magazine

The dark side of Bangkok & its museum of the macabre

Filed under Bangkok, Off-beat, Weird... Reality! by Christine Ka'aloa on December 13, 2011 at 3:04 pm {16 comments}

Siamese twins babies sharing one set of internal organs.
Photo from: elephantsleg.wordpress.com

What does Bangkok inspire for you?

For me, it’s generally floating markets, monstrously serene Buddhas, assorted hawker food carts of delectable cuisine and throngs of smiling Thai. I don’t exactly think of two-headed babies, the charred corpse of a serial murderer and a display of unusually, large human testicles!

But Bangkok surprised me yet again.

As much as I love Bangkok, I was afraid I might be getting into a traveler’s rut – when a place is no longer shiny and new. My first visit was all about sightseeing: temples, floating markets, the golden palace and elephant rides. My second and third visits, were all about medical tourism and getting amazingly cheap discounts off of dental crowns and travel shots! By my fourth time around, I was scraping the inspiration barrel. I wanted excitement of fall off-the-grid into the local, the seedy, the morbid and well,… creepy.

How far could Bangkok take me?

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My narrow escape from Bangkok’s Ping-pong sex show scams

Filed under Bangkok, Off-beat, Weird... Reality! by Christine Ka'aloa on December 9, 2011 at 11:24 am {35 comments}

patpong-ping-pong-shows

200 baht, 200 baht! I give you deal. Buy one drink and you see all the acts! You not get this kind price from anyone else.

This is what the skinny Thai man quoted, as he whipped out a laminated menu:

1. Pussy shoots ping-pong balls

2. Pussy blows balloons

3. Pussy writes letter

4. Pussy blows out candles

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Visiting your local Indian community theater

Filed under India, Kerala / Karnataka by Christine Ka'aloa on May 7, 2011 at 6:22 am {7 comments}

I’d spent the day circling the off-beat town of Gokarna, like a worn path of a merry-go-round. Boredom was closing in, threatening to seal me in like a concrete tomb. What to do when the town’s temples are closed to foreigners and you’re not into beaches?

Enter Gokarna’s local community theater.

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Getting my hair done at the Korean beauty salon

Filed under Glam Around the World, Korea by Christine Ka'aloa on January 21, 2011 at 1:50 am {32 comments}

What Koreans will go through for hair-raising feats… and beauty!

When my dad visited Korea last spring, he was seriously distraught. In the crowd of Koreans, young and old, he found he was the only “white-haired” senior in the population.

How can that be? Does Korea do away with all their old people or do they hide them away?

Korea, to him, was beginning to feel like a scary Twilight Zone episode.

He wanted to know- should he be concerned about his safety or his life?

I clued him in on the Korean secret…

Hair dyeing.

Beauty and the Korean Way

Koreans are the best dressed people in the world. Without a doubt.

A high maintenance looks-oriented society, you’ll find men, women, teens and toddlers all stylishly made up, pressed and manicured… (more…)

Jeju Island’s Loveland Exposes Naughty Fun in Korean Sex

Filed under Jeju Island, Off-beat, Weird... Reality! by Christine Ka'aloa on October 28, 2010 at 1:33 am {7 comments}

“Igot boseu… Loveland kayo?” (trans. This bus, going to Loveland?)

… Korean girls within ear-shot distance grew wide-eyed with side glances and we got a few silent nods and snickers between men. As two foreign girls standing at a bus stop with map-in-hand, I didn’t think there was much harm asking…

Occasionally, Koreans can surprise you. A couple of month ago, it was a mystery to me as to where all the sexual naughtiness in conservative Korea was hidden. Now, standing before the un-pearly gates of Loveland, I was about to have all (more…)

Written by Christine Ka'aloa Off-beat, Weird... Reality!

5 Daredevil things to try if you’re Solo in Vietnam

You don’t have skydive out of a plane in order to be a daredevil. You don’t have to eat strange bugs or worms to be an adventurist. Sometimes, adventure and danger can fit into the simplest things; and if you’re a solo traveler, occasionally it’s the simplest things that can feel the most dangerous!

October 24, 2010 17

Written by Christine Ka'aloa Fear Factor Foods

Fear Factor Vietnam: Sapa Market, Vietnam

Not far from my hotel, where D Phan Si Road off-shoots onto a smaller street, D Tue Tinh, you’ll find Sapa market. It’s a local market of tobacco, produce and meat and a bit of a spectacle for unsuspecting tourists, as you’ll be able to get a glimpse of the local delicacies that tempt the village palate. For vegans and vegetarians, you may not want to enter the meat section– it can feel pretty hardcore

September 5, 2010 0

Written by Christine Ka'aloa * Korea tips & stays

Finding love in the Korean Love Motel

Home is where I lay my head is a true saying for me, but “I just want somewhere to lay my head for the night” are words you’ll seldom hear uttered from my lips. While I enjoy staying at guesthouses/hostels, as much as I do a 4- 5 star resort hotel, what inevitably tips my excitement scale is an accomodation, which carries a unique experience or exceptional flavor. Enter the Korean Love Motel.

June 30, 2010 9

Written by Christine Ka'aloa GRRR Inspirations

Finding Seoul: The Locks of Love

There’s only one word for my first visit to Seoul: Romance! Passion and devotion come in various forms; the best ones are those which lift us high, touching us with the sentiment of friendship and love. Perched atop Namsan Seoul Tower is an observation deck overlooking a breathtaking view of Seoul.