Are Cube-Shaped Watermelons Real? And 9 Other World Curiosities
Some places, animals and customs seem made up, but they really exist. Here are ten curiosities from around the world, from a fruit banned on the subway to a bridge built just for crabs.
Cube-shaped watermelons, a cheese with maggots and a banned fruit
In Japan, farmers grow cube-shaped watermelons. They do it by placing the fruit in clear boxes while it's still small, so it takes on that shape as it grows. These aren't like the watermelons you slice up in summer: they're almost never eaten. They're sold as decorations, at luxury prices.
Sardinia is home to casu marzu, a very unusual cheese. It's traditionally eaten with live fly larvae inside.
On Singapore's subway, there's a sign listing several prohibitions. Smoking and eating aren't allowed. Neither is bringing in durian, a fruit with an extremely strong smell. If someone has one in their backpack, they can't get on.
A pink lake and a hotel made of salt
Lake Hillier is in Australia. Its water is bubblegum pink. On the other side of a narrow strip of sand and trees, you can see the blue of the ocean. Both colors fit in the same photo.
Next to the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia, there's a hotel built from blocks of salt. The walls, the tables, the chairs and even the bed bases are made of salt.
The okapi and the shoebill, two surprising animals
The okapi has striped legs, like a zebra. It lives in the Congo rainforest. Hard as it may be to believe, its closest relative is the giraffe.
The shoebill is an African bird. It has a huge, clog-shaped bill. It can also stand perfectly still, like a statue, for a very long time.
Trains that run through a market and through a building
At the Maeklong market in Thailand, the railway tracks run right through the stalls. When the warning sounds, vendors pull back their awnings. The train passes just inches from the fruit and fish. As soon as it moves on, everything goes back in place.
In Chongqing, China, the metro doesn't go around an apartment block: it goes straight through it. The station is inside the building itself, with apartments above and below the platforms.
The red crab migration on Christmas Island
Every year on Christmas Island, millions of red crabs make their way down to the sea. Along the way, they cover everything: roads, gardens, stairs and doorways.
To help them get through, the island closes off streets. A bridge has also been built just for them, crossing over the road.
Frequently asked questions
How are cube-shaped watermelons made?
In Japan, they're placed in clear boxes while still small, so they grow into a cube shape. They're almost never eaten: they're sold as decorations, at luxury prices.
Why can't you bring durian onto the Singapore subway?
Because it's a fruit with an extremely strong smell. It's banned on the subway, just like smoking or eating.
What is the okapi's closest relative?
The giraffe, even though the okapi has striped legs like a zebra.
What does Christmas Island do when the red crabs migrate?
Streets are closed off to let them pass. A bridge has also been built exclusively for them, over the road.
Informative article written with the help of AI tools from the verified script of the video. The video is in Spanish.