This appears to be the local ladies’ bowling league, village style. Click on the photo for full melon-and-sand-filled-water-bottle goodness.

Wow, now this is some creative construction. Only in Turkey.

Ah, this is more like it— a nice sunny day with lots of perverse Turklish! Here are today’s finds.

[click on each image to see a larger version]

First up in the recurring Inappropriate Youth Messages category, these are pants for little boys— at that age you’d hope it’d be more like inside action-free.

I guess the little girls don’t want to be left out of the action. Eeek.

Is that an instruction?

Genuine faux, exhibit A: Beneton.

Exhibit B: Cchanell.

Exhibit C: I guess you have to fill in the blank.

Do you think it’s a coincidence that she looks like Kate Moss? Or maybe it’s a coincidence that Kate Moss looks like a bobbypin.

The International Football Bloopers League.

Now this is just lazy.

I’m not really sure what’s going on here— what’s that reddish puddle she’s lying in? She looks terrified. And what up with the black triangle on the front of her jeans? I guess that puts to rest any rumours that it’s Britney.

The END.

Well, at least he had the courtesy to take his shoes off before climbing to ATM base camp. Click on the image to see the full-sized version.

I ran across this today and just had to share— apparently the police didn’t bring enough barricade tape to the scene, and at the spot where the tape ran out there was nothing to tie it to, so they sat this kid on a stool and tied the tape around him. He looks pleased about it, actually. Click on the image for the full uncropped picture.

Today I was doing a bit of lazy shopping in our corner market, which I suppose is too large to be called a corner market but too small to be called a supermarket. At the time of day I usually go (mid-morning), the place is mostly populated by Turkish mothers, many well on their way to grandmotherhood. I blend in well enough, because although I don’t have any children in tow, I’m the sort of age that I could be on the younger end of their spectrum, and I don’t generally aim for “glitzy” when I get myself dressed in the morning knowing my only destination is the grocery store. The result is I’m camouflaged in this environment. They think I’m one of them.

During this morning’s visit I was reminded yet again that I keep meaning to blog about the strange music soundtrack in this market. The management (or whoever’s in charge of these sorts of decisions) has implemented a steady stream of techno and trance hits that perhaps would be more at home in an 18-30 club on a Friday night than in a suburban corner market in the middle of the morning. Most of the music selections are harmlessly out of place, but today as I was browsing by shelves of pasta and canned vegetables, I was astounded to find the rousing strains of Peakafeller’s “She’s A Bitch” (mp3 excerpt NSFW) making their way to my ears at quite a respectable volume.

It was comically surreal to watch mothers with their young children walking around the store, oblivious to what they were hearing. I laughed quietly to myself and headed to the dairy products. Oh well— I suppose having this song in the market is no more offensive than a string orchestra muzak rendition of “Paradise City.”

Or rather, Thursday would have been bazaar day if there had been a bazaar. It’s been raining in a most spectacular fashion since yesterday morning, and as there’s been no break in the weather, the great majority of vendors appear to have stayed home today. The streets were empty save for a precious few vegetable guys, and there was not a clothes stall in sight. This is the first time I’ve ever seen the bazaar affected by weather. Luckily, I have a few leftover gems from previous visits, so we’ll dip into those today.

[click on each image to see a larger version]

Wow, someone got a typewriter for Christmas. Aside from the obvious goodness of the nonsense, I love the big sequined “ME” in the middle.

Imitation girls didn’t come into fashion until much later.

Now wait just a minute— how can that be Bllaca when this is Bllaca? Maybe it’s a multiple personality thing. I’d bet on this one being the bunny boiler.

Don’t judge this sweatshirt just because it costs less than two dollars— If you type “dragon’s sons bangkok athlete” and “puma” into Google, I bet you’ll find there’s a legitimate connection there somewhere… probably a deal with Disney or something.

If you pronounce “your” as if it rhymed with “sour” and say the whole thing fast, the shirt becomes much more interesting… for me, at least.

Okay, yeah, that last one was just an excuse to get on with happy hour— nothing else to do on a rainy evening. Have a good one, folks.