Tourists with their eyes full of tears because statuettes, shells and other stuff bought “as a souvenir” are being shaken out of their bags – is a continual occurrence at customs. For you not to become one of those tourists, OUTLOK suggests you check out a selection of (sometimes weird) objects forbidden to be exported from different countries.
Huge coconuts with over 20 kg of weight are constant inhabitants of beaches on palmy Seychelles. With no one needing them they just rest there on the sand to attract sights of foreign tourists who are mainly accustomed to eyeing cherries and apples. Local authorities, in their turn, do not at all mind that every willing one fold up a towel and take a couple of them to own hotel room. But should you attempt to pack at least one of them into your bag when going home, you won’t be allowed on a plane.Photo messersmith.name
New Zealand is one of the world’s major kiwifruits exporters! However, it is these fruits that are not allowed to be transferred across the border. Wine and marmalade made of this flavorous product as well as its planting stock are on the list, too.
Should you spot a beautiful shell or a coral while lounging on shores of Egypt or swimming in the sea – take a picture of it and leave it alone. Still, many of those who undertake the risk of sneaking such “produce of the sea” actually succeed unlike those who deal with items made of ivory and stuffed crocodiles. This kind of reverent attitude towards animals has been developed in Australia – reptile leather shoes will be seized. Same is true about shark jaws on Maldives as well as all kinds of shells, bones and feather in Brazil.Photo zastavki.com
Thailand, which is close to outdoing the country of the pyramids and Turkey in terms of popularity, forbids Buddha statuettes’ leaving the vast of their motherland. Regardless of this, vendors from local shops sell such stuff to unknowing guests of the country and do that with a significant price adder. However, should inspectors at the airport happen not to be too thorough, a souvenir a size of a keychain will pass customs; yet “self-delivery” of large pieces will make one face fine and contemptuous looks of locals, especially the ones who relish objects of the cult.Photo tts-ql.com
Algerian threads aren’t that big a deal in the world therefore it isn’t really clear why it is them that have ended up in the list of objects with prohibition to leave the state’s borders. Among African countries there is also an unusual “don’t” in the UAE. Under no circumstances you pack porcupine quills into you suitcases… They aren’t obtained by means of killing animals therefore it isn’t entirely fair to say that it is due to the authorities’ care for local fauna. “Thorns” aren’t stuck too firmly in bodies of these animals and often fall out on their own to be simply collected afterwards.
Government of Kenya allows tourists get a license to hunt – but by no means is it permitted to take away trophies in the shape of skins or stuffed animals. Oddly, alongside this, traditional weapons such as spears and knives you can take “home” as long as you have all the necessary certificates and receipts.
When walking around the vast of Greece don’t try to grab along a piece of an antique amphora or a stone from Acropolis that you’ve accidentally come across. They’ll take those away, issue a fine and call you an “illegal migrant”.
Ancient Fez medina is firmly holding time in a criss-crossing maze of tiny alleyways and picturesque shops. The medieval town of craftsmen does not recognize modern technology, however, it is not difficult to trace a full production of cute handbag with embossed lettering. The leather for souvenir is produced there, in courtyards, and at a reasonable cost a tannery owner would reveal details of folk art with a millennial history.
Kyrgyzstan is called Middle Asian Switzerland. Mountains, rivers, waterfalls, caves, cols and green meadows aren’t a speck inferior in terms of aesthetics to European ones yet travelers haven't duly appreciated this country so far. Across-the-board exploration of the land by the state’s guests has only just begun. And alongside hotels that are being swiftly erected, ordinary yurts are still offered for residence to feel local natural.
Six million years ago, in faraway Mongolia a deep crater of an extinct volcano was gradually filled to the brims with water, turning into a wonderful lake. Water ran high with gusts of wind, and sparkled in the sun like precious jewel, so no wonder that along with the official name of Hövsgöl Lake, this nature wonder has a more poetic name of the Dark Blue Pearl.
To build a settlement on flatland - is this such a hard trick to pull off? A completely different story is when land is self-willed and rock-ribbed both directly and metaphorically speaking. People have been trying to master land and have own say in in-rock urban development for centuries. But only those who succeded in finding common ground with Earth managed to create true novels in stone.
Finally, one of our favorite categories reached the city, where dollars are considered as the main currency. Thus, we will not have to go around exchange offices and constantly convert prices. So, we go to such a different and exciting New York to spend our 10 dollars.
A function of UNESCO World Heritage Committee is to work in the most careful manner year after year on studying objects that constitute outstanding culture civilizations and are unique in their origins. Under number 569 of an impressive list of the organization city of Gjirokastër, the one from the south of Albania, is located – it is it we are going to study today through the length and breadth.
Marina Orlova is a project manager in a cultural and public organization. Working on one of her international projects, she met her love - Wim, a guy from Belgium. She succeeded to visit his country only when Ukraine obtained visa-free regime and Marina shared with OUTLOOK her observations about how the Belgians live, what they eat for breakfast and how they relax.
Iceland is a ‘country of ice and fire’, ‘country of thousand rivers and lakes’, countless waterfalls and geysers. There, like in a fairy tale, again and again, you feel like pinching yourself to check if you are dreaming or does it all really exist…
Impressions of this city depend much on what you have visited before being introduced to it. After Los Angeles it may seem very business-like and culturally rich, after New York – provincial and old-fashioned somehow. In any case, it has a bright and memorable face of a gentleman from Massachusetts.
Someone compares Jaipur with lace tablecloth; others with a box of pink marshmallows; and some admirers claim this is a hive densely inhabited by bees. However, everyone agrees on one thing: there is the wonderful air full of freedom which cannot be found in Europe. It fills the lungs and breathing it a traveller loses count of hours and even centuries.
On this great holiday for all Christians of the Orthodox rite, we want to present you a video about the holy places of Palestine, namely the city of Bethlehem.
In the world there is an unusual place where the biggest number of twins are born. Although at first glance it looks like a mystical coincidence, statistics makes you believe in miracles. The Indian state of Kerala can boast of a village where unusual things happen. Kodhini is the place with more twins than anywhere else in the world. Actually, there is almost no explanation for this.
To visit three countries over one day – it is possible if you are in Aachen. Situated amid Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, small student town took in features of medieval culture that reflected in its astonishing architecture. Yelena Buravtsova visited the town for it to win her heart with its off-beat monuments, streets paved with stone blocks, cozy cafés, one of a kind printed spice cake, museums and spectacular races.
Experienced travelers tell that one could watch the ruins of ancient settlements in the Andes during several months, moving from one region to another. Particularly, the richest one in archaeological complexes of is the western coast of the Southern continent. A long time ago, some of them, such as Machu Picchu, have become popular with tourists, others are just beginning to open their doors to curious people.
When moving to a new country, more often than not people tend to get settled nearby emigrants like themselves. It is pretty convenient: accommodation isn’t expensive, job can be found right on the location and there is no need to study a new language – everyone around understands you. This is how national ghettos appear.
Judging by the reviews of the majority of tourists who visited Istanbul, many of them did not reach Asian part of the main Turkish metropolis, or did not have a proper walk there. The best case, they just saw SabihaGökçen International Airport and ferry docks, a destination of leisure cruses from Europe, where on the way one can feed with bread seagulls swooping overhead.
Prague... It is romantic, decadent, sad and cheerful, sublime and spiritual, reflected in the flapping wings of well-fed seagulls on the Charles Bridge, in the mirror pools of Vltava River... Prague is a very attractive and slightly strange European city. Creative copywriter Masha Goldman once spent several days there and told us about Prague charms.
Today OUTLOOK travels along the cities and countries that are considered as the most interesting from the point of view of geography and administrative management. Moreover, they are enclaves as they are located within the territories of other states.
Only an abandoned artificial archipelago with traces of extinct civilizations can better than a deserted island! Cadent splash of oars that plows blue dreams of the Pacific Ocean quells drumroll of ecstasy in your temples while preparing will and mind to the meeting with the greatest mystery of Micronesia. Nan Madol lies empty for more than one hundred years...
Photo messersmith.name
Photo zastavki.com
Photo tts-ql.com
