Friends, the vacation period is already in full swing, and if you are going to go on vacation abroad, I advise you to definitely familiarize yourself with the list of unusual rules and laws in various countries and cities of the world. Below you will learn some strange and interesting facts that every tourist who goes on vacation should know.
Feeding pigeons in Piazza San Marco is punishable by a fine. A large population of birds after a plentiful and continuous meal greatly spoils historical monuments.
Who would have thought that in Venice you would not even be able to feed the birds?
Tourists in Canada will have to listen to Justin Bieber or Celine Dion most of the time - local radio stations are required to give 35 percent of their airtime to national performers.
But we are still not going to Canada to listen to the radio, right?
In Denmark, before starting the engine, it is necessary to look under the car and check if there are any children there. You should also always have a blanket with you. If the horse pulling the cart is frightened by a passing car, the driver must pull over to the side of the road, stop and cover it.
This is so cute! And strange..
Be careful with chewing gum in Singapore! You can carry it in your pocket, but never chew it.
Driving in flip-flops on the roads of Spain is a criminal offence.
I wonder what incident was the reason for the introduction of such a severe punishment for "wearing beach shoes" while driving?
In Germany, a motorist needs to be as focused and prudent as possible. If, while driving on the autobahn, the tank runs out of gas, the driver has already violated the law, and if he walked along the road - twice.
Perhaps there in the traffic rules and the commandment is introduced: "refuel prematurely and you will not be punished." Will have to read.
In Japan, the birthplace of sumo, obesity is legally prohibited. The maximum waist for men 40 and older should be 80 centimeters. Violators are put on a strict diet.
It is strange that this law does not apply to women. The more of them, the better?
Incredibly tasty durian is forbidden to bring to public places (buses, subways, hotels and airports) in several countries at once - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
It may be delicious, but it's a little hallucinogenic. Here legislators can be understood!
The museum country of Greece forbids high-heeled shoes from entering historical sites such as the Acropolis of Athens. Women in combat uniforms destroy priceless archaeological sites while walking.
Are there really those who deliberately trample into the Acropolis on their heels?
On the longest urban beach in the world - Virginia Beach - since the 1990s it has been forbidden to use foul language.
But it is not clear who and how is monitoring this?
Men with perennial facial hair should stay away from Eureka County, Nevada, USA. You will definitely want to kiss some beauty, and this is prohibited by law. If you want to kiss, shave off your mustache.
Bearded men, have you heard? Not a foot in Eureka County!
In Switzerland, it is better to refuse dinner and even evening tea. It is forbidden to flush water in the toilet in apartment buildings at night - you can wake up the neighbors.
But what about the ubiquitous "impatient"?
Spitting is condemned by the public in many countries of the world, but in Barcelona you can pay a fine of 120 euros for this.
"Pay" for spitting - that's interesting!
In puritanical France, men are allowed into the water of public pools only in loose trousers. Tight-fitting swimming trunks seem too defiant to the French.
British etiquette is considered the most complex and refined. For example, it is unacceptable to start a conversation with an unfamiliar guest before you have been introduced to each other. In general, it is not customary to quietly conduct a separate conversation: the conversation should be general. The handshake should be brief, or even just nod your head in greeting, and women only imitate a kiss among themselves. No unnecessary gestures, feelings are expressed with a smile. Hands are kept under the table, but not in pockets. It is not recommended to boast at the table, but it is customary to say compliments. It is unacceptable to interrupt the speaker, even if he is clearly wrong. You need to let him speak to the end.
Even in ordinary English families, in everyday life it is customary to set the table according to the rules, and this is done in the evening. In the morning, ready-made dishes and plates are displayed - chilled or heated, depending on what dish they are intended for.
Members of the English royal family have even more complicated etiquette: for example, they never eat crustaceans and mollusks. None of the invited ladies should have a hat field larger than that of the queen. You can’t shake hands with members of the royal family, you’re not supposed to touch them at all. You can not start eating before the queen or finish later than she. At the same time, the queen always knows how to smooth out the awkwardness that has arisen. For example, when Yuri Gagarin was at the reception, he could not figure out the complex intricacies of different-sized instruments, and in order to insure himself from sidelong glances, he immediately turned to the queen with the words that he grew up in a peasant family and was used to using only one spoon. Then Her Majesty Elizabeth ordered to remove all unnecessary appliances from the table. There is also a legend that the astronaut caught and ate a piece of lemon from tea, which shocked distinguished guests, but the queen did the same, and all those invited followed her example.
But during the Middle Ages, English etiquette was completely different. Rough knight-kings rode horses through the thatched halls of their castles. It became customary for them to clink glasses with mugs so that their contents splash out and mix: in this way, companions proved that they did not pour poison into a neighbor's glass.
Meal of the Tatar-Mongols
The complete opposite of the high English style is the table etiquette of the Tatar-Mongols, as they are commonly called in Rus'. The most honorable dish was the boiled eye of a horse, handed over to the guest personally from the owner of the feast. It was supposed to eat in such a way that no one would doubt the high quality of the dishes served: loudly burping and munching. It was a sign of courtesy and gratitude for a delicious meal. They ate with their hands from leather, metal or ceramic dishes. Weapons were always left outside the yurt.
Customs of the peoples of the Far North
Among the Chukchi, Evens and other peoples who roamed in small groups, in addition to refreshments, back in the 20th century, the custom of handing over a wife to a guest for the night was practiced. The purpose of this practice was to avoid degeneration: after all, the peoples of the Far North lived in small communities and practically did not communicate with the outside world. Most of the marriages were related, and the child from a random guest added "fresh blood" to the tribe.
Table customs in Germany
The Germans tend to love a thorough and pleasant meal. They do not create unnecessary heaps of etiquette, but they follow the rules: the eldest in age sits first at the table. The interlocutor can be called by title or profession. While eating, they talk about pleasant and insignificant things, joke, laugh. It is customary to keep your hands above the table. Holding back gas or belching is considered unhealthy. The louder the sound turned out, the more fun it causes, in such a situation it is customary to exchange the dialogue “bitte schön” - “danke schön”
French rules
The French are big fans of delicious food. Street shoes in a strange house can not be removed. Guests are seated, alternating men and women. The dish must be eaten to the end, and it is not customary to salt or pepper it: this will mean that the guest is dissatisfied. Bread is eaten by breaking off small pieces from it. Cheese is a separate dish, it is served after hot. Serving alcohol to the table is a signal that you can go home.
Chinese etiquette
Feng Shui principles are applied during feasts, so a joint meal usually takes place at a round table. Quite a lot of signs are observed: it is not customary to turn the fish over after eating one side, and sticks are not stuck into a hill of rice.
It's no secret that the Chinese are masters of drinking. It is customary for them to clink glasses, but the glass must be held with both hands, and the one who is higher in status holds it higher. If a more significant companion wishes to show respect, he lowers his glass to the level of the one with whom he clinks glasses. In general, dishes that are received or passed must be held with both hands. The reference point of the whole feast is the guest of honor: he is the first to take a place and start the meal. It is not customary to do anything else while eating: talking about extraneous things or watching TV. All attention is only on food, taking a supplement is welcomed and stimulated. At the end of the feast, in gratitude, you need to knock on the table with two fingers.
Japan Etiquette
At the entrance to the house, it is customary to take off your shoes, and instead of shaking hands, you need to bow. Before you start eating, you must definitely say “Itadakimas”, which means “bon appetit”. They eat with chopsticks, and they must be handled with care: do not stick them into food, do not wave them in all directions: this will be regarded as a sign of low culture. You can't sit cross-legged. Loud champing is a compliment, not a sign of bad taste. Empty sake glasses are immediately refilled.
Rules of Nepal
In Nepal, the left hand is considered unclean and is not eaten. The food base is rice, which is served with various additions of vegetables and peas, such a dish is called “dalbat”. Now two spoons are served for him, and the older generation traditionally eats with their hands. Cucumbers are a delicacy, and only recently they were served at the table only in the stage of full ripening, and this was considered a valuable and rare dish.
Greek customs
In ancient Greece, they dined lying on couches around a low table. In rich houses, the meal was accompanied by singing, playing the flute or reciting poetry. It was a sign of good taste to invite philosophers or orators to the table. Good, aged wine, which was diluted with water, was highly valued.
Nowadays, the host of the feast can purposely stain the tablecloth so that the guests do not worry in the event of the same incident.
Ancient Rome and Italy
The Romans adopted the custom of eating lying down from the Greeks. But this warlike people preferred other table entertainments: for example, in rich houses it could be a battle of gladiators, a poetic praise of the exploits of the owner, a spanking of a slave, or even an orgy. Triclinium - a dining room, decorated with mosaics and frescoes. The Romans were lovers of extremely refined cuisine: they developed methods for feeding domestic animals, as well as eels and lampreys, it happened that they were fed to delinquent slaves.
The dish could consist of some very small elements like nightingale tongues.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, mores have changed, but it is still not customary to make a meal in a hurry. Italians can sit at the table for two hours, or even more. A lot of time is devoted to communication. Pizza at official receptions is eaten with a knife and fork, in a narrow circle - with hands, but it is not customary to bend it.
Russian table customs
In Rus', they began to use a two-pronged fork at a time when all of Europe still ate with their hands. Spoons were of two types: large, which were used as a bowl, scooping from a common cauldron; or small, like modern ones, for which individual dishes were served. The men had their own knife for cutting meat.
A relic of paganism was the custom of kissing: the hostess kissed the lips of a lone male guest who entered and brought him a cup of intoxicating drink on a platter. At parting, the guests were given "plantains": pies from the table.
In Russia, the custom of clinking glasses originally appeared in order to ward off evil spirits. Above the glass is held by the one who is older in age or in rank; A woman always takes precedence over a man.
In the days of the USSR, when cooking was greatly simplified, and the set of products for salad was minimal, it was considered a sign of respect for guests to cut vegetables as small as possible. This was a sign that the hostess, in anticipation of dear guests, worked day and night. In general, labor-intensive and multi-stage dishes were in vogue: jelly, herring under a fur coat. Dishes that took little time to prepare were considered disrespectful to guests.
Currently, the etiquette is changing: the food is being upgraded to the status of eating not plentiful, but healthy. Guests may ask what to bring to the table. It can be homemade "signature" dishes, drinks, or something that is a specialty of your favorite institution.
Try to eat soup or noodles in a restaurant, sipping, and immediately notice how other visitors start looking at you askance. And a cook in China and Japan, noticing this, would be pleased. After all, here sipping soup or noodles means that the food is so tasty that you do not have the strength to wait until it cools down. A quiet meal means that you are not satisfied.
“Despite the fact that there is a cult of food here, despite the fact that Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse and, I would even say, incomprehensible, there is no culture of food here. Perhaps, in some individual metropolitan restaurants, its rudiments can still be found. But in general, it doesn't. The Chinese are very pragmatic about food. For them, this is by no means a process, but only a result. Food is consumed rapidly, recklessly, with concentration, with loud champing, burping and spitting bones on the floor or directly on the tablecloth. At the same time, all those present are talking loudly, shouting over each other, exposing bad teeth and half-chewed food, ”writes Grigory Potemkin, who has been living in China for about eight years, in his blog.
In tribal Kenya, each community has its own rituals, but the custom of spitting at the oncoming one is valid for at least 40 of them. So, in the Akamba tribe, they spit on the oncoming one as a sign of deep respect. Masai, before shaking hands, moisten them with saliva. Children who greet elders may get a ball of saliva in the back. You can’t be offended - this is how they wish a child a long life. For the same reason, it is customary in the tribe to spit on the newborn. However, the Maasai generally love to spit on everything and everyone: a gift that they want to give, a new home in which they are going to live. This is a wonderful amulet. According to a resident of Kenya with the nickname kawira, there are many other tribes (there are 42 in Kenya alone) whose representatives spit. So, members of the Ameru tribe thus bless each other. However, only seniors are allowed to do this.
In Germany, you should not be surprised if a decently dressed German at the next table in a restaurant finishes his dish, puts his fork and knife on a plate, after which he takes out a handkerchief from his pocket and ... blows his nose loudly. “What is natural is not ugly,” the German believes, and blows his nose wherever circumstances require.
“I was very surprised to hear at the lecture how someone, excuse me, blows his nose loudly. Thought it was an isolated case. I asked other fellows. They said it's the same at their universities. Google showed that before me, many people were interested in this issue. They might be chewing on an apple under your ear for the entire lecture or blowing their nose at the table. I'm still getting used to these things. Cultural features,” writes Sabina Serikova, who has been living in Germany for more than a year and studying cognitive science.
In the remote villages of Tibet, the custom, when greeting each other, is still preserved, sticking out the tongue - as a sign of openness of one's intentions. According to one version, a passer-by thus shows that he is not a reincarnated demon.
Another theory is related to the last king of Tibet named Langdarma. He went down in history as a persecutor of Buddhism, a defiler of shrines and a murderer of monks. He was so evil that even his tongue was black. And since reincarnation is quite real for Buddhists, they do not discount the possibility of a monster reappearing.
True, lately Tibetans show their tongue at a meeting less and less. This is evidenced by the responses of travelers.
"I've met a lot of Tibetans, but I rarely see them stick out their tongues when they meet," user Klein notes on the Rattle that Cage Buddhism forum.
In India and Nepal, eating with your hands is often the only possible way to eat. In the cafes of the most remote corners of the country, where no tourist has set foot, there are no cutlery at all. Although in most catering establishments foreigners will still be offered a fork. But the Hindus themselves will eat with their hands, and always with the right, since the left is considered unclean.
“This is because it is customary to wash with the left after using the toilet. Although lately many Indians use cutlery,” explains the Indian Archana.
In other countries, some dishes are also eaten with the hands. For example, tacos are a Mexican flatbread with a spicy filling. If you decide to eat it with cutlery, do not offend anyone, but they will look at you with disapproval. And Italian pizza, the food of the poor, in fact, was also always eaten with their hands.
“A small piece of raw meat is taken along with bread and dipped in chili sauce, then put into the mouth. Ethiopians traditionally feed each other with their hands. The owner of the house feeds me,” writes user Ruslan Maiboroda on Afro-forum, sharing his impressions of the trip.
If you don’t want to be fed endlessly, in the Philippines, China, Cambodia, Thailand and other countries of Southeast Asia, you can forget about the Russian rule of politeness “ate to the end - showed respect”. An empty plate here is a symbol of the fact that the guest has not eaten enough and asks for more. The meal usually begins with a full spoon of ordinary rice - the most important, almost sacred product of the region. Portion on your plate from the serving dish is shifted in parts. Some of the food (but not rice) and drink are left at the end of the meal in your plate. So pay tribute to the generosity of the owners of the house.
In China and Mongolia, the degree of satiety is determined by belching. It means that your stomach is full and you liked everything. The guests are full - the hosts are happy. Especially this rule adheres to the older generation. The young tend to absorb Western norms of behavior.
“I would never have known about this if it had not been for a trip to China and a trip to a restaurant with a Chinese woman who knows the customs and speaks good Russian. The waitress, serving us food, relish burped after her dinner. It was unpleasant, they wanted to go to another place, but our companion explained that such things are not considered bad manners - on the contrary, it means that the person ate very tasty and satisfying, and for the owner this is like a compliment, ”user angren writes on the site“ Big question."
In one gulp, they usually empty a glass of vodka, and in Russia they drink wine, stretching out the pleasure. But, going to Georgia, be prepared to drink wine to the bottom right away. True, only after you finish listening to the toast. It is customary for Georgians to drink to the bottom “For God”, “For the Motherland”, “For those who are no longer with us”. In other cases, you can just sip and put the glass on the table, and finish it with the next toast.
“Defiantly refusing to drink is not accepted. Better just sip a little glass, and everything will be fine. Everyone understands, ”writes user Vytas on the Vinsky Forum in a topic dedicated to the culture of drinking in Georgia.
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Friends, the vacation period is already in full swing, and if you are going to go on vacation abroad, I advise you to definitely familiarize yourself with the list of unusual rules and laws in various countries and cities of the world. Below you will learn some strange and interesting facts that every tourist who goes on vacation should know.
Feeding pigeons in Piazza San Marco is punishable by a fine. A large population of birds after a plentiful and continuous meal greatly spoils historical monuments.
Who would have thought that in Venice you would not even be able to feed the birds?
Tourists in Canada will have to listen to Justin Bieber or Celine Dion most of the time - local radio stations are required to give 35 percent of their airtime to national performers.
But we are still not going to Canada to listen to the radio, right?
In Denmark, before starting the engine, it is necessary to look under the car and check if there are any children there. You should also always have a blanket with you. If the horse pulling the cart is frightened by a passing car, the driver must pull over to the side of the road, stop and cover it.
This is so cute! And strange..
Be careful with chewing gum in Singapore! You can carry it in your pocket, but you can't chew it.
Driving in flip-flops on the roads of Spain is a criminal offence.
I wonder what incident was the reason for the introduction of such a severe punishment for "wearing beach shoes" while driving?
In Germany, a motorist needs to be as focused and prudent as possible. If, while driving on the autobahn, the tank runs out of gas, the driver has already violated the law, and if he walked along the road, twice.
Perhaps there in the traffic rules and the commandment is introduced: "refuel prematurely and you will not be punished." Will have to read.
In Japan, the birthplace of sumo, obesity is legally prohibited. The maximum waist for men 40 and older should be 80 centimeters. Violators are put on a strict diet.
It is strange that this law does not apply to women. The more of them, the better?
Incredibly tasty durian is forbidden to bring to public places (buses, subways, hotels and airports) in several countries at once - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
It may be delicious, but it's a little hallucinogenic. Here legislators can be understood!
The museum country of Greece forbids high-heeled shoes from entering historical sites such as the Acropolis of Athens. Women in combat uniforms destroy priceless archaeological sites while walking.
Are there really those who deliberately trample into the Acropolis on their heels?
On the longest urban beach in the world - Virginia Beach - since the 1990s it has been forbidden to use foul language.
But it is not clear who and how is monitoring this?
Men with perennial facial hair should stay away from Eureka County, Nevada, USA. You will definitely want to kiss some beauty, and this is prohibited by law. If you want to kiss, shave off your mustache.
Bearded men, have you heard? Not a foot in Eureka County!
In Switzerland, it is better to refuse dinner and even evening tea. It is forbidden to flush the toilet in apartment buildings at night - you can wake up the neighbors.
But what about the ubiquitous "impatient"?
Spitting is condemned by the public in many countries of the world, but in Barcelona you can pay a fine of 120 euros for this.
"Pay" for spitting - that's interesting!
In puritanical France, men are allowed into the water of public pools only in loose trousers. Tight-fitting swimming trunks seem too defiant to the French.
To follow them is to look in the eyes of others at best an eccentric, at worst - ignorant
Pietro Longhi, Fainting, circa 1744. wikimediaA man who eats lying down, blows his nose on the tablecloth and forces latecomers to drink the penalty at all costs will be considered ill-mannered today. But there were times when this was considered in the order of things.
Lose feelings at the slightest excitement
“Here she turned deathly pale and fell unconscious” - how many similar phrases are found in European and Russian literature of past centuries! And it would be nice if we were talking about the times when young ladies wore tightly laced corsets, which can really lead to hypoxia and loss of consciousness. However, corsets either came into fashion or went out of it, and women's fainting spells did not lose popularity. Beauties fell unconscious in any unpleasant or incomprehensible situation - this allowed them to look fragile and helpless. If, having received unwanted news or being in a delicate position, the lady did not sink, rolling her eyes, into the nearest easy chair, she could be considered callous, soulless and poorly educated.
Eat food lying on your left side and throw leftovers on the floor
Why on the left? Yes, so that the right hand is free - otherwise how to take food. In addition, the stomach is on the left. This is exactly how the ancient Greeks reasoned, laying down before the feast on special seats-beds - apoclintra, equipped in such a way that the feasting could remain motionless. Apoclintra shifted with the letter P; slaves approached from the free side with small tables laden with refreshments. The noble Greeks ate with their hands, and threw the leftovers on the ground - then the slaves would clean up.
The last tradition existed for a long time. For example, medieval knights and nobility successfully sent gnawed bones and other scraps under the tables. What the dogs didn't eat was then taken away by the servants.
Wipe your hands on the tablecloth
In fact, the tablecloth was originally invented just for this purpose - and was thought of as something like a large napkin. Not about clothes, in fact, to wipe your hands with which you just held a piece of lamb oozing fat! For this there is a tablecloth. By the way, blowing your nose into it is also more convenient than, say, into the hem of a dress. And the courageous medieval knights, and their beautiful ladies - they all wiped their hands on the tablecloth, because it was customary.
Closer to the XIII century, beautiful embroidered napkins began to be laid out on the tables. But they lay for beauty - or were used to wrap food in them and take them home. This was also considered good manners. By the way, in the Middle Ages, many guests came with their own spoons, which were real works of art. Or they did without them - for example, soups and sauces were sipped directly from the dishes.
Forcing you to drink a penal
And this rule has not completely outlived itself yet - but, fortunately, decent people try not to follow it. In Russia, this custom was introduced into use under an enlightened monarch PetreI. Yes, introducing the rules of etiquette at his court, the tsar initially pursued good goals - so that the gentlemen of the boyars would not publicly spit and delve into their noses - however, over time, he became somewhat carried away. So, latecomers to the ball assembly - including ladies - were supposed to drink the "Big Eagle": a goblet with a capacity of one and a half liters, filled with strong wine or vodka. Once the tsar did not want to release the pregnant noblewoman from this rule. Olsufiev despite her pleas. A few hours later, she gave birth to a dead baby.
Challenge the offender to a duel
How to respond to someone who offended your honor if you are, say, a Russian nobleman of the early 19th century? Of course, challenge the scoundrel to a duel! This, however, applies only to scoundrels equal to you in position. It is not a sin to endure an insult from the king, you can complain about a peasant or a merchant to the police, and you should call your brother a nobleman insultingly and turn over to your seconds.
If you yourself have been challenged to a duel, do not hesitate to refuse! Better to be shot than to be dishonored!
The man follows the left side of the lady
Today, this rule of etiquette seems like nonsense. But this is not nonsense - after all, the man himself has a sword on his left side! If a woman goes to the left, she will be terribly uncomfortable. More precisely, it would be - in time immemorial.
Later, when men stopped carrying edged weapons on their left side, another rule appeared: a representative of the stronger sex while walking with a lady should walk ... from the side of the roadway. And then suddenly a lady will be splashed with mud by a passing carriage or, worse, a violent horse will hurt her.
In fact, the echoes of the “rule of the sword” are still alive today - during official receptions hosted by dignitaries, women walk exclusively to the right of men. For the military, however, an exception is made - they can go to the right of the woman in order to be able to salute with their right hand.
