Anne and Monica: Weird Shit in Asia

Across our travels throughout Southeast Asia we encountered many quirky things, from products, signs, merchandise and food items that would be regarded as weird or funny in our western world. Anne did a great overview of Singaporean signage that had us crack up with silly western jokes, and here I am, trying to delight you, our dear readers, with some Asian oddities collected along the way. Disclaimer: some of the photos are somewhat NSFW, so please don't scroll down if you're at work, have a big monitor and your boss might be looking over your shoulder.

The Philippines: in a mall in Manila we found disposable panties with a poetic tag line: "We're just a heart beat away. One touch could make it happen. We can reach the other side if we hold on to the passion."

Thailand: Boxes with this design on their cover were available for sale on the streets of Bangkok. What do you think it is?

Thailand: at the Chatta Chawk market (I later found out that Chawk means covered market in Hindi and Arabic, as well.) in Bangkok. Steve Jobs is joining the cool kids.

Thailand: tshirt for sale in a market.

Hong Kong: "Maobama" tshirts all over Hong Kong's night markets.

Hong Kong: What Chinese men wished they had??

The Philippines: So witty, isn't it?

Thailand: Che Guevara would twist in his grave knowing he's sharing popularity with Angry Birds.

Hong Kong: The Angry Birds mania hits Hong Kong's dessert shops.

The Philippines: Finger sacks for sale on the beauty products isle of a supermarket. What are you supposed to do with these?

The Philippines: tape for making your eyes look bigger! Only in Asia!!

The Philippines: a mascara guard useful for not smearing your eyelids during application. The indispensable accessory of a real lady.

Thailand: scary guy with millions of piercings, tattoes and rings. He was selling crocodile skin products, skulls and all sorts of voodoo shit.

Thailand: Crocodile paw turned into purse. For sale by the guy in the photo above.

Vietnam: elephant feet as art at the former presidential palace in Ho Chi Mihn city (Saigon).

Thailand: A store specializing in dog and cat dresses.

Hong Kong: cowboy hats for cats in a pet store.

Vietnam: real money offerings in a Buddhist temple.

Vietnam: beer and crackers as offerings in a Buddhist temple.

Thailand, Chatta Chawk market in Bangkok: hundreds of these weird toys for sale.

Thailand, Chatta Chawk market in Bangkok: scary key chains

Thailand, Chatta Chawk market in Bangkok: bedazzled iPhone cases.

Thailand, Chatta Chawk market in Bangkok: more weird (cute?) mini dolls.

Vietnam, Hanoi: I'm debating whether they chose this name for their shop intentionally or not.

Thailand: I know just the kind of person who would buy this as a present and think of themselves as being really cool.

Hong Kong: a snail for sale in a fish market. Would you eat this?

Thailand, Chiang Mai: this ladyboy is not doing that great of a job.

Thailand: for sale on the streets of Bangkok.

Real size fur/felt tigers at a souvenir/antique shop in Thailand. Who would decorate their home with this?

Funky flip flops in Thailand.

Converse backpacks in Thailand.

Being stylish in Vietnam.

Book for sale inside a post office in Vietnam.

Meat market in the Philippines.

Swallows for sale in a market in Vietnam. I hear they deep-fry them until they get so crispy that you can eat the entire bird in one big bite.

The Philippines: Warek-Warek may be the most disgusting dish I've ever heard of. If only they left the mayo out of this business.

Hong Kong: If Angry Birds are not your piece of cake, you can always order this cute Snoopy butter cream cake.

Or you can try some crunky chocolate in Hong Kong.

The Philippines: once is not enough, enough!

The Philippines: an impromptu mini produce market takes place in the lobby of a hotel, right in front of the reception desk. Just in case the hotel guests might want to buy some onions or spinach to prepare in their rooms.

Cambodia: In Siem Reap you can order "happy herb pizza" - which means they'll sprinkle some marijuana on top of your pizza.

Hong Kong: The English language is losing steam in this former British colony.

Thailand: a sign on a tourist mini-bus, nicely open for interpretation.

The Philippines: sign in a post office.

Hong Kong Art History Museum: The Education Corner must be really dirty. (Now that I'm in India, this sign feels like it's from another planet. In India expect rats to crawl between your legs, while you're stepping on cow, dog or human shit. They probably don't even know what the word "disinfected" means.)