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 […]
Monsanto – A Portuguese Town Built between Giant Boulders
The charming town of Monsanto, an ancient settlement perched on the side of a mountain in the Portuguese countryside, boasts some of the most incredible sights on Earth. Featuring tiny streets carved from rock and granite houses squeezed between giant boulders, it looks like a real life Bedrock. In 1938, Monsanto was named ‘the most […]
Britain’s Mysterious Coin-Covered Wishing Trees
Sticking hundreds of small denomination coins into tree trunks is apparently a popular way of getting rid of illnesses. At least that’s what the staff at a holiday attraction in Gwynedd discovered after investigating the story behind several coin-covered tree trunks in the vicinity of Italianate village Portmeirion. The first tree was cut down four […]
Computerspielemuseum – Berlin’s Computer Game Museum
If you thought the Video Card Museum of Kharkov was a geek paradise, than the Video Game Museum in Berlin is really gonna blow your mind. It features vintage hardware, interactive installations, and over 300 video games, including the first ever arcade game, Computer Space, released in 1971, which by the way was a total […]
Japan’s First Reptile Cafe Opens in Yokohama
The Subtropical Teahouse, a “reptile cafe” offering customers the chance to observe and pet dozens of species of reptiles, has recently opened in Yokohama, Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun is notorious for a variety of wacky venues, like the relaxing cat cafes, or the Vampire Cafe in Ginza, but it didn’t have a […]
World’s First Pig Fat Museum Opens in Ukraine
Pig fat is considered a tasty treat in central and eastern European countries like Belarus, Russia or the Czech Republic, and the Ukraine has even opened a museum dedicated to it. Known as salo in the Ukraine, this traditional food is often translated as ‘lard’ or ‘bacon’ in English, but there are some subtle differences […]
Summer Night Horror – Japan’s Creepy Yokai Monster Train
The Yokai Train is a somewhat scary summer attraction in Kyoto, Japan. One of the electrical trains is boarded by creepy monsters that try to scare children out of their wits. If you were looking for a way to scare a spoiled brat into submission, look no further that the monster train of Kyoto, an […]
Real-Life Hobbit Shire Exists in the Hillsides of Montana
The Hobbit House of Monatana, located in a man-made shire built by LOTR enthusiast Steve Michaels and his wife Christine, is a must-see attraction for any self-respecting Tolkien fan. This isn’t the first time someone builds a real-life hobbit house, but this particular house situated in the hillsides of northwest Montana is actually a tourist […]