Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Strangest Thing About Europe That Europeans Don't Even Notice

People Break Down The Strangest Thing About Europe That Europeans Don't Even Notice
freestocks on Unsplash

Different cultures are fascinating and add color to our world.


While many cultures should be celebrated, there are some individuals who just can't help but reserve their opinions about those whose behavior and customs differ vastly from their own.

At the risk of coming off as offensive, some might even call these customs, "weird."

European culture got the spotlight when Redditor CoffeeBoy88 asked:

"What is something weird about Europe that Europeans don’t realize is weird?"

Apparently, there's never a dull moment in European nations.

"German tourists are OBSESSED with mooses."

"/A swede."

– worldkeeponspinning

No Offense

"The UK has 30 accents per square mile. And if a large man calls you duck in Stoke … that’s okay."

– InItsTeeth

Nighttime Exposure

"Norwegians don't close their curtains when it gets dark."

– judochop1

The Swarm

"The amount of mosquitos in Finland, Americans go crazy in Spring because of it."

– TheFargus

Redditors discuss what it's like traveling around Europe.

Come And Go As You Please

"How incredibly inconsequential it is to cross country borders. Cycled through France - Belgium - Netherlands and there is barely even a sign."

– sicknessandpurgatory

The Contrast

"You drive five hours in the US: you’re basically still in the same place."

"You drive five hours in Europe: everyone’s talking funny and the cheese is different."

– KaimeiJay

The Short Commute

"The first time I was in the UK my husband wanted to go to Wales and I looked at the train route from London and was like 'It’s all the way on the other side of the country! We’re only in the UK for a week. We don’t have that kind of time!' And my husband was all, 'you know it’s a 2.5 hour train ride, right?' I thought it would all day."

– KateDinNYC

Germans In Transport

"the absolute lack of air conditioning even at 40°, german transport gets sticky and stinky quite fast and nobody seems to care, many people even shut the windows to avoid the 'annoying breeze.'"

– ahorasimeaborregue

Maintaining distance was a thing long before pandemic measures recommended people to be socially distanced.

All About Respect

"Finnish people are silent, small talk doesn't exist. Their personal space larger than COVID-19 social distancing rules, and it's considered normal. Don't speak unless spoken to, and don't invade other people's personal space - it's seen as a sign of a respect."

"Those Finns, who haven't been to abroad or haven't met too many foreigners, don't often even recognize this behaviour being unusual in the global scale."

– RockNRollNBluesNJazz

The "Safety Coffee Cup"

"I'm from Finland and one European thing that all Finnish people hate is cheek kisses when greeting. Its mostly southern european thing but still. There is this saying in Finland that goes 'Everyone has their own safety coffee cup' meaning the closest distance someone should get to you should not be closer than your coffee cup when you're holding it."

– eelisonparas

Let Them Shop In Peace

"Weird at first but I appreciate and wish for it. It might be just a Germany thing but from what I’ve been told German Walmart failed because the North American style of customer service was very unliked. From the greeter at the door to clerks asking if you need help unprompted. German shoppers just want to shop and go home as undisturbed as possible."

– UnusualHospital9579

I remember being weirded out when I went to Paris and asked for some ice at a cafe.

The waiter served me coke by opening the room temperature can and poured some of the contents into an empty glass. With no ice.

When the server came back, he had with him a spoon with one ice cube on it. I thought it was stingy but it got worse.

He poured the rest of the coke over the ice on the spoon he was holding and then walked away with the ice and spoon.

I guess the coke was colder than when I had my first sip, so according to the server, it was viola: mission accomplished!

Do the French not like ice-cold beverages? Weird.

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots from @realprogressive11's TikTok video
@realprogressive11/TikTok

Rural Michigan Woman Speaks Out About 'Dystopian' Grocery Costs In Eye-Opening Video

TikToker @realprogressive11, a rural Michigan resident, is tired of dancing around the subject and is ready to call it like it is: according to her, grocery shopping has become a "dystopian" experience.

And based on other TikTokers' experiences, this isn't specific to Michigan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Rannells Just Dished On How Dating Anderson Cooper At 25 Directly Inspired 'Girls' Storyline—And Our Jaws Are On The Floor
Daily Beast/Obsessed; Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Andrew Rannells Just Dished On How Dating Anderson Cooper At 25 Directly Inspired 'Girls' Storyline—And Our Jaws Are On The Floor

After years of speculation, the tea has finally been spilled about who inspired Elijah Krantz and Dill Harcourt's relationship.

In case you missed it, the hit TV show Girls aired for six seasons from 2012 to 2017, and followed the lives of four young women making their way through early romance and career moves in New York City.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tom Holland and Zendaya
Pablo Cuadra/WireImage/Getty Images

Tom Holland Just Confirmed The Months-Long Rumors That He And Zendaya Got Married—And His Comments Have Fans Swooning

American actor and singer Zendaya and British actor and dancer Tom Holland first met in 2016 during the screen test and casting process for their roles in the 2017 Marvel made/Sony approved movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. The pair, both born in 1996, were successful child actors transitioning into adults, but still playing teens on camera.

They became fast friends, but didn't begin dating until sometime later, even if fans thought the attraction happened much sooner. They finally confirmed their relationship in 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less
Billy Porter; Elisabeth Hasselbeck
CBS Mornings

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Is Getting Some Major Side-Eye After Making Bizarre Dig At Billy Porter During Interview

Conservative TV host Elisabeth Hasselbeck first gained public notice in 2001 as a contestant on the second season of the CBS reality show Survivor, then she furthered her fame by marrying NFL player Tim Hasselbeck the following year.

After that, she became the conservative voice on The View for a decade (2003-2013), frequently clashing with her co-hosts and garnering animosity from viewers. Portraying herself as a trad-wife while in reality being a working mother, her next stint was on Fox News' Fox & Friends from 2013 to 2015 before being replaced by Sean Hannity paramour Ainsley Earhardt.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of JD Vance and Whoopi Goldberg
Fox News; The View

JD Vance Ripped After Running To Fox News To Whine About Whoopi Goldberg Supposedly Calling Him 'Racist' On 'The View'

Vice President JD Vance was criticized after he complained on Fox News that The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg had called him a "racist" during his appearance on the program.

While on The View, Vance sidestepped a question from Goldberg about concerns that the Trump administration was marginalizing Black history and communities.

Keep ReadingShow less