And Now For Something Just a Little Bit Different

New Zealand isn't just about the beautiful scenery or the myriad of ways to give yourself a heart attack. It's also a funny place. If you disagree with this assessment, please see Flight of the Conchords.

For further evidence, I present a handful of sights around the North and South Islands:

(Seen in Te Araroa, on the East Cape)

While I understand that something had to be done about the giant turds being left on the top of the slide, I'm not sure that resorting to blatant speciesism is the answer.

(Seen in Te Anau, Fiordlands)

Hahahahahahahahaha. (pause for breath.) Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

(Seen in Tuatapere, Southland)

I'd love to have been in that meeting when the town's brain trust decided that a giant anthropomorphic sausage was a more effective tourist draw than focusing on being the "Last N.Z. Town to See the Summer Sun Set".

And lastly, my personal favourite:

(Seen in Wellington)

You have got to be kidding me.

This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen.

After getting over my sheer incredulity, I had to wonder whether this sight provided more effective advertising for Coca Cola or for the Wellington-area massage industry. I mean, come on. That Coke ad is bad enough in isolation, but to slap it onto the side of the New Zealand College of Massage Therapy? Really?!?

This is either marketing genius or a horrifying display of obliviousness. Maybe it's a bit of both.

Now, I realise that my mind is dirtier than most -- it took a little longer for my companions to get what I found so funny and, on occasion, I've had to explain the photo to people who weren't there when I gazed upon that wall for the first time -- so if you have no worldly idea what I'm getting at, I'm not going to shatter your innocence by saying anything more.

Except I have to raise one, last question: Are Happy Endings a required part of the curriculum for all students enrolled at the College of Massage? Or are they covered in an elective course?

Related Entries:
1. Crazy Things to Do in New Zealand
2. The Bit at the Top of the North
3. From White Water to Black Water (or Crazy Things to Do in New Zealand Part II)