Random weird stuff in Indochina

This page contains some random images of strange, weird, cool, or otherwise funny observations in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Fish Foot Massage:

This is rather popular in Thailand. For a few dollars, you put your feet in this aquarium and the fish will eat the dirt off your skin. It's reminicent of the Grouper cleaning stations you can find on the reefs if you're a diver.

Traffic light count down timers.

At most of the major intersections, the traffic lights have these count down timers letting you know how much longer you have to wait. This seems to replace the yellow light as well. This is a great idea I wish we had in the USA.

Pet Squirrel:

One restaurant we were at had this pet on a leash.

Cabbages and Condoms:

The guy that owns this restaurant/Inn wanted to help the local tribes reduce their STD and pregnancy rates. His idea was that he wanted to make it as easy to find a condom as it is to find a cabbage. He gave condoms to the villagers and demonstrated their use by putting one on his thumb.

After a year went by, he found that the pregnancy rate and STD rate didn't change at all. After some investigation, he found that the locals were doing exactly what he said and were putting the condoms on their thumbs before having sex.

Condom Dress:

Kelly standing by a dress made of condoms.

Condom Dress:

Bangkok Prison:

I've heard of deplorable conditions in the prisons if you're locked up abroad, however this looks like a resort. It's located on some prime river front property in Bangkok.

My new favorite drink:

Richy Rich Land:

This is the actual name of a housing development in Chiang Mai, Thailand. As the name implies, it's a very wealthy community.

Wood Carvings:

We saw these anotomically correct wood carvings at the entrance to an Akha hill tribe village. At first, I thought it was just some local craftsman with a twisted sense of humor. But similar carvings could be found throughout the country. Apparently, it's a symbol of vitality and very popular.

Spelling errors:

The local merchants have to cater to many English speaking tourists, but some times their translations don't work out too well. I think this jet ski rental sign means 2 stroke.

Disco Tech???

I think they mean Elephant Cotton

A fine clothing establishment:

Kelly wanted to buy me one, but they were too small.

A fine clothing establishment:

I tried to talk Kelly into the school girl outfit. This one I liked.

No Sex Massage:

I guess they get asked for happy endings alot, so they try to be up front about it. Legitimate massage parlors are very popular in Thailand, and just about every 5th store front is one. Prices are very reasonable, even in Phuket.

Massage Menu:

To give you an idea of the prices, 30 Baht is about $1 USD. The average massage cost about $10 USD for 1-hour. Note the spelling errors -- Bath instead of Baht.