Leather goods from Italy

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Location: Florence, Italy

My wallet had been stolen in Lisbon and I needed a new one. Jacob had read in Lonely Planet that Florence is known for making leather goods. It seemed like a good option.

We walked through downtown Florence and found a leather shop. The wallet they had on display cost $400.

Outside the leather shop, there was a street market. Several of the vendors were selling fake Italian leather wallets for about $10 each. I'm sure they were made in China. I bought one that had "Valentino" embossed on it. It ended up being one of the best-looking, highest-quality, most durable things I've ever purchased. I used it for over 10 years before the stitching started to come loose. People frequently noticed it and admired it for the entire time that I owned it.

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