Located between Morocco and Tunisia, Algeria is the largest country in Africa and the 10th largest in the world. 4/5 of the country is covered by the Sahara – the hottest desert in the world. This is a desolate, barren land full of rocks… Hardly anyone lives here. Despite the harsh terrain, there are settlements on the northern edge of the Sahara. This place is also known as historic 5 ksours. These are the centuries-old ancient cities of the M’Zab valley. These cities include El-Atteuf (the oldest, founded in 1012), Melika, Bounoura, the holy places of Beni-Isguen and Ghardaïa. A tourist board was established to preserve these 5 ksours. They set quite strict regulations for tourists and Algerians. According to the BBC, the council advises Algerians and tourists to visit the ancient cities only when accompanied by a local guide. In addition, some other behaviors are also prohibited when coming here such as smoking, immodest dress, using mobile phones and taking selfies. Khaled Meghnine, a local guide, said: “We are all friendly and visitors are welcome to come here. However, they must respect the way of life of the people of this area. It is our home. , not the backdrop for a social media post. Nobody here wants that.” Since the 8th century, the Mozabites, a semi-nomadic people with a distinct language Tumzabt, have explored the land. 5 ancient cities are the unique cultural crossroads of the indigenous people of North Africa, the Islamic faith of Ibadi… Currently, the population of these cities is about 360,000 people. “It’s unbelievable how they developed society in this harsh land. That’s why we need to cherish this culture. It’s been around for 1,000 years,” Meghnine said. The roads in these cities are quite narrow, just enough for a donkey to carry cargo. The main road is bigger, enough for the camel to move. The houses are made of stone with a boxy texture. They usually raise a goat for milk and to deal with leftovers. Electricity started appearing here in 1950 and also changed people’s lives more or less. However, many principles remain the same from the old days. For example, when queuing at water pumps, children will be first, then women, then men. The walls of the house are often painted blue to create a feeling of coolness and repel mosquitoes. In Ghardaïa (pictured), the installation of modern signs or billboards is prohibited. This is how they keep the old city intact. Local regulations require that people in small streets specialize in only one product, for example carpets, fruit, vegetables or gold. The merchants here are not very competitive. Instead, they unite and create strong communities. Bargaining is also “implicitly forbidden” because of the respect between the seller and the buyer. Both parties will agree on a reasonable price from the beginning based on honesty. Another issue of concern for people living in these cities is water. To them, water is more precious than gold. There is a committee dedicated to overseeing the use of water resources. Here, they have penalties for people using more water than is common in society. In fact, from 2008-2017, the M’Zab valley did not have a single drop of rain. That’s why they take the regulations seriously.

Feng shui expert Phung Phuong warns that in the house there are 4 things that must be more precious than gold, do not be foolish to give it to anyone lest you bring fortune to your hand. Used wallets Even if the wallet is still healthy and no longer used, you should not give it to others. This is a feng shui object that symbolizes money, giving it is like giving your fortune to others. User idols Many people think that bringing the God of Wealth to friends on the day of opening or opening a business will make them prosper, trade and sell expensive, money comes in like water. That concept is not wrong, but it means that you will lose all fortune in your house. Moreover, the God of Wealth statue is only fulfilled when the owner himself sincerely requests it, so when he opens it, he will bless the client with good luck and fortune. Aquarium Some people, after receiving the gift of a fish tank, felt that fortune was not favorable, so they invited a feng shui expert to see. It turned out that they didn’t know that fish tanks like “Gods of Fortune” could not be given as gifts. There are some people who are hydrophobic or afraid of fish farming, so giving an aquarium is no different from harming the person receiving the gift. The location of the fish tank is also very important, requiring the guidance of a feng shui expert. Sharp thing Sharp objects such as knives, swords, scissors … according to feng shui will bring bad points, cut off good relationships or bring dangers to the recipient. If you want to give a beautiful and valuable knife or scissors as a unique souvenir, you should tell the recipient in advance. Then ask them to give you change or small coin, as if they paid for the item themselves. This is a folk trick to avoid the bad luck of the gift. Sharp objects should only be given as souvenirs, used as souvenirs for birthdays, birthdays or weddings. In addition to the above 4 objects, there are many other great taboo objects according to folk beliefs that should not be given or given to others. Because even if your property is good, your mind is impartial, but it is not by chance that grandparents draw it like that, so having taboo is still better than you! * Information is for reference only