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Editorial

Weird Signs Spotted While Traveling

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Traveling can change your perspective on life. While traveling alone, when there is no one to talk to, I seem to be more observant. After years of seeing strange things while traveling, legal and illegal, one interesting observation is there are a lot of weird travel signs in the world. I want to show some of the weird travel signs that I found.

Weird Travel Signs Spotted

Weird Travel Signs

The Angry Sign

I like this sign. Maybe I should wear a badge or have a sign when I am in a bad mood or feel angry, then people would know not to mess with me. Because when I am angry, I don’t want to get into it with anyone. Wouldn’t it be nice, if we knew who was angry before we had to deal with them? Maybe we all should wear our “I am so Angry sign to give others a fighting chance.

How about this Weird Signs Spotted While Traveling

Next, let’s head to the Middle East. I have spent a lot of time traveling alone there. Here is one from Dubai, it’s completely unclear to me what they mean. What the heck does it mean? Seems to be a translation issue, I guess?

Seems to be lost in translation, a communication issue, I guess?

Men Parking sign, weird travel signs

Weird sign – the award for the worst translations

Weird Travel Signs Spotted While Eating

While I was eating in a parking lot near Chick-fil-a, I spotted this sign. This weird travel sign actually covers a city block even though it is really not too big. How unfriendly! This club opens after chic-fil-a is closed. Why not be a good neighbor while the club is closed and let people park in the empty lot? If they let the neighbor’s customers park here, it would be eco-friendly.

No instead this merchant thinks this is good business

Weird Travel Signs

A little background about my home, King County, Washington, is the place where the no smoking movement started. It’s also the place where Malls began. Malls sprang up here because of rain. Still today, Malls provide a way to connect a large selection of shops while keeping the customer out of the elements. Fab idea, but the original concept may be a thing of the past. Malls nowadays, build a community and reason to go there. Online shopping has made Malls a thing of the past. There are some weird signs in Malls too many to show.

We also started the trend of wearing socks with sandals. Not all Washington trends are great.

Haven’t found too many weird signs in King County, Washington, but, how about my second home Alexandria VA?

Here is one that marks the states, not really weird but unique.

Weird Signs Spotted While Traveling

Weird Travel Signs Spotted in England

Sometimes signs aren’t so much weird as they are “a once in a lifetime moment.” I think this photo was taken in 2010 so; I have been noticing strange travel signs for a while now. But, before England went smokeless, it was a dreadful place to eat. Everyone smoked, and food had no taste when smoking was allowed in restaurants.

Bars were even worse! I once went to a pub when smoking was allowed indoors and couldn’t order. Everything reeked of smoke. Now, some places allow outdoor smoking, but, even outdoors is awful to the non-smoker.

No Smoking Sign

Weird Travel Signs London England

Weird Travel Signs Spotted Excludes a Group

I can’t imagine this sign posting this sign. Imagine it saying, no gays, or no Asians, Americans or Blacks people? Or how about if no money, don’t come in to my business. Lordy, what is the world coming to when a hippie, bikers, or motorcycle gangs can’t visit a bar at a seaside beach town. This sign found in Cornwall is maybe a joke. Hippies use the back door, or they aren’t welcome because no respectable person lets them in the front door?

Really? How does this place stay open? It wouldn’t be possible in the USA; the business would get sued.

Weird Travel Signs

Weird Travel Signs Spotted at an Entrance

Weird Travel Signs

Weird Travel Signs Spotted While Hiking

This is a useful sign. Not! What the heck is it supposed to say? I have no idea what is about to happen. I can’t translate this sign for the life of me. It sure didn’t give me any advice, warning or information.

Weird Travel Signs

Whoever is getting their mail on a hiking trail on top of a mountain has to be a unique person. This mailbox is a sign that says it all. It’s also the name of the hiking location, make a guess what the destination is? I think it also says,

“I would rather be here, hiking, than anywhere else.”

Weird Travel Signs

Weird Travel Signs Poetry for Hiking

Here is a Robert Frost poem strategically placed to glorify this hiking trail. A poem framed in the woods isn’t what I was expecting, so it made my weird sign list.

This weird sign and a poem state the obvious, written by one of our greatest American poets. It captures the beauty of snow and this hike. I think I am back where I started, like the first one, “I am so angry I made a sign.” Only this one is saying the opposite. It says I am Happy, I love this place. It is beautiful; the sign cries out the beauty. The sign remains and reminds everyone; this is a spot to admire.

Take a moment and enjoy the view. Savour the moment.

Weird Travel Signs

Afterflakes

In the thick of a teeming snowfall
I saw my shadow on snow.
I turned and looked back up at the sky,
Where we still look to ask the why
Of everything below.

If I shed such darkness,
If the reason was in me,
That shadow of mine should show in form
Against the shapeless shadow of storm,
How swarthy I must be.

I turned and looked back upward.
The whole sky was blue;
And the thick flakes floating at a pause
Were but frost knots on an airy gauze,
With the sun shining through.

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Need advice traveling alone at any stage of life or with a parent? Try these for some practical travel tips and travel advice.


Traveling with a Parent as an Adult

Smart Tips for Traveling Alone

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Kate started traveling for work. Now with grown children, who are travelers, she travels for pleasure looking for great travel experiences. Currently, her home is in Bellevue, WA, and lives with her cat Angelina Jolie. She has a Bachelor's of Fine Arts, Studio Arts and Art History from the University of Colorado, and from City University, Seattle, an MBA and Master of Arts, Management. Her favorite things are exploring cultures, traveling the world, creating a painting and sour foods.