Updated: 24/06/2011 14:17 | By Simon Busch, MSN Travel editor
Innocent gestures that mean rude things abroad, or...

Baring your soles



Soles: potentially offensive (Image © Image Source/Getty) (© Soles: potentially offensive)
Next
Previous
Previous
  • Slurping is the height of good manners in Japan (Image © Datacraft/Getty) (© Slurping is the height of good manners in Japan)
  • Being three hours late is polite in Argentina (Image © Image Source/Rex) (© Being three hours late is polite in Argentina)
  • 'How are you?' has become largely meaningless in the UK (Image © Chad Baker/Getty) (© 'How are you?' has become largely meaningless in the UK)
  • Some people fear being photographed steals their soul (Image © Don Hammond/Rex) (© Some people fear being photographed steals their soul)
  • Beware complimenting someone's sofa in Nigeria: you might end up with it (Image © Microsoft) (© Beware complimenting someone's sofa: you might end up with it)
  • Anger risks making you look mad in some countries (Image © Digital Vision/Getty) (© Anger risks making you look mad in some countries)
  • Soles: potentially offensive (Image © Image Source/Getty) (© Soles: potentially offensive)
Next
Soles: potentially offensiveShow Thumbnails
Previous14 of 14Next
Share this Gallery

What’s wrong with your poor feet? In many non-western countries it is customary to sit down cross-legged for a meal or a chinwag. If you do, make sure you’re not pointing your soles in anyone’s general direction. It’s a serious affront in Muslim countries.

Curiously enough, baring your soles can also offend in Russia. In Buddhist countries, such as Thailand, sitting with your feet pointed in the direction of a Buddha statue is a no-no.

0Comments
10 reasons to make MSN UK your homepage (© Microsoft)
Image Search for Baring your soles on Bing
Image
Previous 1 of 1 Next
loading
See more results results by

More on msn Travel