Matador Network's Blog, page 1066

First black woman sees every country

It’s likely that all black American women who travel have, at some point, felt that exploring the world is more difficult than it is for other demographics. We are stopped at airports because of our hair, both fetishized and ostracized because of our African features, and there is no lack of stories of other forms of outright racism. And that’s just for being black. As women, our safety is always somewhat compromised, and when we’re navigating the world solo we have to take every precaution when simply calling an Uber, let alone when we face a clash of cultures. It can sometimes feel that travel as a black woman is anything but leisurely. It’s hard to think about how life must have been for a black American woman attempting travel 200 years ago, or even 50 years ago.

So, imagine the significance it would hold to be the first of us to visit every country on the planet. This is what 53-year-old Woni Spotts is claiming to be — the first black woman to travel to every country in the world.

However, to understand Woni Spotts’ story one must gain context of her significance by knowing another black female traveler named Jessica Nabongo or — most notably — @thecatchmeifyoucan on Instagram.

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Eid Mubarak.

Study reveals country reputations

From people to countries, everyone is worried about their image. That’s why the FutureBrand Country Index exists. Published for the first time since 2014, the index is a worldwide league table measuring global perception of the World Bank’s top 75 countries (by GDP).

To calculate each country’s global perception, a range of metrics were used in a 15-minute online self-completion interview of 2,500 people around the world. These metrics include value system, quality of life, business potential, heritage and culture, tourism, and products and services. Within those metrics, subtopics such as natural beauty, food, tolerance, and political freedom were explored.

Photo: FutureBrand Country Index

Photo: FutureBrand Country Index

Photo: FutureBrand Country Index

Photo: FutureBrand Country Index

Thanks to its natural beauty and rich culture, as well as a favorable quality of life, Japan took the top spot. Norway comes in second for similar reasons, with Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland rounding out the top five. According to the authors of the index, “mindfulness, conscious consumerism, experience as the new currency, the growth of the gig economy, and remote working” were all major factors influencing respondents’ perceptions of other countries.

The US came in at a respectable 12th place, but it definitely has some work to do if it wants to break into the top 10 next year.


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The post This study reveals the countries with the best reputations in the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Break into the Watergate Hotel

Back in 1972, breaking into the Watergate Hotel in DC was a pretty serious offense; now, it’s actually encouraged. For the 47th anniversary of the Watergate scandal, wherein Republican campaign workers broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex, resulting in the eventual resignation of President Nixon, the hotel’s Next Whisky Bar is offering a somewhat updated break-in experience.

The bar has installed a five-foot-tall, 700-pound vintage Mosler safe. Inside, there is a bottle of 1960 Last Drop Blended Scotch Whisky waiting for the guest who can figure out the correct combination.

Each time you purchase one of the bar’s $200 “Break the Safe” flights, you will be given one opportunity to crack the code. The odds may seem rather long, but it’s not impossible. Earlier this month, a Canadian man guessed the code to a long-locked, mysterious safe at a museum in the Vermillion Heritage Museum on the first try.

Even if you fail, however, you probably won’t be too disappointed. The flights contains one-ounce pours of whiskies like George T. Stagg, Macallan Exceptional Cask 12 Year, and Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique.

The Next Whisky Bar not only has an exceptional menu, but it also has an incredible setting with an undulating wall comprised of 2,500 illuminated whisky bottles.


More like this: The major differences between the world’s 10 best whiskey-making countries

The post The Watergate Hotel is inviting you to break in and claim its rare whisky appeared first on Matador Network.

History of the first mini bottles

In 1889, John Power & Son Irish Whiskey became the first spirits company in the world to make miniature bottles. That was 63 years before the first commercial jet airplane, 85 years before the first hotel minibar, and some 125 years before everyone started making a fuss about tiny cocktail kits. These travel-related inventions all have two things in common: They rely in some form or fashion on the mini bottle, and they all can thank a historic enterprising whiskey brand with famously thirsty private transportation workers.

There are two stories to how the mini bottle started. The first is that inspiration came from the coachmen who ferried the Power family around Dublin and their surrounding estates. The coachmen would carry a small flask on their travels, just enough for a swallow of whiskey to keep them warm without getting them drunk. With these men in mind, a small travel-ready bottle was invented.

The second story is that the incredibly wealthy Power family wanted to give distillery workers a way to sip the product they worked on. Irish whiskey was some of the most expensive whiskey in the world at the time, and wasn’t affordable on even the best working class wages. Mini bottles made tastes of the whiskey available to everyone rather than just the well off.

Photo: Powers Irish Whiskey

It’s hard to parse the truth of someone’s motivations after more than 130 years, especially when you take into account the Irish propensity for storytelling. I’ve sat in Dublin pubs and listened to legends and histories loaded with details that make me pause and wonder if it’s too good to be true. I’d think the same about the mini bottles’ coachmen inspiration if it weren’t told to me by Carol Quinn, the archivist for Irish Distillers. Speaking in the Irish Distillers office in Middleton, County Cork, she laid out artifacts and documentation for each historical footnote she told me while explaining the centuries-old history of the Power family. Quinn is not someone who tolerates embellishment.

The idea of using coachmen and their swallows of whiskey as inspiration isn’t that far out, either. Powers references the three coachmen who manned each carriage — a driver and two assistants, one in the back and one in the front — with three embossed swallows on every bottle (birds, not drinking coachmen, though it again is a nod to the swallows of whiskey). Of course, the swallows could also represent the Irish swallows who migrate to the region every year around distilling time. Every history in Ireland, it seems, is one part entertaining story and one part hard truth.

Regardless of where the inspiration came from, there’s no denying that it changed the way the world drinks.

The first commercial mini bottle of liquor

Photo: Powers Irish Whiskey

Powers (the apostrophe dropped from the brand name over the years) was one of the first distilleries in Dublin to bottle its own spirit in 1886. Prior to that, all liquor was sold by the barrel to pub owners and middle men who would either sell directly from the cask or bottle it themselves — sometimes after watering the whiskey down some. Powers’ bottled whiskey was certified straight from the source and identified by a gold label with the signature diamond P logo similar to the one found on bottles today.

Powers expanded its bottling operation in 1889 when it moved from the distillery on John’s Lane to a larger space on Drury Street. This is where the mini, lovingly called Baby Power, was born. The corked bottle held 71 milliliters (around 2.5 fluid ounces). They were too small to be opened with a traditional corkscrew, so each one came with a mini corkscrew to pop the top off without making a mess.

Photo: Powers Irish Whiskey

The Baby Power wasn’t the very first small bottle of liquor in the world, and there’s not a hard date on when liquor companies made minis for non-commercial uses. Salespeople used to bring small bottles as samples to bar and tavern owners in the 1800s, though the samples were for the salespeople and the bar owners only. David Spaid, the owner of a magazine called The Miniature Bottle Collector that published from 1974 to 2005, told me over email that he has a bottle in his collection dating to 1862. Other collectors he’s met have similar ages.

“It is generally accepted among miniature bottle collectors that the first labeled minis were made in the 1890s,” David Smith, coordinator of the Miniature Bottle Library, wrote over email. “Your 1889 date fits with this. There may have been (probably were) embossed bottles without labels prior to the 1890s, but probably only a very few years prior. There were certainly miniature ceramic jugs that pre-date glass bottles. These come from both Scotland (crocks) and extensively from the USA.”

The reason smaller bottles weren’t widely produced is simple: Modern mechanized glass production is a relatively new invention.

It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that parts of the glass bottle production process started to mechanize and prices on bottles started to drop. The first patents for semi-automatic bottle making machines were in 1859 and 1861, Peter Schulz wrote in his book Baffle Marks and Pontil Scars: A Reader on Historic Bottle Identification. Machine-made bottles started to be more common by 1886, he wrote.

Photo: Powers Irish Whiskey

These machines still took a lot of manpower. A paper published by the Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors notes that it took three skilled workmen and two unskilled boys to operate. It wasn’t until 1903 that the first fully automatic bottle machine was invented by an American named Michael J. Owens.

The extra cost and effort to produce the Baby Powers was worth it. Dubliners and anyone hankering for a small taste of whiskey were so familiar with the small Powers bottles that, for a time, every mini was called a Baby Power. It wasn’t unheard of, Quinn said, for someone to order a “Baby Power of gin.”

The Baby Power lives on

Photo: POWERS Irish Whiskey/Facebook

You can see the original bottling plant where it all started for yourself in Dublin. What was once the Foreign Export Hall in 1889 is now The Market Bar, a gastropub and tapas bar with tall arching ceilings and Spanish-inspired small plates (plus a full bar, of course). The Market Bar is part of what’s known as Powers Quarter, a collection of six bars in Dublin within walking distance from the original John’s Lane Distillery that tell the history of the brand.

Next door to The Market Bar in the same former bottling plant is a bar called Idlewild. The stained-glass door has a diamond P embedded, just one of the ways the bar pays homage to its history. For any traveler who has enjoyed a swallow of whiskey from a small bottle, Idlewild offers drinks both comforting and original. The minis that were once bottled here are now served alongside cocktails made with Powers so you can add a little extra to your drink if you prefer.

It’s impossible to say when the mini bottle would have taken off without the success of the Baby Power. Sales of the size feel inevitable now, and it’s hard to imagine a world without minis filling hotel fridges, keeping airplane passengers satiated, and filling the homes of collectors.


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The post How mini bottles of liquor became a travel sensation appeared first on Matador Network.

Scottish island needs warden

If you have an affinity for sheep and you’re good with lifting heavy stones, you’re a good fit for this job opening. North Ronaldsay, a remote island located at the very top of the Orkney archipelago in Scotland, is looking for a sheep dyke warden to save its precious species.

Photo: Google Maps

A centuries-old dyke has prevented the sheep from grazing on the island’s agricultural land, but this dyke is crumbling, and now a warden is needed to ensure that the thick wall is fixed.

Residents (there are only a few dozen of them) have to keep the sheep away from arable land, not only because they want to keep their crops intact but also because the sheep, being used to a unique seaweed diet, cannot eat terrestrial plants for fear of copper poisoning. Residents are also keen on preventing sheep from jumping the wall and mating with other breeds of sheep and ruining the precious lineage.

While landowners and shepherds have traditionally been responsible for maintaining the dyke, the island’s population is aging, and it has become increasingly difficult to find someone to manage the sheep full time.

According to the job posting, the successful candidate will be responsible for “carrying out a predetermined programme of rebuilding and repairs to the sheep dyke, and be responsible for managing and carrying out repairs to the temporary fencing erected where the sheep dyke has been damaged, and to coordinate and work with groups of volunteer dyke builders.” They must also have “a good level of physical fitness, have good communication skills and experience of dry stone dyking and project management is desirable. A willingness to work constructively with the local community is essential and the applicant must be able to work on his or her own initiative.”

The job is 35 hours per week, and pays a salary of $28,000. To apply, check out the posting and fill out the application form.


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The post This remote Scottish island is looking for a warden for its seaweed-eating sheep appeared first on Matador Network.

Cannabis laws in Barcelona

Since the early 2000s, the Catalan region of Spain, particularly Barcelona, has been growing as a hotspot for cannabis tourism. You may have heard about the city’s somewhat open approach to marijuana regulation, but note that cannabis consumption there isn’t the same as in Canada or in US states where recreational weed is legal. It has similarities to the marijuana scene in Amsterdam, but there are some major key differences.

If you plan on exploring Barcelona’s cannabis culture on your next visit, this is everything you need to know.

Is cannabis legal in Spain?

The short answer is no — cannabis is technically illegal. Trafficking, selling, or carrying cannabis in Spain is a crime. Smoking or displaying it in public will cost you a large fine, any cannabis you have will be seized, and you may be subject to jail time. The personal use of marijuana, however, has been decriminalized.

It’s acceptable to have or smoke marijuana in moderate amounts in private spaces. This includes private residences and private cannabis clubs. In Barcelona, you’re allowed to grow up to two plants in your own private residence, or you can forfeit your right to grow marijuana and opt to join a cannabis club instead. As a visitor to the city, it’s not likely you’re going to grow your own cannabis, so if you’d like to enjoy a blunt or two while in Barcelona, your best (and safest) bet is to join a club.

Everything you need to know about Barcelona’s cannabis clubs

The only decriminalized way to acquire and/or consume cannabis outside of a private residence in Barcelona is by way of a cannabis club. These clubs should not be confused with medical marijuana dispensaries. Because cannabis is officially illegal, Spain does not offer medical marijuana, doctors cannot prescribe cannabis, and there are no dispensaries in the city.

Cannabis clubs in Barcelona are private entities committed to the protection, security, and anonymity of their members. The personal information of cannabis club members is not shared with any other entity, including the government. Authorities have no access to member information of any kind, and they can’t enter a cannabis club without specific authorization to do so. For this reason, clubs make a concerted effort to remain discreet and avoid causing any disruption to nearby residents.

Because it’s a private, secure entity, one cannot just casually walk into a cannabis club. You must have both an ID and a membership in order to enter. You can only acquire membership to a club through sponsorship or by referral through a current club member. You may be thinking it won’t be easy to obtain membership as a tourist, but it’s really not complex or difficult to do so.

How to join a cannabis club in Barcelona

Joining a cannabis club in Barcelona can be as simple as sending an email. Some online organizations, such as Marijuana Games, will offer to act as your sponsor for membership provided you meet their basic requirements. All you have to do is send some preliminary information to the email address listed, and they will set up a registration appointment with a club on your behalf.

You will receive an email reply from your “sponsor” letting you know when your appointment is and at which club (you don’t get to choose which club you’ll join through this method).

At your appointment, you’ll fill out some paperwork provided by the club. Again, this information is protected and secure. You’ll also be required to present valid, government-issued identification (passport, driver’s license, state ID, etc.). It’s important to note that you cannot register without a residential address in Spain. This doesn’t mean you have to be a resident, but the address of a hostel or hotel will not suffice. This can be the address of an Airbnb or a local friend’s residence. You won’t be asked to authenticate this address, and nothing will be sent to the location you provide.

In order to join the club, you must also pay an annual membership fee. This fee is meant to offset the club’s expenses and does not cover the cost of any cannabis. The membership fee tends to run between 25 and 50 euros per year, but it can sometimes be lower or higher depending on the club. You’ll need to pay this fee in cash.

How to get cannabis from a Barcelona cannabis club

Photo: VTT Studio/Shutterstock

For legal reasons, you do not “buy” cannabis from a club. By joining a club, you become part of a group that grows and disperses cannabis among club members. In this sense, you don’t pay for the marijuana itself. Instead, whatever you pay to acquire cannabis is used to cover the cost of growing the marijuana and maintaining the club’s facilities.

Additionally, clubs place limits on how much cannabis you can acquire. Because it’s only meant for personal use, you’re typically restricted to five grams per day and can’t exceed a certain amount per month. As this isn’t regulated by any law, the exact number depends on each club.

Because you can face consequences for possessing marijuana in public, the club will advise you not to take it outside the property. Most members do take cannabis from the club, however. If you choose to take cannabis from the club, it’s recommended to keep it in your undergarments, as that’s the one place police can’t search (unless they have a warrant to do so). If you’re caught with marijuana, you should say as little as possible about where you got it, and do not mention the name of your club.

While consuming cannabis in Barcelona may sound risky, there’s really nothing to worry about as long as you join a club (which isn’t difficult) and follow the basic guidelines.


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The post Everything to know about legal cannabis consumption in Barcelona appeared first on Matador Network.

Singapore’s Gardens by Bay guide

In 2012, the government of Singapore set out to create a “City in a Garden,” a futuristic botanical garden that would showcase the city-state’s embrace of the future and add to its already distinct skyline. The Gardens by the Bay span well over 600 acres, filled with lush greenery, exotic plants, and a famous waterfall that draw tourists from around the globe. Many visitors come for the iconic Supertrees, Cloud Forest, and Flower Dome, but there are a number of lesser-known exhibits to walk through on a day trip to the Gardens by the Bay.

How to get to — and around — Gardens by the Bay

Photo: r.nagy/Shutterstock

Situated by the waterfront of Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay consists of three parts. The Bay South Garden is the most popular section and home to the Supertrees, Flower Dome, and Cloud Forest. A map of the Bay South Garden allows you to navigate the park with ease.

The Bay East Garden is the second largest of the three but far less crowded than Bay South. This area is more like an actual park. It offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city with ample greenery and stunning views of the Singapore skyline, and is a perfect place to cycle, walk, and run.

The Bay Central Garden links the South and East gardens via a two-mile waterfront promenade. The city views are ideal here, and you can connect this promenade to the Marina Bay Sands resort and the heart of downtown.

The closest train station to the Gardens by the Bay is the Bayfront MRT, accessible by both the Downtown and Circle Lines. The park is less than a five-minute walk from the MRT station, and the specifics are as follows:

Arrive at Bayfront MRT and look for Station Exit B.
Exit the station and follow the underground linkway.
Cross the Dragonfly Bridge and arrive at the Malay Garden.
Continue walking straight, and you will arrive at the Supertree Grove.

A large part of Gardens by the Bay, including the Supertree Grove, Heritage Gardens, Sun Pavilion, and lakes, can be enjoyed for free. However, to enter both the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, the admission fee is $21 (28 Singapore dollars) for adults and $11 (SGD15) for children aged three to 12. Tickets can be bought in advance. Before you purchase online, though, inquire with your lodging as to whether they offer discount admission tickets. Many hotels in the city do, and you’ll keep a few dollars in your pocket for a stop at the food hall afterwards.

What to see
The Supertrees

Photo: Z. Jacobs/Shutterstock

The most popular attraction at Gardens by the Bay is the Supertrees. These sci-fi trees look straight out of Avatar as they emit glowing bioluminescent light. Measuring between 25 and 50 meters (82 to 164 feet) in height, they were designed to mirror the form and function of mature trees. There are 18 trees in total, made up of more than 158,000 plants, comprising of more than 700 species. In line with their eco-friendly theme, some of the trees have photovoltaic cells that harvest solar energy to light up the Supertrees at night. The Supertrees also collect rainwater used in the running and cooling of the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

For a sans-crowds experience, head to the Silver Garden located behind the Flower Dome. This viewing point is far less busy and allows you to take photos without random people in every shot. Also worth a visit is the Web of Life, located just south of the Supertree Grove, with animal-inspired art in the form of an Orangutan, Hornbill, Pangolin, and others.

Make sure you don’t miss the light show that takes place at the Supertrees. At 7:45 and 8:45 PM, the trees come alive with a spectacular show of beautiful colors and melodies. Prepare to be enthralled for 15 minutes. To get a little closer to the Supertrees, instead of gazing at them for free from afar, take a stroll above on the OCBC Skyway. This is a 420-foot-long walkway constructed to give visitors the sensation that they are floating off the ground. Tickets to the OCBC Skyway cost about $6 (SGD8) for adults and $4 (SGD5) for children. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance of the OCBC Skyway between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM.

The Cloud Forest

Photo: Doranobi/Shutterstock

The Cloud Forest is a dense, humid, and tropical dome, much like a tropical botanical garden — but, because this is Singapore, it’s presented as an amusement experience. You will first be confronted by the tallest man-made waterfall in the world, at 115 feet tall, and if you stand close enough you can let the mist from the waterfall gently kiss your face to cool off. From there, follow a walking path called the Cloud Walk up a multi-story green “mountain” within the dome.

At the top of the Cloud Mountain you can enter the Lost World, which displays vegetation generally found at 6,500 feet above sea level. From here, take in the superb views of the rest of the Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands beyond the dome. Alternatively, you can explore the Crystal Mountain Cave, which houses a variety of stalagmites and stalactites, or the Cloud Forest theater, which showcases a film on natural conservation and sustainability measures.

The Flower Dome

Photo: siraphat/Shutterstock

Once you’ve had your tropical fix, make your way to the Flower Dome across the plaza. This is the world’s largest greenhouse, packed with exquisite flowers and plants divided into seven different gardens — including a Mediterranean garden, a South American garden, and a South African garden. The flower dome also has a progressive French Mediterranean restaurant named Pollen. Located in between an olive grove, this restaurant focuses on dishes with seasonal produce and herbs grown from their in-house garden. The pan fried sea bream and cumin-infused rump of lamb come highly recommended.

The Floral Fantasy, Heritage Gardens, and Sun Pavilion

Photo: Adwo/Shutterstock

The Floral Fantasy is the newest addition to Gardens by the Bay. The exhibit comprises four diverse garden landscapes, each with a differing concept — Dance, Waltz, Float, and Drift. It also has a “4D” ride called “Flight of the Dragonfly,” which takes visitors on a journey through Gardens by the Bay from the perspective of a dragonfly. Admission runs $15 (SGD20) for adults and $9 (SGD12) for children.

The Heritage Gardens pay homage to Singapore’s diverse and multicultural history. The Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Colonial gardens have plants and art features intricately linked to the culture in each group. For example, in the Chinese garden, there is a smiling statue of Buddha, which sits under a medicinal tree. Meanwhile, the Indian garden is laid out in the shape of a kolam, a traditional Indian folk art design. The exhibit is open from 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and admission is free.

The Sun Pavilion will make you forget you’re even in Singapore. The exhibit has a number of desert-like landscapes with over 1,000 desert plants such as the Brazilian Turk’s Cap and the African Euphorbias. Admission is free between 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Situated right next to the Sun Pavilion is a hidden enclave with gigantic fish known as the Big Fish Aquarium. It’s not on the map, allowing you to ogle at huge black pacu, humongous catfish, alligator gars, and giant-sized Amazonian arapaima with only those savvy enough to find the aquarium as your company.

The Serene Garden and Far East Organization Children’s Garden

Photo: tristan tan/Shutterstock

A short walk away from the Supertrees is another new exhibit, the Serene Garden, a Japanese-inspired outdoor landscape. The setting encompasses five acres of tranquillity and peace, as well as scenic views of the city’s skyline. Stroll through bubbling creeks featuring Blue Niyodo rocks and Bukit Timah granite, and check out plants including Bismarckias (endemic to Madagascar), elegant bamboo, and junipers carefully pruned to look like typical bonsai trees in Japanese Zen gardens.

If you are traveling with children, it’s worth bringing them to this outdoor playground and waterpark. A number of features such as a Fish Fountain, spray jets, and water tunnels guarantee a fun day out. Temperatures in Singapore can reach highs of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s a perfect way to cool off and keep kids entertained. Make sure your child brings along swimwear, as they will most likely splash around and get wet.

Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes

Photo: MOLPIX/Shutterstock

The Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes are full of rich aquatic life and lush foliage. Try to spot the glimmering dragonfly sculptures that weave between the plants and lakes. There is also a 1,400-foot boardwalk through the Dragonfly Lake and a number of educational sculptures built to shed light on the ecosystem’s vulnerability to man’s actions.

If you want to spot some cheeky kingfishers, head towards the end of Kingfisher Lake close to the Marina Reservoir. You’ll see a tree on which they perch as they scan the lake for their next meal.

From time to time, sections of Gardens by the Bay are closed for maintenance. So remember to check the closure dates before your trip. Make sure to also pack bug spray and antihistamines, as the lakes have a range of bugs which may trigger allergies.


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The post The ultimate walking tour of Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay appeared first on Matador Network.

Marine mammals hate drones

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Many eons ago, various land mammals decided to return to the sea, evolving fins and flippers to survive in their aquatic home, and marine mammals were born. Later, evolution gifted some of them permanent smiles, as seen on the bottlenose dolphin, or saucer-sized eyes capable of melting even the most stoic of human hearts, as we see with baby seals. Whatever it is about each species that appeals to people, marine mammals are inarguably a beloved collection of creatures.

Which is why it’s time to stop and reconsider the use of drones to capture footage of these sensitive animals, particularly given the rise in popularity of using this technology to see them from perspectives previously reserved for professional filmmakers dangling out of helicopters.

A recent study out of the City University of New York (CUNY) researched the effect of drones on the behavioral impact of various marine mammals, essentially looking to see if the unmanned aerial vehicles disturb their subjects. Considering that, according to NASA, the incessant whine of a drone is disturbing to humans, and that these machines are widely used in capturing footage of marine mammals, PhD candidate Eric Angel Ramos decided it was time to look at the relationship between the two.

Underwater noise, particularly from boats and ships, is a well-documented disturbance to marine wildlife, let alone the other risks sea vessels bring. One of the best examples of this is following 9/11, when shipping around the US was halted for security purposes. Ongoing studies with whales showed a significant decrease in stress as waters quieted from the loss of nonessential boat traffic, proving that they are in fact aware of, and bothered by, noise made by human inventions.

So it stood to reason that drones could cause a similar type of stress. However, “Bottlenose dolphins rarely responded when followed by a drone,” says Ramos, adding that those that did respond did not give a strong reaction. Antillean manatees, on the other hand, were greatly disturbed by the presence of a drone. “About a quarter of exposed individual manatees exhibited responses, changing their behavior state and fleeing the approaching aircraft at altitudes of 6-104 meters (20-341 feet),” an incredibly wide range. Ramos believes dolphins are more affected by seeing a drone approach, whereas manatees are probably triggered to flee by the sound.

Photo: Kirsty Hulme/Shutterstock

Unfortunately, only animal behaviorists are skilled at telling the difference between responses. Drone footage of wildlife is a hot trend, and an animal running or swimming away doesn’t necessarily seem like fleeing to the average eye. This video of a bear and her cub that made the rounds online recently shows that the animals were terrified of the drone filming them, and lost precious energy required for survival in their attempt to escape.

“Drone use by tourists in general is on the rise. I haven’t seen numbers on it, but I see tourists everywhere flying drones,” Ramos says. It’s also becoming more popular among the academic world of wildlife, but researchers are typically taking into account the effects of their equipment when gathering data, and are therefore conscientious of when they get close enough to an animal to disturb its natural behaviors. Tourists and hobbyists do not seem to share this affinity for respecting personal space, causing harm to marine mammals. “This can have serious consequences,” Ramos adds, “because it drains animals energetically and puts them in water at times where there could be predators they otherwise could have avoided.”

As we gain greater understanding of our impact on wildlife, and the way we intentionally misinterpret their behavior to benefit us personally (dolphins aren’t smiling, they just have curved mouths), it’s essential to learn the ways in which we can work with animals instead of at their expense. “If you fly a small drone around marine mammals you need to be careful and fly in ways to specifically avoiding potentially disturbing them,” explains Ramos. Of course, these specific approaches will vary species by species, as seen with the dolphins and manatees in this study. “Different species have different sensitivities, but you should generally avoid flying directly at any animals or go to close to them.”

Deciding to use a drone to film marine mammals should fall under the same considerations as any wildlife interaction. “You should find responsible tour operators for wildlife trips,” Ramos advises, explaining that irresponsible guides may drive a boat too quickly near dolphins or ignore signs that animals are disturbed by their presence. “A responsible one will drive in certain ways around animal groups to avoid harassing them. Whale watches can do serious harm if boats disturb animals and little harm if they know what they’re doing.”

The very least we can do is take the time to learn about the marine mammals we love, so we can better respect them. And if getting content is incompatible with properly loving these animals, then so be it.


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The post Science shows marine mammals hate drones, so let’s knock it off appeared first on Matador Network.

KFC in Australia wants Michelin star

Just because fast food has a less-than-stellar reputation doesn’t mean those chains should settle for mediocrity. A KFC in Australia is shooting for the stars — well, a Michelin star. While it’s true that Michelin stars are usually reserved for top-tier restaurants around the world, this KFC owner in Alice Springs believes his franchise is deserving of the honor.

“We use fresh chickens that are delivered into the store every day and hand-breaded in our kitchen by our cooks,” owner Sam Edelman told Metro UK. “There is some skill involved.”

He made his case for receiving a Michelin star by citing the guide itself. “The criteria for two stars,” he said, “is ‘excellent cooking worth a detour or exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.’ We have people who come to our KFC from 500km or 1000km away. My KFC is the most remote KFC in the world and that’s what sets me apart. I know people make a journey to come to my restaurant…We have done a catering order for a gold mine that was in Western Australia — we’re in the Northern Territory. It was [an] AUS$1000 order. They ordered a private hire car to collect the order and take it straight to the airport. They chucked it on the plane and flew it to the gold mine.”

Edelman was apparently inspired by watching the Netflix show Street Food, in which a street food vendor in Bangkok was awarded a Michelin star. “If this street vendor can get the Michelin star why can’t we?” he asked.

Edelman has even launched a Facebook group called “Kentucky Fried Chicken deserves a Michelin Star,” where you can support his quest and learn about his progress (KFC recently flew him to Paris, and Australian food reviewers came knocking). Unfortunately for Edelman, Michelin doesn’t publish a guide for Australia, so all his efforts will end up being for naught.


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Leonardo da Vinci escape room

Escaping from Buckingham Palace sounds like a bad movie plot, but it’s actually a real-life adventure you can take on, courtesy of this escape room experience. “Escape Room: Leonardo Artmergency!” will take place at the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in London, and will feature four rooms of puzzles and riddles inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s work. Teams of four and eight will be able to collaborate to solve the mystery of the missing curator, and win their way out of the room.

The Royal Collection Trust said that you must “think like a Renaissance genius to unlock the mysteries in Leonardo’s drawings. Your team will need careful observation, creative thinking and detective work to beat the clock, but no prior art history knowledge is required.”

The escape room experience is launching at the same time as an exhibition in the Queen’s Gallery called “Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing,” which marks the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death. Over 200 of his most famous drawings will be on display in the Royal Collection, reflecting his accomplishments in painting, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, engineering, geology, botany, and cartography.

The escape room will be available every Friday and Saturday until October 5 of this year, at 6:15 PM, 6:45 PM, 7:15 PM, and 7:45 PM. Tickets are $190 for a team of four to eight people.

H/T: Lonely Planet

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