[ march 28: where i got my buddhas ]

As I've mentioned before, I collect Buddha statuettes. I've been collecting them since I was about 15, and now I have sixteen of all different sizes and colors. One is even an incense holder! And here is where I've gotten them all, in absolutely no particular order, with stories if they have a fun one:

• Cape Cod, MA: This is the largest one. It's actually a garden statuette, and I got it at the Christmas Tree Shoppe! If you know what a Christmas Tree Shoppe is, you know the amazingness. If you don't, I am so very sorry. Get to Massachusetts quickly and go to one!
• Siena, Italy
• Newark, DE / UDel (2): My friend ML gave me one that is multicolored, and kind of looks like it's humping a fish.
• San Gimignano, Italy
• Phoenix, AZ (2)
• Barcelona, Spain: The incense holder! Which I've never actually used as an incense holder.
• Vittoria, Spain
• New York City (2)
• Connecticut
• New Zealand: I actually got this one for free! I found it in a store in a teeny tiny town, and it was supposed to be part of a set that was maybe $2. Someone had pulled apart all the sets, so they were all scattered around the shelf. The guy who owned the store couldn't remember which ones made up a set, because there were a lot of different kinds. And since one of them would have been about thirty cents, he said "Merry Christmas!" and gave it to me! Nice guy!
• Raleigh, NC
• Rome, Italy

My goal is to get one wherever I go. It's a fun challenge, although you'd be amazed how omnipresent Buddha statuettes are!