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
Make us preferred on Google

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

Todd Rundgren; Taylor Swift
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

'70s Rock Star Sparks Heated Debate After Claiming That Taylor Swift Has 'Ruined Music'

Taylor Swift's new extended album The Life of a Showgirl: Encore has been even more poorly received than the original version last year, and you can count Todd Rundgren among those who aren't impressed.

Who the heck is that? The 78-year-old rocker had a slew of hits in the 1970s, including "Hello It's Me" and "I Saw The Light," and also produced some of the most important rock albums of the era.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Penny Lee during MS NOW interview
MS NOW

MAGA Voter Sounds Off About Her Regret Over Voting For Trump In Blistering Viral Interview: 'I'm Pissed'

Penny Lee, a Florida woman who voted for President Donald Trump, admitted to a reporter with MS NOW that she regrets voting for him and says that the Trump administration has run the country "into the ground."

Lee spoke to the press at a gas station in the town of Clewiston and her remarks highlight the stress many Americans are living with as a nationwide affordability crisis continues unabated.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ken Paxton; Donald Trump
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images

Ken Paxton Privately Admits GOP Candidates' Numbers 'Dropped' Due To Trump's Midterm Convention In Leaked Audio

Texas attorney general and U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton privately admitted in a newly-leaked audio clip that "everybody's numbers dropped" after the Republican midterm convention where President Donald Trump appeared last month.

Trump spoke for nearly two hours that night, with his address airing live on Fox News as well as the Nielsen-rated cable networks Newsmax and NewsNation. Trump promised a "Trump dividend" of $5000 to every adult if Republicans win both chambers of Congress, asked his supporters to do him “the biggest favor” and “pretend” they are voting for him in November.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jack Smith; Eric Schmitt
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Video Proves Jack Smith Was At Iowa Hawkeyes Game And Not In Atlanta After MAGA Senator's Epic 'Gotcha' Blunder

Former special counsel Jack Smith was indeed, as he told Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt during a contentious hearing, at an Iowa Hawkeyes game in 2024, per video proof making the rounds following Schmitt's viral blunder.

On Tuesday, Schmitt accused Smith of perjury after repeatedly questioning him about whether he had attended an NBA game in Atlanta on February 3, 2024. The Atlanta Hawks hosted the Golden State Warriors that evening.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy went viral after STAB Rescue sought two moms for the lovable rescue dog.
STAB Rescue/Facebook

Rescue Dog Has Hilarious 'Response' After Homophobes Melt Down Over His Request To Be Adopted By Lesbians

Somewhere out there is a lesbian couple with 14 throw blankets, an oat milk habit, a Subaru in the driveway, and room in their hearts for one very opinionated rescue dog.

Congratulations, lesbians. It’s a boy.

Keep ReadingShow less