Moroccan Stop Sign

I spied this stop sign in Morocco just outside the uber-luxurious Le Mirage Resort (http://www.lemirage-tanger.com/) on the outskirts of Tangier, Morocco. I love signs that have the same meaning, but different script.

This was a real gem!

Arabic Script

On our recent trip to Tangier, Morocco, I became fascinated by Arabic script. I think it is really beautiful. I have no idea what the sign says, but it looks great!

Sign Eating Trees

My friend Kate assures me she took this photo in Media, Pennsylvania near her apartment building. I’m skeptical.

But I love the sign anyway.

Ape Warning

I love the apes on the Rock of Gibraltar. The signs all over the Rock are wonderful and classic Gibraltar.

Beware of the plastic bag snatchers!

No Monkey Business

The apes on the Rock in the British territory of Gibraltar can be aggressive. And they can bite. And they definitely want your little plastic bags.

I found this sign on the summit in Gibraltar and just loved it.

Ape Cartoons

The Rock of Gibraltar is populated by a whole gaggle of apes. These apes can be aggressive and Her Majesty’s Government has posted cartoons to explain the danger.

Funeral Service

This was a totally surreal scene from Seville, Spain. The sign says, “Servicios Funerales.” Funeral Service. And we watch this guy pull up on his motorcycle.

He goes into the Funeral Service and returns with a giant knife (nearly a machete). And he sharpens the knife. Surreal.

Toro Toro Toro

The Spanish love bulls. The bull is a symbol of Spain. And I found this fun little sign on the main drag in Seville, Spain.

I’m not sure what this store sold, but I liked the sign.

Irony

We’re from Philadelphia and we found this in Spain. It’s ironic that we can travel all the way to Europe only to find the comforts of home - in this case, Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

Leather Shop

In Cordoba, Spain, I found this leather goods store. In terms of signage, this guy really knows how to market himself to people from all over the world with a sign in nine languages.

Slow Months

This blog has been slow for a number of months. I’ve got fresh travels to Europe and North Africa coming up….which means many, many more new signs.

Stay tuned.

Manipulating Children

My sister-in-law found this sign online somewhere and e-mailed it to me. I love the way Dairy Queen manipulates the kids here.

American Invasion

When I travel in foreign countries, I like to experience that country. I hate it when I see American institutions in other countries. It’s like we’re invading and screwing it all up.

And nothing symbolizes the cultural invasion more than Hard Rock Café’s. Here, in the heart of Munich and immediately across the street from the famous Hofbräuhaus (where Adolf Hitler outlined his ideology), is a Hard Rock Café.

Give Me That Alpenflirt

I found this sign in an ally in Erlangen, Germany. Give me Alpenflirt. No idea what Alpenflirt is. Maybe it’s some attractive Swiss girl dressed in a bikini.

Exclamation Point

I found this sign on the side of the road in Germany – a giant exclamation point. I don’t know it means warning or something (but it doesn’t say Achtung or anything). I really have no idea what this is.

It is really rather curious.

Traffic Light Ahead

I like the traffic light ahead signs in Germany!

What the Heck?

What does all of this mean? I truly have no idea. Thank god I didn’t have to drive in Germany.

Oh Christ

Not Jesus Christ. Not Christianity. Just Christ. And it’s a store in Germany.

For the life of me, I can’t think of why anyone would want to name their store after the Prince of Peace (or the King of Celebrity, depending on how you look at it).

Crosswalk in the land of Kraftwerk

Crosswalk in the land of Kraftwerk.

I love this old school crossing sign. I took this immediately in front of the infamous Hofbräuhaus in Munich.

Handicapped

In the U.S., we use a person in a wheelchair as the symbol for handicapped. In Germany, they use a person with a crutch.

It’s just different.

Main Street or Hauptstraße

Where is this? Main Street or Hauptstraße?

I was in Erlangen, Germany last week and found this sign. Actually, at every corner in the city, there were these STOP signs. It was kind of surreal. This is definitely Germany, so the stop signs were very unusual.

Spelling Mistakes

I love spelling mistakes. Sometimes it’s intentional. But usually it’s not. My favorite is in signs at Asian businesses (because they can make wild mistakes and just don’t get it).

I found Chick & Ruth’s Delly in Annapolis, Maryland. No idea who Chick & Ruth are, but they can’t spell to at all.

Hey, We’re Cheap

There are signs of quality and then there are signs that scream: Hey, we’re cheap. This is one of those signs. This sign was captured at Storm Bros. Ice Cream in Annapolis, Maryland. Hey, they’re cheap.

In most establishments that don’t accept credit cards, they have classy signs on the door and at the cash register. Not at Storm Bros. Ice Cream. These signs are over 3 feet tall and 2 feet across. The whole store is plastered in them. It’s kind of tacky really.

And to top it off, the ice cream was OK, but the service was crap. What do you expect from a store that has gigantic WE’RE CHEAP signs?

Gas Price Comic Relief

A local spa, 3000 BC, has a sign in its window in Chestnut Hill, PA that makes me laugh. You know gas prices are completely ridiculous when a spa business hangs up this sign.

This sign would be better suited an Exxon, BP, Citgo or other gas station since they price gauging consumers.

Intercourse

No, not sex. It’s Pennsylvania.

Intercourse, Pennsylvania is ground zero of Amish country in Pennsylvania. Despite the intriguing name, it’s a bit sedate and quiet.

Amish Country

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is Amish Country USA. I snapped a shot of this horse and buggy sign near Intercourse, PA…or maybe it was Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania.

This is an iconic image of the Amish.

Horses

This sign could be titled: Don’t be stupid. Walk behind the horse and get your butt kicked (or you head kicked in).

I love the graphic imagery on this little baby! I took this photo at the Civil War reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg this year.

Gettysburg – Crossroads of the World

The central square of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is the crossroads of the world. As evidence, they have posted distances to far flung places all around the globe.

Hot Weiners

Nothing says a good time like a nice hot weiner. And in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, you get your hot wieners at Ernie’s Texas Hot Weiner Lunch, service the nicest weiners since 1921.

Rabid Kitten

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania has been invaded by rabid kittens. On every lightpole in town, we found this sign warning us of the vicious rabid kittens. This is really scary.

If you go to Gettysburg, be careful as you may be attacked by an animal with a major disease.

Christian Tourism

I have no idea what Christian Tourism is. If I encountered this in a magazine or on the Internet, I would assume that it would include visiting holy Christian sites in the Middle East or perhaps following in the footsteps of St. Patrick in Ireland.

Nope. Evidently Christian Tourism means going on tours with other Christians and praying a lot. Sound like fun? Yeah, I thought so too. I’d rather stick nails under my fingers.

Yet, in Gettysburg, PA, I found a gem. Nancy & Udean Christian Tours. OK, so this isn’t really a sign. But it was parked in front of rather degenerate looking biker bar. The visions of senior citizens forking over their Social Security checks to Nancy and Udean to be taken to bar in rural Pennsylvania is an image I can’t get out of my mind. Maybe there’s something to be said for Christian Tourism after all.

Signs for Signs

I love the irony of this little sign.

Jesus is Easy

Back in my day, the cheerleaders were easy. Jesus was difficult. Jesus required a commitment. Jesus is about doing what’s hard…living the righteous life, not the life of sin and vice.

But nowadays, people want Jesus to be easy. They want the abdication of responsibility without taking the responsibility for themselves.

Jesus isn’t easy, and shouldn’t be.

Nestea Train

Philadelphia public transit company SEPTA has been accepting advertising on the ceilings of its trains. I found this gem a few weeks back.

In terms of putting advertising on every spare surface, this is a new one for me. But I have to wonder how many people actually see these ceiling ads?

Health Food

In wealthier neighborhoods, health food can be identified by Whole Foods, Wegmans, Salad Works and many other notable healthy eating options.

I found this sign in an African American community. Here we find Church’s Chicken, Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s.

Perhaps this is the reason for obesity.

Got Cookies?

I found this sign at the world famous Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. This farmers market has been in operation since the 1890's and, quite seriously, rocks. It is a gastronomic orgy of goodness.

Free Hugs

Get your free hugs! Get your free hugs! Get your free hugs!

I snapped this picture of the some group offering free hugs. I think they were like scientologists or some crazy Christian sect or something. Who knows?

Going Green

We went into Philadelphia over the weekend and like all good conservationists, we took public transit – helping us to reduce our carbon footprint.

SEPTA in Philadelphia has a new advertising campaign out promoting it’s “greenness.” It seems like everybody is trying to be green these days. In the case of SEPTA, it’s true…partially (the trains are pretty green). Of course SEPTA buses spew out horrid, black plumes of exhaust and are probably some of the worse environmental offenders in the entire tri-state area.

But I like the ad campaign.

Getting Bred

In Paris, I got my wife Bred. No, not bread. Bred. And we’re not talking breeding here, just Bred.

Bred, as in Banque Populaire Bred. It’s OK if you don’t understand it, we don’t either. There’s a bank in Paris called Bred. It’s an awfully weird name for a bank. The name bred would conjure up images of farms and breeding better stock, not a bank.

We thought it was strange.

Vagina Monologues in Paris

Bring on Tipper Gore and her Tony Award! The Parisians are big fans of the V!

But here’s why I love this sign (and it has nothing to do with the V). I love signs in other languages that are the same in English…so you can see how it translates with language. Drink Coke becomes Trink Coke. (Which becomes Snort Coke in Central America).

I like the words and the way they contrast with each other using the same symbolism.

Pedophiles in France

This is truly one of those confusing international signs, where the meaning does not translate. Throughout Paris we saw these signs – a man with a young girl and a red line through it. We saw them on street corners. We saw them in the middle of the block. We saw them on pedestrian only lanes. We saw them near schools. We saw them far away from schools. We could find no logical reason for the sign, nor do we understand the meaning.

We can only take it to mean that pedophiles are not welcome in Paris. EXCEPT on the last day, we found a sign indicating that pedophiles were allowed (a man with a young girl and no red line).

We truly have no idea what these signs me. So, if you happen on this posting and know what this sign actually means, PLEASE submit a comment and let us know.

Pier Import

In Paris last month, I found this sign for Pier Import. It looks just like Pier 1 Import, but seems to sell an entirely different type of products (cookware, etc.). Pier Import also looks to be a wholesaler, vs. Pier I Import which sells retail.

I don’t know if this is the same firm or not, but it sure can confuse the hell out of a consumer.

Islam in France

I took this shot in Paris a few weeks ago (photo was taken on Île Saint-Louis). This was the cover of the current issue of L'Express, a French publication. As I had it explained to me, the magazine was doing an expose on some of the problems with Islam.

Immediately before taking this photo, I was on the Pont des Arts checking out the propaganda exhibit of artist Taysir Batniji, who's photos capture life in the Gaza Strip. Ironically, this photo was taken on the one-year anniversary of Hamas' taking control of the Gaza Strip. Never before have the fortunes of local people in Gaza been worse.

I took a photo of this sign because Islamists love to represent the conflict as only that with Jews or America. But it really isn't. The tensions between Islam and the rest of the world are truly global. The more I travel, the more I see it. In America. In Europe. In Asia. Everywhere.

I'm not passing judgement on Islam, only noting the presence of this sign symbolizes something much more than it might seem at first.

Beer

I thought this sign was interesting. Unlike the other signs on this blog, I did NOT take this photo. It was e-mailed to me by a friend.

This sign was supposedly in Jamestown, New York.

It's an interesting sign of the times. On a price per gallon basis, beer is NOT cheaper than gasoline. However, it seems like that, don't it?

Bourbon Street

No. Not the Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

This is Bourbon Street on Île Saint-Louis in Paris, France. This is the nice Bourbon Street (the one without the bums, panhandlers and street trash).

Île Saint-Louis is fabulous! Be sure to sample the Berthillon ice cream.

Le Telegraphe

In France, I found this business behind the Musee D'Orsay. I think the name of the restaurant is Le Telegraphe. I love the sign and the play on the word telegraphe. I have no idea if the food is any good here, but love the sign.

Sex in Europe

I love Europe! The Europeans have such a healthier attitude towards sex.


On my trip to Paris last week, I came on this Durex condom dispenser in the Paris Metro (it's technically not a sign, but it kind of is). This is brilliant! You can buy a condom and then fuck on the train on the way home.


Of course, in the United States, if you put contraception in public transit, it would be perceived as racist.


But I was happy to see Durex making the Paris Metro more fun to ride! I love a good ride in Paris!