Snowy roads in the Netherlands may be smelling sweet this winter

There seems to be a major salt shortage in the Netherlands this winter. According to Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the country normally uses about 70,000 tons of salt to de-ice the roads each winter. So far this year, over 100,000 tons have already been spread on icy roads around the country. If the temps don’t warm up fast, the Netherlands could run out of road salt.

To combat the shortage, some cities are using sand, which doesn’t work as well and is not good for the roads. But at least one town has gotten a little more creative. The town of Etten-Leur has spread 18 tons of scented bath salts on its roads in an effort to keep them ice-free.

So, if you find yourself driving in the Netherlands, you may notice the roads smelling a little sweeter than normal. According to the news report, the “coloured bath salts smell of lavender, green tea and mango.”%Gallery-79319%

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Where’s all the change in Argentina?

I hate coins. They’re a pain to carry around and I always end up dropping them all over the place while I fiddle to put bills back into my wallet. Yet I do realize they serve a purpose – any time I’m cursing myself for running out of quarters at the laundromat I’m reminded of this fact.

The citizens are Argentina have a love/hate relationship with their coins as well. Though the country recovered remarkably well from an economic meltdown in 2001, recently Argentines have been experiencing a severe shortage of proper change at many banks and local businesses. At many stores, merchants will flat-out refuse customer business unless they have correct change, displaying signs that read “No hay monedas.” Taxi drivers routinely flaunt the metered fare, accepting less money for their route or resorting to overcharging customers.

What’s a visitor to Argentina to do about it all? Locals recommend anyone hoping to take a taxi ensure they have small bills on them – you’re likely to get either a look of horror, or flat-out denial if you try to break anything bigger than a 20 peso note. The same goes for stores as well – be prepared to not get back the difference if it’s less than 5 or 10 centavos. And if you can, use a credit or debit card. Ultimately like many travel situations, a little patience goes a long way. This is after-all Argentina, one of the jewels of South America. You’re not going to let a little pocket change get you down, are you?

[Via Buzzfeed]

Indonesia facing alcohol shortage

Indonesia is not the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of drinking culture. Considering the country is the world’s most populous Muslim nation, a religion well-known for its temperance, visitors coming to Indonesia are probably not looking to get wasted as their first order of business.

But considering the increasingly modern fabric of this southeast Asian nation, it’s probably not surprising to discover that its citizens do happen to enjoy a tipple every now and then. Yet that is exactly the problem these days – in the country’s capital of Jakarta and in tourist hot spots like Bali, they’ve been experiencing a chronic shortage of alcohol – a problem that has been affecting Indonesians and tourists nationwide.

According to a recent article from the BBC, a recent anti-corruption drive has left the typically thriving market in black market liquor sales bone dry. leaving only a single licensed distributor to deal with an onslaught of demand nationwide.. Locals have argued that the problems caused by the shortage have been limited largely to international hotels and tourist regions like Bali – locations where foreigners tend to congregate.

So what then, some might say, if some drunk tourist can’t grab their tumbler of Glenlivet in a Muslim country? They should be respecting the norms of the culture they’re visiting right? That’s not entirely the case – many hotel managers argue that the ban has affected ordinary Indonesian citizens as well, who are having trouble enjoying a drink at their favorite nightspots as well.

It’s an interesting contradiction in a country facing the conflicting forces of traditional muslim culture and modernization. Perhaps, in fact, the type of open free-flowing discussion that can only happen over a good drink. Here’s hoping the citizens and tourists of Indonesia can work this one out like adults.


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