2.10.2007
Saigon: the Random.
If you walk around any big city for a significant length of time, eventually you're going to stumble across something that's strange, random, or just downright weird. Naturally, big cities in Asia are no exception. In fact, what with the millions of people crammed into them and all the crazy stuff they do, like peeing on sidewalks and drinking snake blood--calling the every day things other cultures do that is different from ones own experience "crazy" isn't cultural insensitive, is it? No, I didn' think so either--cities in Asia aren't even close to being an exception. They are, in fact, non-exceptions, which you'd think would make them unexceptional but, confusingly, that's not the case. Strange, isn't it?
Whatever. Here is some of the funny stuff we found when walking around Saigon for four days. Although I guess the first is only funny if you are actually from Washington (the State, not the other Washington) and know how famous Washington apples are. And look, proof! Take that, poor farmers in third-world countries who try to dump apples into the US market at ridiculously low prices! I mean, they're not advertising Guatemalan apples, are they? (Please ignore the fact that, as far as I know, no apples are grown in Guatemala.) No, they're advertising Washington apples! And US beef--now with less Mad Cow! But still a shitload of growth hormones, so pick your poison. Which would NOT be in the Washington apple, by the way, whatever you might have heard from your wicked stepmother. Or godmother. Or fairy queen. Or however the hell Sleeping Beauty goes:
Of course, I guess you might see this sort of thing in Guatemala? But no, it's in Saigon. In a big old Colonial church, oddly enough. I can think of only one word, and that word is classy. Oh wait, no it's not ...
I have never seen a smoking mannequin before. Although I have to admit, she does just look cooler somehow, doesn't she?
In China, the weird mannequins are just funny. In Vietnam, they are actually disturbing:
No jokes here. I was, however, really disappointed after going into this shop--it was nothing like what I was expecting:
Believe it or not, that's all from Saigon. What's next? Our trips to the outskirts of Saigon, which included a big river, M-16s, and strange religious cults. Sort of like going to Texas in that way, I guess ...
Previously, on my vacation:
- Saigon: Reunification Hall.
- Saigon: the War Museum.
- Saigon: the Streets.
- Hoi An: The River.
- Hoi An: My Son.
- Hoi An: the People.
- Hoi An: the Streets.
- Hue: Zoom, Zoom.
- Hue: the River.
- Hue: the Imperial Tombs.
- Hue: the Imperial Palace.
- Hue: the Streets.
- Halong Bay: the Videos.
- Halong Bay.
- Hanoi: the Random.
- Hanoi: Water Puppets.
- Hanoi: the "Hilton." '
- Hanoi: the People.
- Hanoi: Zoom, Zoom.
- Hanoi: the Streets.
Whatever. Here is some of the funny stuff we found when walking around Saigon for four days. Although I guess the first is only funny if you are actually from Washington (the State, not the other Washington) and know how famous Washington apples are. And look, proof! Take that, poor farmers in third-world countries who try to dump apples into the US market at ridiculously low prices! I mean, they're not advertising Guatemalan apples, are they? (Please ignore the fact that, as far as I know, no apples are grown in Guatemala.) No, they're advertising Washington apples! And US beef--now with less Mad Cow! But still a shitload of growth hormones, so pick your poison. Which would NOT be in the Washington apple, by the way, whatever you might have heard from your wicked stepmother. Or godmother. Or fairy queen. Or however the hell Sleeping Beauty goes:
Of course, I guess you might see this sort of thing in Guatemala? But no, it's in Saigon. In a big old Colonial church, oddly enough. I can think of only one word, and that word is classy. Oh wait, no it's not ...
I have never seen a smoking mannequin before. Although I have to admit, she does just look cooler somehow, doesn't she?
In China, the weird mannequins are just funny. In Vietnam, they are actually disturbing:
No jokes here. I was, however, really disappointed after going into this shop--it was nothing like what I was expecting:
Believe it or not, that's all from Saigon. What's next? Our trips to the outskirts of Saigon, which included a big river, M-16s, and strange religious cults. Sort of like going to Texas in that way, I guess ...
Previously, on my vacation:
- Saigon: Reunification Hall.
- Saigon: the War Museum.
- Saigon: the Streets.
- Hoi An: The River.
- Hoi An: My Son.
- Hoi An: the People.
- Hoi An: the Streets.
- Hue: Zoom, Zoom.
- Hue: the River.
- Hue: the Imperial Tombs.
- Hue: the Imperial Palace.
- Hue: the Streets.
- Halong Bay: the Videos.
- Halong Bay.
- Hanoi: the Random.
- Hanoi: Water Puppets.
- Hanoi: the "Hilton." '
- Hanoi: the People.
- Hanoi: Zoom, Zoom.
- Hanoi: the Streets.
