In Soviet Union they had these drink machines that would dispense beverages into a glass that just stayed there and everyone would use.

http://readrussia.com/blog/made-in-russia/00135/

In France, even in the most tourist-ridden parts of the cities, if you eat anything in public (an apple while walking, a jambon beurre sandwich on a park bench) locals will say "bon appetit!" It's even more reliable than "bless you" for a sneeze around here. And they say it with a smile.

In Egypt I saw a dead body that had just been hit by a car. People covered it with newspapers.

40 minutes later I passed by the area again, still no ambulance, still there.

Horse head attached to a hook in the window of a butcher shop in Nice. Freaked me right out.

In rural Mexico, lots of dogs with lots of attached bloated ticks.

Don't order a cappuccino after breakfast time in Italy. You will be mocked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insane poverty in Caribean islands, I mean barefoot kids in the street, wild dogs, chickens wandering. And then...the beautiful gated resort with all you can eat meals...very sad

the republicans would love to see all of america turn into this.

You figured us out!

Anonymous wrote:Insane poverty in Caribean islands, I mean barefoot kids in the street, wild dogs, chickens wandering. And then...the beautiful gated resort with all you can eat meals...very sad

the republicans would love to see all of america turn into this.

Agree with human urine stench in Paris. Lived there and saw public urination a lot.

Greece- not flushing toilet paper(gross), stray dogs everywhere, turning portable hot water heater on before hit shower.

Japan- fog proof bathroom mirrors and every other cool invention you can imagine, super polite people

Anonymous wrote:Dog poop everywhere in France

Yep. I stepped in a pile of it when I was in Paris in September. Also, human urine everywhere. Random sections of sidewalk smelled strongly of urine until the day it rained.

A couple years ago I visited my brother in Shanghai, he was there for work for about a year.

He said something to me about seeing the Chinese people "hitting trees", but I didn't really know what he was talking about...

Well, a few days later I was walking...and there were 3 older Chinese women (I'd guess in their 60's)...they were standing around a tree and kind of "body checking" it...taking turns...just over and over again they would crash their whole body (not too hard--they wouldn't injure themselves or anything!) into the tree!

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2010/05/fighting-with-trees/


That and another day, I was trying to get somewhere and I got lost...I ended up on a street corner, where about a dozen couples were dancing. This was probably around 9 or 10 am on a weekday.
Like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4ZY9A1RGdg (not my video, just one I found)

Insane poverty in Caribean islands, I mean barefoot kids in the street, wild dogs, chickens wandering. And then...the beautiful gated resort with all you can eat meals...very sad

Dog poop everywhere in France

napoli, dogs running around everywhere, garbage and trash abound, and a racist populous (well much of southern italy is like that).

Just looking to start a conversation about interesting/amusing things you've seen in other countries.

I'll start: When I was in Switzerland, I never saw anyone jay walk. It was fascinating. People stopped and waited for the crosswalk light to come on, even if there weren't any cars coming. For some reason I loved the orderliness of it.