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The world’s oldest human just died

The world’s oldest man has just died at the ripe old age of 146. According to his papers, Sodimedjo — also known as Mbah Ghoto (grandpa Ghoto) — was born in Indonesia in 1870, though the country has only officially recorded births since 1900, so there is some speculation as to whether or not his documents are valid. Officials told the BBC, however, that based on interviews and supporting documents, the claim holds up, making him the oldest man alive — until Monday, when he died in his village in Central Java, Indonesia.

Sodimedjo was famous in his village for telling stories about the wars against Japan and the Dutch colonizers, and he outlived four wives, 10 siblings, and all his children. Last year, he told the BBC that the secret to his long life was having people around him who love him.

On April 12, Sodimedjo was taken to the hospital due to his failing health though he insisted on returning home six days later. His grandson Suyanto told the BBC, “Since he came back from the hospital, he only ate spoonfuls of porridge and drank very little. It only lasted a couple of days. From that moment on to his death, he refused to eat and drink.”

At 146 years old, Sodimedjo is the longest living person in recorded human history.

H/T: BBC

More like this: 10 authentic Indonesian dishes from Jakarta’s Betawi ethnic group

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Best traditional Portuguese seafood

As a nation of seafarers, the Portuguese have always had a strong bond with the ocean. This, of course, deeply influences the country’s cuisine. Today, eating seafood in Portugal is a summer ritual, and the best way to experience it is by the coast with a group of friends and a glass of white wine (and you truly do not want to skip out on the best Portuguese wine). When you get the chance to try Portuguese seafood, start with these seven traditional dishes.

1. Ameijôas à Bulhão Pato

Photo: JoannaTkaczuk/Shutterstock

Every seafood restaurant in Portugal is bound to have ameijôas à Bulhão Pato, which is simply clams in a white wine sauce. Portuguese have been eating clams for hundreds of years, but it was in the 19th century that the Bulhão Pato sauce, named after the famous Portuguese poet of the same name, was born. All you need for this dish is a bit of garlic, olive oil, white wine, and coriander. Some also like to drizzle a bit of lemon juice over the top. Whatever you do, don’t leave that delicious sauce on the plate instead, grab of a bit of bread to soak it up! In Lisbon, splurge and give them a try at Cervejaria Ramiro.

2. Gambas ao alho

Photo: JM Travel Photography/Shutterstock

There are endless ways of cooking gambas ao alho, but you can never leave out the garlic. The dish translates to “garlic prawns,” and most Portuguese restaurants will have it on the menu as a starter. Depending on the restaurant, you can also swap shrimp for prawns. Whatever you pick, you’ll likely get the heads and shell with it, so you’ll need to use your hands to peel it off. Some locals like to rip the heads off and suck out the inside, but no one will judge you if you don’t. In Lisbon, you can find the best prawns at Cervejaria Ramiro and Cervejaria Pinóquio.

3. Sapateira recheada

Photo: Sandra Carvalho/Shutterstock

Sapateira recheada, or stuffed crab, is the highlight of any seafood meal in Portugal. You can order it on its own or as part of a seafood platter. The delicious spread that comes inside the shell combines fresh crab meat with mayo, onions, mustard, boiled egg, and paprika. All you need is a few crackers to dip in, and you’ll have the perfect summer snack.

4. Salada de polvo

Photo: Fabio Balbi/Shutterstock

Even if you’ve never tried octopus before, you’ll love this refreshing salad. To make a salada de polvo (octopus salad), you’ll need octopus, tomato, onion, olive oil, and a generous amount of parsley, coriander, and other herbs. Some people also like to add potatoes or bell pepper, but it tastes just as good without them. In Lisbon, give it a try at Sem Palavras or Sol e Pesca.

5. Pastéis de bacalhau

Photo: rocharibeiro/Shutterstock

While most seafood dishes require you to sit down, pastéis de bacalhau are the perfect snack to eat on the go. Made with shredded cod, potatoes, eggs, parsley, and onion, these small treats can be found in any Portuguese café. Cod was one of the many ingredients Portuguese navigators brought back during the Age of Exploration in the 16th century. It became a staple of the local cuisine despite not being fished off the coast of Portugal. You’ll find the best pastéis de bacalhau at Olhó Bacalhau inside the Time Out Market. For a cheesy version, try the ones from Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau.

6. Cataplana de marisco

Photo: Olga_Go/Shutterstock

Cataplana de marisco is a seafood dish from the south of Portugal. This traditional stew usually contains a variety of shellfish, including shrimp, clams, and mussels, mixed with potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. What makes this dish special is the cataplana, a clam-shaped pan used to cook the stew. The best cataplanas come from the Algarve, but if you’re in Lisbon, you should try one from Cataplana da Gina.

7. Peixe grelhado

Photo: Sopotnicki/Shutterstock

Portuguese love eating peixe grelhado, or grilled fish. While you’ll hear a lot about sardines, there are many other fish you should try, like carapau (mackerel), robalo (seabass), and dourada (golden bream). Locals usually grill the fish over charcoal, which gives it a nice crispy texture. And if you learned to eat in Portugal, then you know there will always be a green pepper roasting alongside the fish. As for seasoning, Portuguese only use salt and olive oil. Sounds simple, but as long as you have fresh fish, that’s all you need. The best places to try grilled fish in Portugal is in fishing towns like Sesimbra, Cascais, and Setúbal.


More like this: The ultimate guide to Portugal’s top wine routes

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How to stay awake on long drives

Don’t look now (especially if you’re driving) but we’re hurtling headlong into road-trip season. Family vacations, warm-weather highway adventures, and drives across the country with your dog for a summer job put us on the road for longer hours than we are the rest of the year. Which means marathon driving sessions many of us aren’t used to.

But you know who is used to driving for ungodly amounts of time? Truck drivers. So it reasons they’d be the right people to ask for tips for staying awake during long drives. We huddled with our 18-wheeling friends at Commercial Truck Trader, and they offered up these seven suggestions for keeping alert on the road.

1. Make your car as cold as possible.

Are you one of those people who wears three sweaters to the office because you’re always cold? Well, you’re gonna hate long drives because keeping yourself on the verge of hypothermia (figuratively) is generally the best way to make sure you don’t start nodding off. If you’re driving through somewhere chilly, roll down the windows and let the arctic breeze pry your eyes open. Driving through somewhere with warm, soothing nights? Crank that AC like it’s a movie theater in Florida.

There’s a reason correctional facilities keep their temperatures below 65 degrees, and it’s not because they’re concerned about anyone overheating. It’s because it’s uncomfortable and sleep-depriving to keep things cold. Unpleasant? Yes. But it will keep you alive.

2. Sing along with the radio.

There is a time and a place to grace the world with your almost-perfect rendition of “thank u, next.” Any public gathering is not one of them. The front seat of your car on a long drive, however, absolutely is. Singing along to Ariana Grande, or Kenny Loggins, or Lil Uzi Vert, or whoever’s lyrics you know by heart will keep your brain awake and alert. Though if you can actually figure out any Lil Uzi Vert lyrics your brain is probably on another level than anyone else’s.

3. Talk to someone.

You know that six-year-old niece in Sacramento you really oughta chat with more often? No better time than a long drive to try and have a conversation with a first-grader. Or anyone, really, who you haven’t caught up with in a while. Just make sure you don’t call anyone who works in real estate or insurance because that will put you to sleep faster than a hot toddy.

Of course, you should be using Bluetooth or some other hands-free device. And drive in the slow lane as talking slows your speed whether you’re holding the phone or not. If you want to make things real entertaining, get yourself a CB radio and listen to the radar love over the airwaves. Then try using some trucker slang yourself.

If you wanna get real crazy, invite someone to tag along for the ride. Just make sure they don’t sleep. And make sure you don’t combine this with Tip #2. They have no interest in hearing your Whitesnake covers either.

4. Keep plenty of ice on hand.

When truckers tell you ice helps them stay awake, it’s generally a good idea to get some clarification. In this case, though, they mean keeping a cooler packed with cubes of frozen water in your passenger seat, along with cold bottles of water. Again, going back to Tip #1, anything cold helps keep you awake. And the water keeps you hydrated.

Resist the temptation, however, to pack the cooler with stuff like sports drinks or, even worse, energy drinks. Sports drinks serve the double whammy of ramping you up on sugar, leading to an inevitable mid-drive sugar crash, and giving your body a ton of simple calories to break down while you’re sitting still for hours. The caffeine and other stimulants in energy drinks ramp you up even harder than sugar, which as anyone who’s ever overdone it on stimulants knows, makes you crash EVEN HARDER. So forego the short-term gain and stick to water.

5. Use a cold towel.

Somewhere in that cooler, wrap a few washcloths in ice and keep them handy. Then you can pull them out to cool off, making your front seat your own little version of the business class cabin on a domestic flight. No, there won’t be any flight attendants or on-demand seasons of “Veep.” But, as we’ve now told you three times, keeping cold is the best way to stay awake.

6. Take short breaks.

Though your dad may have drilled the importance of making excellent time into your head, it is, in fact, secondary to making safe time. And in the case of long, tedious drives taking frequent stops can keep you from slipping into a road trance. Try making a game of it, like seeing how many different Taco Bells you can stop at on I-70. Or comparing gas station coffees in North Central Florida. Or doing pretty much anything at a Cracker Barrel.

When you do stop, don’t just get up and use the bathroom either. Interact with anyone you see: cashiers, fellow motorists, lot lizards, whatever. The brain activity used in communication will energize you more and will 100 percent give you some fantastic road stories.

7. Go to sleep.

If you found yourself doing the highway head bob more than once, it’s time to take a break. If you take that break, get in your car, and go right back to open-mouthed drooling, it’s time to call it a night. If you can, shell out the 50 bucks for a roadside motel so you can get a solid night’s sleep, and carry on when you’re refreshed. If that’s not an option, pull over in a rest stop or Walmart parking lot and get some Zs there. Again, making time might be important. Getting there in one piece, however, is still the priority.


More like this: How long-haul truck drivers stay sane on the road

The post Truckers offer 7 tips for staying alert during long drives (that are all completely legal) appeared first on Matador Network.

Traditional Slovenian dishes & food

Despite the country’s small territorial footprint, Slovenia has a diverse culinary landscape due to a strong influence from the cuisines of neighboring Hungary, Italy, and Austria. These all come together with a taste of traditional cuisine from the Balkans — though what’s available largely depends on where in Slovenia you’re located, and it’s difficult to find a dish that represents all regions. Some dishes are found at restaurants across the country while others can be eaten only in the place of their origin — but seeking them out is oh so worth it (and not just the dreamy kremna rezina from Lake Bled). These are the must-try traditional Slovenian dishes.

1. Kranjska klobasa

Photo: Dani Vincek/Shutterstock

Among the rich range of Slovenian pork products, kranjska klobasa is one of the most popular and valued. It’s true that it looks like any other ordinary sausage, but in taste it beats out all the rest. Kranjska klobasa is made from the best coarsely ground pork meat, bacon, and a few basic seasonings. The sausage has (somewhat contentiously) earned Protected Geographical Indication status, meaning its production is protected and regulated, and you’ll also see it called Slovenian Carniolan sausage. It’s usually accompanied by sauerkraut at restaurants while food stands serve it with bread, mustard, and horseradish.

2. Prekmurska gibanica

Photo: Jacopo ventura/Shutterstock

The most renowned and popular Slovenian pastry is also a calorie bomb made from several layers of apple, walnut, cottage cheese, and poppy seed fillings. Originally a festive dish served only in the region of Prekmurje, it can be found today in coffee and pastry shops all over the country. It’s also a protected dish, which means that anyone that produces and sells the pastry under the name of prekmurska gibanica must follow the traditional recipe.

3. Potica

Photo: Visionsi/Shutterstock

Potica is a traditional dessert served around Easter and Christmas. The pastry is made with dough that’s spread with a sweet filling then rolled flat to create a distinctive spiral in the center. It’s traditionally baked in a circular tin called a potičnik. Originally, potica was filled with walnut, honey, and tarragon, but today you can find ones with chocolate, cheese, hazelnut, poppy, and even coconut.

4. Štruklji

Photo: Andrej Safaric/Shutterstock

If a Slovenian invites you over with the sentence, “Come to our house for some štruklji,” prepare yourself for a hearty meal. Štruklji are boiled or baked rolls of wheat or buckwheat dough and a sweet or savory filling. It can be served as a salty side dish or as dessert. The most typical version is prepared with tarragon filling, and the most popular is made with a cottage-cheese filling.

5. Bograč

Photo: my point of view/Shutterstock

Slovenia’s best and most complex stew draws influence from neighboring Hungary and its famous goulash. It hails from Prekmurje on the eastern side of Slovenia and is usually served at events like weddings, birthday parties, and other celebrations. The dish combines three types of meat (pork, beef, and game), potatoes, sweet paprika, and wine, and it’s prepared in a cauldron on an open fire (although restaurants typically use the stove). Every August, an event called bogračijada takes place in the small border town of Lendava, which is the world capital of bograč, where professional and amateur cooks compete to see who can make the best version.

6. Žganci

Photo: Fanfo/Shutterstock

A simple, everyday dish that’s similar to polenta but made with fine buckwheat or corn flour. The carb-heavy meal has long been a staple of the Slovenian diet. Depending on the occasion, it can be topped with lard and cracklings as an entree or served simply as a side dish. Žganci is typically served with milk, yogurt, and white coffee during breakfast while for lunch it’s mostly served alongside braised sauerkraut, sausages, and meat stews.

7. Idrijski žlikrofi

Photo: Jelena990/Shutterstock

These small dough pockets are stuffed with potatoes, onion, zaseka (minced and seasoned pork fat), smoked ham, and spices. Idrijski žlikrofi are an inherent part of the town of Idrija and its mercury-mining past, and were created by miner’s wives. Today, every restaurant in the town serves them. They’re normally served either with a mutton or rabbit sauce called bakalca or on their own seasoned with cracklings, butter, and cheese. The normal portion of žlikrofi is about 40 pieces.

8. Soška postrv

Photo: Tjasa Car/Shutterstock

The emerald river Soča isn’t just an excellent place for rafting, kayaking, and other sports; it’s also home to Soča trout. The fish is a gastronomic delicacy, but it’s endangered and thus protected. Fishing for trout is strictly restricted to fish at least 40 centimeters long and requires a permit. If you’re not up for catching your own meal, head to any restaurant by the river to try the fish grilled or rolled in a buckwheat or corn flour and fried.

9. Kraški pršut

Photo: padu_foto/Shutterstock

Slovenes love cured meat, and every region has its own specialty that regularly finds its way to plates at breakfast or dinner. The one with the reputation of being the best, however, is pršut. Similar to prosciutto, pršut has been made for centuries from the best pork leg that’s salted and naturally dried. This production technique is still followed both by large manufacturers, as well as local farms. Today, thinly sliced pršut is a must-have at various feasts, receptions, and similar occasions.


More like this: Don’t visit Slovenia’s Lake Bled without eating this creamy cake

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How to stay sober while traveling

Getting sober might be the hardest thing you ever do. And if travel and alcohol have always been intertwined for you, kicking the booze habit can be absolutely devastating. If asked before I quit drinking, I would have dismissed sober travel as not only unfun but pretty much impossible. How can I backpack around Ireland and not have a pint? Barcelona without vino? And how can I travel with my friends who still drink?

Even if you’ve been sober for years, travel can shake your confidence in navigating the world without picking up a drink. One minute you’re a badass sober warrior, but the next you’re panicking about your achievements coming crumbling down. Truth is, after a little practice, traveling sober actually opens up more opportunities, not less. But that’s only if you have a plan to keep from falling apart without the routine and support system that’s kept you sober so far. Here are seven tips to keep you grounded while tackling that travel bucket list sober.

Recreate your routine on the road.

Travel is all about experiencing the new, but now’s not the time to abandon your entire routine. If you start the day with meditation, yoga and a green juice, keep up those habits on the road. Herbal tea bags don’t take up much room, but even liters of tonic water can be brought into checked luggage. Unwieldy, yes, but if that’s your evening routine, pack the Schweppes. Plan ahead so you can replicate your routine whether you’re in Detroit or Delhi. You can also consider packing a mocktail of choice so you’ll have something familiar and celebratory to sip on your first night away.

Keep the lines of communication open.

Infinite forms of recovery support are found on apps in our pocket, and the savvy sober traveler prepares for a trip by downloading favorites in advance. Recovery meetings apps, such as Meeting Guide, are a lifesaver for finding a local meeting anywhere in the world. Or bring the meeting to you by checking out recovery podcasts, like Recovery Elevator or This Naked Mind. With app-based therapy options like Talkspace, even extended travel won’t interfere with your mental health. Traveling is an opportunity to get away but it shouldn’t be an excuse to isolate; reach out for support when you need it.

Stay accountable by sharing your journey.

When you’re open to others about your recovery, you remove the likelihood of slinking back to your old ways without anyone noticing. Consider telling your travel companions that you no longer drink long before you embark, and they’ll be less likely to pressure you into a sketchy round of drinking games. Other ways to stay accountable on the road might include daily check-ins with a sober buddy, tracking your length of sobriety using a sobriety app, joining a group support group on Hello Sunday Morning or participating in a sobriety challenge via the Reddit group r/stopdrinking.

Prioritize the all-important downtime.

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of travel planning and try to cram all of a destination’s must-sees and must-dos into a single trip. When you’re tired, stressed, and overwhelmed, that’s when you are at your most vulnerable to slip, relapse, or just experience a miserable time. Recharge by taking the afternoon off from sightseeing, skipping the crowded landmarks, or simply having some well-deserved hammock time. It might feel strange to put your needs first, but remember that H.A.L.T — being hungry, angry, lonely, or tired — is often the origin of relapse behavior.

Don’t forget to research your new drink order.

Forget FOMO — get excited about the interesting refrescos you’ll be sampling! After you’ve figured out your itinerary, the best beaches, and how to say, “Where is the bathroom?” start studying what non-alcoholic options locals enjoy. International cultural attitudes towards alcohol swing wildly, and not every country places the reverence on boisterous consumption as others. Even destinations that are well known for their beer, wine, or spirits often have equally interesting (and socially acceptable) non-alcoholic options to sip on while lingering at a pub or cafe. Think citron presse in Paris, mint tea in Istanbul, or elderflower soda in Sarajevo. For extra points, practice ordering your local mocktail in the local language. Živili!

Bribe yourself with sober rewards.

Being uncomfortable is part of travel. The trick is not letting a missed flight or a lost bag totally derail your sober intentions. To get myself past the uncomfortable moments after I quit drinking, I instituted a policy of sober rewards. The rules of the game are simple: Survive [insert a length of time] sober, get [fun thing]! For example, after navigating the London Underground, a transatlantic flight, and then walking seven blocks in the rain, you arrive at your hotel in New York City bedraggled but still sober… well, dial up room service and order that $11 slice of cheesecake.

Plan for success by remembering “Sober Places, Sober People.”

You’re sober, not superhuman, so skip the party-charged atmospheres of spring break destinations and choose locales and activities that aren’t solely focused on drinking. If all your friends prefer to party hard when they’re on vacay, it may not be the best option to travel with them. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean you have to go alone.

Group sober travel is a trend on the rise. You can find sober retreats and international travel catering to many different interests, such as Mediterranean cruises, yoga retreats in Mexico, backpacking the Sierra Nevadas, or even traveling through Thailand and Cambodia. Benefit from like-minded companions while making connections allowing you to form a sober travel squad of your own for future adventures. You’ll probably have more fun (and fewer regrets) whitewater rafting in Costa Rica than watching the spectacle at Señor Frogs, anyway.


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The post Sober travel: how not to fall apart without your routine and support system appeared first on Matador Network.

Unusual methods of transportation

Traveling by car, train, and bus might be efficient, but it doesn’t always inspire an appreciation of the journey. After all, the reason it’s so easy to doze off on a train is that it’s a mundane way of getting from point A to point B. In some places around the world, getting places is an adventure. From a bamboo train in Cambodia to a Couchbike in Canada, there are some pretty wild ways people across different cultures use to get around. Here are six of the most unusual methods of transportation in the world.

1. Bamboo train, Cambodia

Photo: Cristina Stoian/Shutterstock

Known locally as a nori, the bamboo train can be a nerve-wracking way to get around Cambodia. Passengers ride on a platform of bamboo that is roughly the size of a double bed that sits on of two independent sets of metal wheels, which are powered by an engine to run on the railway tracks. The platform travels at around 25mph, but don’t expect a smooth journey. Poorly maintained railroad tracks across Cambodia mean you’re in for a bumpy ride. Bamboo trains can fit around 12-15 people and are immensely popular in the rural areas of the country. If you have the opportunity to take a bamboo train, do it; fares are extremely low, and the bumpy ride is just part of the experience.

2. Chicken bus, Central America

Photo: Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock

Definitely not the most comfortable way to travel, but an experience worth having, chicken buses have multiple uses. Once school buses, they are now used to carry chickens and other birds to markets, as well as people to their destination for a cheap fare. A common mode of public transport across Central America, chicken buses are known for their unique, colorful painted designs and for cramming a lot of people in a very small space — they generally only depart the station when no one else can fit inside the vehicle anymore. You may even be sharing the bus with actual chickens, recently purchased by other passengers at the market.

3. Ice Angel, Wisconsin

Photo: Ashland Fire Department/Facebook

To experience this intense vehicle, you’ll have to travel to Madeline Island just off the coast of Wisconsin. The only one of the state’s Apostle Islands that’s inhabited, Madeline Island is connected to Bayfield, on the mainland, by a ferry in the summer and a highway of thick ice in the winter. During the in-between stages, however, when the ice is too weak to support a vehicle but a ferry couldn’t make the passage, the Ice Angel, run by the Ashland Fire Department, comes to the rescue. These boats with air propellers are designed to glide safely and smoothly over the ice, bringing island residents (all 302 of them) to and from the mainland.

4. Jeepney, Philippines

Photo: Pelikh Alexey/Shutterstock

If you’ve been to the Philippines, you probably saw or rode in a Jeepney. This popular Filipino mode of transportation originated after the end of World War II when the American troops pulled out of the country and gifted the locals surplus army jeeps. The Filipinos took these jeeps and stripped them down, added roofs for shade, and repurposed them to function as public transportation. Often painted in vibrant colors and sporting religious messages, Jeepneys are considered the most popular mode of transportation in the Philippines and have become an icon of Filipino culture around the world.

5. Barco de Totora, Peru

Photo: meunierd/Shutterstock

While these boats may not exactly look sturdy, rest assured that they aren’t about to spontaneously start taking on water. Barco de Totora boats, made entirely of Totora reeds that grow along Lake Titicaca, are used to transport both locals and tourists across the lake, on the border of Peru and Bolivia. They are generally crafted in the shape of a dragon and are said to have been used during Inca times to ward off evil spirits.

6. Cyclos, Vietnam

Photo: Phuong D. Nguyen/Shutterstock

Bicycles may not be a revolutionary form of transportation, but the Vietnamese cyclo is no ordinary bike. It is built like a backwards rickshaw, where the driver pedals from the back with the passengers sitting in the front — they have the best seat in the house. The vehicle originally appeared in Vietnam during the French-Colonial period, after a failed attempt to introduce rickshaws. Now, in addition to occasionally carrying passengers, Cyclos are also used to transport awkward, heavy loads along the city streets. As a visitor to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or any other Vietnamese city where cyclos are used, you should expect to haggle the price of your ride before embarking as fees are typically astronomical for tourists.


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Instagram is hiding likes

In what may be a major blow to Instagram influencers and businesses that rely on social media, Instagram is testing hiding like counts from posts.

According to Mark Zuckerberg, “As you scroll through your feed, there are no like counts. You can see who liked a photo or video, you can tap through to see [the list], and if you have the time you can add them all up yourself.” So while you can still see your own like count, you won’t be able to see others. The new system is currently being tested in Canada. If you’re part of the test, you will see a banner at the top of your feed with some information.

The goal of this change is to shift Instagram’s focus from likes to engagement. Zuckerberg said, “We want people to be less interested in how many likes a post gets, and focus more on connecting with other people.”

It’s unclear right now how the like-hiding will affect brands. Like counts are an easy way for brands to determine which influencers they want to work with, and hiding likes will make that much more difficult. Since brands place more emphasis on reach than follower numbers, being unable to view likes will make it hard to determine the scope of an influencer’s audience.

Lia Haberman, former VP of Audience Development at Livestrong, said, “This will likely increase the amount of ads as brands look for more exposure and make it difficult for anyone but established influencers to get a foot-hold.”

When it comes to businesses, Mel Brittner, the social media strategist at Later, believes they must now get more creative. “Likes were always a false currency,” she said, “but an easy number to give when asked how content is performing and an easy way to compare, so I think this shift forces businesses to look at what’s actually working.”

Some are excited about the shift toward more engagement-based, authentic content and believe it will give everyone a much-needed mental health break. Health and wellness influencer Dave Coast explains that “influencers and users will be more willing to post more artsy/cool/different content if likes are hidden.”

H/T: Later

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The post Instagram is hiding likes, and influencers are panicking appeared first on Matador Network.

Book campsites with Hipcamp app

The Friday night campsite frenzy that causes weekly distress among US campers may have finally met its match. Unable to simply drive down a nearby Forest Service road and throw a tent up where they see fit, those in outdoors-inclined urban hubs like Denver, Seattle, and San Francisco are forced to hit the Interstate en masse by happy hour on Friday afternoon if they hope to secure a prime campsite for the weekend. Outdoors site Hipcamp is out to change that with its new camping app, available now for iOS devices.

“Our mission is to get more people outside, and as everyone starts planning for summer camping season, we wanted to create a resource that makes getting outside simple, straightforward, and fun,” Hipcamp Founder and CEO Alyssa Ravasio said in a media release. “With our new mobile app, you can now plan your next outdoor adventure entirely on the go, making it easier than ever to get outside.”

Hipcamp’s approach is unique in that it’s combined both public and private campsites into one massive, searchable database. What before could take multiple Google searches and ample time perusing the site of the National Forest Service or park you plan to stay in can now be done in a more streamlined manner. If everything in your desired area that’s publicly available is booked up, perhaps there’s a plot of private land with a sympathizing owner looking to make a few bucks by letting you pop a tent on the property.

The app also allows you to book glamping and RV sites and has brought community reviews into the equation, so you’ll know beforehand if the facilities at a certain campground aren’t up to par or the place tends to be crammed with late-night partiers. The app certainly isn’t making it any easier to disconnect from the digital world when we head outdoors, but it might just cut back on the stress of getting there.


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The post This new app lets you book your summer campsite in advance appeared first on Matador Network.

Gray whales washing up in SF Bay

A concerning trend has been developing in the San Francisco Bay area, with yet another whale washing up dead on the shores of Ocean Beach on Monday. It’s the ninth gray whale to be found dead in the Bay area this year. An autopsy of the most recent whale found dead concluded that the animal had been killed after striking a ship, as it showed multiple skull fractures and substantial bruising. Experts noted that the whale also showed poor body conditions. Three of the other dead whales were also hit by ships while four died of malnutrition. The cause of death of one remains unknown.

According to Pádraig Duignan, chief research pathologist at the Marine Mammal Center in California, this is a very unusual trend. “A normal year for us, we have maybe between one and three [dead] gray whales in this season,” Duignan told the Washington Post. “This is triple that already, in less than a two-month period.”

Although gray whales are protected by international law and their population is considered stable, the animals appear to be having a difficult time, signaling a potential disruption of their food sources. Much of their feeding takes place in the Arctic, but climate change is complicating this process and may be leaving the whale in need of food earlier than usual, which could explain why the whales venture in the Bay while on their way north and strike ships.

H/T: Smithsonian.com

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Visit Myrtle Beach this summer

The great beach vacation is as American a summer tradition as baseball games and regrettable decisions with fireworks. Family trips to the shore are the stuff of endless childhood nostalgia, full of taffy and soft serve ice cream, midway rides, and Ferris wheels.

It is for kids anyway. Because kids don’t have to pay for any of that. Moms, dads, and other adults, however, have to plunk down their credit cards for all that seaside serenity. Which, if you’re at all budget conscious, can make your relaxation riddled with anxiety.

No beach vacation is ever free, sure. But in Myrtle Beach, you can do all the stuff you vacation at the seaside for at a fraction of the price. The place they used to call the Dirty Myrtle has cleaned itself up in the past decade but hasn’t jacked up prices to go with its new image, making it the best value beach destination anywhere in America.

Dirty no more

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach, for decades, was synonymous with heavy bikes topped with heavier riders, belching their way along the boardwalk and ruining quiet beach days. To others, it was a spring break destination, complete with teenagers staggering along the sand with even less consideration than they had inhibitions.

At best, it was a giant outdoor mall of mini-golf courses, bad seafood restaurants, and three-for-$10 t-shirt shops.

And to some degree, all of that is still there. The stretch of Highway 17, or Kings Highway, between the airport and North Myrtle Beach is still a parade of beach stores, with a healthy smattering of seafood buffets mixed in. The city still welcomes Bike Week — though that’s been curtailed to twice a year. And Spring Break still brings its share of college students, but you never see videos of bedlam here as you do in, say, South Beach.

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

The city added a boardwalk to its downtown and rehabilitated some older buildings, kicking seedier bars out and replacing them with family-friendly attractions like the massive Skywheel. It added a shiny new minor-league baseball stadium where an entire family can spend an evening for under $100. And it added amenities to the 60-miles of beach they call The Grand Strand, minimizing high-rises and leaving plenty of sand for everyone.

Beaches, of course, are free almost everywhere (sup with that, New Jersey?) but staying anywhere near them is generally not. But because Myrtle Beach has so much oceanfront, it also has a lot of oceanfront hotel inventory.

That means you can stay upscale somewhere like the Anderson Ocean Club, where a full modern condo with an ocean view runs about $250 a night during the week. Or you can go budget right on the beach at spots like the Best Western Grand Strand, with rates under $100.

Stepping off the beach, you can enjoy the sunshine from any number of beachfront bars along the boardwalk, where $2 beer specials are the norm, and you can find local craft brews for $4. They’ve got the requisite fruity drinks there too, few of which top $9.

Beautiful southern scenery beyond the beaches

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

But affordable relaxation isn’t limited to the coastline in Myrtle Beach. About 20 minutes south you’ll find the masterful Brookgreen Gardens, a former rice plantation opened in 1932 by Arthur Huntington and his wife Anna Hyatt Huntington. The 15-square mile park boasts its own zoo, boat rides out to remote parts of the plantation, and a remarkable sculpture garden with over 200 pieces.

A walk through the grounds here is a perfectly temperate art museum where you’ll stroll by fountains, through a live oak alley, and under a canopy of Spanish moss past bronze statues of Greek gods. A ticket, which runs a reasonable $14 for adults, is good for seven consecutive days, so you can literally come back and see something different every day.

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

If you’re looking for a more natural experience, you’ll have plenty of places to explore the cypress swamp along the Waccamaw River. Richard Laurent, who owns Black River Outdoors in nearby Conway, runs a particularly relaxing kayak trip where you’ll delve deep into the wilderness while he wrangles brown water snakes from trees.

“I’m going to change the way you look at snakes,” he told me as we paddled along the eerily silent black waters on a perfect Tuesday morning. He explained that few, if any, are even remotely dangerous, and most of them just want to be left alone in the water.

After half a day listening to him explain the wildlife against the blue sky and green cypress trees, I found it hard to imagine Myrtle Beach as anything other than idyllic.

Not far from Brookgreen Gardens you’ll find Murrells Inlet, most famous as the home of Suck, Bang, Blow, the state’s baddest biker bar. But in the lull between Easter and Bike Week, that bar just seemed another outdoor space to enjoy the marshland. After a drink there I headed to relish in a sun-soaked lunch at Wicked Tuna, a marshside seafood restaurant that hauls fresh fish on its boats each morning to serve at lunch and dinner.

On a hot afternoon, I enjoyed a tuna poke bowl with avocado. The fish tasted still cold from the Atlantic, and washing it down with a cold local beer seemed the epitome of vacation meal.

My check was still under $25.

World class golf, both full-sized and miniature

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach has about 90 golf courses — fewer than it used to — but has become a golf vacation destination on par with Hilton Head or Ponte Vedra.

“What’s impressive about Myrtle Beach is we haven’t grown because of pro golf,” Steve Mays tells me as we lounge in the old southern clubhouse at Pine Lakes Country Club. Mays is President of Founders Group, who owns many of the big-name courses around the region. “It’s been an amateur’s paradise, people came and golfed here and keep coming back.”

The city hosts no PGA Tour events, but it still welcomes nearly a million golfers annually. They play courses like the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pawleys Plantation and Pine Lakes with its stately, exquisitely designed clubhouse for less than $100 a round many days.

The other golf Myrtle Beach is known for is of the miniature variety. And you’ll find no shortage of those courses either as mini-golf spots with themes ranging from Mayan ruins to outer space dot the main drag. I played a round at Jurassic Golf near the airport, where my second shot on hole 14 was interrupted by a giant animatronic T-rex popping up from behind a mangled concrete wall. Fifteen dollars lets you play here until that doesn’t surprise you anymore.

Driving fast and eating slow

Photo: Myrtle Beach Speedway/Facebook

If golf’s not thrilling enough and you need some adrenaline to offset all that relaxation, try driving a decommissioned NASCAR stock car around a race track. The NASCAR Racing Experience — which typically follows the big races to places like Las Vegas and Charlotte — has its only permanent attraction in Myrtle Beach. After a quick lesson, you can throw on a fire-retardant suit, strap into a car Dale Jr. once drove, and take left turns for three laps. At $199, it’s not cheap. Compared to upwards of $500 to do the same thing at an F1 track in Europe, though, it’s a bargain.

Eating well here won’t kill your budget, either. Probably the city’s top restaurant is Hook and Barrel, about 10 minutes north of the main drag on Kings Highway. The large farm-to-table bistro was running a 20-minute wait on the Tuesday night I stopped in, where a deft bartender managed a bar two-deep with people eating at every seat. I enjoyed a pesto chicken flatbread, a filet mignon, and a bottle of rare Uruguayan Tannat. My bill, with tip, wasn’t $100.

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

Closer to the action you’ll find Strong Waters Craft Cocktails and Kitchen. The menu is big on stuff like braised short rib and gourmet chicken and dumplings, the kind of high-end Southern comfort food that restaurants attempt to duplicate up north. The cocktails here are easily the best in the city and run about $10 each.

Photo: Visit Myrtle Beach

Everything about Myrtle Beach gives visitors a sort of reverse sticker shock: You think everything will cost about 30 percent more than it does, and you’re always pleasantly surprised at how good it is. Call it the anti-tourist trap. The antithesis of Disney. Families would be hard-pressed to find a better all-around value when looking for somewhere by the sea to spend their summer vacation. Just plan ahead and make sure you’re not there for Bike Week.


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