Sunday, June 3, 2007

George Schubert of Washington is the inaugural winner of our Souvenir of the Month contest. He bought this ice bucket with its mini elephant head handle in a store in South Africa. The proceeds from this $20 trinket benefit the South African government's wildlife conservation program. And don't worry: It only looks like a hippo's foot; it's not made from one.

Schubert found it while looking for a tangible reminder of his hippo sighting-filled "booze cruise" on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. "The very idea of it is just ludicrous," he wrote, but "I knew I had to have it. I bought two and gave one to my brother for Christmas."

Think you've got this ice bucket beat? Read the fine print below.

The Travel section wants to see your coolest, weirdest, funniest finds from trips in the United States or overseas. We'll feature the best of what we get in this new monthly feature; winners will receive a Travel section tote bag.

Please send a photograph (e-mailing a high-resolution JPEG is best, though we'll also accept prints) and a brief description of the item -- including where you bought it, how it reminds you of the destination and why it makes you laugh -- totravel@washpost.com(put "Souvenir of the Month" in the subject field); or mail to Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071, Attn: Souvenir of the Month. Please include your name and contact information. Photos cannot be returned.