Describe a souvenir which you think is very interesting.

You should say:

What it is

Where it is sold

What it looks like and/or does

And explain how you feel about this souvenir.

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A souvenir I once saw while traveling was very interesting. Three years ago, I went to Vietnam and traveled around the country. While I was in Hanoi, I bought some water puppets. These water puppets are sold in a number of small sores in Hanoi. You have to be able to distinguish the craftsmanship of them, but all the puppets are basically made in the same way.

Each puppet represents a character from a traditional story. You may say that's it's a kind of opera. You can see this opera in Hanoi-the most famous is the show called Thang Long, which is the famous, professional troupe that plays internationally. These puppets are used under the water, and the puppeteers must be able to move underwater, hold their breath and use graceful movements to manipulate their puppets. They are not moved by strings like many traditional Chinese puppets.

You can't see the puppeteers from where you are sitting, but every now and then you can see them raising their hands. The puppets are quite big. They are made of wood and are dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothes, although some of them are also dressed in village clothing. The one that I liked the most was a fisherman who could move a long pole back and forth. I bought it quite cheaply and it was very heavy, so I had to pack it a separate box to take it home.

I think these puppets are so interesting to me because this kind of art form---that is, puppeteering the water is unique. No one does it as professionally as the Vietnamese. I knew that such a souvenir would not only be an interesting thing to talk about with my friends but also an interesting toy for my children. So I knew when I saw the show that I couldn't miss the opportunity to take one of the puppets home.