Each country in the world has its own history, culture, traditions and customs. National characteristics make each nation special and unique. Due to cultural differences, traveling to different parts of the world is a particularly interesting activity, and travelers try to notice more differences from their everyday life while they are on vacation.
In some countries, there are things that are normal for local residents, but for the rest of the people of the planet it is an amazing and even strange phenomenon that many have never met! Let's go through the most curious examples?
Nepal Flag Shape
Nepal is the only recognized state in the world whose flag does not have the shape of a rectangle. The symbol of Nepalese statehood has a shape similar to half a painted Christmas tree.
Sonchas in Scandinavian style
Residents of northern European countries are accustomed to taking their babies out into the fresh air so that they take a nap in nature. Even if it is cold outside, it is raining or snowing, they do not cancel this dream: they dress the child warmly, cover the stroller with a raincoat and take the baby out on vacation, which mothers from the rest of the world try to avoid so that their children do not catch a cold.
Japanese wooden baths
The Japanese developed ofuro baths, which are designed to sit in hot water. They are made not of cast iron or other metal, but of wood - such baths are common in Japan, but in the rest of the world they are rare.
Milk storage in France
If a Frenchman buys milk, he does not put it in the refrigerator so that it does not sour. Almost all milk in the country is pasteurized at very high temperatures, so it can be stored at room temperature.
British cheese entertainment
In the UK, there is a national type of competition, which is held in the country annually. The Coopershill cheese race is a competition in which participants run down a 200-meter-high hill and try to catch up with a huge cheese wheel! The "wheel" rolls at high speed, and the Briton who caught up with it as a reward can take the cheese for himself.
Netherlands Stairs
Architects of the European country created houses, saving space on everything, so the stairs in local houses are very steep and narrow, which seems unsafe to other residents of Europe and Asia.
Italian Tip
In many countries, tipping is not a voluntary encouragement for the work of a waiter, but is already included in the check as a mandatory position. Such countries include Italy, where the guest of the restaurant should be ready to pay 5-10% more for lunch.
Thailand Water Battle
Every April 13, the national holiday Songrkran, or Thai New Year, is held in Thailand. Participants of the event are armed with water pistols, balls of water and have fun shooting at each other and at passers-by.
Thai Etiquette
Before entering the house, Thais are used to taking off their shoes and leaving them on the street. They do this so as not to bring germs into the house.
Recommended speed limit in Germany
In a European state, there are separate sections of the road where it is not necessary to observe the speed limit indicated on the signs. On these highways, cars can move at any speed that exceeds 200 and even 300 kilometers per hour.
The Dutch do not use curtains
Many Dutch people don't curtain their windows, so anyone can see what's going on outside the locals' windows. Travelers believe that this phenomenon is associated with their Protestant dogmas, which state that honest people have nothing to hide from passers-by.
Brazilian Fashion
Brazilian women prefer not to remove body hair completely, but to lighten them so that a light fluff remains on the skin. A similar method has as popularity in the country as complete hair removal in the rest of the world.
Japanese streets without a name
The Land of the Rising Sun has its own addressing system, according to which the names are not given to individual streets, but to the quarters where they are located. Therefore, on some houses in the country you can see a sign where only the house number is indicated.
Swedish surströmming
Rotten fish is a delicacy in the Scandinavian country. Surströmming was invented in the XVI century by sailors, when they had to eat rotten fish on the voyage. Surprisingly, they were not deterred by the terrible smell of perennial herring, and behind it they found a taste that they still adore and offer to taste to guests of the country.
"Hello" in Dutch
When dutch people answer the phone, they are used to saying "hoy." This word is so ancient that it became the basis for greeting sailors, sounding like "ahoy".
Swedish cheese knife
Residents of Sweden are historically very fond of cheese and respect it, so they do not use an ordinary knife to cut a dairy product. They cut cheese with a special knife, which was invented in Norway.
Public transport in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is the first country in the world where public transport has become free. The decision not to charge citizens for travel was made in 2020.
Italian police are satisfied
A couple of years ago, the fleet of the Italian police was replenished not with average cars, but with high-speed models of the Lamborgini brand.
Japanese Green Light Traffic Light
When the first traffic lights appeared in Japan, the permissive signal was not the usual green color, but blue. Previously, the Japanese language did not have a word meaning green, so they began to call it the same as blue. Later it turned out that blue is less noticeable than green, and the government gradually began to replace traffic lights with those that are familiar to us.
Colombian snack
Residents of Colombia love an unusual combination of flavors – they drink hot chocolate and eat it with slices of cheese. Travelers who have tried such a culinary delight say that it is delicious, but this combination is not found anywhere else.
The longest name of the place
On the territory of New Zealand there is a location, the name of which is the record holder. Its length is 85 characters, and it is written as Thaumatohakatangihangakoootamatpokuhenukitanatau.
Asian fashion for masks before covid
In South Korea , residents often wore masks even before the coronavirus pandemic so as not to infect other people or catch the infection themselves. They wore them even for colds and other non-serious diseases.
Get around the country in an hour
Monaco is included in the list of the smallest states, and you can walk it in just an hour if you move from the southern borders to the northern borders.
Mars Fried Chocolate in Scotland
A delicious chocolate bar appeared in Scotland, and the locals eat it in a special way: chocolate rolls in breading and fried in oil. After cooking, the dish is served in restaurants as a popular dessert.
South Korea's Attitude to Red Pens
Koreans used to write people's names in red ink on registers and lists if that person died. Since then, local residents try not to buy ink of this color, so as not to cause trouble.
