Sharon and Jacques’ Excellent Blog

When one is in a different country, one often comes across cultural differences that are both intriguing and terrifying.

In Thailand there are a few things that I just have not figured out.  Things like:

• Men who wear hair bands.  No they are not lady boys, just a regular guy wearing an Alice Band to keep what little hair he has out of his face.  It is kind of girly man looking.
• Nipple cream.  Yeah you read that correctly.  Apparently pink nipples are desirable and any other colour is not.  The drug store sells this cream that when rubbed on, will make your nipples pink.  The instructions do not clarify who exactly should do the rubbing.
• Skin whitening cream (but not for your nipples).  We went to the movies and were given a L’Oreal sample of this cream for men that makes you whiter.  I have not tested it yet, because I am working on a tan.  Maybe I can use the cream to create a white tattoo on my shoulder that says “Born to be Fried”, or something.
• Flip flops on the road.  Now I have never figured out why one finds bits of clothing on the road in any part of the world.  Here, there seems to be a preponderance of flip flops.  Jimmy Buffet would be proud.
• Crash helmets on the sidewalk.  Again, I don’t get how something that should be on your person would end up on the side of the road, and very few Thai people in fact even wear helmets.  I must admit, I have been checking inside them to see if there is any brain matter.  No luck yet.
• Men wearing balaclavas.  It is freaking hot here.  I can barely keep my clothes on and tear them off the second I am back home.  And yet, people here are wearing hats with face masks, and jackets, and jeans.  I am convulsing with hot flashes.
• Nose inhalers.  You know those Vicks things that we used to use to put up your nose and you would inhale eucalyptus so your nose would clear.  People have them sticking out of their noses all the time.
• Drinks in plastic bags.  Want a nice cold drink?  The put the drink in a clear plastic baggie and give you a straw.  I guess if you are driving a motorcycle and there are no cup-holders, it is easier to hang a bag from the handlebars, and the drink won’t spill.

Today however, on this hot and sweaty 13th of August, took the cake.  We were motoring along after seeing what is soon to be the biggest Buddha to be built in southeast Asia when some prepubescent warbling diva came on the radio singing “Have yourself a merry little Christmas”.  What the hell?

Ok, there is only one English radio station on the island, and the programme manager came up with a Christmas song?  In August?  Somebody explain this to me please!  Now Jacques figures that they are finding the cheapest songs and just playing them, and that they have no idea what they are actually doing, except playing English music.   Okay, but…the next song was by George Michael and it was, you guessed it, a Christmas song.  What are the chances?!?

 So my friends, Merry Christmas!  And get a move on that shopping, there are only 133 days till Christmas.