Chewed gum wall in US is world’s 2nd most unhygienic tourist attraction

LONDON - Containing an estimated one million pieces of chewed gum (and an unknown quantity of dried saliva), a wall in USA is considered one of the world’s weirdest tourist attraction.

A recent poll has revealed the world’s most unhygienic tourist attractions.

Landing second place in Tripadvisor’s ‘World’s Germiest Attractions’ rundown, the 50-foot long Pike Place Market wall in Seattle, USA, is covered from floor to ceiling in colourful gum.

Beaten only by Ireland’s famous Blarney Stone, which visitors kiss in hope of acquiiring the gift of the gab, the Seattle local landmark has slowly accumulated more and more pieces of chewed gum since the turn of the century.

“It stretches at its most concentrated area for around 50 feet and is about 15 feet high,” the Daily Mail quoted Jamison Johnson, a local musician and artist who has documented the growth of the wall.

“It was cleaned up twice, but in 1999, Seattle realised that it was like California’s famous Bubblegum Alley in San Luis Obispo and left it alone.

“Since then people flock here to get married, leave their own piece of gum or to even make a small art work or a message of love or peace,” he said.

Celebrating over ten years of continual evolution and growth, the Seattle gum wall last year found itself basking in new found infamy.

“When TripAdvisor.com named it the second most germiest tourist attraction in the world, people just swelled in numbers coming to see the wall.

“I suppose it is a little unhygienic, especially when we are all obsessed with clean hands and swine flu, but it’s only supposed to be fun,” Jamison added.

Here’s the list of the filthiest and unhygienic tourist attractions:

1: The Blarney Stone, Ireland

Kissed by an unquantifiable number of would-be politicians and salesmen

2: Seattle Gum Wall, USA

Encrusted with chewing gum

3: Oscar Wilde’s Tomb, France

Smeared with the lipstick of a huge number of ‘artistic’ teenagers

4: St Mark’s Place, Venice

Infested by a vast flock of filthy pigeons hoping for a free meal

5: Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, USA

Its oft-touched hand prints are no cleaner than any other stretch of pavement.

6: Karni Mata Rat Temple, India

The clue is in the name. Bare feet are mandatory for visitors.

7: Friendly Monkey Valley, Korea

The monkeys are friendly. That doesn’t make them clean.

8: Glastonbury Festival, England

The Bronze Age conditions of the festival toilets are the stuff of legend

9: ‘Any Children’s Ball Pool’

A bit of a cheat this, but those colourful balls harbour all manner of grime

10: CBGB’s toilets, USA

The original Punk Rock haunt flies the flag for filthy rock club loos the world over. (ANI)