You can say that this is a long-delayed personal project. Pressing issues and concerns prevented me from posting something light (or “against the light”).

Since March 2006 when my wife and I bought a camera phone – first a Nokia 3220 which I replaced with the current Nokia 6070 I have now – I’ve been taking pictures of “funny signs” in my travels within and outside Metro Manila.

Taking a break from my hectic schedule, allow me to share some of them in chronological order.

When my wife and I spent the weekend at a popular resort in Pasig City in early May 2006, we were greeted by this. (Sorry for the low resolution.)

Rest assured that we complied, the nebulous term malaswa (indecent) notwithstanding.

Moving on, I gave an out-of-town lecture in September 2006 at a Catholic school in Bataan. The first sign below is self-explanatory, the second one is not.

Can you please tell me what is meant by the phrase “and tomorrow INSIDE”? I have an idea, but I’d like to hear yours.

Of course, we’re just getting warmed up for even funnier signs.

When my wife and I went to Palawan for a long-deserved vacation in October 2006, the jeep we hired had a sign that states:

I was tempted to ask my wife, “How the weather in Puerto Princesa?” It was fine, thank you very much. We even had lunch at the popular restaurant called Ka Lui’s. Don’t get me wrong; the sign at the entrance is grammatically correct, but don’t you think the diction is poor?

As expected, we moved around Palawan a lot. At one of its popular parks, I saw this very informative sign. It has a lot of facts and only one figure. Huh?

Coming back to Manila, I took the MRT sometime in November 2006. Guess what’s ban inside the Kamuning station?

Clearly, only one tin can is ban. It’s goods that you abide by the rules, right?

Anyway, airports have their share of funny signs, and I’m not just referring to the ban on “bomb jokes.” Read (and understand) the sign that greeted me at the Tagbilaran airport in December 2006.

It’s good that I teach and write for a leaving, otherwise I wouldn’t have spotted the error. The assumption is that those who disembark should still be living, right?

During one of those weekends at a popular mall in Cubao, my wife and I were tempted to buy ice cream, but not from this stall located on the basement.

My wife and I were afraid that the ice cream could create a ripple in my stomach, to paraphrase a popular actress, not once, but thrice!

The best way to conclude my first-ever “funny signs” post is something adult-oriented. Please note that this particular stall sells potatoes. This is what happens when the stall owner fails to replace the light bulbs.

I think this doesn’t help erase the reputation of Araneta Center in Cubao as a haven for (quick, what rhymes with restitution?), especially at night.

By the way, feel free to email pictures of funny signs you have stumbled upon. I’ll be more than happy to include them in future entries.

Would you want to read more “funny signs”? Your comments will be highly appreciated. Thanks!