Have you ever wondered where that woman who sells those delicious fried beetles and grubs bought her cart? Or who makes those beautiful mortars and pestles that we all see being used to make tasty plates of som tam(Papaya salad)? Well neither had I until I moved to Kluai Nam Thai, a neighborhood near Phra […]
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Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai, where lighted lanterns fly skyward
Every November on the evening of the full moon, a spectacle of lights can be seen in the skies of Thailand. Like oversized fire flies, thousands of paper lanterns (cohm) slowly fly over every town and city in the country. Below, the rivers are aglow with small Krathong boats made from bamboo, banana leafs, and […]
Read the rest of this entry »A clean execution: is this the world’s most dangerous shower?
From our ‘How do I tell your mother how you really died?’ dept. Here at WoWasis, we’d wager that most shower electrocutions occur in Asia, and this photo, taken in a hotel in Bontoc, Philippines, explains it all. Just imagine soaping up, raising your arms for a rinse, then snagging that nasty electric cord just […]
Read the rest of this entry »How do I use a Philippine Toilet Bucket?
Glad you asked. But first, what is a toilet bucket? It’s a plastic bucket of water sitting under a water spigot, which you’ll find in 99% of all restrooms in the Philippines. Especially in the country. Inside the bucket, you’ll find a dipper. And when you get the hang of it, you’ll find that the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Christina Aben’s fascinating Ganduyan Museum in Sagada, northern Luzon
Founder and curator of the town of Sagada’s Ganduyan Museum, Christina Aben is a national treasure. But neither she, nor her family knows it. Through decades of meticulous collecting of tribal pieces, Aben amassed a spectacular collection detailing a vanishing Igorot (Philippines mountain tribes) culture. “When we were kids, we were always stepping over the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Death by Hanging: Sagada’s cliffside coffins
At over 5,000 feet in altitude, and accessible only by roads that are fit for off-roading, the visitor really has to want to come to the Philippines village of Sagada. In addition to Christina Aben’s Ganduyan Museum, the cliffside and cave coffin sites are the biggest draws in this small, quiet hillside town. For hundreds […]
Read the rest of this entry »4 Major Road Hassles while driving on the Philippine Island of Luzon
We’ve found the driving on the main island of Luzon to be among the world’s worst driving experiences, on a par with some of the toughest conditions in Africa. On the other hand, hiring a car and driver isn’t a panacea either, as you will only pay surcharges for the driver’s time, meals, and hotels, […]
Read the rest of this entry »Is harassing Western shoppers the new Vietnamese national sport?
Let’s operate from a basic premise. We shop because it’s fun, whether it’s as simple as the excitement of acquiring something new, or the joy of learning something from the object or service obtained. To a very large extent, elements within the Vietnamese character are so pervasive and predictable, that shopping in Vietnam is pretty […]
Read the rest of this entry »Shoplifting scam at Bangkok’s airport nabs unsuspecting tourists
Allegations of an elaborate and expensive extortion scam operating out of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport have shaken Western visitors. England’s Sunday Times reports that in this scam, visitors are allegedly accused by airport shop owners of shoplifting, are arrested, detained, and “encouraged” to pay a hefty bribe to be released, which can amount to $13,000 USD. […]
Read the rest of this entry »Angeles City: Nightlife capital of the Philippines
50 miles north of Manila is Angeles City, known primarily as the Philippines’ gogo bar headquarters. Here, along the 4 block stretch of Fields Avenue, you’ll find dozens of bars with dancing girls, most of whom are available for companionship. Compared to the nightlife in Bangkok, Angeles clubs don’t offer as wide a range of […]
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