Photo of the Day (2-25-09)

by Jamie Rhein on

Given that I’m from Kentucky, when “Kentucky” appears in a sign, I’m a sucker. If the sign is on an historic building in one of my favorite small U.S. cities, I’m even more intrigued. jrodmanjr took this shot in Lexington, home of Mary Todd Lincoln and Henry Clay. This is a city steeped in history and horse-racing. If you’re ever there, park downtown so you can stroll through the neighborhoods to take in the granduer of buildings that can remind you of wedding cakes. Although Donna the Buffalo has already come and gone, The Kentucky Theatre, opened in 1922, shows first run movies and various performances year-round.

If you have a photo that has you intrigued, send it our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool. It might be chosen as a Photo of the Day.

Taiwan’s road signs will make more sense next year

by Jamie Rhein on

When I lived in Taiwan, I normally didn’t have a clue where I was going. The signage was not particularly helpful. I didn’t read Chinese, and, outside of Taipei, that’s mostly what you saw. Even when there were signs in English, there was an inconsistency with how street names were spelled.

Ask people to spell a word phonetically, and you’ll see variation. In Taiwan, up until recently, there were various systems used to translate words from Chinese into English. Unless there are standardized rules that everyone adheres to, variety might remain the spice of life, but getting from here to there is problematic.

Recognizing that when visitors come to Taiwan, whether for business or pleasure, they have a desire to be able to find their way easily, Taiwan has officially adopted the “hanyu pinyin writing system” for translating Chinese to English. This Reuters article explains the details about how the government is publishing a spelling guide in order to redo road signs in order to reflect the consistency. The changes will start in 2009.

No longer will you see “Minquan Road,” “Minchuan Road,” “Binjiang Street,” and “Pin Chiang Street” on various signs for the exact same street. See what I mean? Wouldn’t that drive you a bit NUTS?!

(Although, as you can see from the Flickr photo by onkio & di’s, some signs in Taiwan do reflect the adage, “A picture speaks a thousand words.” At least the part about the car getting towed.)

10 hilarious bathroom signs

by Scott Carmichael on

The bathroom often seems to be a great source of amusement.

Different signs around the world are usually poorly translated, with pretty hilarious results. Other signs are just plain weird, or have been defaced by folks with a healthy combination of humor and boredom. I have collected 10 signs that grabbed my attention.

We can not allow you to use the bathroom!

Can’t find anywhere to pee? Blame the terrorists. Photo taken at the American embassy in Tokyo.Good old Engrish bathroom sign

It has separated! Don’t mistake!

Presented without comment…



Really, what could I possibly add to describe this fantastic Chinese bathroom sign?

Even Lego minifigs need to relieve themselves!

From the bathroom door at the Legoland Discovery Center


Wash those genitals!

Sure, it is probably (hopefully) a joke sign, but it made me chuckle.

Please use butt to flush!

Ahhhh…. Nothing says “fun” like some juvenile humor and a black marker….

Girl’s what?

Bad grammar is everywhere, but this sign is on the bathroom wall at a school!

Aliens do number 1 and 2, just like us!

This sign is found at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle, Washington.

It took me some time to figure this one out…

This sign is from a bathroom in Turkey, and no matter how often I look at it, I can’t figure out exactly what they are trying to tell me. It appears they are just trying to say that this is the way to the male and female bathrooms.

A lesson in hand washing

No offense, but if you work at this company and need a 6 step lesson on how to wash your hands, you might want to ask yourself whether you made the right career move.

Photo of the Day (6/26/08)

by Kent Wien on

If you are on the way to Essaouria, Morocco and you need to find a toilet, no problem. Could this sign be any more travel friendly? This shot by mce323 interests me for other reasons as well. See the man and the child in the background? Plus, there’s the coffee cup painted on the wall. What’s that about?

If you notice, the pink building has a crack in it. There are so many details that catch my eye. I’m also drawn in by the multiple textures. Don’t you know exactly how that wall would feel if you could reach in and touch it?

If you have an image of what you’ve seen in your travels, send it our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool. It might be chosen as Photo of the Day.

“There is no bond stronger than the leaf between trams.” Or something.

by Willy Volk on

Here’s what I know about this sign:

  • The photo was snapped in Brussles.
  • It was taken near a tram stop.
  • It makes no sense.

Here’s what I think it means:

  • There is no bond stronger than the leaf between trams.
  • When trams collide, their collision creates grapes.
  • Warning: birds with long, flowy wings can ride either tram.

Got something better?

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