An online friend of mine from the Philippines recently told me this story. In his country, it is common to see street vendors with hand-drawn carts selling fried processed fish or squid balls, especially near schools. I don’t know how they stand eating that stuff! Anyway, the food was skewered on small wooden sticks. Times are hard over there, so some vendors would pick up the sticks tossed away by the children and actually re-use them.

The fact disgusted him, but he could see why they did it. Profit was very small for such a vendor, barely feeding him for the day.

This particular day, he saw a vendor picking up the discarded sticks. Making a face, he strode over to the man and tapped his shoulder. He asked the man what he was doing.

The older, poorer man smiled and replied that the local parish priest disliked the trash, and he was cleaning up after the people that did not bother to throw them away in the right place. Needless to say, my friend was stunned…and humbled.

He was taught a valuable lesson that day. Don’t assume the worst of people. There are still decent ones in this world, ones that can teach you valuable life lessons like my friend was taught.

Ahhh..the wonders of a vacation. There’s nothing like it to cure a weary heart, refresh a stressed-out mind and rejuvenate a tired and aching body. Here, I’ve compiled the 5 places I would love to fly to for a quick getaway, but mind you, I didn’t choose these places only because of the lovely scenery, friendly locals, budget friendly prices and all that, but rather, I considered them for their err… rather interesting signs, products, posters and what have you. A little confused as to what I’m getting at, read on and you’ll see what I mean!

1. First up, we have Mexico! The fact that it’s just across the border makes it a highly convenient vacation spot. The weather is always tropically sunny. The food is not only great but cheap too! And it must be mentioned that it is the land of tequila. Now, added with the possibility of staying in this heavenly Mexican retreat , who could say no?! Another good thing about going to Mexico, as this sign wonderfully illustrates are the unbeatable helpfulness of the locals, especially the local security guards…

2. Who doesn’t love wonderful Asia, especially Japan.

The Japanese have always been known for their wonderful hospitality, their exotic Geisha , and for their advanced and quirky products, as seen here:

3. Since we’re already in Asia, it wouldn’t make sense if we didn’t make a stop in China. China today is vastly different from the China of ten, maybe fifteen years ago. It’s modern, with tall skyscrapers and luxury cars, and yet, some of the great old world sights still remain like the great wall, and the terracotta army. Unknown to many, Chinese restaurants are very concerned about their customers, as this sign says:

It’s such a nice way to say go away, right? :D4. Next, let’s go see the exciting Down Under which is Australia. This tourism video shows the variety of places to go, animals to see and things to do there:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TebeNC-_VjA]Besides that though, the true beauty and wonder of this country lies in signs like these:

5. My last stop would be the Philippines. I’ve heard so much about the beautiful Boracay Island from friends and family who have managed to make it down there. The sand is said to be so white and powdery, unlike any other beach in the world.The sunsets too are breathtaking.Another thing the Philippines is known for is their unique cuisine. They’re famous for their balut or duck eggs with duck fetuses on them. It doesn’t really sound appetizing. But what are your thoughts on this menu, also from the Philippines:

Care for some babyrages, maam? :pThe world is so full of wonderful sights to see, and just when you least expect it, its always ready to surprise you with a couple of good laughs too!Hope you found the signs as entertaining as I did.:)