Though pig includes some sodium naturally (as does all meat), the saltiness we appreciate in ham, bacon, and a variety of other pork products is really the result of curing and brining procedures. After soaking in salt or salt water, fresh meat gets dehydrated, seasoned, and preserved. This is also the method used to make salami, pepperoni, and other cured meats.

The number four (‘shi’) is widely avoided in Japan since it sounds too similar to the Japanese word for death. Keep an eye out in Japan and you’ll notice buildings don’t have a fourth floor, items are sold in sets of three or five and special care is taken to avoid encountering the number in daily life.

Snow White was originally drawn with big red lips, long lashes, and a shorter dress by the animators. Walt Disney, on the other hand, wanted Snow White to appear more "wholesome" (to be fair, she was 14 at the time) and chose more subdued features and a peasant-style dress.

Mount Hoverla is Ukraine's highest peak, standing at 2061 meters. Mount Hoverla is a Carpathian mountain range. Mount Hoverla has been a popular tourist destination since the late 1800s. Mountain has grown in popularity as an extreme sports destination throughout the years.

Sure, many civilizations have their own calendars that they prefer to the Western Gregorian calendar, but the majority still obey the unwritten rule of "12 months to a year." Ethiopia is not one of them. Trying to buck the trend, Ethiopians picked up on Spinal Tap's conviction that one more is always better many thousand years ago, and have been counting 13 months to their year ever since. What exactly does this imply? Well, it's still 2009 there in 2017. And so savvy tourist boards can confidently assert that the nation has "13 months of sunlight."

Folk dance is a significant aspect of Russian history and culture. One of the most popular styles of Russian folk dance is khorovod. People dance in a circle while holding hands in this kind of dance. Folk dances are performed by Russians during festivals, marketplaces, and in the theatre. If you have the opportunity to visit Russia, make sure to attend a Russian folk dance performance to learn more about Russian culture and traditions.

CărtureÈ™ti Carusel launched in 2015 in a 19th-century structure that has been refurbished. It has over 10,000 books, 5,000 music and DVDs, plus a café on the top level.

Uzbekistan is home to the world's largest open-pit gold mine, which is located near Muruntau in the Qizilqum or Kyzyl Kum deserts. The mine produces around 2 million ounces of gold each year, and the pit measures 2.17 miles by 1.55 miles at a depth of 1,837 feet. The gold reserves in the Muruntau area, including those in the process of production, are estimated to be over 170 million ounces of gold. The gold was discovered in the area for the first time in 1958. Originally, the area was a source of turquoise throughout the Silk Road period. However, the region was not substantially studied until the 1950s. Commercial mining began in 1967 and has continued ever since.

In a 2014 interview, Haikyuu!! designer Haruichi Furudate stated that he wants people to see volleyball as 'fun and cool.' He undoubtedly accomplished his purpose, since the number of high school students joining volleyball clubs increased considerably after Haikyuu aired.

If you go shopping at the Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany, you'll be participating in a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. Proof of this can be discovered in a little box kept safe by the Germanisches Nationalmuseum. The modest gift is inscribed, "Sent to Regina Susanna Harßdörfferin by Miss Susanna Eleonora Erbsin (or Elbsin) on the occasion of the Christmas Market of 1628."

Now for a 'sumptuous' fact about the UAE: the Burj Al Arab is the world's first seven-star hotel and is widely regarded as one of the world's most luxurious. The hotel's interiors are adorned with 24-carat gold leaves that cover over 1790 square metres. The best thing is that it even has a 'Pillow Menu,' which offers guests nine different varieties of pillows! Right, I'm assuming you choose your pillow.

Almost three-quarters of adults with Internet access have at least one social media account, with 52 percent having two or more. This means that your current and potential customers are not only likely to use social media, but they are also likely to use multiple sites.

The Hiroshima bombing was so powerful that the shadows of persons and things were permanently seared into the earth. These were dubbed "Hiroshima shadows."

Pilots are paid hundreds of dollars per day to stand by during the summer in case it rains and trees require emergency blow-drying. It may appear absurd, but it is worthwhile for farmers who grow the delicate, expensive fruit. The work is hazardous; pilots are frequently injured in orchard crashes.

The Terracotta Warriors were built between 246 BC when Qin Shi Huang assumed the Qin State throne, and 206 BC, when the Han Dynasty began, four years after Qin's death. Over 700,000 laborers worked nonstop for 40 years to complete the terracotta army and tomb complex.

Mesopotamia, along with the Nile Valley Civilization in Egypt, the Indus Valley Civilization in the Indian subcontinent, and the Yellow River in China, was one of the four riverine civilizations where writing was invented. Around 3400 BC, the Sumerian civilization of Mesopotamia invented the cuneiform script. Cuneiform is a Latin word that means "wedge-shaped." Sumerian writing evolved from pictograms to become a full-fledged writing system capable of producing works of literature as well as prayers and laws. Despite not being the oldest example of writing, cuneiform script is regarded as a significant milestone in human history.

According to new research based on minutes of conversations between Japanese government officials in the run-up to capitulation, the Soviet Union's surprise entry into the conflict with Japan had a more crucial impact.

The average delay of Japanese trains is 18 seconds. What makes them so punctual? Drivers are trained in ultra-realistic simulators and drive one train line only – many don’t even need a speedometer to know how fast they’re going. Competition is also fierce between rail companies, so lagging behind won’t do – they work hard to keep hold of Japan’s huge numbers of train commuters, whatever it takes (even if it means building fancy department stores in the stations…).

Did you know that because Russia is so large, it has 11 separate time zones? Despite having 11 time zones, Russia is not the country with the most time zones. Because of all the little islands that make up France, it has the most time zones. While Russia does not have the most time zones, it does have a large number of them. If you opt to travel across Russia, you may suffer from jet lag before ever leaving the country!

The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature normally goes to Disney or Pixar films, however during the 75th Academy Awards in 2003, the anime film Spirited Away won Best Animated Feature. However, the film's director, Hayao Miyazaki, did not attend the event due to his opposition to the Iraq war.

According to scientists, all of the pyramids were erected between the 26th and 23rd centuries BC. Mammoths first arose approximately 1.6 million years ago and were extinct in the 10th century BC. This indicates that when Cheops was ecstatic about a new pyramid named after him, enormous beasts were terrorizing our forefather's thousands of kilometers distant.

Since you were a child, you've probably heard the phrase "candy will rot your teeth." However, there are many foods that are worse for your dental hygiene than candy, such as crackers. This is because acid, not sugar, is the leading cause of tooth decay.

Kokura, Hiroshima, Yokohama, Niigata, and Kyoto were on the list. Kyoto was spared, according to legend, because US Secretary of War Henry Stimson loved the ancient Japanese capital and had spent his honeymoon there decades before. In its place, Nagasaki was established. On July 25, 1945, the United Kingdom approved the bombing of four Japanese cities: Kokura, Niigata, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.

Plenty of Japanese celebrate Christmas, but the festive fare isn’t what you might expect. In Japan, it’s traditional to head to your local KFC on Christmas Eve. An estimated 3.6 million Japanese feast on the KFC Christmas Dinner and hours of queuing and ordering weeks in advance is expected. Some say turkey and chicken wasn’t widely available for the Christmas-curious Japanese, so Colonel Sanders stepped in to answer the demand…