Did You Know? Strange and Interesting Facts

One of my favorite things about traveling is the discovery of new ways of living. Going all the way across the world will open your eyes to some wonderful and sometimes weird things about other countries. Sometimes it’s the laws of the new country that will leave you fascinated. Other times it’s the culture and the things locals do. Here are some of the things you may find intriguing.


1. Singapore has had a ban on chewing gum since 1992. Reason: Gum littering! The only exceptions made in 2004 were for therapeutic, dental or nicotine chewing gum, which must be bought from a doctor or registered pharmacist. There’s a limit on how much gum you can bring into the country as a tourist. Some Singaporeans resorted to smuggling in gum from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia. This issue has also been the basis of much debate between Singapore and USA. Interesting, isn’t it?


2. India has a spa just for elephants! Elephants receive baths, massages and food at the Punnathoor Cotta Elephant Yard Rejuvenation Centre in Kerala. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that over 80 percent of Indians are Hindus, and to members of the Hindu religion, the elephant is a sacred animal. Elephants are considered a living incarnation of one of their most important gods.


3. I wonder how many people knew that the ancient Egyptians invented the 365-days a year calendar? They did it to predict the yearly floodings of the Nile river! This is new to me.


4. Dubai is 1 of the 7 emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates and it boasts two huge shopping malls: the Dubai Mall,which is the largest shopping mall in the world by total area and houses 1,200 shops, an underwater zoo and an ice rink. the Mall of the Emirates, which boasts an indoor ski slope, over 100 restaurants and cafes and 7,900 parking spaces.


5. I’ve been to France a few times and I’ve had my own moments of culture shock but this one takes the cup. In France you can marry a dead person – under French law, in exceptional cases you can marry retrospectively, as long as you can also prove that the deceased had the intention of marrying while alive and you receive permission from the French president. I thought this was a joke until I read that the most recent approved case was just last year (2017), when the partner of a gay policeman gunned down on Paris's Champs-Elysees was granted permission to marry his partner, retrospectively. My question is, what will you report your marital status as - married or widowed? Pondering.


6. Did you know that the Vatican City is the smallest country in the world? Most people don’t actually even realise that Vatican City is a stand-alone country because it is seen to be part of Italy and understandably so because it is contained entirely within Italy. The Vatican City is so small, it’s the only nation that can lock its gates at night!


7. One of the many things I ate while traveling in China was pork knuckles. Might I add that they were the yummiest I’ve ever had! Did you know that half of all pigs on earth live in China? I would imagine then that pork makes up the bulk of most recipes and dishes in Chinese restaurants.


8. I reported in my new ebook that Switzerland is the most expensive country I’ve visited. Well, If you’re a coffee lover, you’ll appreciate this interesting insight: Coffee in Zurich is the most expensive in the world. I would add and say, it’s not just the coffee that will cost you more than a few bucks. I think just about everything in probably any part of Switzerland will tempt you to live on water although I’m pretty sure it will cost you even more!


9. How’s this one: The national anthem of Spain has no words! No lyrics. Yep. And now I have no words.


10. And lastly (bringing it back to Africa), this one should make you chuckle: Brand names do not matter in Zimbabwe. Every tooth paste is called “Colgate” and every soft drink is called “Coke.”. Sounds familiar, right? Lol