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Say What?? Travel Photo: Spitting

Sometimes, “Say What??” isn’t just about the funny, but also the cute. In fact, today’s photo marks the very first photogenic sign that I spotted after stepping off that plane in Hong Kong. I had just arrived on Hong Kong Island on the speedy Airport Express and made my way upstairs to the throngs that are Central, Hong Kong’s business district. On the way, I stopped at a water fountain, where this sign caught my eye:

"Spitting Spreads Germs"

Now, a little back story here. As I would go on to learn, Hong Kong is quite the germaphobic city, and this is understandable as it was a hotbed for SARS back in 2002/03. Everywhere you look, you see people sanitizing hand railings and just about everything else in sight. There was even a memorial in the picturesque Hong Kong Park dedicated to those who fought to find a cure to SARS.

Interestingly enough, though SARS was also big in mainland China, the obsession with cleanliness does not exist there in the same way. And if spitting spreads germs, then Chinese nationals seem to have missed that memo because one of the most alarming things a foreign visitor finds is that nearly everyone will just hock-a-loogie and spit right in front of you! Add this to the list of vast differences between Hong Kong and the mainland!

Say What?? is a thrice weekly series featuring numerous hilarious signs from my travels. Check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for updates! Or better yet, subscribe to my RSS feed to receive them automatically!
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By Aaron

Hey there! I'm Aaron and this is my travel site, where I document my adventures to all corners of the world. My love for travel started at the ripe old age of four, when a midlife crisis uprooted my family to Ecuador for five years. Since then, I've been to countries on 4 different continents. When I'm not blissfully on the road, I reside in New York City, where I become the ultimate travel junkie and spend my days dreaming up my next great adventure! Read More...

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