As we travel the world we accumulate experience, meaningful memories, and in the process, we also expand our knowledge of the world. The latter is the reason that drives many people to travel the world as they have an immense thirst for knowledge that needs to be quenched. Something that is undoubtedly good for most of us, as it invites us to seek new experiences and emotions and makes us more than just tourists.
But whether you are planning your next trip or dreaming of traveling the world, the following fun facts are sure to satisfy your desire to learn and inspire you to seek out and see new destinations.
The fashion behind the Swiss Guard
With approximately 110 soldiers, the Swiss Guard is the smallest professional army in the world. However, one of the most striking and picturesque fun facts that we will find about the Swiss Guard is their uniforms since, this military body in charge of the security of the Vatican City State since 1506, has an unmistakable uniform of red, blue, and yellow stripes.
The most curious thing is that this uniform is considered one of the oldest military clothing, but it is also believed to be inspired by Raphael’s frescoes, who was a famous Italian painter and architect of the Renaissance period. So we could say when we see it that it is a true work of art.
The longest city name in the world
Year after year when traveling around the world, approximately 20 million people choose the city of Bangkok in Thailand as their destination. However, many of the people who visit this city do not know its real name since the city we all know as Bangkok is known to the Thais as Krung Thep.
But this is not the official name of the city, but a shortened version of the full ceremonial name, which in Thai is as follows:
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
With such a long name it is logical that it has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest city name in the world. Although it seems like a tongue twister and is quite difficult to remember, many Thais know it by heart, although if you travel to Thailand you may just need to call it Krung Thep.
The longest country name in the world.
As with Bangkok, many countries are known by an unofficial name since in some cases the names are so long that acronyms are used to save time and space.
There are currently 195 countries and among them, the longest country name in the world belongs to the United Kingdom, whose official name in its original language is: “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” and has 56 characters.
The United Kingdom is made up of the island of Great Britain and the northernmost region of the island of Ireland. Although the United Kingdom is a state, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are also considered countries.
Great views from space
Traveling the world allows us to appreciate up close the beauty and majesty of many monuments and natural wonders, but what surely many of us do not know is that there is a long list of monuments and tourist places that can be observed from space. Among the monuments and areas to highlight we have the great Pyramids of Giza, the greenhouses of Almeria, the Niepołomice Forest, the glaciers of Patagonia, the Rocky Mountain, or the Lake of the Bear.
A special mention deserves the Great Barrier Reef which is the only living structure that can be seen from outer space, which is possibly not strange to anyone considering that it extends for more than 2,000 km along the northeast coast of Australia. But despite its size, what makes it visible from space is the white calcium carbonate that coats the coral and is able to reflect light.
However, contrary to popular belief, the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space.
Gambling in Monaco
If you like to travel the world you will surely come across some strange prohibitions. For example, the grand casino in Monte Carlo is one of the most famous in the world and one of the most emblematic of the principality of Monaco. However, despite being one of its main attractions and sources of income, what is strange is that the citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble. Although they can currently enjoy the luxuries of the casino such as its theater or opera.
This is because it is illegal for them and only foreigners are allowed. The law dates back to 1860 and was enacted by Prince Charles III, who was concerned that his subjects would lose all their money gambling, but it also sought to attract visitors and boost the area’s economy. The good thing about this law is that it does not apply to more than 80% of the population, as foreign citizens residing in Monaco are exempt.
The world’s busiest cruise port
For those who decide to travel the world by cruise, everything begins and ends at a port. What very few people know is that when it comes to cruise ports, the PortMiami holds the record as the busiest cruise port in the world.
A well-earned title, if we consider that approximately 4.8 million cruise passengers travel through its facilities each year. Although it is probably not strange if we take into account that its seven cruise terminals are among the most modern in the world, but it also has 18 cruise lines sailing a total of 42 ships, all of which are destined for popular ports in the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the exotic Far East.
Our planet is a huge place and these are just some fun facts that we have collected, but they are not the only ones. In the second part of this article we will know other equally interesting facts that will surely inspire you to travel the world. So we invite you to stay tuned to discover them.
ALFA