10 Strangest Things Found In The Philippines Who said that Filipinos are just imitators? This statement cannot be farther from truth! Even though Philippines sport a good amount
of influence from the west and even from Korea, there is no reason to say that Philippines
has nothing original! Seems like you are still in doubt, are we
right? Okay people, let’s tell you about 10 strange
things that you will only find in Philippines and trust us, you’ll soon be packing your
bags to see them for yourself! Number 10. The Hobbit House
Manila is home to one of the weirdest themed restaurants in the world, The Hobbit House! Ideally speaking it is a good place to relax,
have a drink and get a bite to eat but bars are commonplace so what’s so special about
this one? As the name itself suggests, it is a Hobbit
themed bar but it’s not only about the decoration. Jim Turner opened the bar in 1973 as a way
to employ and help Manila’s little people be financially independent. Yep, the servers in the bar are little people
with a big heart! Ever seen something like this before? Number 9. The world’s largest pair of shoes
Even a model wouldn’t walk the runway in 16inch heels so guess who’s gonna wear these
shoes? Exactly, nobody! Measuring over 17 feet long and 8 feet wide,
these giant dress shoes could fit 30 normal feet inside of them. So no one person can wear them, right? Certified by Guinness in 2002, the creation
took a whopping 77 days to finish and cost over 2,000,000 Philippine Pesos. Even though these shoes aren’t the first
thing that will come to your mind at the mention of Philippines, they really are important
to Marikina, where they sit, grandly! Number 8. Public transport
One of the most popular means of transport in the Philippines is the Jeepney but what’s
so special about them? The fare is relatively cheap which might excite
prospective tourists who are listening to us but you gotta see the heavily crowded vehicle
which runs the streets without air conditioners so think twice before you step in. Forget this, you must hitch a ride on habal-habal
when you are traveling away from Manila and into Mindano. This is basically a motorcycle that carries
up to 10 passengers with their baggage. Shocked? The trick lies in the balancing and resourcefulness
of the drivers! Number 7. Black Nazarene
We are talking about a life-sized image of a dark-skinned, kneeling Jesus Christ carrying
the Cross en route to his crucifixion. It is enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the
Black Nazarene in the Quiapo district of the City of Manila. It is said to have been carved by an unknown
Mexican artist and brought to Philippines in 1606. The icon is renowned in the Philippines and
is considered by many Filipino Catholics to be miraculous; its mere touch reputed to cure
disease. The image is brought out of the shrine 3 times
a year for processions, seems like we’d have to coincide our holiday dates with that! Number 6. Sinarapan
The smallest food fish as mentioned in the Guinness Book of world Records is the sinarapan,
a species of fish in the goby family. This isn’t a thing you will find anywhere
and everywhere because hello, it is endemic to the Philippines, where it occurs along
the Bicol River and in Lakes Buhi. The fish grows up to 2.5 centimeters long
and is transparent with a few dark spots and black eyes. So while visiting Philippines, you know what
snack you can’t miss- it might be a once in a lifetime kinda thing! Number 5. Philippine Tarsier
One of the smallest primates known to mankind is the Philippine tarsier which measures only
about 85 to 160 mm and weigh less than 5oz. And yes, it is endemic to Philippines as the
name might have suggested already! The Philippine tarsier's eyes are fixed in
its skull; they cannot move in their sockets. Instead, a special adaptation in the neck
allows its round head to be rotated 180°. The most interesting thing is that even though
many people believe them to be mini monkeys, they are more closely related to lemurs! Number 4. Weird delicacies
Most people will be shocked to hear about some delicacies Filipinos enjoy. One being dinuguan, a stew of pork or meat
simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili and vinegar. Yes we said a gravy of pig blood, some of
you may lose your appetite but the rest can enjoy it when they hit the Philippines! But wait, we have more. Filipinos love to eat eggs, too boring? Uhmm, eggs aren’t special- it is the form
they are eaten that is bizarre. Balut is a developing bird embryo that is
boiled and eaten from the shell. You are right, it is controversial due to
religious, animal welfare, and human health concerns but whatever- it is yummy! Number 3. The Phoenix car
We are talking about a biodegradable car made of bamboo, rattan, steel and nylon. Now doesn’t that sound like the future of
the automobile industry? This lightweight, green tech-powered yet economically-viable
153-inch-long concept car was handmade by a team of skilled weavers and craftsmen in
only 10 days. The Phoenix’s naturally-woven skin, which
biodegrades together with the life of the car, should survive the average length of
car ownership and, after this amount of time, it can be replaced inexpensively if the owner
wishes to keep the car longer, or naturally returned to Mother Earth. You guessed it right people, it was made by
a Filipino! Number 2. Barrel Man
Every country offers you its own set of souvenirs to choose from and Philippines is no different. So when you decide to shop on your vacation
to this interesting country, you are bound to come across barrel man. It is basically a toy in the form of a wooden
statue of a man inside a barrel. The first timers will be shocked when they
remove the barrel because there in front of your eyes will be a wooden man sporting a
prominent phallic protrusion in the lower part of the figure's anatomy! This is no joke people and if you are lucky,
you may encounter a female version of this toy where the surprise is her breasts, obviously! Number 1. World’s Largest Banknote
An ideal banknote in terms of size is one that fits into a pocket easily. You wouldn’t want one that you have to stuff
inside a duvet to keep from tearing, that’ll defy the purpose of its existence, right? But then they can be seen as prized possessions
of collectors, as was the case with the world’s largest banknote! This slightly-larger-than-A4 sized banknote
printed by the Philippine government in 1998 marked 100 years of Philippine independence
from Spanish rule. Many of us haven’t see such a huge banknote,
but Filipinos are a blessed lot! Which of these crazy things about Philippines
enticed you the most? Tell us in the comment section below. Subscribe to our channel if you liked this
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