I bet some people run with scissors here

I always find it interesting to notice how similar things are in different countries. For example, you can buy Nutella, frozen mixed veggies, and playtex bras here, just like at home. The traffic lights and bank machines work the same way. And at any construction site, only 3 out of 5 people are working at any point in time.

But, it sometimes surprises me to see just how different things can be. There are no hot dog stands, but there are tonnes of taco stands. There isn't just one big hospital here, in this city of about 100,000 residents (plus however many thousands of tourists), but I've seen at least four medium hospitals and dozens of general medicine and speciality clinics. But I think some of the funnest differences to notice are regarding personal safety.

You know how seatbelts, handrails, and helmets of all types are mandatory at home? And construction and city workers have to follow so many rules? Not here!

Whole families ride in the back of pick-up trucks. Many people drive their scooters and motorcycles without any helmets (though some carry them on their handle bars, just like kids at home put their winter tuques in their pockets after leaving home and mom can't see them anymore!) These were not huge surprises, many of us have seen these things in pictures of people in different countries.

But yesterday and today, I saw some of the most interesting differences in safety. I saw a man standing on top of a water tanker truck to water the city plants and grass. The thing is he stayed there once the truck continued to move! Today, there were two men sitting on top of the cab of the garbage truck! And check out the picture of the man who is demolishing a roof thing of a building. He's standing on the wire part that's been left after he bashed the concrete away. No fall arrest equipment there!

Other than seeing these things during a walk, today was very domestic. I've been preparing stuff to start my painting business, did some office work for the SPCA, and found some street meat for dinner.

Pictures: Men on a garbage truck; man bashing concrete; sign says: "you will get towed if you park here" but it doesn't say "watch out on the stairs (no handrail on the outside)"; and the watch repir guy at his "shop" on the bridge near my spanish school.