Weigh-in'

In Hanoi, I was mildly amused that there are old grandmothers squatting on the street next to a simple metal scale, where, for a cheap twenty-five cents, you can weigh yourself to 'analyze your health'.  I think there must be some success to warrant the two women I saw hawking this service (I'm sure there are more).

Now in Saigon, I'm a little astonished and more than a little disturbed at the technological innovation that has been applied to this operation.  The scale is a 4 feet high contraption, complete with a loudspeaker blaring out various versions of the Titanic theme, the birthday song, and the candyman song.. among others. [EDIT: It also analyzes your stress levels!]  Young twentysomethings roll this device around the tourist areas, and whenever you here strains of 'Near... far... whereeeeever you goo..." you can get yourself weighed for posterity.

Perhaps they are advertising that Vietnamese food is beneficial to your health? Or that the miserable heat causes so much perspiration to cause weight loss?

I think it's scary.  Hopefully pictures can verify my observation.

I believe they have those things at various greyhound pit stops as well, though sans titanic theme and hawking females.

Posted by: kdawg | January 24, 2006 at 11:05 PM

so how much do you weigh?!! p.s. you got some top billing over at stellargirl... i check in on you all the time :):):)

Posted by: stellargirl | January 25, 2006 at 06:43 PM

i dunno how much i weighed, but considering how much i've eaten, it's definitely between anna nicole smith and 'the biggest loser' status.

thanks for the plug stellargirl! four movies i can watch over and over again are: about a boy, whale rider, sunshine for the spotless mind, and garden state.

Posted by: j.fisher | January 27, 2006 at 08:12 PM