the source from whence it came. I likely couldn't bring it home with me without setting off alarms in every airport I flew through on the way home and ruining everything in my carry-on. I have no idea what species of wood it was I had cut up for me. I guess it will remain a mystery. Such a bummer.
The last trip I made before the pandemic hit was Morocco. I think most of us exotic wood lovers know what Morocco is famous for. Thuya burl! I did my research and discovered there is a specific city that is the epicenter of the stuff. Essaouira, on the coast. Holy moly, the whole city smells like Thuya!...
It was all so cheap compared to what we pay State-side! I told my tour guide I was a woodworker who would like to find plain pieces if possible. He hooked me up with several large pieces for free through a shop-keeper friend of his! Of course, I bought several more from other shops for pennies on the dollar too ;) He got tipped well. Haha. I also picked up some "lemon wood". A pale-yellow wood that I assume comes from the trees that sprout the fruit of the same name? But I haven't been able to find anything online to corroborate that. Another future post to the Identification forum, I suppose.
My travels don't only take me internationally. One of my last business trips before the pandemic was to Northern California where I made time to visit an outfit called, "The Walnut Place" in Davis, CA. Such a cool operation. The owner is a super down-to-earth guy that was so generous with his time and was super fair with his prices. I bought as much figured Claro Walnut as could fit in my suitcase! (I even had to make a trip to Home Depot to buy a saw to cut some of it down)...
While on the domestic front, I even took a road trip to the guy that self-proclaims to have coined the phrase "wood p*rn". Bought some wych elm burl from him.
The wood I collected on these trips has so much more meaning and I wouldn't ever think of selling them. I haven't even made anything with any of them yet! I need to get over that (hoarding) instinct. Now that countries and destinations may be opening back up slowly but surely, I want to plan my next trip.
Has anyone been somewhere where you collected special wood pieces as a souvenir? Any recommendations? I am an off-the-beaten-path kind of guy, so not much intimidates me. I kinda want to go to Finland for Massur Birch. I have even entertained thoughts of going to South America for Snakewood. So much is unknown though! Could be a huge waste oro time in a boring place. Haha.
I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences outside of your local region, international or domestic!
