Why Don't They Have This in America?

This may well be in America soon - So, you saw it here first!  This is not just a yellow popsicle.  This is the most exciting frozen ice cream treat I've ever seen.  The sort of thing that makes me remember the first time I saw Super Mario with a bubble gum nose on the side of the ice cream man's truck.  This, my friends, is a peelable banana! As Nestlé's press release states, "Many would think that a peelable ice cream is unbelievable." Believe it. 

We first saw these in a gas station cooler in Serbia and I didn't buy one because I'd recently gone on an "avoid sugar" diet to combat culturally experiential dessert eating and the forthcoming gelato season. Since then, I've dubbed bananas "nature's ice cream cone," because any time Merlin buys ice cream, I grab a banana from a fruit stand and convince myself that it's as good as frozen, flavored dairy on a cone.  How ironic.  Anyway, it's been almost two months since Serbia and in cooler after cooler, I've searched for that banana popsicle. Does it peel? The package sure makes it look like it does. I'm not eating ice cream, but if that shows up I simply have to try. Investigative research. I'd nearly forgotten about it when it popped up in Montenegro.

The treat is called Pirulo Jungly, 'Pirulo' being one of many Nestlé brands and 'Jungly' being a terrible name.  According to the cartoon monkey on European Nestlé's website, you're supposed to peel the skin with your teeth. I used my fingers. Even if I'd known the decorum, I still would have - because the intrigue was always finding out what the heck the peel was made of. Gotta investigate with as many senses as possible. It felt like gummy bear and tasted like Jello. I'd say, it's Jello. Inside, the stick of banana flavored ice cream was delicious. Apparently, Jungly was introduced in February of 2010 as "Eskimo Monkey" in Thailand and then rolled out in Asian and then European countries in 2011. As far as I can tell, it's not yet available in America. Which begs the question - Why don't they have this in America (yet)?

Why Don't They Have This in America?

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. Such is the case on the island of Cyprus, where water shortage has been a historic problem. Luckily, Cypriots have always been pretty ingenious at coming up with solutions. Some of the world's oldest wells have been found in Cyprus' West. Modernity brought strict rules about water conservation and large desalination plants, which have created 50% of all domestic water in the last 10 years. These water vending machines are what really impressed me.
You won't go thirsty in Cyprus. In places where the tap water isn't drinkable, hosts proved bottles of water. Such was the case at our hotel in Nicosia, but we drink a lot of water. So, we purchased the biggest jug we could find - a 10 liter, intended for water coolers, not a couple. Anyway, we finished it and when it came time to get more, we looked to the water vending machine across the street.
It had a picture of a bottle just our size and "80 cent." So, we rummaged up change and, excitedly, went for it. Merlin inserted our first coin, a fifty center, and water immediately began to gush out. Yeah! Let's see how much fifty cents gets! Wait... oh no... oh gosh. It continued past our 10 liters, which made us both wonder how much the recommended 80 cents actually gets you. We closed the door, hoping that would somehow stop the deluge, but it continued to seep out.

Water vending machines. What an excellent idea. What the water cooler is for an office, the vending machine could be for a neighborhood!

Why Don't They Have This in America?

The first time I saw a purse hook beneath a bar, I was amazed. This is even better. Why waste space on a bar surface with a clunky napkin dispenser when you can just affix it to the front like this? Especially when said surface can be filled with pintxos. This would work particularly well anywhere in America that serves buffalo wings.

Why Don't They Have This in America?

At the Košice Technicke Muzeum we spotted this sink. Okay, normal sink, but look above it! The soap was hung up in a plastic net, so that you could rub your hands on it, but it wouldn't have to sit in a wet pool of residue. Brilliant.

Why Don't They Have This in America?

In Switzerland, instead of parking meters that necessitate shoving your hand down car seat cushions or begging a local convenient store worker for change of a twenty in nickels, they use these. You simply turn the wheel at the top to signal your arrival time and observe whatever maximum time limit is allowed for your parking space.
Police officers are consistently prowling the streets, checking on times. So, there's definitely no way you can get away with setting your clock ahead or not returning before your time limit is up. It's brilliant, really. Parking is free if you follow the posted rules and you get a big fat ticket if you don't. Sounds pretty logical to me.
Since locals have a version of the clock that sticks to their windshield, these dashboard ones come with some helpful traffic tips for visitors. Ours includes a moving model which shows that you should use your blinker when exiting a roundabout. It was purchased at a chewing gum and lotto shop for 1 swiss franc.

Why Don't They Have This In America?

Sometimes, something seems so simple that you wonder why it isn't commonplace. Take, for example, the Moldovan beer cap (or beer top?). It has a very functional pull-ring attached, for easy popping.
It really is simple, and it makes bottle openers seem clumsy. Why not have this in America? A patent issue? A matter of taste?

Why Don't They Have This in America?

Admittedly, I haven't spent a lot of time in churches - so they very well may have this in America, but neither Rebecca or I could recall seeing it. These cathedral pews had movable backs that allowed them to face either forward, towards the altar, or backwards, towards the organ. They were pretty cool, and very easy to move.

Why Don't They Have This in America?

Or if they do, how have I never seen one? This is a restaurant check-book that includes a working calculator. This way, you can calculate gratuity, splitting, currency exchange rates, etc. Yes, you can use your cell phone but I neither have a cell phone right now nor do I like to take out a phone at the table of a restaurant. Besides, this is way cuter.