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Portland, Maine, in fall

Portland, Maine, is probably not the first Portland that comes to mind — Oregon’s city of the same name has effectively become synonymous with cool, a hipster mountain town that specializes in good vibes and good views. Because of this, Maine’s Portland is often overlooked when it comes to deciphering between the two; however, their similarities don’t stop at their names. Portland, Maine, also has an insane amount of craft beer, with new breweries opening frequently, and outdoors adventures are abundant, from lighthouses to nearby national park.

It’s in the autumn season when the temperatures are dropping and the entire Northeast is on the precipice of plunging into winter that Portland, Maine, shines like its famous lighthouses. The leaf-peeping in this part of the country is renowned, and beyond that, there is much to do in Portland in the fall, from the cobblestone streets of the historic epicenter Old Port to industrial-turned-trendy neighborhood East Bayside.

Maine’s Portland is simply the ultimate fall destination. Here’s why, exactly, you should visit this season.

New hotels in historic facades

Photo: THE FRANCIS/Facebook

A slate of new hotels have cropped up in Portland — the AC Hotel from Marriott opened last year; the Press Hotel, a few years ago; and most recently The Francis Mainef, a renovated Victorian manor turned into a boutique hotel. Nestled in Portland’s West End, this new property distinctly captures Portland’s creative revival, precariously balancing Portland’s new and old selves — beyond a stained-glass front door lies hip, mid-century modern furnishings; a small spa offers treatments imbued with en vogue infusions, such as CBD and Reiki; and each of the hotel’s minibars is stocked with local Maine products. The boutique hotel’s name pays homage to the building’s designer, Francis Fassett, who helped to rebuild much of Portland after its Great Fire of 1866. After a two-year restoration to the building, Francis has put a fresh face on Portland’s hospitality scene, much like its namesake did 150 years ago.

The Harvest on the Harbor festival

Photo: Harvest on the Harbor/Facebook

This is not the only fall festival in town, but it is the most noteworthy. Harvest on the Harbor (or simply HOTH) is just what the name implies — Maine’s many culinary talents converge in Portland’s scenic harbor for four days of epicurean indulgence. The fete itinerary includes gin tastings from some of New England’s most under-the-radar distilleries, with the likes of Hardshore Distilling, Three of Strong Spirits, and Wiggly Bridge Distillery (try saying that three times fast after the tasting). Also on the agenda: a morning coffee mixing class; a 10-course lobster tasting; oyster shucking, with beers and bubbly to accompany; and a chef and farmer collaborative dinner with wine and Allagash pairings.

So much craft beer

Photo: Austin Street Brewery/Facebook

Allagash is Portland’s best-known brewery, serving mostly affordable yet surprisingly refreshing brews around the country. But there is a slew of other craft breweries along the harbor. Austin Street Brewery, off the heels of opening its second Portland location, serves almost entirely small-name beers — try the Neverender, an Australian-hopped Double IPA with a powerful tropical fruit flavor. Goodfire Brewing is a relative newcomer, with cans recognizable for a cool minimalist aesthetic. Food trucks frequent Goodfire’s taproom, with the option to pair with ingenious drafts like Crystals, a Galaxy Double IPA or CMYK, the Portland IPA.

The iconic lighthouses

Photo: Sara Winter/Shutterstock

Few things are more archetypally New England than the lighthouses that sentinel the region’s craggy seaside, beacons that have become symbols of Portland and greater Maine. The state’s oldest operating lighthouse is the Portland Head Light — you might instantly recognize this luminous edifice, as it is one of the most photographed in America. Situated in Cape Elizabeth, only a five-mile drive from Portland proper, the lighthouse is surrounded by hiking trails, a children’s garden, a small beach, and idyllic views of the Atlantic. Another smaller but just as scenic option is Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, the only caisson-style beacon in the US, meaning it was built on a large metal cylindrical caisson structure directly into the water. Today, a rocky breakwater connects the tower to the mainland for visitors to easily explore, although a century ago this was only accessible by boat — a sometimes perilous journey in the stormy waters of Portland’s bay.

Fall foliage galore

Photo: Keith Michael Taylor/Shutterstock

The fall foliage in New England is the stuff of legend — millions of leaf-peeping pilgrims flock to the great forests and spectacular harbors to receive the seasonal benediction of these varicolored leaves. This is the nonpareil reason to visit Portland in October — the trees along the harbor flaunt a bouquet of red, yellow, and burnt orange. While the trees lose chlorophyll, Portland gains visual treasures. You can see foliage throughout the city, but climb to the top of the Portland Observatory for panoramic views of the harbor, or go for a walk along the Eastern Promenade, a waterfront and tree-lined trail built along an old rail corridor. The first few weeks of October are best to see the foliage in Portland and the surrounding nature — you can even track the changing of colors with this map. Acadia National Park, home to miles of undisturbed woods, is only a three-hour drive from Portland and an easy fall day-trip option.

Legendary seafood

Photo: AR Pictures/Shutterstock

To avoid discriminating against the other seafood that Portland serves up — oysters, clams, mussels, crab — the scope of this category has been made broader than just lobster, although that is the pièce de resistance of Maine’s culinary offerings. Lobster rolls, lobster chowder, lobster fritters, steamed lobster — eat it all and savor every last bite because Portland’s famous dishes featuring the red crustacean deserve the praise, and fall is the last chance you’ll have to enjoy it fresh this year.

You’ll find ocean fare on every menu, but there are a few places locals flock to that don’t have lines of tourists out the door like some of the trendier lobster roll hotspots in town. Gilbert’s Chowder House serves this eponymous soup in a bread bowl, classically New England and pleasant on a crisp fall day. J’s Oyster is a no-frills locavore restaurant that has been around for 40+ years, impressing all visitors — even Anthony Bourdain in 2011 — with its overflowing buckets of steamed clams, piping chowders, and hearty seafood pasta entrees. Scales is a more upscale option, residing in a post-industrial warehouse on a wharf in the Old Port neighborhood, with a massive ice bar displaying raw seafood and a fish-heavy menu ranging from grilled octopus to seared scallops.

Whale watching

Photo: Odyssey Whale Watch/Facebook

Observing the ocean’s gentle giants is an activity that can be enjoyed in the summer and fall months, but it is great to do in October because come November, Maine’s famous whales have already gone south for the warmer waters. Odyssey Whale Watch ferries travelers around Portland’s harbor to observe not just whales but also other marine wildlife (turtles, sharks, porpoises) and give spectacular waterside views of mainland Portland and Casco Bay. The naturalist-guided tours are four hours long and run through October 20.


More like this: The best scenic train trips to see fall foliage in the US

The post 7 reasons why Portland, Maine, is the ultimate fall destination appeared first on Matador Network.

Iceberg breaks off Antarctic shelf

Unfortunately, the melting and calving of glaciers is so common these days that it often doesn’t make the news cycle. But when an iceberg as big as D-28 (the given name to this particular berg) breaks away, it commands our attention. At 631 square miles in size, the massive iceberg is the size of greater London. It calved away from the Amery ice shelf in East Antarctica on September 26 — the ice shelf’s first major calving event since 1964.

The calving took place next to an area in the ice shelf known as the “loose tooth,” which scientists had been monitoring for nearly 20 years due to the precariously attached ice.

Helen Amanda Fricker, a professor at Scripps College, predicted back in the early 2000s that a large iceberg would eventually break off the ice shelf. “I am excited to see this calving event after all these years,” she said. “We knew it would happen eventually, but just to keep us all on our toes, it is not exactly where we expected it to be.”

Although you may at first assume the calving is the result of global warming, Fricker insists that’s not the case at all. “It’s part of the ice shelf’s normal cycle,” she said, “where we see major calving events every 60-70 years.”

Reassuringly, glaciologist Ben Galton-Fenzi says the event won’t dramatically impact sea levels, “because the ice shelf was already floating, much like an ice cube in a glass of water.” He added, “but what will be interesting to see is how the loss of this ice will influence the ocean melting under the remaining ice shelf and the speed at which the ice flows off the continent.”


More like this: These 5 major cities are sinking rapidly into the sea

The post Massive iceberg the size of London breaks off Antarctic ice shelf appeared first on Matador Network.

Komodo island closure canceled

In July, Indonesian authorities announced that the island of Komodo would close for one year, starting in January 2020, to curb the detrimental effects of overtourism. Now, however, that closure has been canceled. As it turns out, tourism is not impacting the island’s Komodo dragons as was previously believed.

According to Nurbaya Bakar, Indonesia’s environment and forestry minister, “[The number of] Komodo dragons on Komodo island during 2002 to 2019 observations has been relatively stable. There is no threat of a decline.”

The ban was initially announced due to concerns surrounding the influx of tourists to the island and the potential effect of those tourists on the animals’ mating habits. There were also concerns about poachers preying on the Komodo dragons, as well as the island’s deer. Although the ban is no more, a new Komodo dragon research center is still expected to open in the park, and the environment ministry has promised to renovate other tourist areas in the park as well.

The island fielded about 176,000 tourists in 2018, which is impressive given the $500 park entry fee. Indeed, just because the island will remain open to visitors, it doesn’t mean visiting will be easy. Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat, governor of East Nusa Tenggara, said, “Only people with deep pockets are allowed to [see Komodo dragons]. Those who don’t have the money shouldn’t visit the park since it specifically caters to extraordinary people.” Which, you know, gross.


More like this: 10 stunning photos that prove there’s more to Komodo National Park than dragons

The post The Komodo island closure has been canceled appeared first on Matador Network.

How to see the BeltLine in Atlanta

In 1999, Georgia Tech graduate student Ryan Gravel had a vision for a pedestrian-friendly Atlanta: miles of public-use trails, transit, and green spaces to connect and protect the city’s historic neighborhoods. Ten years later, his vision became a reality in the making, and today, it’s a leading model for the future of America’s urban green spaces. It’s called the BeltLine, and it’s transforming Georgia’s capital from a motor city to a bipedal Elysium. The BeltLine’s first completed section is the Eastside Trail, and no trip to ATL is complete without spending at least a half-day exploring it. Here’s how.

The Eastside Trail — where you should begin your BeltLine exploration

Photo: Atlanta BeltLine/Facebook

The BeltLine is an outdoor urban playground that will eventually encompass 33 miles of trails for fuel-free playtime. Visitors will be able to bike, walk, or run through town on old rail lines converted into paths that connect 45 neighborhoods along 2,000 acres of public parks.

Luckily, you don’t have to wait to enjoy this metropolitan magic. The Eastside Trail, the first finished section of the BeltLine, is open and ready to be explored. This three-mile stretch runs from Piedmont Park, through the Historic Fourth Ward, past Inman Park, and ends at Memorial Drive in Reynoldstown. It passes world-class food markets, shopping centers, beer halls, and free outdoor murals.

Head to the intersection of 10 Street Northeast and Monroe Drive at Piedmont Park. For those looking to rent bikes, you can join the city’s bikeshare program, Relay Bike Share, and pay $3.50 per 30-minute ride; there’s a bike dock located at there. Or you can rent one from Skate Escape, located on the other side of the park. The trail is equally suitable for walking, and has a fantastic running path for those so inclined. Download a map of the trail before heading out.

Check out Piedmont Park.

Photo: f11photo/Shutterstock

The 189 acres of rolling green hills that unfurl from Midtown’s steely skyscrapers and lead to the Eastside Trail were designed by the sons of Frank Law Olmsted, the architect of New York’s Central Park. Their father’s influence is evident, as the park’s winding walkways and open fields are similar to Olmsted Sr.’s most famous works. Walking through the park and taking in the Midtown skyline from Lake Clara Meer is a peaceful way to begin the day.

Peruse free art along the BeltLine.

Photo: HENSE/Facebook

Once you enter the Eastside Trail, you’ll immediately come to a bridge with pastel-painted street art by HENSE (aka Alex Brewer). Almost every bridge along the BeltLine is a gallery unto itself decorated by world-renowned muralists. Greg Mike, an Atlanta-based artist famous for his royal-blue LoudMouf character, has several pieces visible from the path. Kyle Brooks, who grew up in Atlanta, painted a bridge farther down the trail into a hard-to-miss cotton-candy world of cartoon faces. Perhaps the most eye-popping mural is by Detroit artist Ouizi, who turned the backside of Paris on Ponce, a store that sells art and antiques, into a garden of flowers painted one-story high.

It’s the easy-to-miss work of Karen Anderson, founder of Tiny Doors ATL, that has garnered the greatest critical praise in recent years, however. Anderson creates whimsical interactive worlds by placing seven-inch doors, decorated to match their respective neighborhoods, in amusing locations throughout Atlanta. There are currently four on or near the Eastside Trail. The first is within HENSE’s mural, the second near the bottom of Ouizi’s floral piece, a bridge near the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark is home to a third, and the final door is at the entrance to Krog Street Tunnel.

Krog Street Tunnel, which links the neighborhoods of Inman Park, Cabbagetown, and Reynoldstown, is a gritty graffiti sanctuary. The wall-scrawled walkway is a popular photo-op for snap-happy tourists near the end of the trail, and worthy of a visit.

Pig out at Ponce City Market.

Photo: Nicholas Lamontanaro/Shutterstock

Exploring the BeltLine can quickly turn into a full-day ordeal, but not because of the art, mind you. The Eastside Trail abuts two of Atlanta’s most acclaimed food and shopping markets, located under two miles of one another. Ponce City Market is the first you’ll come across. Initially built in 1926 for Sears, Roebuck and Company, the Historic Fourth Ward complex was reimagined as a multipurpose hotspot for work and pleasure in 2014. The largest adaptive-reuse project ever to hit the Big Peach, the market has played a significant role in the city’s urban renaissance.

Once inside, be sure to check out Central Food Hall, where you can graze on sweet and savory snacks, sip on local spirits, and treat yourself to lunch or dinner at one of the many sit-down restaurants. Trendy clothing and home goods stores pepper the first two floors, and there’s plenty of public seating if you’re just looking to hang with friends. Head up to Skyline Park, an amusement-style playground on the market’s rooftop, to play retro carnival games and take in some spectacular city views. It’s worth spending a couple of hours discovering these treasures yourself, and not a terrible idea to plan a visit during the week. Ponce is perpetually packed both Saturday and Sunday, and the din of people humming about local food purveyors makes the cement walls of the market sing.

Grab a beer at Krog Street Market before heading out on the food hunt.

Photo: EQRoy/Shutterstock

Krog Street Market, farther down the trail, is the second necessary stop for great grub. Once a 1920s warehouse, the industrial space is now an inviting meeting spot for locals in the Inman Park area. A smaller but no less worthy destination, KSM is usually less packed than the ever-popular Ponce and still affords a plethora of eclectic artisan food and drink options.

Of course, these aren’t the only appealing food options along the Eastside Trail. Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall serves Southern-inspired contemporary cuisine in a kitschy, camping lodge-themed space. Inman Perk Coffee is a BeltLine-adjacent, independently owned java joint. New Realm Brewing is a popular craft beer hall with expansive city views. You can beat the Atlanta heat with a King of Pops ice pop in the Historic Fourth Ward, grab a scoop of something sweet at Jake’s Ice Cream, or check out Irwin Street Market’s small but mighty food court.

Other sites to see on the BeltLine

Photo: Andriy Blokhin/Shutterstock

While Piedmont Park is Atlanta’s most lauded green space, the Eastside Trail’s Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark is equally thrilling for an alternative crowd. Located near Freedom Expressway and just past Ponce City Market, this is Atlanta’s first public-use space where wheel-happy hipsters can ride ramps and rails. There’s a nearby playground for little ones, and a multi-use athletic field, too. If hanging out on half-pipes isn’t your M.O., the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum is a 10-minute jaunt away on the other side of the trail. The museum, dedicated to the 39th US president’s body of work, is a must-see for American history buffs.

Where to end

Photo: BluIz60/Shutterstock

The final stretch of the Eastside Trail, ending at Memorial Drive, was completed and opened to the public in July of 2019. Still, most of the exciting sites peter out around Irwin Street in Inman Park. Here is where you can reward yourself with a baked good or local beer at Krog Street Market, and then check out the graffiti tunnel to conclude your journey. For those interested in seeing the whole trail, recently opened Dairies Coffeehouse and Cold Brew Bar in Reynoldstown is a modern spot to refuel with light bites and coffee afterward.


More like this: 7 state parks you absolutely have to check out in Georgia

The post Atlanta’s BeltLine is the future of American urban green spaces appeared first on Matador Network.

Most popular Halloween candy in US

People in the US can pretty much all agree on one thing: Candy is good, especially around Halloween. Exactly which candy is best, however, is a much more regional story.

To find the most popular Halloween candy in each state, the equipment sales company Bid-on-Equipment analyzed Google search traffic for more than 100 candies between September and October 2018 in all 50 states and the 20 largest cities. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups captured the most love with 12 states, though M&M’s are just behind with 11 states if you group classic M&M’s, peanut, and pretzel (you do you Wisconsin) together. Swedish Fish, AirHeads, Nerds, RedHots, SweeTarts, Hershey’s, and gummy worms received the least love with just one state each.

America’s biggest cities typically split from the state’s favorite candy. New York City’s favorite candy, M&M’s, matched the state’s (which, by virtue of making up a large share of the state’s population, makes sense), LA went with Jolly Ranchers, Chicago with KitKat, Houston with Milk Duds, and Phoenix with Reese’s. Indianapolis, the 17th largest city in the US, came out of left field as the only location in the data set to pick Lifesavers.

Though there are 16 distinct candies represented, only eight companies own America’s favorite Halloween candies. These are the most popular candies broken down by candy corporations:

Mars, Incorporated: M&M’s (11 states), Snickers (five states), and Mars (two states)
Hershey Company: Reese’s (12 states), Milk Duds (five states), Hershey’s (one state), and Jolly Ranchers (one state)
Nestlé: KitKat (two states), Nerds (one state), and SweeTarts (one state)
Perfetti Van Melle: AirHeads (one state)
Tootsie Roll Industries: Tootsie Pops (two states)
Just Born: Hot Tamales (three states)
Ferrara Candy Company: RedHots (one state) and gummy worms (one state)
Cadbury Adams: Swedish Fish (one state)

It’s important to keep in mind that the data comes from Google. There’s a chance that people are just googling Reese’s because the brand has memorable commercials, and those in South Dakota could just be looking for gummy fishing worms. Google search traffic is far from a perfect data set, but it’s about as close as we can get to narrowing down state by state favorites.


More like this: The 10 most beloved regional candies in the United States

The post The most popular Halloween candy in every state appeared first on Matador Network.

Best archaeological sites in Athens

Widely considered to be the birthplace of democracy and the cradle of Western civilization, Athens has been continuously settled for at least 5,000 years, making it one of the world’s oldest cities. As such, Athens is one of the richest archaeological sites on the planet. Stroll down Ermou, the city’s major shopping street, and you’ll catch tantalizing glimpses of the Acropolis, looming over the districts of Monastiraki, Plaka, and Psyri from atop its rocky limestone perch. But while it’s undoubtedly the most famous, the Acropolis — home to the iconic Parthenon — is far from the only ancient attraction in town. From ruined temples to sprawling cemeteries and world-class museums, here are eight lesser-known sites you should hit on your visit to Athens.

1. The cemetery of Kerameikos

Photo: Nejdet Duzen/Shutterstock

Despite being one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in downtown Athens, Kerameikos is also one of the least visited.

It takes its name from Keramos, the son of Dionysus and Ariadne, and a hero of the pottery trade (the word “ceramic” originates from the Greek keramikos, which means “of pottery”). As its moniker suggests, Kerameikos was home to potters and vase painters, who flocked to the area to take advantage of the rich clay deposits from the Eridanos, a small river that once again runs through the site today, having been buried under meters of landfill before being revealed by archaeological digs in the 1960s.

The earliest tombs in the area were built in the early Bronze Age period, spanning from 2700 to 2000 BC, after which the cemetery was used continuously up until around the sixth century AD. Over time it developed into the most important burial site in ancient Athens.

Head here outside of high season and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to explore the site without seeing another soul. Walk around the vast, tranquil grounds, taking in the ancient tombstones and monuments hewn from marble, as well as the countless cylindrical grave markers that began replacing them around the fifth century BC.

Make sure to check out the small but fascinating Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, displaying various items excavated in the area, including statues, urns, and monuments.

Where: Ermou 148, Athens 105 53

2. The Ancient Agora

Photo: S.Borisov/Shutterstock

The beating heart of Athens in its time, the Ancient Agora occupies the mostly green space between the district of Monastiraki and the Acropolis, and has the distinction of being one of the world’s few archaeological sites with a train line running through it. Admission is included as part of your ticket to the Acropolis, yet just a fraction of tourists who visit the city’s most famous historic attraction make the trip to this sprawling site, which was once at the center of political, cultural, social, and religious life in Athens.

Having been declared a public space during the early sixth century BC, the site was gradually abandoned in the wake of the Slavic invasion of 580 AD. By the mid-19th century it had been wiped from the face of the city, buried beneath a succession of residential developments.

Few of the Ancient Agora’s buildings are well-preserved — a testament to the centuries they spent buried. But the Temple of Hephaestus, a beautiful columned structure built in the fifth century BC, has been remarkably undamaged throughout its long history. Another, the Stoa of Attalos — effectively an ancient Greek department store dating back to the second century BC — has been impressively rebuilt, and now houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora.

Where: Adrianou 24, Athens 105 55

3. The Roman Agora

Photo: Nejdet Duzen/Shutterstock

Athens, as one of the ancient world’s most important cities, had more than one agora (literally meaning a place of gathering).

Compared to the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora is practically a baby, having been built between 19 BC and 11 BC. While originally less important than its older counterpart, the Roman Agora became the administrative and commercial hub following the Sack of Athens in 267 AD, when the size of the city was dramatically reduced to the area enclosed by the Late Roman fortification wall.

As with the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora — also confusingly known as the Roman Forum — succumbed to the expansion of the city under Byzantine and Ottoman rule, when hundreds of houses were built on top of it. While much of the site has been lost, some impressive structures remain.

One is the Gate of Athena Archegetis, which served as the agora’s main entrance. Still standing to this day on the western edge of the archaeological site, it looks like the front of a Greek temple, with its four columns supporting a typical pitched roof. In some old paintings and prints of the area, the gate can be seen looming above streets of tightly packed houses that have since been demolished as part of efforts to preserve the city’s ancient heritage.

The Roman Agora is also home to the grand Fethiye Mosque, built under Ottoman rule in the 17th century. Renovated and reopened in 2017, it now hosts regular cultural exhibitions.

Where: Polignotou 3, Athens 105 55

4. Hadrian’s Arch

Photo: Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock

This triumphal arch is located on an ancient street that once connected the old city of Athens to the newer Roman settlement built by the Emperor Hadrian.

Erected in 131 AD, Hadrian’s Arch is made up of an arch topped by a series of Corinthian columns and pilasters, all of which are made from fine Pentelic marble.

The gate is incongruously perched next to a busy avenue, surrounded by nothing more than a low metal fence. No one queues up to visit; people merely walk past on the sidewalk, perhaps snapping a quick picture on the way.

Give this gloriously preserved relic the attention it deserves by taking the time to spot the two inscriptions carved on the architrave. One, on the side facing the Acropolis, reads: “This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus.” The second, on the opposite side and facing the new city, declares: “This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus.”

Where: Leoforos Vasilisis Amalias 50, Athens 105 58

5. Hadrian’s Library

Photo: Milan Gonda/Shutterstock

Hadrian’s Library — built in 132 AD at the behest of the Roman emperor – has endured a turbulent history, having been destroyed during the 267 AD Sack of Athens and incorporated into the Late Roman city walls. Another 150 years passed before it was to be repaired.

In truth, the name is a little misleading. Far from just a library, the site had rooms for music and lectures, as well as a pool surrounded by 100 columns.

At the heart of the library’s grassy courtyard are the ruins of a church, which shares in the building’s dramatic history. It was built and subsequently destroyed three times throughout the years, most recently by a fire in 1885.

Entrance to the library is packaged into the standard Acropolis ticket. While the site itself is a beautiful and evocative place to walk around, the best place to get a feel for its sheer scale is from nearby Dexippou Street, which overlooks the ancient ruins.

Where: Athens 105 55

6. Museum of the Ancient Agora

Photo: Jaione_Garcia/Shutterstock

When surveying a vast archaeological site, it can be difficult for visitors to come to grips with how it looked and how important it was, during its heyday.

The Museum of the Ancient Agora, situated within the grand reconstruction of the Stoa of Attalos, is the best way to glean an understanding of the site’s key role in ancient Athenian society.

Its substantial collection, arranged chronologically and thematically, features pieces from the Neolithic to the post-Byzantine and Ottoman periods. You’ll find everything from vases and terracotta statuettes to Neolithic and Bronze Age weaponry. Everything displayed here was excavated from the wells and tombs in and around the Ancient Agora.

Where: Athens 105 55

7. The Temple of Olympian Zeus

Photo: Marina Plug/Shutterstock

Also known as Olympieion, the Temple of Olympian Zeus offers proof of the phrase “good things come to those who wait.” Construction of the huge temple — once the largest in all of Greece — was begun in 515 BC by Peisistratus the Young. By the time it was finished, Peisistratus was no longer young; in fact he’d been dead for 650 years.

Unsurprisingly, time has taken its toll on the temple. Only 15 of its original 104 Corinthian columns are left, one of which was blown over by gale-force winds in 1852. But the imposing scale of the remaining structure offers a glimpse at the vast proportions of this once-great site, which — at the time of its construction — also had two immense statues; one to Zeus, and another to Hadrian, who associated himself with the king of the Greek gods.

Where: Athens 105 57

8. The National Archaeological Museum

Photo: Heracles Kritikos/Shutterstock

Housed in a striking 19th-century Neoclassical building, the National Archaeological Museum is the largest museum in Greece, with a collection that includes more than 11,000 items.

Originally intended to house artifacts discovered during the extensive excavations of the mid- to late-1800s, its collection was expanded to incorporate ancient finds from throughout the Greek world. Today, the museum houses five permanent exhibitions, covering prehistoric antiquities; sculptures dating from the seventh century BC to the fifth century AD; ancient Greek ceramics; metallurgical works; and artworks from Egypt and Asia Minor dating from 5000 BC to the time of Roman conquest. It is, in short, a must-visit for anyone seeking a comprehensive overview of the country’s ancient history.

Where: 28is Oktovriou 44, Athens 106 82


More like this: The ultimate shopping guide to Athens

The post 8 archaeological sites and museums you can’t miss in Athens beyond the Acropolis appeared first on Matador Network.

30 Japanese quotes we should use

Idioms are common to most, if not all, languages. Often, they share meanings with idioms in other languages, yet every place has its own funny phrases to express universal sentiments and experiences. Japan is no exception. Countless idioms have become staples of everyday conversation, and though they may sound strange to American ears at first, many of them sound just as cool translated into English. Here are 30 Japanese idioms we should all start using.

1. 自業自得

Translation: “One’s act, one’s profit”

Meaning: Similar to “you reap what you sow.” Everyone eventually faces the consequences of their actions.

2. 十人十色

Translation: “Ten men, ten colors”

Meaning: Similar to “different strokes for different folks.” People have different tastes and preferences — and that’s okay.

3. 起死回生

Translation: “Wake from death and return to life”

Meaning: To take a bad or desperate situation and turn it into a successful one.

4. 我田引水

Translation: “Pulling water to my own rice paddy”

Meaning: To do or say things for your own benefit.

5. 悪因悪果

Translation: “Evil cause, evil effect”

Meaning: Another iteration of “you reap what you sow.” This one is a tad more specific and almost suggests a karmic outcome.

6. 見ぬが花

Translation: “Not seeing is a flower.”

Meaning: In Japan, flowers can be used to represent imagination, beauty, and sometimes politeness. In this case, the idiom means, “Reality cannot compete with imagination.”

7. 弱肉強食

Translation: “The weak are meat; the strong eat.”

Meaning: This one’s pretty straightforward, meaning something like “survival of the fittest.” Bonus points because it rhymes.

8. 海千山千

Translation: “Ocean thousand, mountain thousand”

Meaning: A reference to the sly old fox, someone who’s seen everything and can therefore handle any situation, usually through cunning.

9. 酔生夢死

Translation: “Drunken life, dreamy death”

Meaning: To dream your life away or have your head in the clouds. To spend all your time daydreaming without accomplishing anything.

10. 一期一会

Translation: “One life, one encounter”

Meaning: Every encounter is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Sometimes used as a reminder to cherish every moment because you’ll only experience it once.

11. 異体同心

Translation: “Different body, same mind”

Meaning: Refers to kindred spirits or like-minded people, somewhat similar to calling someone a “brother from another mother.”

12. 羊頭狗肉

Translation: “Sheep head, dog meat”

Meaning: False advertising, similar to the phrase “crying wine and selling vinegar,” only the Japanese idiom paints a more graphic picture.

13. 会者定離

Translation: “Meeting person always separated”

Meaning: Perhaps the most Confucius-esque idiom of the bunch, this one simply means that every meeting must end in a parting.

14. 美人薄命

Translation: “Beautiful person, thin life”

Meaning: More superstition than anything else, this one really means that a “beautiful woman is destined to die young” but is more analogous to “beauty fades.”

15. 自業自得

Translation: “Work of self, obtainment of self”

Meaning: Similar to “you get what you give,” only the Japanese version sounds way more fulfilling.

Other idiomatic phrases that relate to English idioms or proverbs
16. 虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。

Translation: “If you do not enter the tiger’s cave, you will not catch its cub.”

Meaning: You can’t achieve anything without taking risks, or “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

17. 猿も木から落ちる。

Translation: “Even monkeys fall from trees.”

Meaning: A considerably more hilarious way to say, “Everybody makes mistakes.”

18. 蓼食う虫も好き好き

Translation: “There are even bugs that eat knotweed.”

Meaning: A roundabout way of saying, “There’s no accounting for taste” or “to each his own.” Japanese knotweed is one of the world’s worst invasive species.

19. 蛙の子は蛙。

Translation: “Child of a frog is a frog.”

Meaning: “Like father, like son.”

20. 覆水盆に帰らず。

Translation: “Spilt water will not return to the tray.”

Meaning: A way of saying, “No use crying over spilled milk,” only water fittingly seems like way less of a significant loss than milk.

21. 知らぬが仏

Translation: “Not knowing is Buddha.”

Meaning: A more mystical way of saying “Ignorance is bliss.” Bust this one out on the beach or at a party, trust me.

22. 猫に小判

Translation: “Gold coins to a cat.”

Meaning: Same as “pearls before swine,” meaning to give a gift to someone who can’t appreciate it.

Other idiomatic phrases that don’t relate to anything in English
23. 井の中の蛙大海を知らず。

Translation: “A frog in a well does not know the great sea.”

Meaning: People make judgments based on their own limited experiences with no knowledge of the world outside of those experiences.

24. 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず。

Translation: “One who chases after two hares won’t catch even one.”

Meaning: If you try to do two things at once, you will fail at both. Or, in the words of Ron Swanson, “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”

25. 門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む。

Translation: “An apprentice near a temple will recite the scriptures untaught.”

Meaning: Like saying, “People are a product of their environment.”

26. 七転び八起き

Translation: “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”

Meaning: This one rolls “if at first you don’t succeed” and “perseverance is better than defeat” into one idiom.

27. 案ずるより産むが易し。

Translation: “Giving birth to a baby is easier than worrying about it.”

Meaning: Stressing out about something is usually worse than the thing you’re stressing out about. And it certainly doesn’t help.

28. 馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。

Translation: “Unless an idiot dies, he won’t be cured.”

Meaning: A harsh way of saying, “Only death will cure a fool.” Or maybe, “You can’t fix stupid.”

29. 秋茄子は嫁に食わすな。

Translation: “Don’t let your daughter-in-law eat your autumn eggplants.”

Meaning: Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of.

30. 花より団子

Translation: “Dumplings rather than flowers.”

Meaning: This one is used to refer to someone who prefers substance over style, a practical person. There’s that use of “flower” again.

A version of this article was previously published on May 18, 2014 by Alex Scola, and was updated on October 1, 2019 by Alex Bresler.

More like this: Find zen among the mossy tombstones of Japan’s largest cemetery

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Family travel guide to Gilbert, AZ

Venture half an hour east of Arizona’s capital, and you’re in Gilbert, America’s “most populous town” — and it’s 100% free of skyscrapers, blazing city lights, and suits pounding the pavement. There’s over 300 days of sunshine a year, a community-driven atmosphere welcoming of all ages, and tons of things to do at a slower, friendlier pace.

If you’re traveling with the kids, here are seven reasons to consider Gilbert, AZ for your next vacation.

1. It’s the goat yoga capital of the world.

Photo: Meghan Cyr for AZ Goat Yoga

Seriously. Goat Yoga Arizona owners Sarah Williams and April Gould trademarked “Goat Yoga,” recently setting a Guinness World Record for the largest goat yoga class ever (350+ yogis, 84 goats). The pair are famous local faces — you might recognize them, too, since they’ve appeared on American Ninja Warrior and The Amazing Race as #TeamGoatYoga.

They lead several classes a week together at Welcome Home Ranch in Gilbert, where alpacas add some diversity to their bleating counterparts. All ages are welcome, and the animals are good with children. Bring your kids to a baby goat yoga-focused class, where your own brood can hold one of the little guys before getting into child’s pose.

2. The Heritage District is code for splash pad territory.

Photo: Discover Gilbert

Yes, this is Arizona — the weather can tend toward the warm end of the spectrum. But there’s always a tried-and-true way to cool down when you’re in the Downtown Gilbert Heritage District: the splash pad.

To find it, head to Water Tower Plaza. The 230-foot water tower that dates back to 1927 is one of Gilbert’s most iconic sights — let it serve as both your compass and as a place to wind down. While the kids splash around, check out the water wall and spinning granite ball, some of the best public art in town.

Some 30 local restaurants are scattered throughout the district, so you could easily walk to dinner from here — splashing goes well with ice cream, by the way. And in the fall and spring, free concerts near the splash pad keep Thursday nights thrumming.

3. Food here doesn’t come from grocery stores…

Photo: Shutterstock/Danette C.

The food folks in Gilbert like to eat comes from actual people working the actual earth. Weird, huh? It can be a hard concept for modern adults to grasp, much less modern kids. Take them — and yourself — to The Farm at Agritopia, an 11-acre, hands-on, certified organic farm. They hold tours (every third Wednesday of the month, September – June), farmer talks, special events like peach picking, markets, and there’s an onsite farm store stocked with fresh produce.

Then there’s the Gilbert Farmers Market, right by the water tower, which takes place every Saturday morning. It’s a blast for kids — there’s face painting, kid-friendly vendors (think homespun cotton candy), live music, and prepared food options galore.

4. …but it can come from trucks.

Photo: Discover Gilbert

You won’t find an abundance of fast food chains around downtown. Instead, locally based restaurants rule, and most source ingredients from Gilbert farms. The homegrown adult beverage scene isn’t lost on Gilbert, either — breweries like OHSO Brewery + Distillery and Arizona Wilderness Brewing definitely deserve a stop.

Even more foodie-worthy choices are to be had around town in food truck form. Hit up the Gilbert Feastival, a food truck corral that hums to live music every Friday night. Artisan booths also pop up, so be on the lookout for handcrafted souvenirs.

Tip: Speaking of souvenirs, if you’re in Gilbert October through March, the free Gilbert Art Walk on the first and third Saturdays of the month is a prime way to score a unique memento. September through April, there’s also the Made with Love Market in the Heritage Marketplace, an “artist’s market” full of hand-crafted goodies.

5. You can walk next to wildlife…

Photo: Discover Gilbert

At the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch — a gorgeous 110-acre nature preserve home to some of Arizona’s coolest creatures — the kids can practice their quiet game to catch a glimpse of wildlife. The immersive trails cover almost five miles and are fairly flat and easy to navigate, even if you’re pushing a stroller.

As you follow the boardwalks and trails, count the critters that cross your path — rabbits are running around everywhere, there are literally hundreds of species of birds to spot, and turtle crossings are a not-uncommon cause of trail jams. End the day at one of the preserve’s lake lookouts, or ditch the hotel for a night and camp out onsite.

Weekend visitors get a bonus: On Friday and Saturday nights, the state-of-the-art astronomy observatory is open to the public (weather permitting). You can also up the educational stakes with a visit to the ethnobotanical garden or the paleontology dig site — this is much more than your average nature park!

6. …and ride an open-air train.

Photo: Shutterstock/Badger13

Trains like this may bring to mind a bygone age, but the whoosh of an open-air ride down the tracks is timeless. At Freestone Park, home to the Freestone Railroad, the three-quarter-mile rail journey slides slowly past two duck- and fish-filled lakes and around the edges of the park. Get there early and score a covered coach if it’s a hot day.

Afterward, hop off the train and onto a waterless Wave Runner, ride the antique carousel, and take a cruise on the mini Ferris wheel. There’s plenty of green space to explore, and evenings usually mean softball games, skate park action, or joining in on the basketball and tennis courts.

7. The kids can…do everything.

Photo: Topgolf

It’s not like back in the day when, if you wanted to go to an arcade, play laser tag, bowl, mini-golf, or shoot some pool, you had to schedule out a whole weekend and drive around town (or around the state!). Now you just make a beeline for Main Event. Mondays are all-you-can-play for $10.95, Tuesdays kids eat free, and just signing up on their website gets you 30 free minutes in the arcade. Did we mention gravity ropes?

Or, if you’re looking for something you and the kids can do together — not that adults can’t get in on a little laser tag! — head to Topgolf. High-tech driving ranges and virtual courses will get you working on your game, and you can break it up with drinks on the rooftop terrace or a full meal at the restaurant. The $4 mimosas will make it less painful when your kiddo eagles your bogey.

The post 7 reasons Gilbert, AZ is perfect for your next family vacation appeared first on Matador Network.

Tea bags may release microplastics

Tea is often considered to be a healthy drink option, but you probably never considered that your tea may actually actually contain billions of harmful microplastics. According to a new study in Environmental Science & Technology, some premium tea brands are packaged in plastic pouches with a silky quality, and these bags can break down into the tea.

Nathalie Tufenkji, a professor of chemical engineering at McGill University, and her team purchased four types of commercial loose leaf teas packaged in plastic bags, emptied out the leaves, then dunked the bags in glass vials with water heated to 95 degrees. The team then used electron microscopy to analyze the water samples and determined that a single plastic tea bag released around 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics.

Tufenkji told New Scientist that this number is quite high compared to other foods that contain microplastics. “Table salt,” she said, “which has a relatively high microplastic content, has been reported to contain approximately 0.005 micrograms plastic per gram salt. A cup of tea contains thousands of times greater mass of plastic, at 16 micrograms per cup.”

After conducting several control experiments using cut tea bags with the leaves emptied out (so that any microplastics present in the tea leaves themselves didn’t affect the study), they found that particles are still released even when the tea bags remain uncut. While the 16 micrograms of plastics in one cup of tea don’t pose a dangerous risk to humans, long-term exposure could potentially be harmful. The study’s authors call for more research, and the need to further investigate the effect of microplastics on humans.


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Christmas market tours in Europe

America’s version of “Christmas markets” seem to either be heavily decorated department stores or amusement parks that replace Santa with slightly sketchy carnies. That’s why to really get the mulled-wine and gingerbread feel of Christmas, you need to cross the pond and visit the centuries-old Christmas markets of Europe.

This, of course, is not exactly as easy as strolling down to the mall and enjoying the nativity scene outside Hot Topic, so if you’re making the big production to fly all that way, you should probably hit more than one. And fortunately, there is no shortage of scenic river cruises, romantic train rides, and adventurous tours waiting to take you there. Here are seven tours that will bring you through the best Christmas markets in Europe, as well as plenty of other world-class cultural locales.

1. AmaWaterways Christmas on the Danube

Photo: S.Borisov/Shutterstock

River cruising might be the most stress-free way of seeing multiple Christmas markets in Central Europe. And a trip on the AmaMagna — double the width of most traditional river cruise ships — will have you doing it with more suite space than anyone else. Not that you’ll be spending a whole lot of time in your cabin anyway. This trip has stops in eight different ports, highlighted by the classic Christmas markets in Vienna, Budapest, and Salzburg.

Beyond strolling the bright lights and cinnamon smells, you’ll also get to enjoy a private food tour of Bratislava, as well as bike tours in Passau, Melk, and Alte Danou near Vienna. You’ll also have the option to hike to the famous Bratislava Castle and attend an exclusive Oktoberfest celebration in Vilshofen. Yes, it’s December, but when will you ever have another opportunity to hoist steins during the holidays and not be labeled as “that” relative?

2. Bavarian Christmas Markets by Rail

Photo: Perati Komson/Shutterstock

It doesn’t get much more classically winter than a five-day train trip through the snow-covered hills of Bavaria, stopping at some of the world’s most beautiful Christmas markets along the way. This Vacations by Rail tour begins with Germany’s most renowned market in Nuremberg, where your first night is at Christkindlmarkt in Old Town. You’ll spend a full day in Nurmberg, where you can also explore medieval structures like the Kaiserburg Fortress and the walls that once guarded the city.

Day three is a scenic train ride through the Bavarian countryside to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Regensburg. Though the city has three Christmas markets, you’ll definitely want to spend some time in St. Peters’ Church, a gothic monument that took 600 years to build. Your fourth and final full day is in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, home to the legendary Christmas Shop, and its 30,000 Christmas decorations. Then it’s all aboard a glowing train back to Nuremberg and a farewell dinner at the Maritim Hotel.

3. Topdeck Bruges Christmas Markets

Photo: kavalenkava/Shutterstock

Colin Ferrell and Brenden Gleason probably wouldn’t have been so pained had they been stuck in Bruges during the holidays, when one of the more under-appreciated cities in Europe lights up with unparalleled Christmas market excitement. Most European tours somehow glance over this medieval city, but its markets are just as dazzling and fragrant as anywhere. This tour starts in London and makes the quick trip across the English channel to Bruges, where you’ll start off with a walking tour of the city. Then you’ll have two days to get your fill of mulled wine before venturing out to Brussels on day three.

Your day trip to the Belgian capital includes a walking tour of the city and ample chances to stuff yourself with fries and waffles. Then it’s back to Bruges for your final night in the markets before heading back to London the next day. Though the trip is brief, at $395 it’s the most affordable tour on the list and an ideal continental offshoot if you’re planning on London during the holidays.

4. Classic Journeys’ Special Edition Christmas Markets of Prague, Vienna and Budapest

Photo: emperorcosar/Shutterstock

Whereas many Christmas market tours play the hits and take you to the biggest and brightest markets on the continent, this trip from Classic Journeys delves a little deeper into the historic small villages of the Czech Republic. After an opening day in Prague, where you’ll stroll one of the grandest Christmas markets in the world, you’ll then venture to the tiny town of Cesky Krumlov. During your two days here you’ll be immersed in the immaculately preserved old world, visiting a local brewery and markets both here and in neighboring Ceske Budweiss.

After that, it’s off for two days in Vienna, including a private tour of Schonbrunn and the 22-room apartments occupied by Emperor Franz Josef and his wife Sisi. In front of the palace, you’ll find the sprawling Christmas market, with 60 stalls of crafts, mulled wine, and traditional Austrian food. Your final two days are spent in Budapestf, where you’ll arrive early in the morning and walk the Danube from the Royal Palace to the largest synagogue in Europe. The day concludes with a trip to the Christmas market, which you’re welcome to revisit on your final morning as well.

5. The Golden Eagle Danube Express — New Year in Vienna

Photo: Lerner Vadim/Shutterstock

Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean the markets have to be. And this nine-day trip through four countries and seven cities not only includes Europe’s finest Christmas markets, but it also has you ringing in the new year at one of the continent’s largest parties. Your journey begins with a couple of nights at the Four Seasons in Budapest, where you’ll get a city tour and a chance to explore the Christmas markets during their final days. Then you’ll step aboard the luxurious Golden Eagle Danube Express for a snow-dusted train ride through Balaton Uplands National Park.

The Golden Eagle rumbles through the Austrian alps among some spectacular mountain scenery, going through the picturesque village of Keszthely before arriving in Vienna on New Year’s Eve. You’ll ring in 2020 at a grand gala in City Hall, featuring a performance from Wiener Hofball Orchestra before fireworks from the hall’s balcony. After spending New Year’s Day in Vienna, the train makes a stop in the UNESCO historic site of Cesky Krumlov before continuing on to Prague and the seldom-visited Czech gem of Kosice, before finishing back in Budapest with one more night at the Four Seasons.

6. Go Ahead Tours’ Christmas markets of Northern Europe

Photo: nui7711/Shutterstock

With most of the Christmas market attention lavished on Central and Eastern Europe, people often forget the cities up north go just as big. This 11-day journey takes you from Amsterdam to Stockholm, allowing you the opportunity to visit these cities sans the summer crowds while checking out their spectacular Christmas displays.

The trip begins in Amsterdam, where you’ll hit Dam Square and the Van Gogh Museum before heading to the Winter Village in Amstelveen, one of the most impressive holiday installations in the world. After a free day in Amsterdam, you’ll head to Hamburg and visit the Christmas markets there before moving on to Copenhagen. There you’ll bask in the holiday lights of Tivoli Gardens, which might outdo Disneyland for amusement park Christmas decorations. From there it’s a short flight to Stockholm, where you’ll peruse the city’s multiple markets and make a trip to the Vasa Museum before heading home.

7. Uniworld Rhine Holiday Markets River Cruise

Photo: cge2010/Shutterstock

Though the Danube tends to be the big Christmas market river cruise destination, don’t sleep on the Rhine, which runs from Switzerland to the Netherlands through some of the most beautiful cities in Europe. This eight-day adventure begins with the spectacular Christmas sights of Basel, where you’ll gaze in childlike amazement at the 100 trees lining Christmas Street. The next day has you floating into Strasbourg, home to a Rockefeller-worthy Christmas tree and the traditional Christmas cake buche de Noel.

Your fourth day stops in Mannheim, then on to the stately old city in Mainz. From there you can take a side trip to the Christmas markets in Wiesbaden before getting back on the ship for an evening in the lively alley in Rudesheim. Then it’s 40 miles cruising through the cliffside castles along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site marked by church spires and tiny villages. Your final stop is in Cologne, where you’ll tour the red-roofed stalls of its famous Christmas market on your last evening of vacation.


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