15 Super-Cool Things In Other Countries That Americans Might Not Even Know Exist
I need a cheese vending machine in my life.
1. Grocery stores dedicated entirely to frozen foods.
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In the US, you might skip the frozen-food aisle, but in France, they embrace it. So much so that they have an entire grocery store, Picard, dedicated to all things flavorful and frozen. You can find standard US freezer staples — veggies, ice cream, pizza — but they also sell pre-prepped ingredients (minced ginger, beurre blanc sauce, chopped garlic) and extravagant meals, like duck confit with sliced potatoes sautéed in duck fat, and a citrus, shrimp, and artichoke appetizer served in a delicate verrine (tiny cup) that's party-ready.
Check out: 21 Weird French Food Habits That Always Surprise Americans
2. Bottled drinks that are kept warm 24/7.
You'll almost always find a fridge of cold drinks at US grocery stores and gas stations, but in Japan, shops also have a hot-drink section that's stocked with warm grab-and-go bottles of coffee and tea. And if making your way to one of the country's many 7-Elevens isn't on the cards, you'll also find perfectly warmed drinks in the nearest vending machine.
Check out: Here's What Japanese Convenience Stores Are Like Inside (Spoiler: They're Amazing)
3. A highway network that's built for bicycles.
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For almost a decade, Denmark has been working on a network of highways built specifically for cyclists. When finished, the Supercykelstier (or "cycle superhighway") will include 45 highways that travel through and around Copenhagen, complete with safer intersections, air pumps, and traffic lights timed just for cyclists.
4. And public share bikes that have built-in navigation systems so you can easily find your way around.
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If there was any doubt that Copenhagen is the ultimate bike-friendly city, here's proof: Each bike in their public electric bike share system, Bycyklen, comes with a touchscreen tablet to help you navigate your way around. You can also use the onboard tablet for payment, which is surprisingly low — 0.67 Danish krone (around 11 cents) per minute.
Check out: 16 Public Transport Systems That Are Living In The Future
5. Stoplights on the ground at pedestrian crossings.
Nieuw soort stoplicht speciaal voor de smartphonegebruiker, Bodegraven heeft de primeur https://t.co/RKLB0uUrei
One town in the Netherlands installed lights in the sidewalk that change colors with the traffic light. The goal? To let walkers looking down at their phones know when it is — and isn't — safe to cross the road. A similar experiment has also been tried in Germany and Singapore.
6. Crosswalks where the elderly or people with disabilities can tap an ID card to request more time to cross the street.
At some Singapore intersections you can swipe your Senior’s Card and the crossing light will stay green for a little longer, giving you extra time to reach the other side of the road. I find this very touching.
In Singapore, senior citizens and people with disabilities can tap their concession cards to request more time (up to 13 seconds) to cross the road.
Check out: 21 Things Singapore Has That'll Make You Say, "Why Isn't This Everywhere?"
7. Public drinking fountains with sparkling water.
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Perrier may have been born in the south of France, but in Paris, you don't have to spring for a fancy bottle to enjoy carbonated mineral water. Throughout the city, you'll find sparkling-water fountains where you can drink to your heart's content — without paying a cent.
8. Price tags that reflect the *true* cost — after taxes.
You know what would be cool? Actually seeing how much an item is going to cost before you get to the register (without having to do some serious mental math). When you're tight on cash, that extra 5%–9% in sales tax can put something you thought was affordable over your budget. In many places around the world, like Europe and Australia, the number you see on a price tag is the final cost — tax included.
9. Cheese vending machines.
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The folks in Europe love their cheese (and I don't blame them), so it makes sense that they've set up a way to make it available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These handy dairy-dispensing vending machines can be found doling out cheesy goodness in European countries like Switzerland and Germany, as well as Russia.
Check out: 21 Vending Machines From Around The World That Are Already Living In 3018
10. Next-level toilets.
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In the US, a toilet is a simple porcelain bowl with a roll of TP nearby, but in many countries around the world, the bathroom experience is much more...advanced. A stand-alone bidet (for washing down below) accompanies almost every toilet in places like Italy and Buenos Aires. In much of Asia, a bidet shower is attached to the toilet. And in Japan, the system is taken up a notch with toilet seats that have built-in bidets, seat warmers, and even drying features.
11. Recycling bins that dispense food for stray cats and dogs.
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Pugedon, a social responsibility project in Turkey, designed a vending machine of sorts that rewards the environmentally conscious with food for stray animals. Feeding a homeless dog while recycling your Uludağ mineral water is a win-win, as far as I'm concerned.
12. Free Wi-Fi across most of the country.
In Estonia, internet access is thought to be a human right, so to ensure that no one goes without, the country offers speedy complimentary Wi-Fi in most public places. Not only is it great for locals, but it also means that travelers don't have to worry about buying a SIM card or holing up in a café to get directions to Toompea Castle.
13. And public trash cans that double as Wi-Fi hotspots.
A couple of years ago, Singapore started trialing solar-powered "smart bins" that offer visitors and locals a place to drop their trash and connect to the internet — for free — within 30 meters (around 98 feet).
14. Restaurants that let you order your meal from a vending machine.
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Instead of having you order at the counter or with a server, some restaurants in Japan have you select and pay for your meal from a vending machine outside. Once you’ve made your purchase, the machine gives you a ticket, which you then give to the host or chef. The process makes things fast and easy, and you can't help feeling as if you're living in a futuristic, sci-fi world.
Check out: 17 Pictures From Japan That Will Make You Say, "That Is SMART"
15. Money that's durable AND easy to distinguish.
There's nothing worse than getting to the register and realizing your $20 bill is ripped down the middle — but that's what happens when your cash is made primarily of cotton. However, over 30 countries around the world use polymer banknotes, which are made from plastic. Not only are they prettier than US money, IMO, but they also last two and a half times longer.
Check out: 25 Beautiful Banknotes That Make The US Dollar Look Like Trash
Know of some things I missed? Let me know in the comments!
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