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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.
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.
I believe Idaho does this. Addresses are given as an East-North offset from the SW corner of the county (IIRC). So 1520 East, 945 North (nearest town) would be 15.2 miles east and 9.45 miles north of the corner. It's been 20 years, so I may have the details wrong, but I recall having a strange address like that when I lived in Idaho.
Load More Replies...I'm from CR, there are some streets with name, such as Central Avenue, 4th Ave, 9th. Street, etc. Yes, most of the addresses are as Manu said, for example, my best friend's home address is like this: From the Church of xxxx of Santa Marta 175m to northeast, the house painted in white and blue. Foreigners alway wonder what happens if the house changes color or the indicated tree is cut..
There is a town in Nova Scotia with "This Street, "That Street" and "The Other Street".
Bono wrote the lyrics in response to the notion that it is possible to identify a person's religion and income based on the street on which they lived, particularly in Belfast.
Load More Replies...In the cities and larger towns the road that runs through the middle (roughly east to west) is Central Avenue. All east to west roads north of this are odd numbered (Avenue1, Avenue 3, etc) and all east-west roads south are even numbers (Avenue 2, Avenue 4 and so on). All North/South roads are Calle (Street). Again There is a Calle Central, to the East odd number, to the West Even numbers. The smaller towns I visited all seemed to have street names.
Bono wrote the lyrics in response to the notion that it is possible to identify a person's religion and income based on the street on which they lived, particularly in Belfast.
Load More Replies...I spent a year in CR and had to leave an address at my Dutch municipality to forward mail. I made it 'Kite house at Playa Copal, just before El Jobo, downhill from La Cruz' and lo and behold, the one mail item that actually made it there was a letter form the Dutch finances authority about a 5-year old dispute...
I've heard this really confuses retirees who move to Costa Rica from the US. Surprise!
Imaging sending your friend a letter - third house on the left of the brothel with a yellow door...
Try the Irish country side... No road names, no number on the houses... Try to find a place, it is epic (and when you explain where you live; " you know that shop on the road between this village and that one? Yes? Cool, so you drive 1km in that village direction, and you will see woods, and a rock, my house is on the right, it is white and I have a black car"...)
This is also pretty common in a lot of small mountain villages in Europe. All the houses just have a number but there is no street name.
kinda like directions to my farm here in the US, "turn left at the big rock, watch for the goats in the pasture, you're there!"
In Lebanon we have names or numbers for streets, but nobody knows them. We give directions based on landmarks (old or still standing factories for instance), or when you give your address it looks like "neighborhood, over the pharmacy (name), facing the bakery, building name". It works great, iust makes following google map a little bit hard at first if you insist on looking for streets names
Honduras has no postal system at all. There's a few private parcel companies, but they're quite expensive and you have to go to their location to send or receive anything.
I live in CR and this is true, I dont understand Waze directions as they go by name and number and nothing is signaled.
Japan doesn't have a lot of street names, either. They break their cities down into districts and sub-districts, so addresses are completely different then they are in the States.
I lived there. Getting a taxi usually means telling the driver of a landmark near where you want to go. My favourite was a tree that was no longer there.
I have seen passages in movie comedies where someone (generally a stereotypical slo-speaking villager) is giving directions to an impatient stranger. They go through a large number of turns, generally with landmarks, and ask the stranger if they understand. When the stranger tells them that they do understand, the villager says "Well, don't go that way."
Load More Replies...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
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
Load More Replies...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
Load More Replies...