Soap to Go

Got some soap in the mail today. It isn’t too often you can say such a thing, but I can, at least for now. My friend Ed has just returned from parts of the ethnic salmagundi formerly known as Yugoslavia (or more charmingly I think, Jugoslavia – why did English-language maps make that shift?). Upon his return, he sent me a souvenir, a small bar (15g) of soap in a small box marked Hotel Central Zagreb on one side, with the greetings DOBRO DOSLI – WILLKOMMEN – WELCOME – BENVENUTI on the other. The word “soap” is also in the same four languages (I assume) elsewhere on box.

Most surprisingly, there’s an ingredient list on one of the side flaps, in English. At least, the word “ingredients” is in English, but items such as sodium tallowate may be universal.

Ed was right in thinking that this is my kind of souvenir. When I was a kid, I participated in stripping every motel room we ever stayed at of its soap, matches, postcards and stationery. Even as an adult I do this, though it’s harder to find hotel/motel matches, postcards and stationery than it used to be. Souvenir soap endures, however.