Have you ever gone on vacation and seen a building that’s just too bizarre to comprehend? I’m not talking about the Leaning Tower of Pisa, although that’s a bit out of whack. No, I’m talking about buildings so far-fetched that you can’t help but wonder about the architect responsible for creating them.

Take a look to see what I mean …

#7: Edificio Mirador apartments, Spain

Incredible Pictures

The Mirador Apartments in Spain are made up of 156 apartments in twenty-one floors with a massive rectangular opening that stands nearly thirty-seven metres above the ground! The opening features a garden for tenants to enjoy, and the colours are certainly intriguing — black, orange and grey can be seen throughout the building’s exterior in a unique display of beauty and curiosity.

#6: Turning Torso Tower, Malmo, Sweden

torsotower.com

The tallest building in Scandinavia, construction of the Turning Torso Tower began in the summer of 2001. It is a surreal building to see, one that twists and turns the mind’s eye. Officially open to the public on August 27, 2005, the tower stands 54 stories tall.

#5: Cubic Houses, Amsterdam, Holland

Cubic Houses (Kubus woningen)

Built in Rotterdam and Helmond in The Netherlands, this funky design aims to make each house appear as a tree, with the neighbourhood adding up to a “forest” of sorts. With a ground floor entrance, three full floors, and nearly 100 square metres of space per home, these angled rooftops are nothing you’ve ever seen!

#4: The Longaberger Company Building, Ohio

Longaberger Company

You got it – this is the actual headquarters building of The Longaberger Company! Can you imagine coming in to work each day to this giant straw basket? This family-operated company is in Newark, Ohio–they produce specialty foods, pottery and other goods. Opened in 1997, this seven-story masterpiece is a whopping 180,000 square feet in size!

#3: Ferdinand Cheval Palace or “Ideal Palace,” France

Ferdinand Cheval

Ferdinand Cheval was a man of immense passion when it came to art, and he devoted more than three decades to the creation of his ideal palace. In 1969 the palace was classified as a historical monument in France. Open to the public during most of the year, this is truly a sight to behold. Creativity comes in droves when one surveys the nooks and crannies that shape this abstract and artistic palace.

#2: Crooked House, Sopot, Poland

Crooked House

Built in 2003 in downtown Sopot, Poland, this building is one that will tease your senses, almost making you think the structure is severely distressed and about to crack! Three stories in height, the building has become one of the most photographed structures in the entire country! Whoa – anyone else feeling sea-sick?

#1: Shoe house, Hellam, Pennsylvania

Shoe House

Built in 1948, The Shoe House stands to nearly fifty feet in length, just under eighteen feet in width, and twenty-five feet in height. If you can imagine it, this shoe has five levels inside that include several bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen and living room to boot (pardon the pun)! There is a gift shop that sells items like shoe lamps with windows that light up in the night. Very cool!

What kind of wacky structures have you seen on vacation?

Have you ever experienced that awkward moment when you meet someone new and you reach out to shake their hand and get pulled in for a cheek-to-cheek air kiss? Will it be a one-cheek kiss, both cheeks, once, twice, how many times? Ladies,how often has a man kissed your hand when introduced? Did you ever kiss a frog in the hopes it’d turn into a handsome prince?

There are so many kissing customs from around the world, not to mention the many fairy tales we learn as children. As it’s Valentine’s Day Eve, I thought today would be a great  day to explore some of these kissing customs. Just in case you’re planning a romantic getaway this weekend, this will help prepare you for any unexpected smooches.

1. Instead of kissing on the lips, Eskimos, Polynesians and Malaysians rub noses.
2. In some countries, men will kiss a woman’s hand when saying hello or goodbye.
3. Victorian etiquette required a man to kiss the back of a ladies hand.
4. African tribes show respect to their Chief by kissing the ground where he has walked.
5. In Ireland, it is believed that you will have good luck if you kiss the Blarney Stone.
6. It is illegal in Indiana for a man with a mustache to “habitually kiss human beings.” (Really?)
7. In Hartford, Connecticut it’s illegal for a husband to kiss his wife on Sunday.
8. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it’s a crime to kiss a stranger.
9. The air-kiss, or cheek-kiss, is most commonly found in Europe.
10. People often associate the French kiss with France due to their flirty nature.
11. In Spain, people always air-kiss twice, starting with the right cheek. Men, on the other hand, always shake hands instead.
12. The air-kiss is also popular in Italy (although, not North Italy), but starts on the left side, and only when happens among those who know each other.
13. In Germany, people tend to avoid kissing altogether. Germans prefer to shake hands if they don’t know each other, or hug if they’re friends.
14. In Belgium, people just give each other the one ‘air kiss’ – yep men too! – but they don’t shake hands in social setting, only in business matters, because it is considered too formal.
15. In the US, the men tend to shake hands while women usually greet with a kiss on one or both cheeks, along with a hug.
16. In South Africa, men will kiss women they know on the cheek, but just shake hands with strangers.
17. Greeting with a kiss is somewhat new in Japan and China, as kissing was only every considered necessary during romantic moments, and was not to be done in public.
18. Kissing in public in India is most definitely frowned upon.

So there you have it, 18 kissing customs to help you meet and greet according to the proper etiquette of each destination. If you have a funny story about kissing customs or if you know of any other strange customs, please share them with us by leaving a comment below.

Happy Valentine’s Day!