Sometimes when you are traveling around you come across strange, confusing or funny signs. Sometimes this is due to a bad language translation but sometimes it is just funny. I have run across a few of these during my travels and am sure you have seen a few also. I decided to ask a few of my travel blogging friends if they had also come across some funny signs during their travels they responded with sending me a few that they had encountered.
If you look around you can find funny signs everywhere. I came across this sign in the Philippines. It was located behind a church on the island of Bohol. The thing is, you know that they must have had problems for them to erect a sign telling would be lovers to stay away.
Another one I discovered in the Philippines. Yes, I know that it is fried fish and meat balls but still I found it funny as hell when I came across it at a Food Market
I saw this one in Houston, damn near had a wreck. I wonder how many people didn’t bother to read the third line and visited the bar?
Danielle Ditzian from Like Riding a Bicycle sent in this photo from San Pancho, Mexico. Sometimes you just gotta have a drink and when the drink emergency strikes it’s good to know exactly where to go.
Chris Backe from One Weird Globe sent me a couple of photos. The first one was taken at the International Flea Market in Auburndale, Florida, where he came across this… interesting one… I get the dogs, the hover boards, the skateboards… but the snakes?!
The second one is from Naples, Florida, in the Marco Island area – while approaching the island he saw these signs a couple times. Apparently they really do have panthers trying to cross the road…
Charles McCool from McCool Travel sent this one over. It is on the ferry boat in Quebec City. What does it mean? No one could quite figure it out. I call it, “No disco dancing allowed.”
Lotte Eschbach from Phenomenal Globe Travel snapped this photo while traveling in Japan. Lotte stated “The illustrations alone were very enough to make me laugh out loud. But what was even funnier is that a couple of Japanese girls were feeding the deer and then started screaming when the deer kept chasing them for food. Seriously, what did they expect!”
Amanda Kendle from Not a Ballerina also sent in one from Japan. It was at a shop in the onsen, which is a Japanese hot springs, town of Arima in the mountains above Kobe, in a stall at the front where they were selling the special local snacks, a kind of hot biscuit.
Geoff & Katie Matthews from Wander Tooth submitted this hilarious sign. “I spotted this advertisement for a hair salon while wandering around the Mehringdamm neighborhood in Berlin, and had to take a quick photo. My German is rusty at best, but it translates something along the lines of “all the best hairdressers in the world.” I was very tempted to stop my errands for the day and get a haircut, just to see whether the sign was sarcastic or not, but alas I chickened out!”
Jürgen Klein, who runs the popular website Dare 2 Go, submitted this entry. He snapped this photo in Agua Azul in the south of Mexico.
Gabor Kovacs from Surfing The Planet saw this photo in Bangkok. He came across this funny toilet sign in the biggest market of Bangkok, the Chatuchak Market. I guess you have to Run, Stop, Sit. Kind of like Stop, Drop and Roll.
Sue Fockner who actually runs a yachting business in Turkey sent me two photos. The first picture is from Istanbul, Turkey – a souvenir shop near Topkapı Palace.
The second picture is from a bus stop in Ölüdeniz, Turkey. It is a little blurry because she was on a moving bus and grabbed a friend’s point and shoot camera to capture it.
Tom Stevenson from The Travelling Tom took this photo in Australia. “I came across this sign when I was traveling through Wilson’s Promontory in Australia as part of a road trip from Adelaide to Melbourne. At first, I didn’t really notice anything strange about the sign. It wasn’t until my friend, driving our camper van, stopped next to the sign that I realized it had been tampered with! It certainly made us laugh and confirmed that the Aussies like one as well!”
Mikkel Paige from Sometimes Home just got back from a trip to Thailand. While there she came across these two signs. The first one is from the BTS train in Bangkok. Notice the Monk on the far left?
Have you ever run across any funny signs that made you chuckle or was just plain scratch your head confusing?
Charles McCool says
Fun travel photos to look at. Thank you for including my entry.
thetravellingfool says
Thanks for the contribution. Much appreciated
Maria says
This is great Bob! There are really fun signs and a laugh a lot. It was a pleasure to participate. Thank you for having us here. Have a great 2017!
thetravellingfool says
Thanks for participating Maria, I appreciate it.
Stefan says
The Philippines clearly wins! Another one we stumbled on was “No Solicitors Allowed”. I used to be one back in London so was a bit shocked at first till I realised they meant street vendors.
thetravellingfool says
Yeah sometimes the language is a barrier. Thanks again for the contribution.
Chris Backe says
Great post!
There’s a legitimate reason for most of these, of course – in the monk’s case, Buddhist monks aren’t allowed to touch a woman, or else they’re expected to do some serious purification. (This goes even if the woman in question is the money-taker on a Thai bus – he sets his coins on the bench, then she picks them up.) You’ll see the monk icon if booking a long-distance bus as well.
thetravellingfool says
I remember hearing that when I was in Thailand.
Chrysoula says
They are all so funny!
thetravellingfool says
Thanks for your contribution, I appreciate it.
Hendrik says
Hahaha. so much fun to look at. This is truly a great collection 🙂
My personal favourite is the hairdresser one from Berlin, since I lived there 5 years. And yes, it is meant ironic, that they are the best hairdressers in the world 😉
Thanks for sharing this little fun and happy new year 🙂
thetravellingfool says
Good to know. I would hate to leave with one of those haircuts.
Adriana says
Haha! Oh, translation, how you make me laugh when you’re bad! This is great!
Susan says
Signs can be confusing in other countries. You have a few here from Florence. When I was there a few years ago I recall seeing some strange signs. I love the one of the spring with the two arrows.
thetravellingfool says
I am always on the lookout for funny signs, even more so now.
Amanda Kendle says
The Nara Park deer one needs to add “may eat your map” because that’s what they did to me not far away at Miyajima – similar deer!! Was tricky to get around the rest of that day!
thetravellingfool says
Gotta watch those Japanese deer.
LC says
Haha, I’ve seen similar “STOP: HAMMER TIME” in other places in Australia. I think my favourite is the “Sorry we’re not closed” sign.
Laura Lynch says
Awesome post! I love it when we see a sign like these traveling. Always so entertaining. There are some really good ones here!
Kelsi says
Love this! I used to collect similar images in Denmark and Finland where the translations were so literal, I couldn’t help but laughing and sharing back home!
Richard Hausman says
As Woody Allen said, “Language is a barrier to communication.”
Kate and Kris says
Some great signs there.
The toilet seat one is all over Thailand and the region. People used to squat toilets use western style toilets the same way, by standing on the seat and squatting over the bowl.
AlicevstheWorld says
These are all brilliant! I especially love the ‘Emergencia’ one.
Janice says
As my younger daughter says all the time, “LOL” Thanks for providing me with today’s chuckles, Bob!
Agness of Fit Travelling says
These signs are great, Bob! You made me laugh. I love travelling and I find myself noticing similar signs to these ones.
thetravellingfool says
Glad you enjoyed them.