The weird, the wacky and the wonderful sights of Asia
- lorisolan
- Jan 24, 2018
- 6 min read
There really is no place like Asia for the random sights, sounds and smells you experience as you travel around the different parts. I have only been here for a year and I cannot recall the amount of times I have thought - "Hmmm, that is not something you see every day". I guess that is why I love it here so much - there is such an unpredictability about each day which keeps you intrigued and wanting more.
Whenever Denver and I saw something out of the ordinary we just looked at each other, smiled and said in unison "Asia Life". It soon became a regular thing, we don't say it as much as it takes a lot now to chock us however there is the odd day it is still very much relevant.
Get a key cut out of the back of a van
Take an elaborate Rickshaw ride in Malacca/Melaka, Malaysia
Whether you are 5 or 50 you will enjoy a rickshaw ride in Malacca. When I first visited here in January 2017, there were elaborate rickshaws taking on the themes of all sorts of animated cartoon characters i.e Despicable Me, Pokemon, Hello Kitty of course! However returning again in October of the same year they had really upped the ante. I wondered where anyone could find space to sit as they were heavily adorned from top to tyre. They are really fun to watch go past especially at night time when they are so brightly lit with music blasting from wherever the speaker may be.
Themed Desserts
Themed desserts are a phenomenon over here. I guess there is a need to make the dessert sound as exciting as possible in order to sell it well. I get this but Toilet Bowl Ice Cream - really?!! Who doesn't want a chocolate, turd shaped bowl of ice cream! Turns out I did want one and it was DELICIOUS - never judge a book I say.
Interesting Supermarket Displays
It's not every day you see toilet paper and cooking oil displayed in the shape of army tanks, however Big C in Vietnam gone above and beyond the VMing of every day shops. I guess it takes Supermarket wars to a whole new level!
Roadside Shoe Clean and Repair Services
If you need your shoes cleaned or repaired after the may hours of trawling around sightseeing, don't go to a shop for this - just look out for the guys carrying around a small tool kit. They are usually strolling around the busy tourist areas looking for business so they are not too hard to find. They will provide an amazing service for a fraction of the price - Denver had his Van's cleaned, mended, glued and brand new insoles for 90,000VND ($4USD).
You hand your shoes over and they give you the most beautiful paper flip flops to wear while you wait. Sit back have a coffee and marvel at the incredible job they do with minimal equipment.
It's a bugs life, or maybe not....
I don't really understand the bug eating obsession in South East Asia. On a tourist level, it is more a daring feat than a desire. However for the locals they purchase all sorts of bug delicacies in volume. I guess perhaps they are doing this in order to get their daily protein fix which is apparently exactly what these bugs are a good source of. I think I will stick with a head of broccoli over that of a fried tarantula any day.
However if this sounds like something you would enjoy, then head to the Bugs Cafe on Angkor Night Market Street in Siem Reap, Cambodia. A chef has actually sat down and created a tapas menu full of these little (or big in some cases) cretins from a Bug Mac to Snake Soup. See the full and interesting menu in the below link. Enjoy!
Asians will cook food ANYWHERE
The Asians love their food so much that they will literally cook it anywhere and by any means possible. From the back of a van, on the side of the road or in a boat like the below (Amphawa Floating Market), it does not matter where it is prepared it will 99% of the time be AMAZING.
The Importance of the Motorbike
The motorbike is such an important everyday vehicle for so many people in South East Asia especially in Cambodia and Vietnam. They obviously use these for transport from A to B however for many they double as their business too. The most people I saw on one bike was eight. What looked like a husband, his wife and their 6 children with the oldest not being more then 8 or 9 were angled all sorts of ways to make it work. I read an article a few months ago that said 95% of registered vehicles in Vietnam are either motorbikes or scooters and as many as 9,000 new motorcycles join the road each day. It is a crazy statistic on paper but you can see why after stepping on to the streets of Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi.
Matchy Matchy
Matching outfits are a huge trend in South East Asia. Lots of shops are selling matching t-shirts for him and her which many of the Asian people wear proudly. It is big thing now that young couples engaged to be married will carry out a pre-wedding photoshoot. This means they purchase a number of matching outfits and find beautiful places to get photographed. If this was found in a western country, it would be called corny and downright wrong however the more identical the better in SEA.
The Vietnamese ladies over a certain age are a huge market for this matching business. In many parts of the country you will find many retailers selling an array of what look like pyjamas - these are casual, working outfits for the Vietnamese women and they love them, heck I loved them so I went and got myself a pink polka dot pair. I will admit I use them solely as pyjamas but one day maybe I will walk the streets rocking it as they do.
A Hair Wash - the Asian way
The first time I got my hair done in South East Asia was down a small alley in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I was passing by on the way for food and saw that they were offering a wash, cut and blow dry for $7, BARGAIN. I sat in the chair and the hairdresser started pouring some liquid all over my hair which I found odd but obviously didn't doubt him, this wasn't his first rodeo. Then he started to massage it in, next thing I know I had a whole head of foam and finally understood that this was the washing stage.
He continued to lather and massage for what felt like half an hour and then eventually took me to the sink to wash the shampoo out. There was no conditioner involved after, just the fantastic chop and blowdry and that was that. Ever since I have enjoyed this way and seek out places that do it, luckily the hair salon in my building in Malaysia does :)
Even the dogs have their moments!
I am not sure if this dogs eyebrows are on point or it got cornered by a child who got hold of his/hers mother's eyebrow pencil!
The Asians love their sleep
Asian people love to close their eyes at every chance they get. They have such busy lifestyles and are always on the go so you can understand the precious downtime they do get. You see it on the buses, trains, beside their food stalls etc. A new one for me was catching some ZZZ's in the gym. Isn't this a place of exercise and pushing yourself? - for this guy, not so much!
Fun Clothing choices
This is totally normal attire rather than an outfit you might wear on a bank heist!
You can eat almost anything in Asia
Aside from the bugs mentioned above, it is not strange here to chow down on the likes of a chickens foot, a pig's ear, a dog broth soup (only found wayyyy North in Vietnam) or an alligator. Whilst I applaud their value of food and leaving nothing to waste, I do believe there is no real need for a display out the front of a seafood restaurant like the below. Head fully on staring at you while the body has already been maimed for someone currently sitting inside waiting on their food. It does become normal day life seeing sights like this when travelling around but for the first few times, it can really change your face into an expression of disgust that may have never been seen on it before.
The People
Despite all the above pictures of crazy and randomness, there is absolutely nothing weird or wacky about the people we encountered throughout South East Asia, just all kinds of wonderful. The warmth, kindness and fun that you can find in all of the locals makes travelling and living in Asia incredible. It did not matter where you were either in big cities or small villages the people are another level of friendliness that makes every day unique, special and awesome. Make it your business to visit at least one country in this part of the world and you will want to keep coming back over and over again.
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