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Tag: Top 10 Facts

Know The World: South Korea

All You Can Books: South Korea

Facts about South Korea you’ll read below will totally wow you. It is called the Impossible Country for going from a war-torn wasteland to one of the most thriving economies in the world, South Korea has a distinct culture and history which has only recently reached an international audience. 

  • In Korea, babies are considered one year old at birth
  • Dream of pigs for good luck

Although it might sound strange, dreaming about pigs is said to bring good fortune in Korea. In early Korea, pigs symbolized money and wealth. Until the 1970s, pigs were so valued in Korea that students could even pay their university entrance fees by selling a pig.

  • The number 4 is considered bad luck as it is written the same way as the Chinese character for death. The number is often replaced with the letter “F,” such as when using an elevator
  • It is a law in South Korea that online banking and shopping must be done through Internet Explorer
  • South Korea has free WiFi everywhere

If you’re the type of person who can’t be away from the internet, you’d never have to worry about it in South Korea. The country offers free connectivity even on the most remote islands.

  • The Korean entertainment industry is becoming one of the biggest in the world
BTS Brought Even More Joy With the B-Side 'Dynamite' Music Video
Source: https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/bts-brought-even-more-joy-with-the-b-side-dynamite-music-video-fan-reactions.html/

K-pop, k-movies, k-drama, k-beauty… the K’s all around! Not only do you hear Korean music even in European supermarkets these days, but also the cinema has made it to the world stage. As one of the biggest global movie industries, it is also won its first Oscar: Boon’s Parasite. The world is now obsessed with learning the Korean Language.

  • Taxis in South Korea are color-coded according to the level of service offered. A gray or white taxi is a basic car with a qualified but potentially inexperienced driver, while the black cabs are luxury cars with experienced drivers.
  • South Korea’s national dish is kimchi, which is a combination of vegetables and spices that have been fermented underground for months. It is served with almost everything. The first written description of making kimchi dates to about AD 1250 and there are about 170 varieties of the dish
  • Jinro Soju has been the best-selling liquor in the world for 11 consecutive years
south korea jinro soju
Image by Matt @ PEK from Wikimedia Commons

This South Korean distilled rice liquor surpassed Smirnoff Vodka in the world records for 11 years straight. Definitely one of the cooler South Korea facts

  • South Korea is the largest market for plastic surgery per capita in the world. It is estimated between 1/5 and 1/3 of the women in Seoul have gone under the knife for at least one cosmetic procedure

South Korea is definitely an interesting country that is modern but in touch with its culture, it also has cultural inspiration from Japan.

Check out our All You Can Books Blog for Interesting Facts on multiple countries.

How many of these facts about South Korea did you know beforehand? Share your result in the comment section below!

#AllYouCanBooks #Blog #SouthKorea #KnowThe World

Know The World: Greece

All You Can Books: Greece

Γεια σας! Hello! Welcome to Greece – the southernmost country in Europe. It is divided into the mainland, the peninsula south of the mainland called the Peloponnese and the thousands of islands in the seas around it.

Greece is one of the oldest countries in Europe, with a history going back thousands of years. Ancient Greek culture influenced Western civilization in many areas including architecture, the arts, government, language, literature, philosophy, and much more.

Let’s take a look at 10 fun facts about Greece.

  • About 7% of all the marble produced in the world comes from Greece
  • Greece has zero navigable rivers because of the mountainous terrain. Nearly 80% of Greece is mountainous.
  • Greece is the leading producer of sea sponges
Sea Sponge - Description, Habitat, Image, Diet, and Interesting Facts
Source: https://animals.net/sea-sponge/

You need a natural sponge for your shower? Greece is the best place to find it.

You can even visit the island where you find them — Kalymnos — to go find your very own.

  • 98% of the total population are ethnic Greeks

So, almost everyone in Greece is an ethnic Greek, and the rest of the population are minorities, mainly from Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, and F.Y.R.O.M.

  • The world’s third-leading producer of olives, the Greeks have cultivated olive trees since ancient times. Some olive trees planted in the thirteenth century are still producing olives.
  • 40% of the total population of Greece reside in its capital Athens

While tourists mostly think of the Greek islands, most Greeks actually live in the capital or Thessaloniki, which is the second-largest city in Greece. 40% of the total population lives in Athens. Some of them also work on the islands during the summer, but many of them live in Athens.

  • You literally can’t get away from the sea in Greece

The longest point anywhere in the country is only 85 miles from the coast, and that coastline is 9,000 miles long — one of the ten longest in the world.

  • Don’t be offended if they complement you, then spit at you.

This is only to ward off receiving the compliment from the evil eye — they really do mean it.

Even if the puffed-cheek spitting action seems a little strange, they’re only looking out for you, which is comforting.

  • Some scholars say that the Greek civilization has been around for so long that it has had a chance to try nearly every form of government.
  • Retirement homes are rare in Greece. Grandparents usually live with their children’s family until they die. Most young people live with their families until they marry
  • At traditional Greek weddings everyone dance and throw plates

While this is more of a traditional thing, it still occurs, and it’s not only something you see in movies like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”.

Learn Greek with All You Can Books with simple and easy to learn courses. Check out our Blog for Interesting Facts on multiple countries.

How many of these facts about Greece did you know beforehand? Share your result in the comment section below!

#AllYouCanBooks #Blog #Greece #KnowThe World

Know the World: Russia

All You Can Books: Russia

We’ve highlighted some of the most surprising facts about Russia. Think you know everything there is to know about Russia? You might want to think again. Let’s take a dive inside one of the world’s most mysterious nations.

Top 10 Interesting Facts on Russia

  • The Deepest Lake in Russia
Siberia's Lake Baikal Is the World's Oldest and Weirdest | HowStuffWorks
Source: https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/lake-baikal.htm

Lake Baikal is often considered the “Galapagos of Russia.”

The Baikal is the deepest lake in Russia, it is a large world reservoir for freshwater.

Peschanaya Bay on Lake Baikal is completely frozen over during the winter. The frozen bubbles beneath the ice are from hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the lake sending heated water to the surface

  • The Ural mountains are among the oldest mountains on Earth and are generally not very high, more often looking like large hills, though there are some taller ones, too.
  • The Finest Caviar in the World
How a Russian power plant almost wiped out the world's finest caviar fish |  The Independent

Russian caviar, along with Iranian caviar, is considered to be the finest caviar available in the world.

  • Every day over 9 million passengers rides the Metro, Moscow’s vast underground subway system. In a single day, an average of 9915 trains operates between 5 am—1 am. Moscow metro is the fastest means of transport, trains are scheduled for every 90 seconds in a rush-hour
  • The intelligence level of Russian people is considered up to 99%. There are more than 600 universities in the country
  • Kremlin of Moscow is the world  biggest medieval fortress built in XIV-XV centuries
Moscow River and Kremlin
Source: https://www.tripsavvy.com/moscow-kremlin-photo-gallery-and-information-1502272
  • In January16, 1820, Russian expedition led by Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev discovered Antarctica
  • January 31, 1990!
Russia welcomed its first McDonald's 30 years ago - The Washington Post
Source: Washington Post

There are many important dates in Russia’s history – none more important that January 31, 1990. A date that will live in infamy in the hearts and minds of Russians everywhere. It marked the day that a Russian citizen could order their very first McDonald’s burger on their soil.

  • Bear Addictions

Russia is known for the number of bears that live across the nation. However, did you know that some of them are battling their own demons? That’s right: the bears at Kronotsky Nature Reserve in South Kamchatka are busy battling addictions.

Weirdly, a lot of the bears in the area are addicted to kerosene and gas barrels that are used for jet fuel. No one knows how this crisis started, but many have witnessed them hunt down planes in the area to get a taste of that sweet, sweet gas.

  • Ushanka (Ear-flaps hat) is a traditional Russian winter hat with ear flaps that can be tied up at the chin to protect the ears from cold

We have traveled all around the world, We visited beautiful Canada, to the Tech Giant of Japan, the delicious land of Belgium or The land of the Effiel Tower of France.

Its best before planning your trip to Russia, you learn you Russian, this will make your trip more memorable.

#AllYouCanBooks #Blog #Russia

Know the World: Turkey

All You Can Books: Travel Series

If you’re thinking about learning Turkish it’s always good to know a little about the origins and history of the language you are learning. Here, All You Can Books offers the most interesting Turkish facts.

Top 10 Interesting facts on Turkey

  • The Turkish language was first spoken in Mongolia, before being strongly influenced by Arabic and Persian. Turkish was then reformed in the 20th century.
  • Turkey has town called ‘Batman’
batman
Image: placestosee.com

Batman indeed is a place in Turkey! In fact, it made world news in 2008 when its mayor, Huseyin Kalkan, announced that he was setting up lawsuits against Warner Bros. and director Christopher Nolan, the makers of the Dark Knight trilogy.

  • Chicken Desert
Image: foodsforsoul.com

Only in Turkey can you see the dessert which has chicken in it. Tavukgogsu, is a dessert made with milk, chicken, rice flour and sugar.

  • Tongue twisters are present in most languages and Turkish is no exception. For example: Bir berber bir berbere gel berber beraber Berberistan’da bir berber dükkanı açalım demiş. – A barber told another barber “come barber, let’s start up a joint barbershop in Barberistan”.
  • Turkish don’t have just ice-cream makers

Turkish ice-cream sellers are more than just being ice-cream sellers. They are performers. So if you like a little performance on top of your ice-cream, Turkey is a place to be.
These ice-cream sellers are easy to spot as they wear Turkish uniform and are usually loud.

  • Turkey is one of seven countries that can feed itself.
  • There are no laws prohibiting cats and dogs in restaurants in Turkey
  • Another unique aspect of Turkey is the fact that it is the only democratic, secular country among the Muslim nations of the Middle East.
  • The world’s most precious silk carpet is stored in the Mevlana Museum, which is located in Konya.
Konya Tour
https://privateistanbultours.com/silk-prayer-carpet-mevlana-museum-konya-chapter-2/
  • Most of the public buildings in Turkey have black arrow at their ceiling which points towards Meka, the same direction Muslims turn while praying.
turkey

Do Visit, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Canada, and Japan if you want to know more interesting facts about them.

Until we meet again on yet another adventure.

#AllYouCanBooks #Top10InterestingFacts #Turkey

Know the World: Spain

All You Can Books: Travel Series

We have traveled some parts of the Globe together. This time we have set sail to the land of beautiful Beaches.

Let’s grab a beer, rest ourselves on a hammock in shade and leave our COVID worries aside and enjoy the beautiful views of Spain.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Spain

Spain does not have tooth fairy

One of the most interesting facts about Spain is that Spaniards don’t use the character of the tooth fairy. Instead, they have someone known as Ratoncito Perez that takes children’s lost teeth and gives them gifts in return.

Nudity is Legal in Spain

One of the fun facts about Spain is that while you don’t necessarily see people walking around without clothes all the time, it is technically legal to go nude in Spain.

With the weather being very hot and dry in the summer, it is certainly appealing to be able to walk around with as little clothing as possible. It would take someone truly uninhibited to enjoy going completely nude but it is interesting to know that there is no law against it.

Spain did not take sides in the World Wars

Spain was neutral in WWI and WWII but suffered a civil war (1936-1939) which killed over 500,000 people. The victorious General Francisco Franco ruled as a brutal dictator until his death in 1975. After his defeat, Spain began to transform itself into an industrial, modern, and democratic European nation that it is today.

Wind has power in Spain

The next fun fact about Spain is that this country is an early adopter of wind-based power technology. They built many wind turbines years ago and have made excellent use of this power source ever since. The numbers revealed in 2013 Spain received one-fifth of its power from wind-based sources. This actually makes wind energy the majority of its energy source.

Real Madrid, the Spanish football club is the most valuable sports team in the world.

Coronavirus: With no cases reported, Real Madrid players resume ...

They boast annual revenues of $650m and brand value of $3.3 billion, hence making them the most valuable soccer team in the world. Bitter rivals Barcelona rank third on this list with a value of $2.6 billion.

Spanish love as well as run from Bulls

 Twelve animals took part in this morning's gruesome event

Bullfighting has been a popular sport in Spain for thousands of years called Corridas, bullfights are considered either a contest of art and skill or a cruel sport. The culture surrounding bulls doesn’t stop there. The running of the bulls is also a famous Spanish event. Bulls are let loose on a course in cordoned-off streets of the town, and people run ahead of them.

Spain is still under the control of a King

King Felipe VI of Spain to forgo his father's inheritance | The ...

There are not that many monarchy systems of government in major countries of the world these days. Spain is a constitutional monarchy, though. Their current ruler is King Felipe VI and he came to power in 2014.

In practice, the country isn’t run all that differently from the other countries in the European Union.

It is Illegal to drive in Flip Flops

Driving in flip flops can land you with a fine, penalty points and ...

Driving while wearing flip flops is considered ill-advised when driving in Spain, supposedly because flip flops could get stuck under the pedal, therefore, causing you to lose concentration or even provoke the direct loss of control of the vehicle.

Ole Ole

Football fan risked angering Liverpool fans with his attire in ...

 The famous “ole-ole” enthusiastic soccer fans also come from Spain. There is a historical theory of the origin of this cheer; historians believe that the expression “ole” is parallel to “Allah”, which appeared in the Spanish territories throughout the Muslim movement of the 8th century.

Spain has very few Tax Inspectors

Getting Money In Spain - Madrid Traveller

According to official figures, in Spain, there’s one tax inspector for every 1,928 taxpayers. For comparison, over the border in France, there’s one inspector for every 729 residents. This may explain why the Spanish tax authorities estimate a quarter of Spain’s GDP comes from the black market.

You can revisit our Destinations at Germany, Japan, France and Canada and know more interesting facts about these country.

If you ever feel like visiting Spain and want to brush up your Spanish, All You Can Books offers interesting and easy to learn language courses.

Until next time…when we meet on the other side of the Globe.

#TravelSeries #AllYouCanBooks #Spain

Know the World: Canada

All You Can Books : Travel Series

Welcome to the Real Land beyond the Wall…So Serene and So Beautiful and Peaceful. We are here going on our Travel Journey after Germany, Japan and France and now at our stop at CANADA.

Thought you knew all there was to know about the true north strong and free? These surprising facts about Canada will have you seeing this beautiful country in a whole new way.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Canada

  1. World’s longest non-military border

The world’s longest non-military border is between Canada and the United States. It stretches for 5,525 miles. If you walked and never stopped—not to eat, not to rest your feet, not to get some sleep—it would take you four-and-a-half years to walk the length of Canada’s coastline.

2. Santa Claus is Canadian

Canada’s Immigration Minister declared in 2012 that Santa Claus was indeed a Canadian citizen. He also suggested that this is why his signature look is a red and white suit – the colors of Canada. To send letters to Santa, children can use this address: Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada.

3. The Maple Capital

Of the world’s maple syrup, 71% comes from Canada, which probably isn’t surprising. But what is fascinating is that 91% of maple syrup production occurs in Quebec alone, according to Pure Canada Maple.

4. Canada welcomes Aliens

World's First UFO Landing Pad – Saint Paul, Alberta - Atlas Obscura
https://stpaulchamber.ca/ufolanding.html

Canada is the first country in the world to create a landing pad specifically for UFOs. It’s located in St. Paul, Alberta and was opened in 1967. Even Canada’s Minister of National Defence at the time, Paul Hellyer, was there for the unveiling. The platform weighs just over 130 tons, and the concrete structure actually contains a time capsule, to be opened in 2067.

5. Eh! 

The famous Canadian interjection “eh” is actually listed in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary as a valid word.

6. Canada has bathtub Race!

50 years of Nanaimo bathtub racing told through new book filled ...

The townspeople of Nanaimo, B.C. race their bathtubs as part of an annual aquatic tradition.

7. The Polar Bear Capital

Churchill in northern Manitoba is the world’s polar bear capital. Approximately 15,500 of the world’s 25,000 polar bears live in Churchill, because of its access to frozen Hudson Bay, which is where they live in winter. It’s also the only place in the world with a polar bear prison, and sometimes the town is home to more polar bears than people. The few residents who live there also leave their cars and homes unlocked in case they or a visitor need a quick escape from a polar bear.

8. Canada Loves Kraft

Canada consumes more mac and cheese than any other country in the world.

9. Canada has national parks bigger than countries

 Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories: not only is it a sight to behold with massive waterfalls, it’s bigger than Albania and Israel. Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta and the Northwest Territories is even bigger than Denmark and Switzerland.

Don’t miss this spectacular gallery of Canada’s most beautiful waterfalls.

10. It is as cold as Mars in Canada

A temperature of -63 C (-81.4 F) was recorded in the small village of Snag on Feb. 3, 1947. That’s roughly the same temperature as the surface of Mars!

Canada is an officially bilingual country, with two official languages: French and English.  If you ever need to brush up your French, All You Can Books offers easy to learn foreign courses.

Stay tuned for next week….

Know the World: Japan

All You Can Books : Travel Series

Welcome, all to the second stop to our traveling journey!
After our first visit to Germany it is time for our next stop, i.e the magnificent country of Japan.

Let us dig deeper into the fascinating facts of Japan

Top 10 Facts about Japan, you ought to know:

  • Welcome to the Shakiest place on Earth!
    The number will vary from year to year, but in general, there will be more than 1500 earthquakes in Japan. Luckily, most of them are do not cause any damage, but each year there are earthquakes that reach more than 8 on the Richter scale. Japan sits along the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, so it has many volcanoes and experiences many earthquakes.
    In 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 hit Japan and created a Tsunami which resulted in much devastation.
  • ‘Kanamara Matsuri’: The Penis Festival of Japan
    The festival is known as Kanamara Matsuri, which means something like “the festival for the phallus of steal”.
    The Festival is celebrated in the Japanese city of Kawasaki on the first Sunday in April. In short, everything, including candy, vegetables, and decorations, has the shape of the male reproductive organ or other things related to fertility. I mean EVERYTHING!
Kanamara Matsuri - The Story Behind Kawasaki's Strange Spring ...
  • Kobe Beef: The Most Expensive Beef in the World
    Japanese Kobe beef is famous worldwide for its succulence and taste. This beef comes from cows who receive daily massages and, in summer, are fed a diet of saké and Beer mash. True Kobe beef comes from only 262 farms in the Tajima region, of which Kobe is the capital and each of which raises an average of 5 of the animals at a time. In the United States, Kobe beef is called Wagyu beef. The rarest steak in the world, Olive Wagyu, can cost anywhere from $120 to over $300 for a steak.
  • The Cuddling Cafes: Cafes where you can pay to cuddle
    Stop right there….there is nothing sexual about it. There is a reason why these cafes exist, a lot of inhabitants are single and loneliness is a big problem in Japan due to their high work rate. That’s why there is a demand for cuddling and intimacy, and at these cafes, you can come and get a hug or just lie down in someone’s lap, or spend time together with another human being.
  • Something is Fishy in Tsukiji!
    The world’s largest seafood market is the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. The market employs over 60,000 people and opens at 3:00 am most mornings, with its famous wholesale tuna auctions beginning at 5:00 am.
    The Japanese eat more fish than any other people in the world, about 17 million tons per year. Woahhh….That is a lot of fish!

Tsukiji Outer Market: Exploring the Fish Market - Japan Rail Pass
  • Japanese Macaque – The Japanese Snow Monkey
    Japan is home to the Japanese Macaque, or snow monkey, which lives in colder climates than other primates. The Nagano Prefecture is known for its macaques, who bathe in hot springs in the winter.
    The omnivorous monkeys aren’t picky about their meals and will eat everything from fruit to insects, ferns, invertebrates, bird eggs, and, when times are tough, fish, and even soil.
Famous Japanese Snow Monkeys Take Baths to Lower Stress | National ...
  • Japanese Ganguro
    Japanese Ganguro (“black face”) fashion was started in the 1990s and has young women tanning their skin as dark as possible, bleaching their hair, and using extremely colorful makeup in contrast to the traditional Japanese pale-skinned, dark-haired standard of beauty. This fashion style has often been criticized for having a racist theme.
  • Ssssluuuuurrrrrppppp your Noodles! Japan Loves it!
    If you go to a noodle restaurant in Japan, (which you should) don’t be afraid to slurp up the noodles. On the contrary, this is considered polite.
    According to Japanese customary, it’s polite to slurp up the noodles since it shows the cook that you appreciate the food and at the same time, it enhances the flavors.
What is the reason behind the Asian culture of people slurp their ...
  • Japanese Bosses Love it when their employers take a Nap
    Taking a Nap in during a work hour is considered to be the fruits of working extremely hard. Japanese people are working more than any other country in the world and the working days are long. Since a couple of years back, some employers are letting their employees take a power nap at work, recharge, and get more energy. It’s pretty interesting, and overall I would say that power naps are very common in Japan, and you will constantly see people taking power naps on trains.
Japanese firms encourage workers to take nap breaks to fight ...
  • It’s forbidden to bathe in Hot springs and Onsen with tattoos
    Many hot springs and onsen (public bathhouses) in Japan ban customers with tattoos from entering because the tattoos remind the public of the Yakuza, or Japanese mafia, whose members sport full-body tattooing.
    Luckily, nowadays many places offer guests to cover their tattoos with a skin-colored band-aid.
    If you can cover them, you’ll be allowed to take a bath. However, not all onsen are this strict, since Japan is moving on to be more inclusive for boosting their Tourism.
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting a Hot Spring in Japan ...

We have come to an end of this Interesting Journey with Japan.

Be sure, to return to know more about our next Destination.

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