10 Of The Strangest Museums In The World

Posted In Arts, Culture – By Paul On Monday, February 21st, 2011 With 1 Comment

What does your local museum show? The typical antique jars and weapons of centuries past? Perhaps you have a museum that houses vehicles, clothing, and other treasures considered to have historical significance. These places are educational and big hits among young and old alike. But then there are museums that are not focused on general scientific, historical, or artistic values. The following are great examples. These are places with collections so specific and strange that skipping them when you’re in town will be something you will regret. List them down and include them in your next holiday!

1. The Icelandic Phallological Museum (Iceland)

Phallological…what a nice big word for something that will illicit snickers even from the most mature or sophisticated. If you ever find yourself in Husavik, Iceland, you should drop by this museum. This museum is your ticket to a world where nothing else exists but penises. Once you enter, you will be met by 272 specimens from 92 species of animals. The specimens are preserved in different ways and there are even exhibitions of penis-themed art. For a bit of fantasy, you can also check out specimens of creatures from folklore. Yes, this museum is the only way for you to see what a troll penis may look like.

2.  The Torture Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

As if we need more reminders on how cruel human beings can be. But if you find yourself in Amsterdam and you have time to kill (pun intended), The Tortue Museum is one educational way to do it. This is located at the Munt Square by the Singel canal. The whole place is small and badly lit in many areas. These aspects, of course, add to the “authenticity” of the museum. There is nothing like viewing a rusty guillotine almost engulfed in shadows to send shivers down your spine. Not that the whole place is creepy. In fact, you may find the whole tour oddly comedic.

3. The Sulabh International Museum Of Toilets (New Delhi, India)

Of course, there is a museum of toilets! If there is a museum for smaller and less significant things, a museum for toilets is not that far-fetched. But as far as museums go, this place in New Delhi is surely one of the strangest. You might think that the location is strange for such a museum but its founder, Dr. Bindeshwar, has visions about spreading the good word of sanitation. This is a good place to start if you want to know about the evolution of toilets and how their design and materials changed through the years. From gilded in gold to pieces from the modern world, this is a museum one is not bound to forget for a long time

4. Paris Sewers Museum (Paris, France)

When you visit Paris for the first time, you make sure that you drop by the Louvre. Perhaps you also find time to visit the high-end shops and the little cafes that are just too picture perfect. If you are the adventurous kind, you may want to do the Sewers Museum tour. Why? Who knows why! You fancied a strange stop in your Paris tour and this is what you’re going to get. This place is located in the sewers beneath Quai d’Orsay. It houses mannequins as sewer workers in full gear. You will also get to know sewer-cleaning equipment that were used in the past and today. Yes, there is a gift shop.

5. Dog Collar Museum (Kent, England)

Housed in Leeds Castle, this weird museum actually delights half a million visitors every year. There are only nearly a hundred dog collars on display but they represent designs that span five centuries. The oldest of the collars date from the 15th and 16th centuries. On display from this era are mostly dog collars that protected dogs from wolves, wild boars, and bears. The most popular, though, are the elaborately designed collars from the 17th and 18th centuries. From this era, the collars on display are made of metal and velvet, with German and Austrian baroque designs.

6. Museum Of Funeral Carriages (Barcelona, Spain)

This is a free museum located in the basement of the office building of Barcelona’s Municipal Funeral Services. It has a collection of funeral carriages and hearses. This collection is said to be one of the best in the world. Most of the exhibits are from the 19th and 20th century, giving you a glimpse at magnificently constructed hearses and carriages. There are life-sized horses and drivers as well but the whole place does not have that creepy atmosphere. Perhaps one would be too busy admiring the details of the vehicles inside the museum to feel strange.

7. The Hash, Marijuana, And Hemp Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Amsterdam sure has a collection of weird museums. This particular place will be a delight to those who are pushing for the legalization of marijuana. This place is not just a haven for these people but for everyone interested in the history of hemp and cannabis use. Inside this museum, one will be able to observe how dozens of varieties of marijuana are cultivated. If inspiration hits, you can drop by the shop next door. It sells everything you need to smoke (and grow) marijuana.

8. Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (Yokohama, Japan)

A museum dedicated to food should always be a top priority when you visit a place. When you find yourself in Yokohama, drop by the Ramen Museum and fill your brain with all the ramen information you can handle. Don’t worry, a trip to this museum will also be a culinary delight since there are cooking utensils and ramen packages that you can buy. On top of the ramen goodness that you can experience, you will also love the interior of this museum. It features a recreation of Tokyo in 1958. This was the year that instant noodles were invented.

9. Currywurst Museum (Berlin, Germany)

This is another food amusement park that is dedicated to the favorite dish of Berlin. For those who are not familiar with currywurst, it is simply bratwurst with curry sauce. And since around 800 million currywurst servings are consumed every year in Germany, it was only fitting that a museum for this dish was opened. This is a museum that will engage all senses; you can sniff secret spieces and eat currywurst in a cup during the tour. The dish is included in the admission price.

10. Meguro Parasitological Museum (Tokyo, Japan)

This museum wants  you to “try to think about parasites without a feeling of fear, and take the time to learn about their wonderful world of the Parasites.” Many people will be inclined to say “No, thank you,” but if you are in the mood for a strange tour stop, this museum should be at the top of your holiday schedule. This places houses 45,000 specimens. Interestingly, the museum is a popular date spot in Tokyo.

#tokyo#strangest#museum#world#ana_christy#beatnikhiway.com

This Woman Hitchhiked Around the World (And Lived to Tell the Tale) — Thought Catalog

Kristin AddisThe first time it happened haphazardly. I was in my early 20s. A friend and I deplaned at Liberia, a tiny airport in Costa Rica, thinking we could get a bus to our next destination. We emerged from the gate confused and lost, seeing that there were no buses around. Desperation started to well…

via This Woman Hitchhiked Around the World (And Lived to Tell the Tale) — Thought Catalog

#Kristin Addis#travels#world#hitchhiked#beatnikhiway.com#ana_christy

The UN Announced World Hunger Could End By 2030 — If Everyone Did This One Thing

Announced World Hunger Could End By 2030 — If Everyone Did This One Thing

It’s pretty simple!

5 comments

change

stay informed and spark change on social issues

The UN recently made a decree of what vegetarians have said for years: eating less meat actually can and does help the world.

Last week, Reuters reported that the United Nations plans to put a plan in place later this month to end world hunger by 2030, which according to the organization, is totally doable. The world just needs to adopt slightly different eating habits first, including consuming less red meat.

While a recent study found that eating less red meat has a significant impact on protecting the environment, like other studies have also found in the past, it’s not the main driver behind their future push to change the world’s hunger problem. The “change in diet” initiative is aimed at reallocating resources properly.

According to officials, there’s enough food in the world for everyone. Hunger is just a cause of a food distribution problem isn’t allotting enough food for everyone. For instance, the UN says that eating meat once a week, instead of four, would help commodity prices go down, which would mean less food would be needed to feed animals and overall food prices would be cheaper for lower-income people.

They hope that eventually farmers would transition to producing mostly grains and vegetables instead of livestock.

“It’s not going to be easy, but if you look at the arithmetic, it is achievable,” Jomo Sundaram, assistant director-general of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Reuters.

Other issues Reuters reports the UN hopes will change is the amount of food countries waste — richer countries can conserve by learning to use up food that would have gone to waste and developing countries by adopting better refrigeration systems (that will help foods last longer).

With 1 in 9 people in the world without enough food, or malnourished, these practices are necessary for the United Nations to meet its goal. Though hard, past initiatives have proved efforts such as the ones outlined above are not impossible.

Per Reuters, the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed to cut world hunger in half by 2000 and succeeded.

“I don’t think it’s all that ambitious to eliminate hunger,” Sundaram said.

Luigi Guarino, senior scientist with the Global Crop Diversity Trust, suggests that even switching to crops that can sustain themselves in higher temperatures can help with the initiative. He agrees with Sundaram.

“There is no silver bullet to reaching the goal (of eliminating hunger),” he said. “But even if we get 80 percent there, it’s well worth it.”

Top 9 Strange #Streets in the World

 

1. Shortest Street in the World , Ebenezer Place – Scotland

photo source

Ebenezer Place, in Wick, Caithness, Scotland, is credited by the Guinness Book of Records as being the world’s shortest street at 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in). In 2006 it surpassed the previous record (5.2 m, 17 ft) set by Elgin Street, Bacup, Lancashire. The street has only one address: the front door of No. 1 Bistro, which is part of Mackays Hotel.

Shortest Street in the World   photo source

The street originated in 1883, when Ebenezer Place was constructed; the owner of the building, a hotel at the time, was instructed to paint a name on the shortest side of the hotel. It was officially declared a street in 1887.

 

2. The Narrowest Street in the World (Spreuerhofstraße) – Germany

photo source

Spreuerhofstraße is the world’s narrowest street, found in the city of Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It ranges from 31 centimetres (12.2 in) at its narrowest to 50 centimetres (19.7 in) at its widest.

photo source

The lane was built in 1727 during the reconstruction efforts after the area was completely destroyed in the massive city-wide fire of 1726 and is officially listed in the Land-Registry Office as City Street Number 77.


3. Most Complicated Interchange in US, Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange – Los Angeles, USA

photo source

The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange is situated in Los Angeles, CA and is one of the most complicated interchanges in the country. It permits entry and exit in all directions between the I-105 and the I-110. It’s a stack interchange with layers of bridges making a complicated network of roads allowing smooth flow of traffic though both the interstate highways. This interchange was opened in 1993. It is a 4 level interchange with a restricted access lane that can be used by high-occupancy vehicles.

4. Most Crooked Street in US, Lombard St – San Francisco, USA

photo source

The street is famous for a small section near the top of Russian Hill, between Hyde and Leavenworth streets. Here the hill is so steep (27°) that it would be too dangerous for most vehicles, so between 1922 and 1923 this part of Lombard Street was transformed into a switchback with eight sharp turns. Cars can only drive downhill, east-bound towards Leavenworth Street.

photo source

 The crooked section of the street, which is about 1/4 mile (400 m) long, is reserved for one-way traffic traveling east (downhill) and is paved with red bricks. The speed limit in this section is 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h).

5. The Steepest Street in the World, Baldwin Street – New Zealand

photo source

Baldwin Street in a suburban part of New Zealand’s southern city of Dunedin, is considered the world’s steepest residential street. It is located in the suburb of North East Valley, 3,5 kilometres (2.2 mi) northeast of Dunedin’s city centre.

photo source

A short straight street a little under 350 metres (1,150 ft) long, Baldwin Street runs east from the valley of the Lindsay Creek up the side of Signal Hill towards Opoho, rising from 30 m (98 ft) above sea level at its junction with North Road to 100 m (330 ft) above sea level at the top, an average slope of slightly more than 1:5. Its lower reaches are only moderately steep, and the surface is asphalt, but the upper reaches of this cul-de-sac are far steeper, and surfaced in concrete (200 m or 660 ft long), for ease of maintenance and for safety in Dunedin’s frosty winters. At its maximum, the slope of Baldwin Street is about 1:2.86 (19° or 35%) – that is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation rises by 1 metre.

6. Widest Street in the World, 9 De Julio – Buenos Aires, Argentina

photo source

Buenos Aires, Argentina, features the widest avenue in the world. At over 300 feet wide, 9 de Julio Avenue occupies a gap of an entire block in the city grid, hence its incredible width. Crossing the avenue at street level often requires a few minutes, as all intersections have traffic lights. Under normal walking speed, it takes pedestrians normally two to three green lights to cross its twelve lanes of traffic.

 

7. Longest Street in the World, Yonge St – Ontario, Canada

photo source

The Longest Street in the World is Yonge Street (pronounced “young”), referred to as “Main Street Ontario”, connects the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto in Canada to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. Actually, it starts on the Toronto lakeshore and winds its way northwesterly along Highway 11 to Rainy River, Ontario, at the Minnesota border. Yonge Street is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at 1.896 km (1,178 mi), and the construction of this street is designated an Event of National Historic Significance. 

 

8. Largest Roundabout in the World, Putrajaya – Malaysia

photo source

World’s Largest Roundabout (Putrajaya – Malaysia) Putrajaya is in the south of Kuala Lumpur. It is a new political center, the loop length of it is 3,4 km. The roundabout is situated around a beautiful hill and green parks.

 

9. Most Confusing Roundabout in the World, Magic Roundabout – Swindon, UK

photo source

The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England was constructed in 1972 and consists of five mini-roundabouts arranged in a circle. In 2009 it was voted the fourth scariest junction in Britain, in a poll by Britannia Rescue. To be fair, once understood this intersection is amazingly functional and actually designed to reduce overall congestion. However, it is certainly an urban wonder and highly perplexing to the uninitiated.

8 of googles craziest offices-very cool!

c

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK BELOW FOR MORE PICS AND DETAILS

 

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3028909/8-of-googles-craziest-offices?partner=newsletter#5

 

How Much Does It Cost to Live In Each of the World’s Countries?

SUNDAY 01.18.2015 , POSTED BY BENJAMIN STARR

image: http://cdn.visualnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cost-of-living-featured-600×319.jpg

How much does it cost to live in Sweden? How about Morocco or Japan? You can’t just compare exchange rates to figure that out. You need people on the ground reporting on how much they pay for a loaf of bread, an apartment or a glass of beer in Stockholm, Fez and Tokyo. That’s what Numbeo has been doing for years, creating a cost of living database with a lot of help from people all around the world. Movehub recently took that information and created a fantastic series of maps comparing how expensive it is to live in all the world’s countries. How does yours measure up?

Read more at http://www.visualnews.com/page/2/#gvBJKJWMbK70bjaS.99

homelessness around the world

25 Cities With Extremely High Homeless Populations

POSTED BY JUAN CASTILLO ON APRIL 29, 2014

According to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, there is an estimated 100 million homeless people worldwide. This is a startling statistic when you consider how affluent some parts of the world are. Here is but a short glimpse at this social travesty within these 25 cities with extremely high homeless populations.

25

Lisbon, Portugal

http://www.photoree.com

Most of the homeless people in Portugal are concentrated in the cities of Lisbon and Porto. Reports say that around 300 homeless people sleep on the streets of Lisbon every night. Today, members of the Comunidade Vida e Paz are persuading the homeless population of Lisbon to take part in rehabilitation programs in order to improve the quality of their lives.

24

Denver, Colorado

http://www.denverpost.com

According to the 2012 Point in Time report from Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, Denver saw an increase in it’s homeless population from 411 to 964 between the years of 2011 and 2012.

23

Indianapolis, Indiana

http://www.nuvo.net

There are as many as 2,200 homeless people every night in the city of Indianapolis, which is equivalent to around 15,000 over the course of a year. Thought this city is known for its faith-based shelters, there’s just not enough shelters to provide a place for the entire homeless population.

22

Dublin, Ireland

http://www.theguardian.com

In a recent study shows that about seven people per day become homeless in Dublin. In 2013, there were about 2,366 people that were reported to be sleeping on the streets of Dublin every night. The government’s failure to increase the stock of social housing is said to be the root cause of this social problem.

21

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

http://www.zimbio.com

Rio De Janeiro is known for having a high homelessness rate with over 2,500 homeless people as of last year.

20

Baltimore, Maryland

commons.wikimedia.org

According to a 2011 study, there are about 4,088 homeless individuals in Baltimore, Maryland, many of which are families with children. Today, the city government is making strides towards putting an end to this social problem by creating projects aimed at providing affordable housing and health care.

19

Tokyo, Japan

phototravels.net

A 2013 study shows an estimated homeless population of 5,000 living in Tokyo. This number was a significant increase from the 3,800 homeless individuals recorded in 2008.

18

Chicago, Illinois

observationsworkshop.blogspot.com

As of July 2013, analysis by Chicago Coalition for the Homeless found that 116,042 Chicagoans were homeless in the course of the 2012-13 school year. This is a 10% increase from last year’s homeless population.

17

Washington, D.C.

souciant.com

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of homeless people living in Washington in 2013 was around 6,865. Last year, the city government began to provide shelter to its homeless population whenever temperature levels droped below freezing point. Those who do not want to stay in temporary shelters are provided with a budget to stay in hotels.

16

Rome, Italy

http://www.cookiesound.com

Out of the 17,000 homeless people in Italy, 7,000 are from Rome.

15

Tampa, Florida

http://www.emirates247.com

Lack of affordable housing and homeless shelters has contributed to the alarming number of 7,419 homeless people who call the streets of Tampa their home each night.

14

San Diego, California

kpbs.org

The second largest city in the State of California with a population of 1,345,895, San Diego is home to 8,879 homeless people.

13

Athens, Greece

http://www.theguardian.com

Homelessness statistics show that out of the 20,000 homeless people in Greece, 9,000 are from Athens. The number of homeless people in Athens has continued to grow since the economic crisis of 2009.

12

Seattle, Washington

seattleindustry.org

According to the 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, Seattle is home to a total homeless population of 9,106.

11

San Francisco, U.S.A.

familysurvivalprotocol.com

Around 7,000 to 10,000 people in San Francisco, U.S.A. are homeless, 3,000 to 5,000 of which refuse to live in temporary shelters provided by the government.

The World’s Most Incredible Bars

THE WORLD’S COOLEST BARS

Your local dive bar is about to look really boring. Check out these amazing bars from around the world and make any night memorable with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey.posted on June 7, 2012, at 5:10 p.m.

Jack HoneyBrand Publisher

 Fly Straight. Drink Responsibly.

1. The H.R. Giger Alien Bar

en.wikipedia.org / Via pinksplash.com

Sure, those chairs might be a little uncomfortable and all the bones on the wall are a bit spooky but how impressed your date would be if you take them here for a night cap.

Where you’ll find it: Chur, Switzerland

2. The Ice Bar Inside The Ice Hotel

unique-hotel.blogspot.com / Via en.wikipedia.org

The name says it all. A bar carved out of a huge ice block, inside of an even huger ice hotel. This hotel is carved each December, and assures that guests staying there can not only enjoy a chilled beverage at their beautiful ice bar, but that the temperatures in their rooms will remain a very survivable – 5 degrees Celsius.

Where you’ll find it: Quebec City, Canada.

3. Eternity, The Coffin Bar

odditycentral.com / Via daylife.com

Not only does this giant wood coffin hold the world record for largest coffin, it is also a fully functioning bar. The decor inside is equally spooky with smaller coffins, oversized flower wreaths and church-like lighting arranged throughout.

Where you’ll find it: Truskavets, Ukraine.

4. Alux Lounge In Mexico

aluxrestaurant.com / Via Flickr: o__o

If a bar carved out of ice is not your speed, perhaps a bar carved out of an ancient cave would appeal to you. The Alux Lounge, located a short ride from the beach is a destination for tourists and locals looking to kick back in a one-of-a-kind setting.

Where you’ll find it: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

5. The Clinic Bar

Via holidaycheck.com

The gilded wheelchairs surrounding the tables outside of The Clinic are just one of the many medical-themed elements of this bar. Inside, you’ll find pill shaped rooms containing booths resembling hospital beds, and drinks are served either through drips or test tubes.

Where you’ll find it: Singapore

6. Madame Claude

Via Flickr: 23840394@N02

Berlin is widely known as a hub for nightlife and electronic music, so it’s no surprise we would find an unusual bar/music venue located there. Madame Claude may seem relatively laid back at first glance, especially by Berlin standards, but have one too many and you might get disoriented. The entire bar is decorated with chairs, furniture and lighting hanging upside down from the ceiling and walls.

Where you’ll find it: Berlin, Germany.

7. The Sky View Bar

Via holidaycheck.de

The duo of futuristic tunnels leading to the Sky View Bar are impressive, but they aren’t the sole reason we’ve included it on this list. The bar, as its name would suggests, sits on the 27th floor of the luxury hotel some 200 meters above sea level, which offers customers a stunning view of both the clouds above and the ocean below.

Where you’ll find it: Inside of Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Hotel

8. The Sunland Pub

en.wikipedia.org / Via Flickr: hannes_steyn

The inside of the Sunland Pub is not much to speak of, a tiny bar where a bartender can entertain a handful of guests, but there is a reason for that: it’s located inside of a tree. The Baobab tree in which the pub was carved is believed to be some 6000 years old.

Where you’ll find it: Limpopo Province, South Africa

9. Red Sea Star Bar

redseastar.com / Via okeanosgroup.com

You can finally find out what that little crab was talking about when he sang “Under The Sea,” all while enjoying your favorite cocktail. Located 6 meters…well…under the sea, the restaurant and bar offers unparalleled views of surrounding marine life.

Where you’ll find it: Eilat, Israel

10. Alcatraz ER

Via chelseyinjapan.blogspot.com

Alcatraz ER is one of the oldest of Tokyo’s many theme restaurants and bars, and might be the wackiest one. Visitors to the bar are treated to an experience similar to that of checking-in to a mental prison: the waitresses – dressed as nurses, of course – handcuff you and lock you in a cell where you are served an array of terrifying foods and cocktails.

Where you’ll find it: Tokyo, Japan.

24 Most Dangerous Places in the World

Traveling around the world is a great way to spend your vacation time, but not all cities are as charming as the ones in the brochures. While every large city has its problems, some are a little worse than others. Here are some of the most dangerous cities in the world.

While most of us know about the popular and safest places to live, travel or work: the cities on this list are dangerous due to uncontrolled drug trafficking, violence, and political corruption. These cities are predominantly dominated by ruthless and violent gangs.

Here’s a list of 25 of the world’s most dangerous cities, based primarily on murder rates and their danger for tourists/visitors.

 

Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Though Barquisimeto has just over a million residents, the city sees murders almost every day. The city is the capital of its region and features a surprisingly high number of universities and other places of higher education. Despite once being a thriving tourist destination, the area is now so dangerous that many tourists avoid it.

Guayana, Venezuela

Guayana in Venezuela reported 578 homicides for 1,050,283 inhabitants. In February 2012, the Venezuelan Observatory launched the “Campaign to Sensibilize the Value of Life in Venezuela” in the hope that this campaign would spread the message of peace. If actions such as this are continued, one can only hope that the violence and homicide will decrease dramatically.

Peshawar, Pakistan

Peshawar, Pakistan, is another of the most dangerous place in the world. With tribes and warlords fighting for supremacy, Peshawar is not safe, especially for foreigners. Although the city boasts amazing landmarks and breathtaking parks, targeted attack on security forces and suicide bombings, unfortunately, make Peshawar one of the world’s most dangerous cities to visit.

Large parts of Pakistan should be avoided, according to the Foreign Office. They include the “Federally Administered Tribal Areas”, the city of Peshawar and districts south of the city, northern and western Balochistan, the Karakoram Highway between Islamabad and Gilgit, the Kalesh Valley, the Bamoboret Valley and Arandu District, the city of Quetta, the city of Nawabshah, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Sana’a, Yemen

Yemen is politically unstable country with both Britain and America recently urging its citizens to leave the country due to fears of an imminent terrorist attacks on Western interests. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to the whole of Yemen.

The country’s highlights include Sana’a, one of the world’s highest capital cities (7,500 feet above sea level) and a World Heritage Site; it’s also one of the most dangerous places in the entire world. It is renowned for its quirky architecture, which includes multi-storey buildings decorated in geometric patterns. Those who do make it there enjoy visiting the Old City, a section of Sana’a full of beautifully designed buildings from a more peaceful time. Official statistics are difficult to obtain, but it seems to be a very dangerous place for foreigners.

Acapulco, Mexico

Acapulco was once a popular tourist destination. These days, however, the stunning beaches see only a handful of vacationers. A rise in murderous violence between drug lords and criminals has made tourists avoid the sunny destination. The city reported 1,170 murders for 818,853 inhabitants.

Drug cartels are a problem throughout Mexico and it has only been getting worse over the past decade. It has gotten so bad citizens are forming self-defense groups which have managed to capture at least one major drug lord. Large numbers of dead bodies are a common occurrence in this port city, making it a nerve-wracking place to hang out.

Distrito Central, Honduras

While no large city is immune to violence, Distrito Central has surpassed the usual level of violence. It has one of the highest murder rates around the globe. The dangers can be attributed to extreme poverty, government corruption, and a heavy Mafia presence. Distrito Central is actually three cities blended into one. The high level of violence deters all but the most reckless of tourists.

Maceió, Brazil

Maceió is the capital of the Alagoas state and sees around 135 murders per 100,000 residents each year. The city is by far the most dangerous in the country, topping even Rio de Janeiro, which most people know for its “favelas”, or slums. Brazil may host a large part of the Amazon rainforest, but its most populated areas are not places you want to hang out in.

Joao Pessoa, Brazil

Joao Pessoa is another dangerous city in Brazil. There was a whopping 508 homicides reported for 723,515 inhabitants. In December, President Dilma Rousseff reportedly stated that three in every 1000 Brazilian teens are murdered before turning 19: very dangerous indeed.

Mali

Radical Islamists now control northern Mali, and much of the country’s ancient sites – including Timbuktu – are considered under threat. The Foreign Office advises against travel to the entire country, due to the high risk of terrorism and kidnapping.

Mogadishu, Somalia

The city of Mogadishu has had major problems with al Shabaab militants for a while now (who at one point last year controlled most of the city), making the area unsafe for citizens and tourists alike.

The United States refused to set foot in the country for over two decades, but changed that policy in 2013 when military advisers were sent to Mogadishu to help the locals resolve the militant issue. Despite the aid, the area is still dangerous.

Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi has suffered considerably in recent years. Although Kenya is a beautiful country with plenty to offer, it is also so dangerous that most tourists leave it off the itinerary. Nairobi is considered particularly dangerous for women, but no one should walk around the city alone at night. Al Shabaab militants have threatened the area for some time now, making it even more tense than usual.

Chihuahua, Mexico

Mexico’s violence problems are big enough to warrant it two spots on this list. In reality, there are many more Mexican cities on the world’s most violent cities list, but Chihuahua beats them out because of its position on the cocaine smuggling route to the United States. Drug cartels have taken over the area and it is not uncommon to see random firefights in the streets, making it a very inhospitable place to visit or to live.

Medellin, Colombia

If you’re thinking of travelling to Columbia any time soon, then take note. One of the overall most dangerous cities on the list is the city of Medellin, Colombia, with a reported 1,175 homicides per 2,393,011 inhabitants. It is believed that much of the violence can be blamed on criminal bands trying to gain control of certain territories. However, homicide is actually on the gradual decrease in this city, as 1991 alone reported 6,349 homicides

Cleveland, USA

Crime was up by more than 7 percent in Cleveland during the first six months of 2013. In 2012, the murder rate rose 30%. It has one of the highest murder and rape rates in the US, although it is not the highest. Flint, Michigan, actually seems to have the highest murder rate in the entire US,with 62 murders per 100,000 residents in 2013 (for reference, Detroit has approximately 54). 2013 data is not fully available yet, none of these cities are tourist friendly.

This list is not fully inclusive, and there are many dangerous places that are not listed. You should be careful wherever you are, especially in a city, and especially as an outsider. If possible, travel with someone who knows the area.

Read more: http://www.exposingtruth.com/24-dangerous-places-world/#ixzz37YRHi97e
Follow us: @Exposing4Truth on Twitter | ExposingTheTruth on Facebook

bizarre national customs from around the world

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/robynwilder/bizarre-national-customs-from-around-the-world