Matador Network's Blog, page 1057

Manta ray begs diver for help in vid

Animals and humans may not speak the same language, but that doesn’t mean they can’t communicate.

In this astonishing video filmed near Ningaloo Reef off the coast of Western Australia, a giant manta ray is shown approaching a group of snorkelers and asking one of them for help by approaching him and showing him her injury. The manta ray had a hook stuck in her underneath eye, and was trying to call attention to it. Taking the cue, Ningaloo Marine Interaction wildlife guide Jake Wilton gently removed the hook and photographer Monty Halls caught the moment on tape.

Wilton himself said, “I’m often guiding snorkelers in the area and it’s as if she recognized me and was trusting me to help her. She got closer and closer and then started unfurling to present the eye to me. I knew we had to get the hook out or she would have been in big trouble. I went in for a few dives down to see how she’d react to me being close to her.”

The manta ray stayed still for Wilton to help her out — an unexpected behavior for any animal in distress.

This particular manta ray is well-known by divers in the area and has been affectionately named Freckles.


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Great Basin Star Train see stars

Riding the train is a wonderful way to travel, even when the destination is the middle of nowhere. The historic Great Basin Star Train departs from Ely, Nevada, four hours north of Las Vegas, and brings passengers east of Ely to a site with zero light pollution to experience the rare beauty of a starry night sky.

The trains are pulled by vintage diesel locomotives, and leave around sunset so you can watch the sun sink below the Steptoe Valley. The trains also feature restrooms, wheelchair accessibility, and snacks and beverages for purchase.

Photo: Nevada Northern Railway/Facebook

You can expect to spend about two hours stargazing in one of the darkest skies in the lower 48 — but don’t worry, you won’t just be stepping into a field totally on your own. Telescopes and astronomy guides will be on hand to guide you, so you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at.

Once you’re finished stargazing, the train will bring you back to Ely, where you’ll spend the night in either the railway’s bunkhouse or a working train caboose.

The train runs between May and September on select Fridays. Tickets for this summer are already sold out, but 2020 summer season tickets will go on sale this fall.


More like this: The 11 most beautiful train stations around the world

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German Alpine huts against bed bugs

Bed bugs are plaguing Alpine mountain refuges in Germany, and the German Alpine Club isn’t standing for it.

The club has just introduced new guidelines designed to get rid of the infestation that is reportedly touching 10 to 15 percent of Germany’s 321 Alpine huts. The Münchner Haus on the Zugspitze mountain, for example, is requiring hikers to microwave their sleeping bags on the way in, to kill any bed bugs that may be lurking inside. Other methods include asking guests to put their luggage in special overnight bags, to prevent the bugs from spreading.

Thomas Bucher, a spokesperson for the club, said, “We have to do more to solve this problem, otherwise it just keeps getting bigger. It’s a taboo subject, so we can only go on estimates at the moment. Lots of huts don’t want to come out publicly and say they are also affected.”

Germany is not the only Alpine country where mountain cabins are affected. The Guardian explained that it is likely that many of the Alps’ 2,000 huts are affected.

Bed bugs are a worldwide problem that touches all kinds of establishments, from fancy hotels to mountain cabins — and the presence of bed bugs is not a reflection of the cleanliness of an establishment. Although inconvenient, bed bugs do not transmit diseases.


More like this: 10 epic high-alpine hotels you need to stay in before you die

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What are Lapee female urinals

No greater problem plagues festivalgoers than how to gracefully, or at least inoffensively, relieve themselves of all those boozy, bladder-shrinking beverages they’ve been guzzling.

Urinating discreetly has never been the same challenge for men that it is for women, and ever since the invention of the urinal, it’s only become that much easier for half the population to pee freely and quickly. French architect Gina Périer is looking to change all that.

In one of the simplest, most obvious, yet groundbreaking bids for gender equality the modern world has seen, Périer and co-founder Alexander Egebjerg recently introduced Lapee to the festival scene, unveiling the world’s first industrially produced female urinal.

Lapee is hardly an elaborate contraption, requiring only a few modifications to a traditional urinal setup, including raised sides for privacy and a more generous target area. Safety was a primary concern in the design stage, but Lapee’s website also claims that it increases efficiency by 600 percent, taking an average of 30 seconds to use compared to a regular toilet’s three minutes. Moreover, the urinal’s spiral design allows three women to pee simultaneously.

Photo: Lapee

According to The Guardian, Lapee was met with rave reviews at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark earlier this summer and on social media, as well as a fair bit of skepticism. For some, it’s a matter of overcoming the idea of a female urinal, but the trial run also revealed some kinks that need to be worked out, such as how to avoid overflow.

Given the product’s overall success, plans are already underway to expand Lapee’s reach to festivals around the world. So, ladies, next time you find yourself debating whether to make a pit stop and potentially miss that headliner you’ve been dying to see or risk having an accident halfway through their set, take a quick look around for a hot pink Lapee.

After all, female urinals are a far better alternative to porta-potty purgatory or trying to convince your friends that some long-gone stranger spilled their beer all over your pants when no one was looking.


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Priest car blessings in Bolivia

Families dressed in their Sunday best pop Champagne beside cars speckled with pom-poms. Outsiders would think a wedding is taking place. Until a white-robed priest — dodging firecrackers — starts to fling water from plastic flowers under the car’s hood.

In Copacabana, Bolivia, this dance of pyrotechnics and holy men is part of a weekly tradition. The town is a hot spot for an uncommon Catholic ritual: car blessings.

In a highway pilgrimage, thousands drive into Copacabana to drive out blessed every year. Some road trip from as far as Columbia or Brazil in hopes of gaining a bit of divine car insurance in this town known for miracles.

Bless your ride

Photo: Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

On any given weekend, and sometimes weekdays, the smell of sulfur hangs in the air in Copacabana’s Plaza 2 de Febrero. Lines of cars wait their turn to be blessed in front of the glowing white walls of the Basílica de la Virgen de Copacabana.

Tents selling a rainbow of frilly decorations encircle the scene — car-sized rosaries, streamers, fresh and plastic flowers, pinwheels, and even sparkling novelty hats, dance in the breeze. If anyone forgot to dress their car for church, they can adorn their vehicle on arrival.

At the front of the line, a priest in white vestment and a brown-robed monk move from car to car, and family to family. A donation of up to 200 Bolivianos, around $30, is typically given for the blessing.

The priest’s hand raises up, down, left, then right, crossing the air in front of a car as he murmurs a prayer under his breath. Next, he dunks plastic flowers into a bucket of holy water and flicks it onto outstretched hands holding the car keys.

Car owners pop open the hood and doors, and the priest begins dousing the engine and upholstery.

Eyes scrunch and children run for cover as the priest casts a few spare drops onto the heads of drivers, passengers, and even spectators so that everyone — not just the cars — leaves the ceremony a little holier.

A grand finale

Photo: Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

The family shakes hands with the priest and monk in gratitude. Then, laughter erupts as they pop open a bottle of sparkling wine, beer, or cola (depending on their tastes and budget) and run around spraying the vehicle’s exterior — and anyone nearby — in celebration.

This act is an offering to Pachamama, the Mother Earth goddess, and a local indigenous tradition. Yellow confetti or flower petals are flung atop the car and stick to the liquid. Yellow is also a significant color to locals, representing their sun god and nearby Isla del Sol, Island of the Sun.

The blessing ends with a big bang. A lit string of firecrackers is tossed under the car. Tiny explosions scuttle out in all directions. Children, grandmothers, and even the priest hustle out of the way.

With their cars blessed, the pilgrims can drive home feeling safer behind the wheel.

Holy history

Photo: Lukasz Kurbiel/Shutterstock

Car blessings first appeared in the 1964 edition of Rituale Romanum, the journal of Catholic rituals, and nowhere else are they as frequently practiced.

Yet, Copacabana was a holy destination long before the basilica or blessings arrived. Its location on Lake Titicaca overlooks Isla del Sol, which is revered by local indigenous communities as the place where their sun god and the first two humans emerged.

Ancient pilgrims established holy shrines here to make offerings to the sun god, as well as their fertility goddess, Pachamama. The Catholic Basilica was built purposefully on top of them as early missionaries tried to banish local religions. But, in Bolivia, the two spiritual beliefs blended into unique traditions and parts of the shrines were preserved inside and around the church.

The statue of Bolivia’s patron saint, Our Lady of Copacabana, is another example of the unique mix of traditions; she wears the robes of an Inca princess and was carved by a Quechua (Inca) artist. Her supposed miracles incorporate those of the ancient local gods, and she serves as a protector for travelers and children. One time, Brazilian sailors who visited her statue later claimed to be saved by her presence during a storm at sea. In honor of this miracle, Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, got its name.

A quick note to clear up any confusion and hopefully get the song out of your head: While often confused with Barry Manilow’s “hottest spot north of Havana,” Bolivia is home to the original Copacabana. The word means “place near the water” in the indigenous Aymara language for the town’s location on Lake Titicaca. The New York nightclub that inspired Manilow’s show tune was actually named after Brazil’s famous party beach.

Get blessed

Blessings are held every weekend. During major Catholic holidays, hundreds of people participate, and their colorful cars span blocks.

Copacabana is a tourist hub for travelers to Lake Titicaca and Peru, so you don’t have to worry about traveling too far out of the way of major sites to visit. While you may not have your own car with you all the way down in South America, the festivities are still a sight worth seeing. And if you are planning on road tripping around these countries in a questionable rental car, a visit to the holy men of Copacabana may be the best place to start.


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How to go hiking at night

Hiking is an extremely rewarding way to escape the stress of daily life and enjoy nature. In recent years, an increasing number of people are discovering the benefits of getting outdoors. And not just during the day. Hiking at night gives you a whole new take on familiar trails, lets you beat the crowds, helps you fit time outdoors into your busy life, and offers other advantages. Here’s why you should start hitting the trails after the sun goes down.

You’ll have the popular trails to yourself.

Photo: Blazej Lyjak/Shutterstock

In 2017, 44 million people hit the trails — over three times more people than a decade earlier. This increase in popularity is largely due to the influence of “outdoorsy” posts on social media. The release of films like Wild, based on Cheryl Strayed’s book, and Free Solo, about rock climber Alex Honnold, also contribute to this popularization.

As a result, our trails are becoming more crowded than ever before, making it hard for some to experience the serenity that nature is supposed to provide. But for those lucky enough to have discovered the benefits of hiking at night, concerns about crowds diminish.

While the most spectacular hiking trails are usually the most crowded, the same trails that had overwhelming crowds on them just hours earlier are often completely devoid of people after dark. And some may argue the views, now accentuated by lights from a nearby town or the vast milky way above, are even better at night.

Popular trails like Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia or the Mirror Lake Trail in California’s Yosemite National Park rarely offer the solitude that many desire, especially during peak seasons. Consider saving them for after dark.

Of course, there is an inherent risk that comes with night hiking — especially when hiking trails that have technical sections. Make sure to hike with a partner and let someone at home know where you are going and when you intend to leave and return.

You can maximize your time.

Photo: Pierluigi.Palazzi/Shutterstock

Studies show that some people can’t find the time to spend even two hours per week outside. It’s easy to fall into a daily routine that involves waking up, going to work, and coming home to cook dinner. This routine rarely allows time for much more than an episode of your favorite show followed by bed.

But once you learn to hike at night, the time you thought was only good for Netflix and scrolling through Instagram becomes perfect for getting outside. Suddenly, the days seem just a bit longer, even though your mindset is the only thing that’s changed.

Of course, not everyone lives in a place where a hiking or walking trail is easily accessible. This mindset can also be applied to a weekend trip that seems just out of reach during a normal two-day weekend.

The night sky is on full display.

Photo: Josh Laskin

Daily life is often oversaturated with work-related concerns and overly accessible technology, which make it easy to overlook simple, natural wonders. One of the simplest and most humbling of those wonders — the night sky — is nearly impossible to ignore while hiking at night.

Looking at the stars can be a powerful meditative experience that instills wonder, curiosity, and a new sense of perspective. While staring into space, our minds tend to wander away from the stresses of everyday life, giving us a much-needed break from reality.

If you embark on a foot-powered journey during a new moon, consider bringing a star chart to help you identify new constellations. Or if it’s closer to a full moon, do away with the headlamp altogether and allow your eyes to naturally adjust to the landscape.

Although artificial light from our cities and towns often makes it difficult to enjoy the night sky in its natural state, there are still plenty of places to enjoy the stars. The 2,600-acre North Fork Park, located minutes from Ogden, Utah, is one of the state’s 12 designated International Dark-Sky Association parks. There are hiking trails of varying difficulty in the park, from the Cutler Trail, which follows an exposed ridge (offering unobstructed views of the night sky) to the 9,700-foot summit of Ben Lomond Peak to the easier North Fork Park Waterfall trail.

In Pennsylvania, Cherry Springs State Park is home to the darkest skies east of the Mississippi and offers a one-mile interpretive walking trail and additional trail systems surrounding the park. Utilize tools available online to determine where the darkest skies are near you.

Night hiking shines new light on familiar trails.

Photo: Josh Laskin

At night, the world is transformed. Primal senses become heightened, and a new sense of awareness is gained. The same trail you’ve hiked a hundred times before is experienced in an entirely new way.

A new world comes alive as bats dive from all directions, trying to catch their next meal, while the call of owls, coyotes, and other nocturnal creatures fills the air. Your headlamp beam illuminates a cool rock or tree that previously went unnoticed. Even if you’ve hiked this trail dozens of times, it seems unfamiliar — but in a new and exciting way.

Night hikes are empowering.

Photo: Josh Laskin

Breaking out of your comfort zone to hike at night can be intimidating. But once you embark on your first night hike, those fears will shrink until they seem inconsequential. Overcoming these fears builds confidence and proves that you are capable of more than you thought. The ability to open up to and face new challenges can be an empowering skill — one that becomes easier and more rewarding over time.

How to prepare for your first night hike

Being prepared helps increase the odds of a successful trip and, consequently, increases confidence. In addition to the safety precaution of always hiking with a buddy and informing others of your plans, a high-quality headlamp, such as the Petzl Tikkina or the Black Diamond Spot 325, helps minimize the risk of hazards that become greater in the dark — like tripping on uneven terrain. A headlamp also helps you notice the details on the trail that you may not have noticed during the day and is especially useful when hiking closer to a new moon.

It’s also important to remember that it can often be significantly cooler at night than during the day. Be sure to bring synthetic layers and a small backpack to store them in. Sturdy hiking boots can also help with ankle stability on uneven terrain, although they tend to be heavier than lightweight trail sneakers. And while trekking poles are entirely a personal preference, they can be extremely useful during stream crossings and on rocky trails.


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Tropical Storm Barry flood warning

New Orleans is preparing for an all too familiar phenomenon — an approaching hurricane. Currently only classified as a tropical storm, “Barry” has already brought thunderstorms and flash floods to the city, prompting a state of emergency and evacuations in select neighborhoods. Projected to turn into a full-fledged hurricane, Barry may exacerbate the flooding situation already taking place, causing the Mississippi River to rise as high as 20 feet above sea level.

On Wednesday, the city was hit by eight inches of rain during a three-hour period, resulting in flooded vehicles and streets littered with stray trash cans overturned by the wind. Residents are hopeful the situation won’t get out of hand, but forecasts aren’t exactly encouraging.

Currently, the storm is about 95 miles southeast of the Mississippi River mouth, with winds of 40 miles per hour. The winds are predicted to reach 74 miles per hour by Friday, however, which would classify the storm as a hurricane. It is also expected to bring 10-15 inches of rain this weekend to the coasts of Louisiana and Texas.

Ricky Boyett, a spokesman for the US Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the levees, said, “We’re confident the levees themselves are in good shape. The big focus is height.” Indeed, as the storm surges, river and tides are expected to crest at higher than average levels. Even if the storm does not reach hurricane status, the heavy rain could still create dangerous flooding conditions.

“As we know all too well in Louisiana,” said Governor John Bel Edwards, “low intensity does not necessarily mean low impact. No one should take this storm lightly.”

H/T: BBC

More like this: Traveling during hurricane season? Here’s everything you need to know

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A guide to Saint Pierre and Miquelon

When people think of where to soak up French culture in North America, Quebec and Louisiana may come to mind. While these places are iconic for how they’ve adopted customs, language, and heritage from across the pond, there’s a hidden piece of France — actual France — just off the east coast of Canada. Saint Pierre and Miquelon, an hour away from Newfoundland, are self-governing islands belonging to France.

The isles embody a distinctly French atmosphere and way of life with the bonus of being France’s only “overseas collectivity” that’s in North America. It actually is France — and it’s accessible via a remote Newfoundland fishing village. Just like its unique position in the world, there are a lot of surprising things to do in Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Here’s how to spend an unforgettable weekend in France — without leaving North America.

Getting to the islands

Photo: Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock

Saint Pierre is the smaller of the islands, but it’s home to a town of the same name, which is the central hub for visitors and where most of the islands’ 6,000 residents live. You can fly in on Air Saint-Pierre from a handful Canadian cities, including Montreal, St. John’s, and Halifax. Flights also come in from Paris during the summer tourist season.

But the real way — the adventurous way — to get here is to take the SPM Ferry from Fortune, on the southern coast of Newfoundland, into Saint Pierre. The ride takes about two hours on the open water and shuttles back and forth a few times per day, though you should reserve your ticket in advance. There’s also a ferry from Fortune to Miquelon from May to September when the islands see the majority of their visitors.

Use Saint Pierre as your base for exploring the islands. There are hotels throughout town, but for a unique experience, the Gunina Guesthouse or Pension B&B give you the chance to meet and get honest recommendations from a local host. Though the entire town is walkable, stay between Rue Borsaint and the coast for the quickest access to museums, cafes, and street happenings.

The island of Miquelon, west of Saint Pierre, is a sightseeing stop. There’s not a proper town there, and the 600-person village of Miquelon-Langlade is about the only place on the island with services. It does have an airport where you can reserve a flight in advance to fly in from Saint Pierre. The few hotels in Miquelon-Langlade include the Auberge de l’Île, your best bet for an overnight stay.

Chow down on croissants, pain aux chocolat, and mille feuilles.

Photo: icosha/Shutterstock

Beyond the language and architecture, the born-and-bred Frenchness of Saint Pierre is most noticeable in its culture of viennoiserie, or baked goods. They love their pastries. It’s not uncommon to see locals lined up outside of the many neighborhood boulangeries for freshly baked croissants and pain aux chocolat early in the morning.

If you only have a few hours to explore Saint Pierre, don’t skip a croissant. It’s well known that the flaky, buttery pastry tastes best in France — and it’s not just in your head. French butter is richer than American butter due to the fat content, and that extra fat is perfect for baking flaky, melt-in-your-mouth French pastries.

If evening apéro is more your speed, head to Les Délices de Joséphine, a tea room and more with a strong selection of French wine. To do as the locals do, grab a fresh baguette from a neighboring boulangerie, along with a selection of cheeses and charcuterie, and spend an evening nibbling bites in the cafe, wine in hand.

Take a slow, lazy walk around town.

Photo: Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock

Even if you’re only in Saint Pierre for a day or two, pencil in the time to take a sightseeing walk around the city. This shouldn’t take you more than an hour or so, depending on how often you stop for photos or to pop into a storefront. The charming wooden houses in the city center are splashed with bright colors and represent the pride of the inhabitants of the archipelago — while blending Newfoundland and French architecture in a manner unseen anywhere else in the world. The winding, cobblestone streets are also reminiscent of Europe, and with the crashing Atlantic Ocean waves in the background, it can be easy to forget that you’re closer to Detroit than you are to Marseille.

Head to l’Île aux Marins.

Photo: ggw/Shutterstock

Positioned just next to Saint Pierre, l’Île aux Marins stretches just 5,000 feet and is between 300 and 1,300 feet wide, depending on the tides. Although the settlement is locally known as a ghost town, a ferry runs back and forth between Saint Pierre and l’Île aux Marins several times a day, so visitors, and locals, can still appreciate the beauty of the abandoned village.

From the ferry dock, take a self-guided tour of the tiny island and the architecture that remains, including Maison Jezequel, a small schoolhouse museum, the grand church and cemetery, and a handful of preserved fisherman’s homes. The island was first settled in 1604 and had a population of nearly 700 up until 1945 when it was annexed by the commune of Saint Pierre. Despite a lack of plumbing and electricity, a small number of people still live on the island on a seasonal basis, but the village is otherwise completely abandoned. It’s quite a change from the charming European streets in the city.

Spend a day at the museums and architectural sites.

Photo: Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock

Despite being small in size, Saint Pierre and Miquelon has many popular cultural activities, anchored by a handful of great museums and galleries. You can see them in one day if you have a good pair of walking shoes. Head to the L’Anse à Henry or Anse à Bertrand archaeological sites, where both prehistoric and colonial settlements have been identified during archaeological digs in the late ‘80s.

At L’Arche Museum & Archives, you can get a firm understanding on the modern history of Saint Pierre and Miquelon through artwork and artifacts, interactive conferences, and workshops. Finish your museum tour at Musée Heritage, a private collection of artifacts and displays that really gets to the heart of the social, economic, and religious development of the archipelago and the plight of those who first settled on the islands.

Get out to Miquelon for coastal fauna and flora.

Photo: Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock

Miquelon is about as seabound of a destination as you’re able to easily visit in North America, and its remoteness means there is a lot on offer for nature lovers. If you’re a hiker, not taking the chance to get out of the town square would be doing yourself a disservice. Head to the Grand Barachois lagoon, which is a staggering walk that leads to a wildlife observatory where you can catch a glimpse of shorebirds, seals, and, if the dice rolls in your favor, orca whales.

Also on Miquelon, you’ll find the Cap de Miquelon, a quiet walking trail and park known for its gorgeous ocean views and local fauna. The hills of Miquelon have a booming population of wild horses, which group themselves in natural herds and can often be seen peacefully grazing on the coastline. Both are day hikes that are most easily reached via a guided jaunt down from the village on a bus. The guide will return you to your lodging or transportation back over to the cobblestone streets of Saint Pierre.


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Best international barbecue styles

As soon as the weather is nice enough to light a fire and chill outdoors for hours on end, Americans look to the barbecue. But it’s far from just a US pastime. Barbecue is made around the world in many different styles. Some cultures barbecue inside restaurants while others barbecue in free-to-the-public grills in parks. Others still see barbecue primarily as inexpensive, on-the-go street food.

These are the best barbecue cultures around the world.

Editor’s note: We’re defining barbecue as cooked over charcoal or an open flame, which leaves out styles like underground pit roasting and tandoors because they can be more oven-like.

1. Korean barbecue

Photo: Luke W. Choi/Shutterstock

After kimchi, Korean barbecue is South Korea’s most famous culinary export. It’s done in restaurants rather than outdoors, most often in high-topped booths with a center table that has a grill in the middle. Each guest grills their own meat and dips it in the sauces of their choosing. These sauces and banchan (side dishes of fermented and pickled vegetables) are where most of the flavor comes from.

Customs to know: When cooking, don’t flip the meat more than once and use the provided scissors to make more manageable pieces. Large perilla leaves are used for making a bite-sized rice, meat, and sauce combo. Banchan is usually served before the meat but isn’t an appetizer. Nonetheless, feel free to give each a taste so you know what you’ve got, and don’t be afraid to ask for more. A button is typically on the side of the table to call your waiter over, and someone on staff will replace your grill grate occasionally.

Terms to know: For sauces, be sure to know gochujang (the famous sweet and spicy condiment), doenjang (fermented bean paste), and ssamjang (a mix of the two with sesame oil and onion). Typical meats include dwaeji galbi (pork ribs), dak galbi (marinated chicken), samgyeopsal (pork belly), galbi (beef ribs), and bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef).

2. Chilean asado

Photo: Todd Powell/Shutterstock

To partake in a Chilean asado is to partake in the tastiest part of Chilean culture. In southern Chile, where 64 percent of the country’s sheep are raised, whole-lamb asados are the key to special events. The lamb is quartered, halved, or splayed whole and cooked with plenty of salt over an open fire. Other parts of the country serve up sausages, ribs, steaks, and chicken.

Customs to know: An asado is just as much about the experience as it is about the food. Plenty of local beer, wine, and Pisco Sours are served throughout.

Terms to know: Leave the grilling up to the parrillero (grill master). You’ll want to be sure to eat choripanes, a spicy chorizo or sausage on bread, as an appetizer, and don’t forget the anticuchos (meat skewers). Finally, no asado is complete without pebre, a condiment made with onion, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, olive oil, and cilantro that’s essentially Chile’s national topping and is put on everything meaty.

3. Argentine asado

Photo: PICTOR PICTURE COMPANY/Shutterstock

Asados in Argentina are similar to the ones in neighboring Chile but have different cuts of meat. And when it comes to meat, no one does it like Argentina. The country consumes the third-most amount of meat in the world (around 190 pounds per person, per year) and the second-most amount of beef in the world (around 85 pounds per person, per year). The asado tradition comes from the gauchos (cowboys) of the early 1800s and is now loved equally by people in the city and in the country. Common grilled meats include pork and beef sausages, blood sausage, and steaks, which are all accompanied by chimichurri. Everything is washed down with local Malbec wine and Fernet and Coke.

Customs to know: Asados are generally held at homes and ranches, both of which you need an invitation from a local to join. Parrillas, or steakhouses, are the next best bet.

Terms to know: Tira de asado is a large cut of fatty meat that’s similar to beef short ribs. Vacio is a boneless cut that’s commonly put on sandwiches. Morcilla (blood sausage) is sure to be on the menu. Keep an eye out for the achuras (offals). Mollejas (beef thymus gland) and chinchulín (beef small intestine) are common. The full list of options at an asado is long, but try as much as you can.

4. Japanese yakitori

Photo: Jason Adamson/Shutterstock

Yakitori is a popular barbecue street food in Japan. It consists of chicken skewered on bamboo or metal and grilled over charcoal. The grill itself is thin enough to hold the skewers above the coals and long enough to cook plenty at a time. Yakitori isn’t just street food, though; it’s also commonly served in specialty restaurants called yakitori-ya and izakaya. It’s almost always, however, inexpensive and consumed with some beer.

Customs to know: Yakitori is typically served as pairs that are meant to be eaten hot off the grill. Order more as soon as you make it through the first round.

Terms to know: The chicken is seasoned with either shio (salt) or tare (a sweet and savory sauce). The biggest thing to know is the terms for what cut you’re getting. Momo is chicken thigh and one of the most common you’ll see. Tebasaki are wings, bonjiri is the tail, seseri is the neck, kawa is the skin, reba is liver, tsukune is a meatball mixed with spices, and sasami is the meat from under the breast.

5. South African braai

Photo: Elena Stepanova/Shutterstock

Like so many cultures, barbecuing is about so much more than just the meal in South Africa. Here, it’s called braai and comes from Afrikaans. The lamb, beef, and pork is cooked over a wood grill called braaistand, and everyone involved chips in on the ingredients. Beer and South African wines are almost always present.

Customs to know: Wood is always used for fuel, and the host is always in charge of the fire and meat. Never mess with another person’s fire. You’ll need an invite to a family or group’s braai, and the host will tell you the cuts of meat to bring. Braai can happen at any time, but September 24 is officially designated Braai Day in the country.

Terms to know: Chicken and lamb skewers are called sosaties while sausages are called boerewors. Dried and cured meats are ever present, as well, and are called biltong. A corn porridge similar to polenta called pap rounds out the meat-filled meal. Braaibroodjie is a sandwich with tomato, onion, cheese, and chutney, while roosterkoek (grill cakes) are dough balls cooked on the grill.

Finally, a “chop ‘n dop” is a braai where you’re expected to bring both the meat that you’re eating and the drinks you’ll be drinking.

6. Brazilian churrasco

Photo: THANAN KONGDOUNG/Shutterstock

Perhaps you’re familiar with Brazilian churrasco, or at least familiar with the seemingly endless piles of meat put onto each eater’s plate until they explode. Like the Argentine asados, churrascos started with cowboys in Brazil, who created the serving method that’s still used today where the meat (usually beef) is cooked on skewers and cut off tableside. A fine yuca flour is typically served on the side to sprinkle on top of the meat before eating. Don’t forget the Caipirinha cocktails made with local cachaça (a sugarcane-based liquor).

Customs to know: At restaurants, guests usually pay a fixed price, and meat is cut off of skewers until the person can’t eat anymore (some restaurants have a card where green means go ahead and serve more and red means stop).

Terms to know: A churrascaria is a restaurant that focuses on grilled meat. Typical meat cuts include picanha (top sirloin with garlic and salt), fraldinha (tender bottom sirloin with plenty of fat marbling), chuleta (ribeye), and filet mignon. Molho campanha is a typical condiment made with red and green peppers, onion, and tomato, and farofa is the yuca flour.

7. Filipino lechón

Photo: Christian Angelo Ipo/Shutterstock

Lechón comes from the Spanish occupation of the Philippines from 1521 to 1898 and is now an important traditional Filipino dish. The meal is a slow-roasted (five hours isn’t unheard of) suckling pig cooked over coals. Lemongrass, fruit, leeks, garlic, and other spices are stuffed inside to season the meat, and coconut water or soy sauce is rubbed on the skin. The skin is crispy, and the inside is juicy and tender. While it’s eaten on special occasions on many Filipino islands, it’s most renowned on Cebu. Lechón also holds the distinction of being dubbed as the “best pig ever” by Anthony Bourdain.

Customs to know: Lechón is for special occasions (it’s particularly popular around Christmas) and is a pricey meal. It’s served family-style with cuts being dished out as soon as it’s taken off the spit.

Terms to know: The best lechón doesn’t need sauces or condiments, but Mang Tomas is a common gravy found wherever lechón is served.

8. Australian barbecue

Photo: mark_gusev/Shutterstock

Shrimp on the barbie is not a thing in Australia, no matter how fun it is to say, because in Australia, they call them prawns. That doesn’t mean barbecuing isn’t a thing, though, and it is indeed called a barbie. Barbecuing is a classic summer outing in Australia, and it’s much like a barbecue in the US. Lamb chops, steaks, and sausages are common, as are seafood like prawns and rock lobster.

Customs to know: Anyone from the US will find an Australian barbecue pretty familiar. One nice touch is the cheap-to-free public barbecues in city parks.

Terms to know: A snag is a sausage, and it’ll come with a crispy skin, mustard, and onions on bread.

9. German barbecue

Photo: Gaschwald/Shutterstock

Germany is another country with a barbecue culture close to the one in the US. Only, it’s more like the US’s barbecue culture is close to Germany’s, not the other way around. The term for having a barbecue in German is grillen. All types of sausages are on the menu, as are pork chops, coleslaw, and beer. Burgers, however, are not part of a grillen. As for how the Germans changed US barbecue for the better, the first brisket in the US was cooked by Jewish German chefs and families.

Customs to know: The customs and vibe are much like the US, but gas grills are very rarely used.

Terms to know: Bratwurst is the generic term for sausage, and there are dozens of different kinds. Nürnberger are small sausages, and blutwurst is blood sausage. Weisswurst are white sausages, and you don’t eat the casing.


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EV chargers to be installed

As electric vehicles rise in popularity, electronic chargers are becoming more and more ubiquitous. Now, through a partnership between the National Park Foundation, the National Park Service, the Department of Energy, and BMW North America, 100 electric vehicle (EV) chargers are being installed at national parks around the US.

The specific locations were chosen after an analysis of factors like distance to the nearest charger, landscape considerations, and the strength of the local EV market.

The project started in April 2017 with the first electric vehicle charging stations installed at Thomas Edison National Historical Park. Today, 90 of them are to be found in and near national parks throughout the US, from the visitor center of Thomas Edison National Historical Park in New Jersey to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park and Kalaloch Lodge in Washington’s Olympic National Park. For a complete list, check out the tally provided by the National Park Service.

This mass installation will be welcome news for those who frequent national parks, and must contend with the scarcity of EV chargers in such remote locations. These new chargers are intended to encourage drivers to bring clean vehicles to parks.


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The post 100 new electric vehicle charging stations donated to be installed in and near national parks appeared first on Matador Network.