San Francisco; September 2009
The great thing about city life is the unexpected. You certainly meet all types, especially in San Francisco.
I was greatly entertained by this unexpected encounter, on a bus heading downtown from Golden Gate Park last September. I had taken my friend Jules, who was staying with us for a few days on his world travels, to the California Academy of Sciences.
As we caught the bus back home, we found ourselves sitting opposite this gentleman with an extraordinary bong made to look like, or perhaps converted from, a gas mask. We chatted for a bit and he let us take a photo.
Now kiddies, I’m sure that this bong is used for medicinal purposes only. 
(Actually I’m a little sceptical about how well it would even work, so maybe it’s just for show).
Whatever, I’m not actually interested in the drugs; I just love the imagination that came up with the idea of merging these two objects together. This is art!
This is my submission to Photo Friday, a weekly blogging event hosted by Debbie of DeliciousBaby. Check out all the other photos this week, or submit your own. Please see my previous Photo Friday submissions.
What random encounters have you had on public transport? What imaginative fusions of two different objects have you seen on your travels? What do you love – or hate – about cities? Please let me know in the comments!
Tours of San Francisco with Urban Adventures
I love the way you were able to see beyond the typical “interesting” people that we meet on public transportation and realize there is a story and picture available. Though you picture & story leaves me with many questions and wanting to know more about the subject I am always searching for people that turn public transportation into an opportunity to meet interesting souls instead of a ride to be endured in hopes no one will speak with you.
A few weeks ago we sat on the bus here in Seattle in rush hour and there was a couple, obviously tourists. I asked them where they were from and we got to talking about the less “known” things they needed to see. Through the discussion they would ask questions that we did not know, but others from all over the bus joined in to help. It was such an odd experience versus our typical put our heads down and don’t make eye contact culture, and one that will stick with me for a long time.
I love public transportation for all the interesting, odd, disgusting, fun, and entertaining things that are to be encountered. Thank you for sharing a small piece of your trip to help others see the same.
– Caitlin.
I like “interesting, odd, fun and entertaining”; I’m not so sure about “disgusting”! I’ll be honest – San Francisco gets a lot of genuinely crazy people riding public transport and I really don’t get any joy out of that. But this guy was not those people, if you see what I mean.
This is waaaaayyyyy to funny.
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LoL, whatever gives you that buzz I guess.
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He made that from taking a bong and just placing it where the filter should go. The gas mask is a real gas mask made by the Israelis. It doesn’t work well at all and it just makes it hard to see and smoke it. Not saying I know this from personal experience or anything *cough*
Yeah, it doesn’t look like it would work particularly well but it certainly looks cool! – Caitlin.
This particular one probably doesn’t work well as I don’t see a purge valve. However! If you have a purge valve that you could use to clear the tube and mask they work wonderfully and deffinately a unique experience…. I do know from experience lol