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39 Bizarre Things That Seem Normal In Some Countries, But Not In The Rest Of The World
Cultural differences are what makes us all unique and what greatly contributes to the excitement of travelling when you get to discover some particularities of a destination that aren't too or at all common in your home country. Eating rotten fish might sound slightly (and literally) off to you, but it’s totally normal in Sweden. Having two passports from the same country is common in Russia, but might not exist where you live. And the practice of eating fried Mars bars might not be the most popular one in North America, but it’s common in Scotland, or seeing police driving Lamborghini as their work car in Italy might not be seen anywhere else.
Check out the list of some strange things from that are only common in certain countries, vote for the weirdest ones, and let us know if you've experienced them in the comments.
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Luxembourg's Public Transportation Is Free
In 2020, the public transport was made free for all locals and visitors alike.
Nepal's Flag Is Non-Rectangular
The only modern country in the world with a non-quadrilateral flag is Nepal and it is said to derive from Hinduism.
There’s A Lamborghini In The Italian Police Fleet
A few years ago, a Lamborghini was added to the police vehicle fleet in Italy, and it’s probably quite fast and, well, impressive to look at.
In Scandinavian Countries, Parents Leave Their Kids To Nap Outside In Cold Temperatures
Most Scandinavian parents think that it's healthier to expose their children to as much fresh air as possible. Therefore, they leave them outside to take their naps.
In Japan, Traffic Lights Seem To Be Blue
As the word for green originally didn't exist till later and 'blue' was used to refer to both green and blue, Japan uses the most blue shade of green that is legally possible.
Bathtubs Made Of Wood Are Used In Japan
The ofuro baths are for sitting and soaking in hot water and are not frequently found around the world.
Very tiny bath tub. Don't think my fat a**e would even fit in lol.
Colombians Drink Hot Chocolate Cheese
The sweet cocoa drink is consumed with savory cheese slices. And if you've tried it, you know that it's quite delicious, but surely not common elsewhere.
In France, Milk Is Not Refrigerated
Most of the milk sold in France is pasteurised at UHT (ultra high temperature) and therefore doesn't have to be stored in cold.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
This place in New Zealand is said to have the longest name and it's 85 characters. Have you tried to pronounce it?
People In The UK Have A Competition To Roll After A Giant Cheese Wheel
The annually held Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling is a competition where people race down the 200-yard hill chasing a giant wheel of cheese.
And in 2020 they rolled a Babybel cheese down the hill since the event had to be cancelled.
Some East Asian Countries Wore Face Masks Pre-Pandemic
In countries like South Korea, for the safety of others, people would wear face masks even when having a common cold prior to the pandemic.
Where I live in the US, we are prone to wildfires in hot, dry weather. It's not unusual to see folks wearing masks during fire season.
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So too, do the Japanese. Also in most of the Asian countries also wear a mask if they have a cold so they don't spread it around, something which should happen everywhere.
Air pollution, yellow dust, when sick, when you don't want to put on makeup, want to hide your face, etc
They only started doing that after the SARS outbreak of 2002 which killed thousands. They learned from their first pandemic.
*epidemic. If it was just the one country, then epidemic. Pandemic is for the whole world ^^
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I would wear one when working in the yard. I have allergies and pollen is the culprit but I love working with the flowers so I mask up every time I am near flowers. I would also wear one if I had to clean the cat box or if one of our fur babies got sick. I can't stand the smell of puke.
A family friend has extreme allergies but loves her garden so she already wore masks. I’ve recently started to and it makes SUCH a great difference, I love it!
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Yup. And in Japan. It's considered a courtesy... (One I wish we all adopted.......)
it's an asian culture. We have a lot of asians in Cyprus and I would see them wearing a mask if they got a flu,. Means you care for your fellow people
And, in some areas, against particulate pollution and *other* people's germs, according to an MD I know who grew up in Asia. He may be wrong. But it doesn't seem weird, just their thing. Like cowboy hats in the US make other countries just wonder "WTF?" (OK, and me, too, LOL.)
Yep, in Japan, you could spot at least 5 people wearing masks at an Airport pre- Covid.
Sar-Cov-2 is the NOT first pandemic. It was preceded by Sars, Asian and Swine Flus when much of Asia began wearing masks. Aids is also a pandemic.
When I lived in Japan, I learned that sometimes women wear masks because they're insecure about the look of their mouth. It's reall quite sad
Did anyone tell them that masks won't stop a Virus and they are useless except in a sterile environment?
Yes, lived in Japan and that prevent you from giving your germs to everybody around when you are sick, it is really great!
We could almost eliminate the common cold and annual flu, as well a SARS-CoV-2, if everyone wore Masks all of the time... Masks protect the other people... Face shields protect yourself... Most transmission is through the eyes...
Yeah i've seen alot korean celebrity wear this mask before pandemic because 미세먼지 in korea is really bad. and later became fashion item, especially the black one.
But most Asian cities are also polluted, so it's better not to breathe that gunk.
It's like that at least in : Korea,Japan, Taiwan, Singapore. Don't know much for other SEA countries.
I lived five years in South East Asia in the 70s. Masks were quite common.
I do remember seeing asian people wearing masks. I always wondered are they protecting us from them, or do they protect themselves from the fresh air?
Air is air, it won't go "bad" after passing through your mask.
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Living in a city, for years I have seen a lot of young students, mostly Asian, wear masks, especially on public transport.
I think that's the guy that's featured at the mask/hand sanitizer vending machines at Norwegian train stations.
Yeah, well because they are more susceptible to disease there. They don't have the sanitation that western countries do.
In The Netherlands, Stairs Are Usually Very Steep And Narrow
To some foreigners, staircases in the Netherlands might look more like a health risk than anything. Historically, the buildings were built up rather than out, saving all the centimeters possible.
In Ecuador, The Trash Trucks' Tune Is Similar To What Ice Cream Trucks Play In The USA
If you are visiting Ecuador, you might mistake the garbage truck tune with an ice cream tune and get highly disappointed.
Thank f**k our trucks don't have a tune, especially when they can come at 6am.
You Can Walk From The North To The South Of Monaco In About An Hour
Due to the size of this country, you can easily walk the length of the whole country. How convenient!
Vatican City is also another country you can walk across in less than 60 minutes!
There Are 'Bra Studies' In Hong Kong
At Hong Kong polytechnic, you can major in Bra Studies, where Top Form manufacturer has its lab and factory.
In Italy, Restaurants Include Service Charge
You are not expected to tip in Italy as it is quite normal for the service charge to be added to the bill.
In Italy Cappuccino Is More Of A Breakfast Drink
Italians associate milk with mornings; cappuccinos are traditionally drank as a morning beverage.
I always thought espressos were a morning drink to get you going.
Fried Mars Bars Are A Thing In Scotland
This food item of questionable health value originated in Scotland in a fish and chips shop. It's battered and deep-fried. Would you like to try?
it's actually quite delicious, but wait till cool down unleast you want to burn your tongue with hot chocolate
In Thailand, There Is A Nationwide Water Fight In April
If you are into water fights as much as Thai people, you should participate in Songkran, the Thai New Year's national holiday (13th of April). The water fight is a part of ritual cleansing during the celebration period.
Bamboo Poles Are Used As Drying Rails In Singapore
Don't be surprised seeing clothing drying on bamboo poles in this country—the bamboo material is widely available, making it quite a popular tool to dry things.
In Thailand, People Remove Their Shoes Before Entering A Building
One of the things related to feet etiquette in Thailand is taking one's shoes off before entering a building—that's to keep dirt from the outside outdoors.
There Are No Street Names In Costa Rica
Although some streets might have names, they might not necessarily have signs, so the addresses in Costa Rica are still described by local landmarks.
It appears that mailing addresses are on a grid, regardless of the street pattern. I have relatives who live in a US municipality that does this too.
In Some Parts Of Highways In Germany, Speed Limit Is Only A Recommendation
On the federal highway system AKA autobahn in Germany, the speed limit in certain places is only a recommendation and drivers can choose to drive as fast as they want.
In Slovakia, A Live Carp Is Kept In A Bathtub Before Preparing It For Christmas Dinner
A Christmas tradition in Slovakia is letting the carp that is meant for dinner swim in the bathtub for a few days to clean its tract, since it's a bottom feeder. And, well, people don't take baths unless they want to share the tub with a fish.
It is also killed in the tub and people keep a scale from the carp in their wallet to attract money. Thankfully, we have never done it, but it is still a thing.
Sitting In A Sauna In Finland Can Be A Competition
World sauna endurance championships were so famed that people from different countries would compete in this extreme activity in the homeland of saunas—Finland.
If I remember rightly a guy died a year or two ago whilst doing one of these competitions. I can barely last 5 mins in a sauna.
People In The Netherlands Don't Use Curtains
It seems that the Dutch don't mind people looking into their homes. This might be coming from Protestant religious traditions and the notion of 'I have nothing to hide.'
Russians Have 2 Passports
Citizens of Russia have two passports: one national passport that serves more like an ID and a passport for travelling abroad.
The Russian train stations are something else . Each one different, each one beautiful. You can travel from Moscow to St Petersburg economy for around £4 Stay in a YMCA instead of a small room , they are much cleaner and very cheap . The Russians have a wonderful dessert , it’s like a doughnut, but much much more yummy . Cheap too !
South Koreans Think That Writing In Red Ink Is A Bad Omen
In the past, writing someone's name in red in the book registry meant that the person is deceased.
In Brazil, Hair Lightening Is Just As Popular As Hair Removal
Some women in Brazil like to bleach their body hair rather than remove it completely in order to keep the light fuzz.
Unmarried 25-Year-Olds In Denmark Get Covered In Cinnamon
This messy tradition derives from spice sellers in 16th-century Denmark who were famed to be single and were called 'pepper men' and this makes a perfect extra excuse to party more. So why not?
Some Streets In Japan Don’t Have Names
Due to the different addressing system in Japan, the blocks have names instead of the spaces between them (streets).
People In Singapore Reserve Seats In Public Eateries
As you need to order food from the counter and risk not being able to find a seat, Singaporeans leave anything from umbrellas to packs of tissues to maintain seats reserved for when they return with their purchased meal.
Not limited to Singapore, I'd say... I'm from Northern Europe and it isn't an uncommon custom here
There's A Dessert In Turkey That Contains Chicken Breast
Shredded chicken breast in a milk dessert, anyone? Tavuk göğsü is a sweet served in Turkey that might be not to everyone's taste.
While Taking Photos, Dutch Say “Smile At The Little Bird”
Surprisingly, instead of saying "cheese" (after all, a lot of cheese is made in the Netherlands), the Dutch say "Lach eens naar het vogeltje" ("Smile at the little bird").
Because, in the 19th century when photos were taken in studios with long exposures, photographers had a little bird figure indeed to focus people's attention and thus their view. This is not a Dutch thing. Just like most entries in this thread, this one is crap.
In Sweden, Rotten Fish Is A Food Item
Lightly salted and fermented Baltic sea herring has been in Swedish cuisine since the 16th century and it's famed for its extremely particular taste.
I don't know anyone who's tasted it tho, born and raised in the capital of Sweden
Swedes Cool Their Drinks Outside
A perk of having cold winters in Sweden is that you can cool your drinks outside in the snow. Perhaps a few countries take advantage of infinite alcohol cooling opportunities outdoors.
In The Netherlands, It's Common To Answer The Phone With 'Hoi'
No matter how bizarre it sounds, it's normal for the Dutch to answer the phone with the very old-school 'hoi,' that even gave the roots for the nautical term 'ahoy.'
The UK And Some Other Countries Still Drive On The Left Side
Driving on the left side of the road is a feudal heirtage of the days when it was more convenient to hold and use swords in the right hand and have any opposing traffic on the same side in order to fight them.
The Swedish Use A Special Cheese Slicer Instead Of A Knife
The Swedish are so serious about cheese that they use a cheese slicer (which is said to have been invented by Norwegians) instead of a regular knife.
Didn't know this was uncommon in other countries, they seem to be available in other European countries as well?
Bit of an underwhelming list - many aren't even unique to the country being referenced. There are so many extraordinary and fascinating things throughout the world that could've been included here
Finally, one that isn't "Breaking News! Americans don't have healthcare!" We know we don't have healthcare. We're very sad about it. You can stop reminding us.
Not unique, and not bizarre. Getting tired of the clickbate from bored panda....
Why are people always on about the fact British drive on the left, Americans are non metric, have they nothing better to complain about?
This is not country but Australian city-centric. Not sure if this is found in any other city but Melbourne, Australia is known for hook turns at traffic lights which, when combined with a city of trams (that have the power of a charging rhino so the public safety campaign tells us), cyclists and pedestrians, can scare the bejesus out of out-of-towners. Basically, in order to turn right at a traffic stop (remember we’re a country driving left lane), you pull into the left lane and wait until there is no traffic either way (technically you’re meant to wait until the lights turn amber) and then turn right.
I loved this list, there was nothing derogatory about any country and there was plenty of variety.
There was one derogatory thing in my opinion. They wrote Scandinavian parents "think" it's healthy for Babys to sleep outside. This sounds like the author thinks Scandinavian parents are lunatics or something
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Weird since most posters seem to be from the USA. You never complain when they talk about American candy, stores or celebrities that nobody else know.
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You talk about stereotypes, yet you just stereotyped Americans
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Bit of an underwhelming list - many aren't even unique to the country being referenced. There are so many extraordinary and fascinating things throughout the world that could've been included here
Finally, one that isn't "Breaking News! Americans don't have healthcare!" We know we don't have healthcare. We're very sad about it. You can stop reminding us.
Not unique, and not bizarre. Getting tired of the clickbate from bored panda....
Why are people always on about the fact British drive on the left, Americans are non metric, have they nothing better to complain about?
This is not country but Australian city-centric. Not sure if this is found in any other city but Melbourne, Australia is known for hook turns at traffic lights which, when combined with a city of trams (that have the power of a charging rhino so the public safety campaign tells us), cyclists and pedestrians, can scare the bejesus out of out-of-towners. Basically, in order to turn right at a traffic stop (remember we’re a country driving left lane), you pull into the left lane and wait until there is no traffic either way (technically you’re meant to wait until the lights turn amber) and then turn right.
I loved this list, there was nothing derogatory about any country and there was plenty of variety.
There was one derogatory thing in my opinion. They wrote Scandinavian parents "think" it's healthy for Babys to sleep outside. This sounds like the author thinks Scandinavian parents are lunatics or something
Load More Replies... Weird since most posters seem to be from the USA. You never complain when they talk about American candy, stores or celebrities that nobody else know.
Load More Replies... You talk about stereotypes, yet you just stereotyped Americans
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