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19 cats have drowned in Amsterdam's canals in the past 6 months. The city is taking action.

“A simple measure can prevent enormous animal suffering."

Photo credit: Canva

This could help prevent a lot of suffering, cat advocates say.

We all know about Amsterdam's gorgeous canals. They're a staple and a must-see spot, but folks who’ve traveled there, as well as the locals, will tell you that Amsterdam's free-roaming cats are also a major staple of the city—much like in Istanbul, Tokyo, and Rome.

However, unlike these other cities, Amsterdam’s famous canals pose a major threat to its felines.

As Maggie Ruitenberg from the The Dutch Cat Knowledge Centre explained (according to Euronews), cats often fall into the canals when startled. Even though they can swim, their fur gets weighed down by the water quickly, causing them to fatigue. Pair that with the canals’ high walls, and it’s virtually impossible for the poor things to make it out in time. This year alone, 19 cats have drowned because of this.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Luckily, thanks to a Netherlands-based animal welfare organization called the PvdD (aka the Party for the Animals), they have allocated €100,000 towards making wooden staircases along the banks of the canals in locations where cats and other animals might need it most—in areas where drownings have already occurred, followed by other high-risk spots.

This was an idea taken from the neighboring city of Amersfoort, which already has 300 of the staircases installed. Between both cities, there could be over 500 tiny staircases along the canals by the end of the year.

“A ladder can really save their life, as long as there are enough of them,” said Ruitenberg. According to the Independent, Judith Krom of the Party for the Animals also described the action as “a simple measure [that] can prevent enormous animal suffering.”

“The adopted motion demonstrates that as a city, we take responsibility for protecting the lives of animals.”

Truly, the only bad thing about this is, as Vice writer Luis Prada noted, that these staircases are called “Cat Traps,” and not “Cat Walks.”

“I know they mostly speak Dutch, but they speak enough English to have heard of a catwalk before. It was right there,” Prada quipped. Hard to disagree!

Of course, this is not the first time Amsterdam has made an effort to heighten the quality of life for its canal kitties. Take, for instance, the De Poezenboot, a houseboat-turned-floating-cat-sanctuary that’s housed dozens of cats at a time since the mid-'60s. It’s been described online as a “floating paradise where cats lounge by the windows, nap in flower boxes, and enjoy a peaceful life on the canal while awaiting their forever homes.”

Between these, plus cat walking tours, Kattencafes (cat cafes) and bars, as well as the KattenKabinet (Cat Cabinet) cat art museum, it's clear that Amsterdam is a haven for cats and cat lovers alike. If you plan on visiting there in the future, keep an eye out for those staircases, or any of these other amazing cat-centric fixtures.

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People from other countries share 14 things that instantly tell them someone's American

Have you ever heard of the "American lean"?

via zoetnet/Flickr, Ewen Roberts/Flickr and Tom Hodgkinson/Flickr
Some American tourists enjoying the sights

Americans have a style and personality all their own, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just noticeable when they travel aboard. Americans often stand out because of their outgoing personalities. They are friendly and enjoy having casual conversations with strangers.

This is an endearing trait to a lot of people in more reserved cultures, although it can also come off as a little brash.

An American characteristic that isn’t quite endearing to people in other countries is that they can be rather loud. In Europe, one can always notice the Americans in the restaurant because they can be heard from across the room.

One Reddit user wanted to know the specific ways that Americans stand out when traveling abroad, so they asked the AskReddit subreddit: “What’s an obvious sign that someone is an American?”


american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture It may not be quite this obvious, but Americans do stand out. Giphy

The post was popular, receiving nearly 6,000 responses in just 6 days. The most popular ones described how Americans' unique personalities, style of dress, dental hygiene and body language make them easy to spot.

Here are 14 “obvious” signs that someone is an American.

1. Posture

american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture Americans slouch and lean. Giphy

"Apparently, the CIA trains American agents to not lean on things if they go undercover in foreign countries because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around," one user wrote.

"I bet MI6 trains British agents to lean on everything if they go undercover in America because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around," joked another.

Shockingly, this is actually true. The "American lean" is well-documented and, yes, a former CIA chief has said publicly that it's something the agency addresses with its operatives to help them blend in.

2. The date

"MMDDYYYY," a user said.

The way Americans write the date seems normal and commonplace when you're in the US, but around the world, we're practically the only ones who do it that way. Similarly, only a small handful of countries outside of the US use the imperial system of measure.

Writing the date or using feet and inches are a dead giveaway!

3. Distances are different

"Anything under 4 hours is 'close by," someone suggested.

"Everything in Europe is around the corner if you're from the US. I can drive the whole day and not leave my state, but in Europe, I can pass through 4 countries in that same time frame," said another.

The massive geography of the United States has a big affect on how we see distance. It shows up when we travel to other countries that are more densely packed together.

4. They're polite to servers

"In the touristy cafe-restaurant I worked at:

If they asked me for the nicest spot we had

If they asked me my recommendation without seeing the menu first

I would walk to the table, and they would say right away ‘hey, how are you doing?’ This one threw me off a lot at first. Why is this person asking me how I'm doing?? I'm just there to take the order. I got used to it, and I think they found my awkwardness cute.

They would ask my name when I greeted them and took their order.

I'm Northern European.," explained one user.

"It’s under-appreciated just how polite, friendly, and sincere Americans are in general. It blew my mind the first time I came to the US, and I love that my children are growing up with those same values," said another.

You might expect to hear that Americans are rude and entitled when traveling, but that's not necessarily the case! In America, some friendly rapport with your waiter is expected, and Americans tend to be a more outgoing bunch that love to engage. That makes them stand out in European countries, in particular, where restaurant service is meant to be professional and efficient rather than charismatic.


5. The water bottles

american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture Americans love huge water bottles. Giphy

"I was told, 'Americans carry water bottles around like they're worried they'll never have access to clean water ever again," one user said.

"I don't care what anyone says. If you think carrying a water bottle when walking a lot is weird, you're probably slightly dehydrated all the time and are just desensitized to it. You seriously need to drink water frequently if you want to be ideally healthy," said another.

The water bottle fad is uniquely American, for better or worse. Whether it's a Yeti, a Stanley, an Owalla, or something else, you can bet if someone is swinging a massive water bottle wherever they walk, they're an American.

6. Smiling

"I was in Germany this past summer, and I realized smiling at everyone you make eye contact with is very American. When I went to London on the same trip, they seemed less weirded out by it but would awkwardly return the smile. I was taught to always start with a disarming smile. Never realized it was American," said one person.

7. "More ice, please."

american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture Americans love tons of ice in their drinks. Giphy

"I spent a year in Europe completely iceless to the point I forgot that was a thing. I stopped at a bar in Chicago fresh off the plane and not only did I get free tap water, but water with ice. I instantly felt at home," added one person.

There is a long and fascinating history involving someone called "The Ice King" behind why Americans, and so few other cultures, love to put tons of ice in our drinks. Needless to say, it makes us stand out like a sore thumb when traveling.

8. Personal space

"As an American man, I’ve been told repeatedly by European and Asian friends that we simply take up space (not by being fat) as though we’re entitled to it. Men in other countries apparently don’t claim the same personal space we do," one person offered.

You mean manspreading? Apparently, other cultures don't do that.

9. White teeth

american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture Americans value ultra-white teeth. Giphy

"It’s even more bizarre that they assume we have braces or bleach our teeth because they’re straight and white. I have naturally straight white teeth. I brush them twice a day so they stay white. I don’t do anything special to them, but I remember being in London and some similar-aged students literally making fun of me for my teeth… it’s true that they don’t naturally look like headstones in an ancient graveyard, but there’s no need to make fun," someone added.

Imagine getting made fun of for having white teeth! For one reason or another, American culture places high value on having extremely white teeth. We all know the old jokes about British teeth, but some findings show that while Americans' teeth may be whiter, Brits may be healthier overall. Something to think about.

10. Casual dress

"My friend went to Germany recently, and what people said about Americans is you can spot them a mile away because they’re the ones wearing pajamas in public. Apparently, in other countries, at least Germany, they dress a little more formally and in less baggy clothes than we do in America," someone added.

Activewear, sweatpants, pajamas — we love to be comfortable! But it does make us a bit obvious when we're out and about in other countries.

11. Baseball hats

american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture Americans wear hats... everywhere. Giphy

"Baseball cap... even on an infant riding in a pram," a user suggested.

Baseball hats are common in many countries around the world, but most people internationally only wear them outside. If someone's wearing a cap inside or at a restaurant, it's a safe bet that person is American.

12. Shoes

"Americans are shoe snobs (they don’t think they are, but they are). Setting aside wealthier business types, Americans generally wear more on-brand, on-trend, high-quality shoes than others," someone said.

13. They're loud

american tourists, american culture, americans abroad, americans, USA, tourists, travel, europe, culture Americans' default volume is loud. Giphy

"That was my first thought. Americans yell at each other in normal conversation in public. I noticed it years ago in Europe, and now I can’t stand it in the US," another user added.

Now there's an unsurprising revelation! Just like our tendency to take up space, Americans seem to have less awareness of those around them when it comes to conversation volume, as well.

14. Occupation matters

"Immediately asking someone what they do for a living when meeting them. Our jobs and work are our entire identity," one person said.

"I hate that about American culture. I'm an American and recently became a SAHM, so I don't have an answer to 'What do you do for a living?' Half the time, I add the caveat, ‘Oh, my last job was with Apple,’ so that I'm not written off as an unemployed ‘loser.’ But it really is dumb to determine a person's worth by what they do in order to afford food and shelter," added another.

There are huge differences in work culture between America and other countries. They're so big and pervasive that they show up not just while we're working, but in the way we interact with others. For example, in Europe it's far less common to be friends with your coworkers. People value the purpose they find in work and the results, but are happy to keep the majority of their life separate from their career.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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Germans demonstrate how windows, of all things, separate European life from American life

Who knew this was such a cultural difference?

Photo credit: Canva

Stoßlüften is the German tradition of replacing the air in the home several times a day.

We may share some significant historical and cultural roots, but Americans and Europeans also have some distinct differences in the way they do things. There are the big things for us Americans like how we handle healthcare and young children doing active shooter drills at school, but there are also little things like how generous we are with ice and free soda refills.

And then there's something most of us probably don't think of as a difference, but apparently is: windows.

For the most part, in the U.S., windows are just…windows. You look out them. You clean them sometimes. When the weather is not too hot, not too cold, and not too windy or rainy, you open them for a while to get some fresh air.

windows, looking out, gif, open window, curtainsOpen Window Windows GIF by GarbageGiphy

In Germany and many other parts of Europe, window culture is an entire thing. First, windows have a tilt-open-from-the-top option that you rarely ever see in America. And second, Europeans use their windows actively, opening and closing them daily, all year round, regardless of the weather. And in Germany, it's not just daily, but multiple times a day.

Watch the creators at Radical Living humorously demonstrate this cultural difference by acting out someone learning about German windows from their first day in the country through 10 years of living there.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Stoßlüften literally means "shock ventilation" and refers to the German habit of replacing stale air with fresh air, which Germans do several times a day, every day. Yes, even in the dead of winter.

The discussion in the comments of the video is hilarious, as Europeans say they just thought this was normal and Americans (and apparently Australians?) are agog over the tiltable window design.

"I actually didn't knew that in other countries they had no tiltable windows. I just thought every country would have these."

"In Turkey, we call windows that open from the top 'vasistas.' The word comes from the German phrase 'was ist das,' which means 'what is this.' A bit silly, but really funny."

"I'm Australian. I had no idea windows that open on both axes existed. This is the first time I've ever seen this concept."

"My hotel in Italy had a tilting window like this, and until today I really thought that window was broken this whole time. Glad I didn’t complain to the front desk. That would have been embarrassing haha."

window, tilting window, fresh air, culture, GermanySnow Wind GIF by SnowmindsGiphy

"Used to live in Switzerland, and it is so true! You need to air out the kitchen and whole apartment during winter more often. The heater and closed room, mixed with our own body heat, gives off a very moist and warm feel in the room, which means more mold growing."

"I'm an American and do this during the winter too. My grandfather was German, maybe this is why I do it."

"I married a German woman. I LIVED THIS EXACT CHARACTER ARC."

If you're an American reading this, your first reaction to opening all the windows in winter is probably, "Doesn't that do a number on your heating bill?" Most of us get chastised just for leaving a door open longer than a few seconds in winter. According to some, it's not as much of an energy suck as you might think, since the change of air helps regulate humidity levels and it's only a short time that the windows are open.

@liamcarps

In Germany we don’t say 🇩🇪🪟

As Carrie Bradon writes in House Digest, "While you may find that the air in your home feels a bit chillier following a Stoßlüften session, the limited amount of time that the indoors are exposed to outdoor temperatures is short enough to keep all of the walls, floors, and furnishings from getting frigid. This means that it will take limited energy and time to get your home back to your ideal indoor temp."

However, at least some of the American reactions to this idea and the European normalization of it has to do with the age of our homes. Europe has a lot of very old buildings that don't have the kind of ventilation systems newer buildings in America have. Air really does get stale there in ways that it rarely does in most U.S. homes.

heat, cold, thermostat, air, fresh air, GermanyAir Conditioning Summer GIF by Cartoon NetworkGiphy

Americans are also accustomed to right-down-to-the-Fahrenheit-degree climate control in our homes. Not everyone, of course, but many Americans have full HVAC systems with heating and air conditioning that blows through ducts with air filters and return vents and whole house fans, which not only circulate the air but keep it exactly the temperature we prefer. Whole house air conditioning is much less common in Europe, and heating in older buildings is often radiant heat, fueled by natural gas that heats water that gets pumped into radiators. So naturally, using windows for air purification and ventilation would be more necessary in Europe than in the U.S. and sensitivity to indoor temperature fluctuations may be less pronounced.

Still, getting fresh air into our homes on a more regular basis isn't a bad idea, and experts recommend opening windows at least once a day for 5 to 10 minutes—yes, even in winter. Looks like we should follow Germany's lead on this one, fellow Americans.

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15 everyday American conveniences that feel like a 'luxury' to Europeans

Ah, the things we take for granted.

via Franchise Opportunities/Flickr and SridharSaraf/Flickr

Free soda refills, our National Parks system, and many more things Americans may not think of as luxuries.

Even though European countries and the Unites States are roughly on the same level development-wise, there are still some stark differences in their ways of life. Americans may look to Europe and feel a bit jealous over their free healthcare systems and more laid-back approach to their professional lives.

But Europeans who visit America are also in awe of some of the everyday things that Americans take for granted, which seem to be luxuries. A Reddit user asked Europeans to share the everyday American things that they believe are luxuries, and the question received nearly 13,000 responses.

sacha baron cohen america GIF by 20th Century Fox Home EntertainmentGiphy

Even if there are things we may envy about Europe, Europeans clearly admire many things about the American way of life.

Here are 15 of the best responses to the question: “Europeans of Reddit, what do Americans have every day that you see as a luxury?”

1. Disability access

"Disability access everywhere. I can go to any place -- theater, store, office, school, whatever -- with confidence that I'll be able to navigate fine in my wheelchair. They'll have ramps and/or elevators." — 5AgainstRhoneIsland

"Of all the things in this thread, the disability access is it IMO. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was an absolute game changer, and European countries and the EU as a whole should be embarrassed for not having something like it." — Jedrekk

wheelchair accessible, ada, americans with disabilities act, The U.S. is more wheelchair-friendly than many European nations that have older infrastructure.Photo credit: Canva

2. Climate changes

"You can pretty much choose to live in any climate you like when you live in the USA and still be in the same country. You like 4 seasons: Move to the Northeast. You like the humid ocean climate - move to Seattle. You like dry warm weather - move to Los Angeles. You like deserts, move to Arizona. You like warm and humid weather - move to the Southeast." — DachauPrince

"I work as an ecologist and the amount of biodiversity in California is insane. I'll do biological surveys a few hundred miles apart and see so many different plants and animals at each site. I've even done work at sites fairly close to each other (sub 50 miles apart) and will still find stark differences between sites. It's a magic state for wildlife biologists." — Skinsnax

3. Big kitchens

"Big kitchens and big refrigerators/ freezers. Even in my student apartment, we had a pretty good-sized kitchen. I was dating a Czech girl and her parents came to visit. When they went to my apartment for dinner, the mom was just amazed at the size of my fridge. They were amused when I dumped the scraps in the sink and turned on the garbage disposal. They’d heard about it but had never seen one." — Granadafan

kitchen, large kitchen, american kitchen, european kitchenAmerican kitchens tend to be much larger than European kitchens.Photo credit: Canva

4. Square footage

"The massive houses, a special room just for your massive washer and dryer units, 2 car garage, basically you have tons of space." — Howiebledsoe

"The size of your homes in places like Utah and Texas. There's a dedicated room for everything. Kids playroom that isn't the living room or the kid's bedroom, walk-in pantry room, a laundry room." — mcnunu

5. Free refills

"As an American, it's so easy to take this for granted. Similarly, getting free ice water in the US as well is something I often forget isn't exactly a thing in many other parts of the world." — Gaveuptheghost

Refill, anyone?Giphy

6. National Parks

"There’s just human development on virtually every inch of large parts of Europe. So even when there are parks, they’re not always as untouched as American parks. And the population density in large parts of Europe means you see a lot more people in the parks. America has national parks that are so untouched and massive that you can really be alone if you want to be." — CactusBoyScout

7. A/C

"Americans pump it all summer long." — Websurfer49

air conditioningWe do love our A/C.Giphy

8. Two peaceful neighbors (Mexico and Canada)

"Remember, the world's longest undefended border is between Canada and the United States. That says something about our relationship." — Dervishler

"We Europeans both love and hate each other in ways that Americans will never understand. But basically, not being French should be enough." — TitanFox98

10. Big schools

"My high school just had a pool, 3 gyms, an agricultural barn with stalls for students to keep the animals they were raising to show at the rodeo, a few labs, a theater, a full-size kitchen that was used for the culinary classes to share (not the cafeteria), 3 tennis courts, 2 soccer fields that were also used for football practice, and a football stadium with a Jumbotron. At the end of the year, the culinary classes would cook breakfast for the graduating class." — Elephantepiphany

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

11. Free public bathrooms

"As an American who lived in Europe with little kids, this was frustrating. My wife found an app of free public restrooms in Europe." — QuotidianPain

12. Mexican food

"Real Mexican food. We have Mexican restaurants in my home country, but the owners are usually not Mexican and it’s just not the same. Now, I’m living in Japan and it’s the same problem… Mexican food is so delicious." — punpun_Osa

tacos, mexican food, taco tuesdayTaco Tuesday!Giphy

13. Supermarkets

"Enormous supermarkets with abundant choice. I always feel like I'm in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory when I enter one. There's so much stuff!" — Better protection

14. Big showers

"This stands out - I have two really great friends (an expat woman and her husband) that live in the UK, and when I went to stay at their first place together, their shower was like a 2-foot-wide plastic shield outside of the bathtub. I had to stay so close to the wall, so I didn't spray water all over the bathroom." — IGNSolar7

15. Money

"There’s a huge gap between the volume of physical/material stuff Americans count as normal and what Europeans consider normal. An American home might have three TVs versus one, six or seven rooms full of furniture instead of two or three, extra small appliances added all the time like air fryers and espresso machines, new PCs and phones every couple of years because of constant upgrade marketing … the American perception that there’s not enough money is partly down to the giant volume of things Americans regard as minimum equipment." — AnotherPint

money, bugs bunnyMany Americans don't realize how comparably well-off they are.Giphy

"In effect, when you account for wages and cost of living, luxuries (which usually have similar prices around the world) are proportionally cheaper for Americans. They make up less of their wage and, therefore, make less of a difference. Standard of living is completely different for a working-class American because they can afford luxuries people from working class in other countries can't." — ltlyellowcould

This article originally appeared last year.

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