They do not climb into someone else’s monastery with their own charter, so travelers need to put up with the laws of other countries, no matter how unusual or even stupid they may seem. Of course, if the tourist does not collect troubles on his fifth point.
1. Prohibition of eating and drinking in public places in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
During the holy fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims around the world, it is forbidden to eat and drink in public places in these two Islamic countries. This applies not only to the faithful, but also to the guests of the country. Probably so as not to tempt the locals by eating hamburgers under a cool coke.
This law is not formal. The latest precedent, known from the press, occurred with three tourists from Europe drinking juice in full view of everyone in the center of Dubai. The violators were fined $275 for this trifle. Each.
2. Nudism for the elite in Italy
If you think that the law is the same for everyone, then you have no place on the beaches of Palermo. The laws of this Italian resort city prohibit sunbathing and swimming naked, but not for everyone. The ban applies only to men and ugly women.
All ladies who consider themselves attractive and fit can be completely naked in the coastal area. From our point of view, the law pushes law enforcement officers to abuse, since there are no exact criteria for female beauty, but, as you know, for taste and color…
3. The ban on mobile phones in Cuba
Despite the fact that the ban on the use of mobile communications on Liberty Island was abolished back in 2008, after the death of Fidel Castro, we decided to cite it as an example of one of the strange rules, non-compliance with which could lead to serious consequences.
In Cuba, only government officials and representatives of large companies with the appropriate permission could use mobile phones, as well as the Internet. The law applied exclusively to residents of Liberty Island, and tourists could not comply with it. But a Cuban who was caught with a banned gadget risked going to jail.
4. EMO is banned in Russia
Today, representatives of the EMO youth subculture are found mainly in jokes, but in 2007-2008, sad young people in black clothes and with long bangs could be found in any city of the Russian Federation.
Due to the fact that EMO propagandized depressive ideas and suicidal thoughts, the dissemination of their ideology was prohibited in Russia at the legislative level in 2008. EMO themselves, of course, were not thrown behind bars, but the distribution of content related to them on the Internet was significantly limited.
5. There is a ban on dirty cars in Russia
More precisely, the law prohibits having contaminated license plates. Russians can drive cars completely covered with dust or clay, but not in the area of the license plate. In this case, the driver may fall under the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation, Article 12.2.
The law sounds strange only to avid pedestrians, because any driver knows that a dirty sign is simply invisible on security cameras. The owner of a vehicle with an indistinguishable license plate is not vulnerable to traffic patrols.
6. The ban on reincarnation in China
If you went to And during your visit to this wonderful country, you needed to go through a cycle of rebirth, then you know that you are breaking the law. In China, reincarnation and similar Buddhist tricks are seriously prohibited.
This ban is connected with the desire of the Chinese authorities to limit as much as possible the influence of the Dalai Lama on the population of Tibet, which was once squeezed out of him. In Beijing, there are serious fears that the Dalai Lama, who is already 70 years old, will be able to be reborn in his homeland after his death and thereby bring confusion into the hearts of millions of Buddhists. There are many believers in the country who are not enthusiastic about the entry of Tibet into China and, moreover, from the forced exodus of the highest clergy from Lhasa.
7. The ban on stepping on banknotes in Thailand
In Thailand, it is forbidden to step on the banknotes of the country. This is justified by the fact that trampling on banknotes, a person tramples on the image of the king of this country, which, without any doubt, is disrespectful to the monarch.
Any disrespect to the King in In Thailand, it is punishable by imprisonment, the duration of which depends on the severity of the crime and whether it was committed for the first time or repeatedly.
8. Pigeon feeding in Italy
If you are heading to Italy and do not want unnecessary problems, do not feed pigeons in this country in any case. The law, adopted on April 30, 2008, prohibits such care of birds and threatens violators with serious fines.
For a loaf thrown to pigeons, you can pay a fine, the amount of which can reach 500 euros. The ban on feeding birds has two goals at once: reducing the amount of litter on the streets and especially on cultural monuments and limiting contact with pigeons, which can carry infections dangerous to humans.
9. Ban on computer games in Greece
Greece, as you know, has everything. Including ridiculous laws. Since 2002, it has been officially forbidden to play computer games in the country. In general, they planned to ban only gambling and slot machines, but they could not give a clear definition of entertainment harmful to the Greeks and, just in case, banned all games on computers.
Fortunately, for gamers, despite the fact that the law is in force, no one checks its implementation, and residents of the country quietly play whatever they like.
10. Ban on teleportation in China
No, the Chinese are not crazy and do not catch fellow citizens who can teleport, like sparrows under Grandfather Mao. The ban concerns the depiction of the teleportation process in cinema, theater and fine arts.
The topic of teleportation and time travel is incredibly popular in China, but the authorities believe that they are unscientific and harmful to the citizens of the country. Teleportation contributes to the spread of superstitions, as well as ideas of reincarnation, which, as we wrote above, is illegal in China.
English 
Russian 
German 
Polish