Camel comes home: There are stories of dogs and cats coming home after being lost or given away, but it’s rare to hear about a camel doing something similar. That’s what happened in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The camel’s owner, Temur, sold his camel to a friend who lived 100 kilometres (62 mi.) away. After spending the winter in its new home, the camel ran away, eventually finding its way through desert and mountains to its old home. Temur and his wife were moved to see the animal’s devotion, so they arranged to keep it. They sent a younger camel to the new owner as a replacement.

Away from home: When thinking about wallabies, Australia and Tasmania come to mind. However, France should be included. That’s because a colony of wallabies lives in the forest near Rambouillet, west of Paris. About 150 of the creatures have lived there for over 40 years. Ancestors of the current colony escaped from a zoological reserve in the 1970s. While some were caught, others found a home in the forest and have been living in the wild ever since. Authorities have even posted road signs with pictures of wallabies, so drivers would be aware of their presence.

Well-dressed: James Maina Mwangi of Nairobi, Kenya, came from a poor family and didn’t have very many clothes as a child. Eventually, he was able to earn money as a handyman, and he started to buy interesting clothes to match his flamboyant style. Today, he can be seen on the city’s streets in suits of different colours, all with matching accessories. For example, if he decides to wear a bright blue suit, he wears a tie, hat, watchband, eyeglasses, and shoes that all match. On other days, he may be dressed in pink, yellow, red plaid, or black and white. During the pandemic, he even finds facemasks to match!

Bird sport: A sport in Belgium involves birds, but very little activity. It’s called vinkenspot, which translates as “finch sitting” in English. In vinkensport, competitors sit in front of cages that contain one male chaffinch (a member of the finch family). These birds sing, and their owners keep track of the number of times their bird makes a complete bird call. A distinctive “susk-e-wiet” marks the end of each call. The competitor whose chaffinch makes the most calls in an hour is the winner. The sport is known to have cheaters; once, a competitor put a CD player in the box instead of a bird.

Much ado about nothing: Some people may wonder what the social media world is coming to after they hear about a video posted by Muhammad Didit of Indonesia. The young man decided to post a video of himself doing absolutely nothing. He shows himself sitting on a couch and staring into the camera for over two hours! He meant to record himself doing nothing for only five or 10 minutes, but after he started, he kept going. The weird thing is that the video has garnered hundreds of thousands of views and has motivated other people to do the same thing for even longer periods of time.

Pie queen: A baker from Seattle, Washington (U.S.), has become a pie-baking celebrity. Lauren Ko once worked as an executive assistant in education, but now she bakes pies with such intricate geometric designs that people flock to see her creations. Grandma’s pies may have tasted delicious, but Ko’s work also appeals to the eye. One blueberry pie, dubbed “flour power,” uses dozens of six-sided dough bits to hold blue petals. Others feature swirls of food-coloured dough strands or shapes that are formed into unbelievable patterns. The resulting pies are almost too incredible to eat! See her pies here:  www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Paring pumpkins: When people think of carving pumpkins, scary or funny faces that frighten or amuse Halloween celebrants are what usually come to mind. Angel Boraliev of Varna, Bulgaria, has different ideas. This pumpkin carver is an artist who sculpts amazingly realistic images and designs out of the lowly fruit. A pumpkin might be turned into a regal owl, a majestic eagle, a slithering snake, or a placid pelican. Along with pumpkins, Boraliev also enjoys using watermelons and soap as a medium.

Chalky art: Chalk is something very familiar to teachers and students. That was true for Sachin Sanghe, who came from the village of Mudugere in Karnataka, India. He took a liking to the material and started to carve things in it, starting with simple letters. Later, he carved intricate creations, such as hands, deities, and buildings. He took a break from his art to attend engineering school, but after graduating, he started carving again. His tiny sculptures can take many hours to complete, depending on the complexity. The artist admits that getting the job done requires a lot of concentration.

Dish decorations: Collectors of porcelain might have a cabinet or two filled with interesting finds, but a couple of cabinets would not nearly be enough to hold the collection of Nguien Van Truong of Kieu Son, Vietnam. He started collecting porcelain dishes back in the 1980s, and he became so obsessed that he soon had nowhere to put all of his acquisitions. He took some mortar, applied it to the walls of his home, and began the process of embedding the dishes into his house. Now, the inside and outside of his house are covered in about 10,000 pieces of colourful dishware.

White deer: The northern part of the state of New York (U.S.) is home to a rare white-tailed deer called the Seneca white deer. The animals of this type carry a recessive gene that makes their coats white instead of the usual brown. The herd was protected for many years by the Seneca Army Depot. When it closed in the 1990s, volunteers took over the care of the animals. No hunting is allowed in what is now a sanctuary for the deer, but their stark white fur makes the animals an easy target for predators. Today, the private owner of the property plans to continue to protect the herd. See these beautiful creatures here:  www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Disguised buns: A schoolteacher who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has a hobby that is drawing attention. She likes to bake, and one of her specialties is steamed buns - with a twist! Once the buns are made, she decorates the outside to make them appear to be tangerines. When people see one, they want to pick it up and peel it. But instead of finding juicy tangerine segments, they are surprised to discover a spongy, soft, steamed bun inside. Through research, Le Thuy taught herself to make the buns. She has also decorated the outside to make her creations look like freshly dug potatoes.

Gutsy thief: A conman tried to steal a fancy car and a handful of Rolex watches, but he didn’t get away with it. Casey William Kelley gave the salesman at a Porsche dealership in Destin, Florida (U.S.), a fake cheque for almost $140,000 (USD). He had printed the cheque on his home printer. The salesman let him take the car on the spot. The next day, Kelley tried the same trick at a jeweller, in an attempt to get the watches. The owner of the store tried to cash the cheque and, when it wouldn’t go through, he reported the incident to the police. By then, the car dealership had also called the cops, and Kelley was soon arrested.

Farming the airport: Farmland is often surrounded by woods or rolling hills or other such pastoral scenery. Not so for the farm owned by Takao Shito. His land is surrounded by one of Japan’s busiest transportation centres: Narita International Airport near Tokyo, Japan. This airport had its beginnings back in the 1960s, when many other farmers in the area accepted buyouts for their land. At that time, Shito’s father was running the farm, and before that, his grandfather ran it. The airport has since offered Shito compensation to turn over his land, but his family’s tradition of farming has kept him from taking the money.

Fish story: People who fish love to have a good fish story to tell. It seems that Garry Goodyear, who hails from Templeman, Newfoundland (Canada), has a story that will be hard to top. While fishing for turbot, Goodyear cast his nets to a great depth. When he and his crew pulled them up, an unfamiliar and very weird-looking creature was caught in the net. It had a long, pointed nose and fins that appeared to be wings. At first, Goodyear thought it was a platypus. Eventually, the fish was identified as a long-nosed chimaera, a relative of the shark. It is rarely seen. Meet Garry and his creepy catch here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Hungry, but happy: Chen Yongen of Cangbaotian village, Guizhou Province, China, was thrilled to find that his pet dog had survived calamity. The village had experienced a landslide during which everyone had to leave in a hurry. Because many buildings were demolished, villagers were unable to return for over a month, due to safety concerns. The pooch had been on his chain and was unable to run to find shelter, so the pet owner feared for the dog’s safety. When the owner was allowed back home, he could hear barking under the rubble. With help from villagers, he was able to dig out his scared and hungry pet, which was overjoyed to see his owner.

Odd house: In Deerfield, Illinois (U.S.), a suburb of Chicago, one house draws considerable attention from those passing by. Known as the “Pie House,” this structure has been positioned on a narrow lot in a desirable area of town since it was built in 2003. To make use of the limited space, the developer designed a long, narrow home. It is complete with a modern kitchen, nice bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and hardwood floors. When it was originally built, neighbours complained. Since then, the home has become known as a unique addition to the architecture of the area. See it here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Raining chocolate: People might use the expression, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” but no one ever says, “It’s raining chocolate!” That’s what happened in the town of Olten, Switzerland, recently. Many people reported seeing chocolate powder in the air, and others mentioned that vehicles were covered with an accumulation of the sweet, brown stuff. Turns out that there was a logical reason for the phenomena. The town is home to a chocolate factory that had a problem with its ventilation system. The chocolate powder made its way outside and was blown around by strong winds.

Working the land: Apartment dwellers in cities expect to look out their windows to see such things as parking lots, malls, stores, and gas stations. At one apartment complex in Lublin, Poland, the view is a little different. At harvest time, the buildings’ occupants can look out and see a farmer in a combine harvesting the crop. While other farmers in the area sold their land to urban developers, this one decided to keep his property so he could keep farming. Most people living in the nearby buildings don’t seem to mind at all; they like seeing agriculture in action, rather than asphalt and urban sprawl.

Artsy hairstyle: Clients who get haircuts from stylist Truong Xuan Tuan wish their hair would never grow again! That’s because the stylist, of Hanoi, Vietnam, creates works of art on the backs of people’s heads using razors and trimmers. He might trim hair to form a celebrity’s face, a cartoon character, a spider, or an urban scene. Because he cannot simply rub out any mistakes, he only creates designs that he has practiced making in the past. Those coming into his shop can browse through a portfolio and pick something they like. Warning: the designs become a bit fuzzy as the person’s hair grows back!

Manhole lights: City planners in Tokorozawa, Japan, have a novel idea to decorate manhole covers. They outfitted 27 of these necessary, but usually unattractive, pieces of the city’s infrastructure with solar-powered LED lights. The lights reveal designs that incorporate anime characters, which are popular in Japan. The 27 artistic designs are illuminated every evening at 5 p.m., and those who are out late can enjoy them until they turn off at 2 a.m. Another motive that inspired the city’s planners is that the extra lighting may help prevent nighttime crime. See them here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Fishing pool: With travel at a standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels around the world have seen a huge decrease in business. To make ends meet, the Aveda Resort, a luxury hotel in Kumarakom, Kerala, India, tried a novel approach to maintain some of its income. They re-purposed the hotel’s pool as a fish farm. The large pool was drained and filled with fresh water, then loaded with 16,000 young pearl spot fish. The fish can be harvested and sold, raising money to help with the hotel’s expenses. The project has also helped to keep hotel staff busy.

Hot springs: In the Tuscan region of Italy, a natural hot spring near Saturnia is a sight to behold. Called Cascate del Mulino, which means “Waterfalls of the Mill,” this hot spot features natural white limestone pools over which warm water flows. The turquoise liquid, at a constant 37°C (98.6°F), comes from an underground source and is full of minerals and sulphur. This beautiful natural wonder is free for users and is located downstream from a tourist complex called Terme di Saturnia Spa, where an entrance fee must be paid. The best time to visit is in fall, winter, or early spring when it is less crowded. See the beautiful falls and some other hot spots of Tuscany here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Tall and straight: Cactus plants can grow to be quite tall, and one in Takinogawa, Tokyo (Japan), leaves onlookers awestruck at its height. This cactus looks like a pole as it reaches for the sky on the side of a three-story building. No one is aware of the plant’s age or genus, but it does appear that someone cares for the prickly thing. Metal rings are wrapped around the plant that attach it to the building, presumably so it won’t topple over. The building is 10 metres (33 ft.) high, and this cactus is a little taller than that. Its top is slightly higher than the building.

Pandemic dress: Peyton Manker was not able to wear her homemade dress to her high school prom, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, lots of people saw her unique dress on social media. Manker, of Sparta, Illinois (U.S.), decided to enter a contest to make her dress out of duct tape, and she succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. She spent almost 400 hours and used about 41 rolls of tape to create her dress. The coronavirus-themed gown is royal blue and gold and contains colourful scenes depicting the pandemic, such as hospital staff with masks. See her dress here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Lacy cookies: Judit Czinkné Poór of Ajka, Hungary, probably never expected that her skill at painting porcelain would transfer to cookie decorating. That is just what happened, and today the artist is a well-known pastry chef with her own shop. She is able to turn a gingerbread cookie into a creative edible that appears to be covered in traditional Hungarian lace and delicate flowers. She has expanded her decorating to included cartoon characters and animal figures. As can be imagined, completing a batch of cookies takes Poór a long time, so she is unable to keep up with the demand. However, she shares her talent through teaching.

Subway splendour: When one thinks of subway stations in big cities, visions of concrete, graffiti, and dimly lit underground corridors may come to mind. Not so in Moscow, where the metro stations look more like ornately decorated dance halls. Rather than being dirty and unpleasant, these stations are beautiful and opulent. Each station in the city has its own unique design, with some featuring stained glass and chandeliers, while others display plaster mosaics and marble seating. They are unexpected sights to see while waiting to catch the train to a destination. See some of the incredible stations here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra