Wieliczka Salt Cathedral – Poland’s Underground Wonder
The Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland have been used for several centuries to extract salt, but are now in the news for a different reason. Through their excavations and adventures, Polish miners have left behind something unique in these underground spaces, little known to the world until recently. It has been over ten years since […]
Mauth Ka Kuan – India’s Well of Death
Circus shows have been getting censored, simplified and overall less exciting just about everywhere. Not in India though, that’s the place where the infamous phrase “death defying stunt” lives on through Mauth Ka Kuan, or the Well of Death. Though originally performed all over the world, riding a bike on a vertical wall can now […]
China’s Richest Village Is a Tribute to Knockoffs
China is the most populated country in the world, probably the most hard working country in the world and well on its way toward becoming the richest one as well. Considering how they’ve managed to achieve such a feat is considerably less fun than making snide remarks at their legendary knockoff business. Millions of brands […]
Katskhi Pillar – Going to Church on a Stairway to Heaven
Trust me on this, that headline has absolutely nothing rock’n’roll about it . Weirdly enough, it’s actually true and you can even go on to experience it yourself, provided you’re willing to travel. Travel a little or a lot rather depends on where you’re starting from as you’ll have to go to Georgia in order […]
La Pourcailhade – Becoming a Pig in France
La Pourcailhade is a festival dedicated to one of the most popularly eaten animal around the world, the pig. I’d like to mention that the Festival isn’t dedicated to pork as much as it is to the pig. There’s the usual “eat the most… to win” contest and a few barbecues go on but they’re far […]
Japan’s Zauo Restaurants, Where You Catch Your Own Meal
Zauo, which translates as “sit and fish” is a unique restaurant chain where clients are given fishing gear and get to catch what they want to eat. It’s one of those quirky places where you just have to go for an authentic Japanese experience. I don’t know if they were inspired by the old saying […]
Paga Village – Where Crocs and Men Live in Perfect Harmony
The small village of Paga, in Ghana, defies the laws of nature as local population bathes and swims in the same nearby pond as over 100 deadly crocodiles. So far none of the villagers have ever been harmed by the reptiles. Something very weird is definitely going on in the African village of Paga, where […]
Japan’s Ear-Cleaning Parlors Bring Back Childhood Memories
Japanese associate ear-cleaning with their childhood and many of them are willing to pay to return to those carefree days if only for just a few minutes. That’s what makes ear-cleaning salons one of the most popular businesses in Japan, right now. Ever since Japan authorities decided to deregulate ear-cleaning as a medical profession, making […]
Panama’s El Valle de Anton – Where Trees Are Square
A few miles north of the Panama Canal Zone is the Valley of Square Trees a unique tourist attraction where trees of the cottonwood family have rectangular trunks. Unique in the entire world, this group of square-shaped cottonwood trees grow in a valley created from the ashes of a giant volcano – El Valle de […]
A Walk through Shanghai’s Marriage Market
Feeling lonely? Head over to Shanghai’s Marriage Market, a regular city institution where lonely souls, and especially their parents, come to find suitable partners. “Female, born 1981, 1.62 meters tall, bachelor’s degree, project director at a foreign company, monthly salary above RMB 10,000, looking for someone born between 1974 and 1982, bachelor’s degree or above […]
The Wedding House – World’s Smallest Five-Star Hotel
At 2.5 meters wide and with just 53 square meters of floor space, the Eh Häusel (Wedding House) in Amberg, Germany is the world’s smallest hotel, and a five-star one at that. From the outside, the Eh Häusel looks like it’s been pushed into the narrow space between two neighboring buildings, but it’s the interior that’s […]
The Camel-Riding Robot Jockeys of Arabia
Camel racing is a really popular sport throughout the Arab world, and owning a heard of specially-bred fast camels is apparently considered a symbol of wealth and power. But it’s not the animals we should be talking about, it’s their weird-looking robot jockeys. Obviously, robot jockeys aren’t exactly an integral part of the old camel […]
World’s Only Dog Chapel Faces Shutdown Due to Unpaid Debts
Created by artist Stephen Huneck as a place where people of all religions could celebrate the spiritual connection they have with their dogs, the famous Dog Chapel of Vermont is now in danger of being closed down due to unpaid property taxes. Stephen Huneck loved dogs for as far as he could remember, but growing […]
Akodessewa Fetish Market – Africa’s Voodoo Supermarket
Togo’s Akodessewa Fetish Market is recognized as the largest fetish market in the world, a place where Voodoo practitioner can find anything they need for their rituals. The practice of voodoo began in West Africa, before being taken to America by slaves, and in countries like Togo, Ghana, or Nigeria the religion is very much […]
Savika – Wrestling Angry Bulls in Madagascar
Savika is a rodeo-like sport practiced by men of the Betsileo ethnic group in Madagascar. It’s considered a rite of passage, and any man who dares dance with the angry zebus is considered a hero of the community. No one remembers exactly when savika was invented, but everyone agrees it has been practiced by Betsileo […]