I'm not yet 60, but sometimes I think my mind's going. I'd been going through folders of images this morning, looking for pictures taken at BTS stations for a post in progress, but invariably ended up opening and adjusting unrelated photos - one after another after another. The end result is yet another couple of dozen pictures to post at SOME point, but not the few needed to illustrate the story I wanted to post today.
One that caught my eye was the picture above, taken at a Swenson's ice cream parlor during Christmas time in 2008. Odds are the young man behind the counter will never actually see a snowman in real life, but there one was as a graphic on the signboard to his right, complete with cherry eyes and the triangular wafer Swenson's used for decades here in California. The only store left here now is the original store in San Francisco that opened in 1948. There are still franchises throughout the world, though, including quite a few in Thailand.
There. You see how easily I'm distracted?
The point of the photo is how the young man unwittingly struck the same "pose" as the counter card (although he has a mouth and is lacking a scarf) while helping a customer.
More on Swenson's when we get back to the "Same Same, but different" series.
it's always amazed me how open is the Asian mind and culture are to western ideas they determine are worthy and fun. I'm thinking of sports like baseball and golf.. and western music and western musical instruments.. and western fashion, and ceremonies like western style weddings, and holidays like christmas. They totally dig all this stuff. And by contrast how little we westerners have taken from their culture. Massage, yoga, sushi and Asian cuisine in general have gained real appeal in the west.. but what else ?
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's truly Indian you missed Buddhism - but I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteGood to read that you have plenty of photos and stories to tell left.
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