Matador Network's Blog, page 1117

How to visit Switzerland by train

“Taking a train trip through Switzerland” sounds like an overblown cliche of a dream vacation. Like “living in an above-water villa in Tahiti” or “eating your way through Tuscany.” Conjuring up images of sipping coffee as you gaze out big, panoramic windows at white mountains that shine so bright you have to squint. And there’s probably someone yodeling in the background.

And that’s pretty much exactly what it is. We had the opportunity to travel with Vacations By Rail through one of the most scenic countries in the world, using only trains to get from one city to another. And it is every bit the dream vacation people make it out to be. Though the company specializes in designing dream trips on romantic rails around the world, nowhere reaches the scenic perfection of Switzerland. And after a week traversing the Swiss railways, we promise there is no better way to see this spectacular country.

The alps cannot fully be appreciated by car.

Photo: Gaspar Janos/Shutterstock

Perhaps before the age of “if it isn’t on Instagram, it didn’t happen,” taking a leisurely road trip through the Swiss Alps would have been feasible. But because rolling through Switzerland is like a daylong photo op, where every new turn brings a new mountain lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks, there’s no way to enjoy the scenery, make sure your feed is full of envy-inducing images, and drive safely.

In a car, you’d either find yourself pulling over every 500 yards to take another selfie, or possibly driving off the road as you try to snap everything while you’re driving. And that’s dangerous. On a train, you can press your phone right up against the window for as long as you like, capturing those lakes, valleys, and picturesque villages without endangering the lives of innocent motorists. Many trains have panoramic cars with glass roofs, which might make your laptop screen a little glary, but allow you to enjoy the views as if you were out in nature.

Nearly all of Switzerland is accessible by train.

Photo: Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock

Switzerland has dozens of tiny little villages set up in the mountains that, centuries ago, were completely isolated from the rest of the world. Spots like Poschiavo, with its grand cathedral and sunswept plaza that feels like a little dollop of Italy stuck in the Swiss Alps; or Grindelwald, a village of dark wood chalets with red shutters at the base of the Eiger Mountain, one of the country’s most photographed peaks. The country has effectively connected all of these places by either train or, in some cases bus, meaning you can hop on and hop off in any little town that strikes your fancy.

The trains are easy to navigate.

Unlike the US, where we basically have one main train company, with a few, small regional trains to complement, Switzerland has several railway companies. But you don’t need to worry about any of that because the Swiss, as they tend to do, have made using their trains streamlined and efficient. The Schweizerische Bundesbahne, or SBB, has an app that will find your train times and stations, complete with platform information. And the handy travel pass gets you on all of them.

Buying tickets is also painfully simple, as SBB has a Swiss Travel Pass that links all of its train lines and bus lines, allowing you to take whichever route you want on any given day. A three-day, second-class pass will run you about $240. Eight days is about $425. Fifteen days will cost $525. Look, nothing in Switzerland is cheap, but for a dream vacation through some of the best scenery in the world, spending the cost of a nice car payment is relatively small.

If that’s too complicated for you, don’t sweat it. Vacations By Rail isn’t afraid of a little customization and will lay out an itinerary with all of those details included. It’ll completely minimize the amount of thinking you need to do while dumbfounded by the astounding scenery, which is probably a good thing.

Two words: Glacier Express

Photo: Alessandro Colle/Shutterstock

Naming a train “Glacier Express” sets the scenery bar pretty high, as the name implies a sleek, glass-topped train speeding through snowfields and alpine peaks. But this train from St. Moritz to Zermatt does not disappoint, taking an eight-hour journey through the grandest mountain scenery in the world, with glass cars and a full bar.

You’ll wind your way into mountain valleys where pitched-roof chalets sit beside a river, then find yourself rumbling between icy mountains into vast glacier fields. If your vacation goal is to make your friends jealous, few things will accomplish this as well as the Glacier Express.

Except maybe for Excellence Class. The Glacier Express’ top-tier car is a mix of the refined luxury of the golden age of train travel, and the comfort of the plush and modern technology of 21st-century premium cabins. Your eight-hour ride is broken up nicely by a seven-course meal with everything from beef tenderloin to sashimi to avocado soup, all paired with fine wines and capped off with rich dessert.

You can follow your journey and learn about the landscape via a tablet at your seat, or ignore the scenery altogether and stream Narcos on the high-speed Wi-Fi. The seats are like fancy office chairs, and the drinks are included. Though it’ll run you about $750 each way, it’s a vacation splurge that’s absolutely worth the price tag.

The waterside views are just as spectacular as the mountains.

Photo: Zcenerio/Shutterstock

Careening into Montreux, the lakefront city just across Lake Geneva from France, our entire train stopped whatever we were doing to take in the serene views over the calm blue lake. For a solid 10 to 15 minutes, we felt like we were riding right on the water, gazing up at the French and Swiss Alps around us. Just before arriving in the city, we caught sight of Chillon Castle on our left, a storybook nobleman’s’ house — then prison — that’s become one of the enduring symbols of Switzerland. Yes, there are roads that lead into Montreux, but nothing welcomes you to its beauty quite like arriving on a train.

Montreux itself is like some kind of French vacation fantasy land, where hotels in classic French architecture sit on terraced streets from the top of a mountain down to the lake. The streets are immaculate, with a waterfront walking path lined with flowers in perfect bloom. They mix with scores of bakeries to fill the air with the smell of butter and flowers. And as you watch the sunset next to the Freddie Mercury statue on the water, you’ll wonder if he’s sitting in heaven missing Montreux.

You’ll see James Bond and Freddie Mercury in the same day.

Photo: KevinWood/Shutterstock

In addition to the iconic statue, Montreux also has an entire Queen museum housed in its famous casino (a fire there was the inspiration for Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”), where you’ll learn more about the band in 30 minutes than you did in all of Bohemian Rhapsody, and sit in the band’s old recording studio to see how the magic was made. After a morning of that, board a train to the Jungfrau region for a full-on James Bond immersion.

The Schilthorn Cableway takes you to the mountain town of Murren, which you will discover within five seconds was the filming location for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Longtime employees at Murren’s Hotel Eiger will happily regale you with tales of the cast partying in the hotel bar, which looks today very much as it did in the 1960s. Another cable car takes you to the top of Plz Gloria, a ski lodge that served as the arch-villain Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp’s hideout in the movie.

Photo: SCHILTHORN CABLEWAY Ltd.

Plz Gloria leans hard into its cinematic past, including a 007 hamburger at the lodge’s revolving restaurant and plastic cutouts of characters on the observation deck. Skip the burger, and instead hit the Thrill Walk. You’ll traverse a cargo net over the Alps, then walk over a glass floor with nothing but air and glaciers below you.

It’s like visiting four countries in one trip.

Switzerland certainly has its own identity: Chocolates. Banks. Nine-dollar Starbucks lattes. But unlike some other European countries it doesn’t have a distinct language or cuisine that could, say, be duplicated in a “Little Zurich” neighborhood in America. That’s because Switzerland sits between so many countries that it has become a little bit of each of them, with four official languages and completely different atmospheres in different regions.

Near the Italian border in towns like Poschiavo, signs are in Italian and big, sunny plazas offer pizzerias and cafes with fresh gelato. In Montreux, you’ll feel like you’re on holiday in the French Riviera, complete with restaurant and bar staff who refuse to speak to you in anything other than French. Around the Alpine ski town of St. Moritz and neighboring Pontresina, you’ll find the only part of the country that speaks Romansh. And though Swiss German is the most common language in Switzerland, you’ll feel the influence of the Fatherland most in the adventurous Jungfrau and Bavarian-feeling Zermatt.

Photo: Zermatt

The train ride to the real Matterhorn is better than the three-minute version at Disneyland. Yeah, that big, white, artificial rock mountain that sticks up from the Disneyland skyline is actually a real mountain. It’s just outside the town of Zermatt, and to get up close and personal with the Matterhorn you’ll need to take a 30-minute train trip through trees and views of the town below. The wait is never more than 15 minutes, and the ride itself is spectacular — though no yeti pops up out of nowhere.

You can enjoy lunch at the top, which, while not the best meal you’ll ever have. is probably the most scenic. Skip the restaurant and grab a pizza and a hot chocolate from the snack bar, then enjoy it out on the Matterhorn’s sprawling back patio.

Your costs are minimized.

Ask anyone who just visited how Switzerland was, and their first response will be “expensive.” Or, maybe, “beautiful…..but expensive.” That’s just the nature of the beast here, like the weather being miserable in London or hitting traffic in LA. And though rail passes here aren’t cheap per se, they are an affordable way of seeing everything without paying for gas. You can also eat on the trains, which allows you to have, say, a $15 turkey sandwich instead of a $25 one in a restaurant.

Vacations By Rail works with your budget too, so if you don’t need to stay in four-star hotels throughout the country it can find places that won’t cripple you financially. Food and drinks, you may have to hunt down yourself. But 10 years from now you probably won’t remember the money. But you’ll always be able to casually bust out that one time you took a train trip through Switzerland.


More like this: The 7 most epic Matterhorn experiences

The post 8 reasons why a train trip is the only way to see Switzerland appeared first on Matador Network.

Notre Dame spire design contest

Now that Notre Dame’s fire is extinguished and the art pieces it contained are safe and being restored, speculation is rampant on how and when the structure will be rebuilt.

France isn’t wasting much time — a competition has already been announced for international architects to offer their visions for the cathedral’s new spire. Obviously, questions abound on what the spire should look like and are likely to divide Parisians. “The international competition will allow us to ask the question of whether we should even recreate the spire as it was conceived by Viollet-le-Duc, or, as is often the case in the evolution of heritage, whether we should endow Notre Dame with a new spire. This is obviously a huge challenge, a historic responsibility,” French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe explained.

The spire that was destroyed by the fire wasn’t the cathedral’s original, 850-year-old spire. It was designed by Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc during a 19th-century restoration.

French President Emmanual Macron promised to rebuild the cathedral “beautifully” within five years, a time frame that experts deem unreasonably short. Encouragingly, however, nearly $1 billion in donations has already been pledged for reconstruction efforts, and structural engineers, stained-glass experts, and stonemasons from around the world are soon expected to head to Paris to help with the restoration.

Even French airlines are doing their part. In a statement, Air France said, “Air France will provide free transport for all official partners involved in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.”

Whether it takes five years as Macron hopes, or longer, worshippers will be welcomed at a wooden “ephemeral cathedral” in the meantime. This temporary place of worship will be located in front of Notre Dame, and will be designed to give people a place to gather and pray until Notre Dame reopens. Monseigneur Patrick Chauvet, Notre Dame’s chief priest, said that the new cathedral would be built quickly, as soon as the esplanade reopens.

H/T: The Guardian

More like this: 7 places you can only visit thanks to conservation efforts

The post France announces competition to redesign Notre Dame’s fallen spire appeared first on Matador Network.

San Francisco Lombard Street toll

San Francisco’s Lombard Street, along with the Painted Ladies and the Golden Gate Bridge, is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, and as such, 2.1 millions tourists each year check out the “Crookedest Street in the World.”

In the summer, it is estimated that about 6,000 people drive down the street per day, and the locals aren’t amused by the traffic that often backs up three blocks, and the shenanigans the visitors get up to, such as climbing on their roofs for a better photo or using their carports as public bathrooms.

Safety is also an issue since both pedestrian and vehicle traffic are heavy and visitors seem more concerned with taking the perfect shot than by making sure they don’t get run over.

To remedy the situation, city officials have voted to back state legislation allowing the city to charge drivers who want to go down Lombard Street. All visitors would be required to make an advance reservation online and pay between $5 and $10 for the privilege of driving down the steep hill and its famous switchbacks.

The new traffic restrictions would be enforced by cameras that track license plates, or onsite staff checking reservations. Residents, of course, would not have to pay or make reservations, and neither would those who work in the area or pass through while commuting.

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: 7 things tourists do in San Francisco that drive the locals crazy

The post San Francisco will impose a toll on famously crooked Lombard Street appeared first on Matador Network.

Best Easter traditions in Guatemala

For devout Christians across the globe, the last week of Easter is known as Semana Santa or “Holy Week,” an intense festival of colorful imagery and religious symbology. Arguably the most expressive and elaborate celebrations, featuring float-filled parades and deafening fireworks, take place in Latin American countries from Mexico to Argentina. The week is particularly spectacular in Guatemala, where local people have evolved the festivities to include unique events that entwine older, indigenous beliefs with those of the church.

Semana Santa traditions started in Spain over 1,500 years ago, spreading outward with its colonizing conquistadors who sowed the seeds of their Catholic faith in their wake. The Guatemaltecos of the 16th century saw some similarities between the belief systems of the ancient Maya and Catholicism. For instance, the Mayan God Maximón, whose effigy nowadays comes cloaked in colorful garments and completed with a cigar, is said to have been reincarnated to protect his people, much like Jesus.

And so, in some parts of Guatemala, the outwardly drunken and rambunctious god Maximón can be found parading next to Christ’s crucified form. Guatemala’s more flamboyant Semana Santa moments take place in the days from Palm Sunday until the day before Easter Sunday — which this year is April 14-20.

Guatemala’s largest and most-visited Semana Santa parade

Photo: Lucy Brown – loca4motion/Shutterstock

Few places are better to witness an ancient tradition than a town untouched for centuries. Atop the Guatemalan highlands at the base of a towering volcano, Antigua’s colonial architecture is almost perfectly preserved. This, ironically, is thanks to multiple earthquakes that saw the town’s developments abandoned and resulted in its apt name, which translates to “old” or “antique.” Today, Antigua’s cobblestone streets have become the most popular locale for tourists wanting to soak in the authenticity of its Semana Santa parades. During the last week of Easter, the tiny town swells to almost 15 times its standard population.

More Maya traditions in San Pedro La Laguna

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

The atmosphere of processions in San Pedro La Laguna on the shores of Lake Atitlan is a world apart from the packed streets of Antigua. Here, the celebrations have a relaxed local vibe that isn’t swept away in a swell of tourists. San Pedro’s traditions have survived with more Maya influence than elsewhere, which is evident in symbolism adorning streets around the main Catholic house of worship, Iglesia San Pedro. Multiple vibrant archways, decorated with offerings of tropical fruits, are erected along the processional route that surrounds the church. A day of particular fervor for locals is Good Thursday, when mothers dressed in brightly colored traditional Tz’utujil garments ready their young ones in purple robes and white lace for an early morning parade leaving from Iglesia San Pedro.

Where to meet San Simon aka Maximón

Photo: Kobby Dagan/Shutterstock

On the opposite side of the Lake Atitlan, reachable by a quick, cheap, and awe-inspiring ride across the steep-rimmed lake, is the town of Santiago. On Good Friday of each year, the Mayan trickster god, Maximón, comes out of his temple home to be paraded around Santiago. Prior to Maximón’s annual release, his special attendants — drunk and smoking cigarettes to appease their god — place a noose around his neck and hang him from the chappel’s rafters.

This macabre act is actually about life rather than death. His Wednesday midday hanging takes place in the knowledge that Maximón will be reincarnated in time for Jesus’s crucifixion commemoration on Good Friday. Many of the more orthodox Catholics in the village view the trickster god as a demi-devil, while plenty of other locals have found room for this Guatemalan “saint” in their belief system. After the parades of Good Friday, Maximón’s effigy is transferred to another villager’s house for a year.

The ephemeral and allegorical alfombras

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

Lovingly laid out on the floor around many Guatemalan churches, alfombras are a unique highlight of Semana Santa throughout both Guatemala and Honduras. These dazzling displays of intricately handcrafted carpets are usually prepared by families who for generations have been entrusted to complete the annual art form. Twelve hours before Good Friday’s parades, experienced elders and learning youths take to the middle of the streets. Families work on their section of alfombra from dusk till dawn, attracting friends and onlookers, giving the streets a carnival vibe.

Photo: Lee Karl Van Katwyk

Stencils are used to carefully arrange colored sawdust, exquisite flower petals, and even nibbled corn cobs into a three-meter-wide display that can sometimes stretch for over a mile. The natural materials are crafted into vivid imagery often depicting ecclesiastical symbols like the cross, or sometimes, reflecting the Maya’s love of nature with depictions of butterflies and flowers. These carpets are ephemeral works of art not meant to last more than a few hours. By late morning on Good Friday, a mass of people leave the local church carrying floats of biblical significance that weigh as much as a grown elephant. The worshippers, dressed in eye-catching religious robes of purple and white, trample over and destroy the incredible alfombras as they follow the carpets for blocks around a route which encircles their church.

The Holy Week ends with a bang, as government and church officials send fireworks high into the sky day and night. Guatemalans know them by the onomatopoeia bombas, which are more a boom than a light display. Many locals believe the louder the bang the higher it reaches into heaven and the more evil spirits are warded off, a final say for the Maya in the syncretism of their ancient beliefs with Catholicism.


More like this: 11 fascinating Easter food traditions around the world

The post Guatemala has the most colorful Easter traditions in the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Best botanical gardens in the world

Lots of cities have botanical gardens. Few cities have botanical gardens worth prioritizing over every other attraction. These nine horticultural institutions do flora better than anyone, with beautifully landscaped gardens and thoughtfully curated greenhouses that alone make their host cities worth visiting. Whether you like the idea of an urban green space within walking distance of a Starbucks or want to learn about plant life in a wilder, more scenic setting, you can’t beat these botanical gardens, from Brazil’s capital to the heart of Brooklyn to the Gulf of Thailand.

1. Singapore Botanic Garden, Singapore

Photo: Khunmee/Shutterstock

Singapore’s first ever UNESCO heritage site, this tropical oasis in the middle of the city is a center for tourism, conservation, research, and education. The collection is extensive: There are 60,000 plants in the orchid display alone, which happens to be one of the biggest draws to the site. Elsewhere, the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is a winner for families, the Fragrant Garden tickles the olfactory system, and the Bonsai Garden is a universal hit. Entrance to the botanic garden is free from 5:00 AM to midnight daily.

2. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa

Photo: Yorkshireknight/Shutterstock

Backed by mighty Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch is as much about the setting as it is the 7,000-species indigenous-plant collection. The botanical garden blankets 528 acres below the mountain’s eastern slope, which visitors can hike up following the Skeleton Gorge trail. A highlight of the Kirstenbosch experience is the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, a snaking, 427-foot steel and timber bridge that lets visitors walk among, and overhead, the Arboretum’s trees. Also worth seeing is the Cycad Amphitheater, where 29 species of palm-like southern African cycads and life-size, anatomically correct dinosaur sculptures await. Eight or so miles outside Cape Town’s city center, Kirstenbosch is well worth the $5 entrance fee, particularly given the complimentary guided tours offered inside. Kids under six get in free.

3. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Photo: valeria pautasso/Shutterstock

Rare orchids, around 600 species, and bromeliads are the reason many visit Rio’s famous botanical garden, but the site spans 345 acres and houses thousands of plant species, so be sure to get a good look around. When you arrive, walk down the Avenue of Royal Palms, past rows of towering trees descended from a single palm planted in the early 19th century. Keep an eye out for toucans, white-necked hawks, and other birds as you explore, then wind down in the Japanese Garden before you go. Tickets are $2 per adult, free for kids up to age seven.

4. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York, New York

Photo: Victoria Lipov/Shutterstock

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden opened its doors in 1911 as a horticultural refuge amidst the borough’s rapidly growing cityscape. Today, it covers 52 acres of specialty gardens and conservatories. The lilac, magnolia, rose, orchid, and peony collections are popular with visitors, but the garden is most magical during cherry blossom season, when pink sakura blooms explode all over its grassy lawns. Admission to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is $15 for adults, $8 for students and seniors, and free for kids under 12.

5. Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Thailand

Photo: MR.ALONGKORN YOOCHAROEN/Shutterstock

Less than an hour outside the built-up beach resort of Pattaya, this serene plant sanctuary is a marvel of European-style gardens ornamented with Thai architectural elements. Start with the French, Italian, and Stonehenge Gardens, then check out the bonsais, bromeliads, and topiary. Hit the site’s signature Cycad Valley to see ancient plants, and if you want more, check out the Cycad Conservation Center. There’s a lot to discover at Nong Nooch and a few fun surprises in store, like the chance to walk among life-size recreations of the fearsome T-Rex, triceratops, and other dinosaurs. The entry fee is 500 Thai baht, or around $15.

6. Montreal Botanical Garden, Canada

Photo: Tommy Larey/Shutterstock

Montreal’s botanical garden, le Jardin botanique de Montréal to locals, houses a collection of 22,000 plant species across 10 greenhouses, 30 gardens, and 185 acres. Thanks to botanist Brother Marie-Victorin’s vision and landscape architect Henry Tuescher’s hard work, the site was founded in 1931 and scored a National Historic Site designation in 2007. The gardens are sorted by theme, ranging from Chinese, Japanese, and First Nations Cultural Gardens to Medicinal Plants and Peace Gardens. Greenhouses are dedicated to orchids, tropical food plants, ferns, cacti and succulents, bonsai trees, and more. Tickets cost $20.50 for adults.

7. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom

Photo: iLongLoveKing/Shutterstock

You know a botanic garden’s good when it gets UNESCO’s stamp of approval, which Kew Gardens did in 2013 when it became a World Heritage site. Gear up for a full day here as there are more than 50,000 living plants to track down. Not to be missed are the indoor rainforest at the Palm House, Treetop Walkway, and acre-plus Rock Garden. Visitors can picnic in the gardens or stop for lunch at one of the site’s cafes or restaurants. Only a 30-minute drive from central London, Kew’s botanical gardens are the perfect day trip for a sunny afternoon and can be reached via the Underground.

8. Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, Australia

Photo: EQRoy/Shutterstock

Set against the Sydney Harbor, the Royal Botanic Garden cultivates thousands of species over its 74 acres, just a stone’s throw from Sydney’s central business district. It was founded in 1816 and today hosts an impressive mix of native and international species. Highlights include the fragrant Herb Garden, the verdant Fernery, the Succulent Garden, and the Calyx, a circular space in the middle of the garden housing a massive wall of greenery and flowers, as well as places to shop and eat. The Calyx also hosts regular events, workshops, and exhibitions. If you can, take the Aboriginal Heritage Tour to learn how various plants were once used, sample traditional bush food, and more.

9. Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Photo: Alexander A.Trofimov/Shutterstock

At 147 acres, the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens are the largest of their kind in Sri Lanka. Trees steal the show here, from 130-foot-tall bamboo to rows of royal palms to a massive Javan fig tree with a web of thick branches twisting overhead. As flowers go, Peradeniya is famous for its orchid collection, but there are currently 4,000-plus species under cultivation here. Don’t miss the Spice Garden with its cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg plants, including nutmeg trees dating back to the 1840s. Entry is about $9 for adults, $4 for children under 12.


More like this: These beautiful, real-life secret gardens are the ultimate escape

The post 9 big, beautiful botanical gardens around the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Canary Islands lighthouse hotel

Many visitors to the Canary Islands flock to popular Tenerife, but this might be your excuse to explore the lesser-traveled island of La Palma. A 152-year-old active lighthouse, called Faro Punta Cumplida, has been converted into a boutique hotel with three luxury suites in the lighthouse keeper’s quarters, with clear and unobstructed views of the ocean. Two of the suites can accommodate two people while the other sleeps up to four.

Photo: Floatel

Photo: Floatel

The rooms also have access to gardens and an infinity pool, and each has its own private terrace. A winding staircase of 158 steps leads to the top of the tower and the Sky High Mini Bar, where guests can enjoy a cocktail while overlooking the surrounding banana plantations and green mountains.

The lighthouse is located in a quiet town called Barlovento, about an hour away from the airport. When you’re not relaxing in the lighthouse, you can take advantage of the town’s saltwater pools and explore the Caldera de Taburiente National Park.

Photo: Floatel

Photo: Floatel

Floatel, the company that converted the lighthouse into a hotel, describes the lighthouse on its website as “a place where you can feel the history and the power of the ocean and relax in a simple, modern ambiance.”

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: 9 lighthouses you can actually stay in

The post A lighthouse in the Canary Islands has been converted into a luxury hotel appeared first on Matador Network.

Amsterdam cannabis coffeeshop guide

Amsterdam’s coffeeshops have a vaulted reputation. Travelers from around the world come to experience the cannabis-friendly coffeeshops that have made Amsterdam the marijuana capital of Europe. They’ve also, undoubtedly, caused more than a little confusion with people just looking for an espresso (while coffeeshops often have coffee and juice, “cafes” are the cannabis-free places for your caffeine fix). The Netherlands’ Dutch Drug and Coffee Shop Law opened the country up to selling marijuana to anyone over 18 in the 1980s, and there are now coffeeshops in every corner of the city.

Part of the appealing nature is that coffeeshops are where tourists and locals can mingle if you find a spot with the right vibe. But thanks to the sheer ubiquity of coffeeshops, few people — locals or tourists — know the ins and outs of the whole city’s coffeeshop scene. Except for a guy going by the name Captain Hooter.

Over the last 30 years, Captain Hooter has gone to multiple High Times Cannabis Cups back when they were held in Amsterdam. He’s lived in Amsterdam for the past couple years, and to say he knows his way around marijuana and head shops would be putting it lightly. Yet, when one of his friends from Canada was visiting and asked what the best coffeeshop is, he didn’t have an answer.

“He said, ‘Ok dude, you’ve done Cannabis Cups, what’s the best coffeeshop?’” Captain Hooter tells me over the phone from Amsterdam. He hadn’t been to them all, so he couldn’t give an answer in confidence. “I said, ‘No, that’s crazy.’ But then I Googled it. There are 169 coffeeshops, and has anyone been to all of them? No.”

Inspiration struck. He would be the first to test out every single one, and his findings turned into a book, Captain Hooter’s Connoisseur’s Guide to Amsterdam Coffeeshops.

Captain Hooter (not his real name, but he asked to stick with his pseudonym due to current laws) has owned a travel management company with his wife for years. His background is in going to cities around the world and finding the best of the best in each place — the best restaurants, the best hotels, the best everything. The same approach, he figured, could be taken with coffeeshops.

He made a plan to hit five coffeeshops a day, starting from the center of the city and working his way out.

“In the first week, I was ignorant enough to think that I could actually smoke at five coffeeshops in a row,” Captain Hooter says. “And I found out how human I was very quickly.”

He regrouped and decided to tackle it like a wine tasting, or how the Michelin guide tasters judge restaurants. He did five coffeeshops a day, three in the morning and two after lunch, sampling only the most expensive gram or the one that was recommended by the budtenders for five days a week for two-and-a-half months.

Captain Hooter’s book is written the same way that he’d talk to a North American friend to give a recommendation. He lays out the best place to go to and why based on how you’re getting into the city, the type of experience you’re looking to have, and what you should expect when you’re there. “I looked at it like, ‘How are you going to give advice to your friends?’”

Few people, if anyone, know Amsterdam’s coffeeshops like Captain Hooter. These are some of his tips to have the best experience strolling through Amsterdam’s coffeeshops.

Amsterdam’s coffeeshop culture isn’t what it used to be.

“Just before I arrived here four years ago was the last of what I would call the culling of the coffeeshops,” Captain Hooter says. Since 1995, the number of coffeeshops has sunk from around 350 to the 169 that Captain Hooter visited for his book. Some of the ones that didn’t make the cut were large and loved, including one of Captain Hooter’s favorites, The Grasshopper. One of the world’s oldest, Mellow Yellow, shut down on the last day of 2015.

It’s been a big move for a country so well known for its coffeeshops, which are part of what makes Amsterdam such a destination. A report in 2016 found that a quarter of tourists who visit the city plan on stopping by a coffeeshop. A more conservative viewpoint is a major motivation for the closures, as is violence against shops committed by people who want to shut coffeeshops down.

This means if you came to Amsterdam for the coffeeshops in the old days, you’ll notice a marked difference. The city’s coffeeshops are, however, still a draw, and with 169 still in operation, you shouldn’t fret about having a lack of options to visit.

Skip the car rental.

“Depending on how you use transit, you don’t have to rent a car,” Captain Hooter says. The bicycles that locals in Amsterdam are famous for riding everywhere make driving a difficult task for tourists. Instead, Uber or walk to your coffeeshop of choice. “Out of all the coffeeshops, there are some in the suburbs, but the majority are all walkable from inside the central area.”

Where a first-time consumer should go

For someone who is coming to experience cannabis for the first time and arriving by car, Captain Hooter suggests a place called the Stud. “[It has] an outstanding crew and is open early in the morning,” he says. But “if you’re coming a little later in the morning, I’m going to tell you to go to the Original Dampkring,” which has “the single best budtending team of any of the coffeeshops,” he says. “They’re knowledgeable and patient, especially for people who are inexperienced.”

Where an eager, jet-lagged consumer should go

“If you’re a connoisseur and you’re getting right off the plane and hopping in an Uber, I’m going to tell you to go to Superfly.” Captain Hooter says. “It’s the closest place to the airport, literally 10 minutes. It’s not in Amsterdam, but it’s the closest place you can get it going immediately.”

Don’t expect budtenders to wait on you hand and foot.

Photo: Katarzyna Uroda/Shutterstock

Cannabis legalization in the US has led to a mass of recreational dispensaries eager to educate curious and casual consumers (as well as spread a little knowledge to the smoker who knows a thing or two about cannabis). Amsterdam and its traditional coffeeshops are not like that.

“In California, in the US, in Canada — all the dispensaries are getting new customers and expanding their base and products. Here, it’s exactly the opposite,” Captain Hooter says. He adds that Amsterdam’s coffeeshops know people will come (as evidenced by the sheer number of tourists who say a stop is on their to-do list), so there’s not as much hand holding when it comes to deciding what to purchase. Don’t be surprised if the whole transaction goes by quickly, and definitely don’t take it personally.

Trendy spots don’t always equal the best experience.

“Sometimes success can be your own worst enemy,” Captain Hooter says. “A couple of the larger places have a little bit of a problem with that because there are so many people; however, I’m not going to let that be an excuse for how they treat people or how dirty they are, or how much they touch the cannabis.”

That last part is of particular importance to Captain Hooter. Places that touch cannabis with their bare hands set alarm bells off for him, whereas the best places treat their cannabis like the consumable product that it is. It’s not that the budtenders are trying to be rude or dirty, they’re just trying to pick off the stems and leaves. Still, handsiness is a sanitation quirk that Captain Hooter immediately picks up on and takes note of.

“I make the comparison of cannabis being something consumable like chicken,” he says. “Here, [with cannabis], they say, ‘smell this’ and put it to your face. Imagine if someone grabbed a drumstick or pulled a breast out of a chicken and handed it to you. That was a factor in many of these coffeeshops — some were so handsy with the weed it was a turnoff.”

Each shop has its own plusses and minuses, and there’s enough to say about each one to fill a book (literally, as Captain Hooter’s book shows). If you don’t want to spend your entire trip to Amsterdam searching for exactly what you look for, it’s best to do your research ahead of time rather than simply go to the most crowded one.

Whatever you do, don’t treat Amsterdam like your private playground.

Photo: Luca Santilli/Shutterstock

“When people come here, they make the mistake of going to their hotel room to smoke a joint,” Captain Hooter says. “Don’t do that.”

Coffeeshops and private residences are the only places where people can consume cannabis in the Netherlands. Like in legal recreational states in the US, fines and tickets can cost hundreds of dollars if you’re caught smoking in public or in a hotel room that doesn’t allow it.

Captain Hooter admits that he gets a cheap thrill from smoking in places that he’s not supposed to, but there’s still a way to do that respectfully and responsibly. One of those ways is with a Smoke Buddy, which filters your smoke when you blow into it. You can take a hit from a one-hitter like a Sneak a Toke, blow it into the Smoke Buddy, and no one is the wiser.

If you didn’t travel with your own, you can grab one at one of Captain Hooter’s favorite head shops, the Old Man.

For an up-to-date guide on what to buy, look to Captain Hooter’s YouTube.

Prices and availability fluctuate, which is why Captain Hooter started a YouTube channel where he suggests one tried-and-tested strain for the week so people know what’s available that weekend and the cost.

“I don’t care what the strain is, all I’m looking for is the Marylyn Monroe bud that’s beautiful,” Captain Hooter says. Each video is a short and to the point about the bud, the coffeeshop, and why it should be on your radar the weekend you’re in the city. Think of it like a constantly updated buying guide.

If you time it right, go meet the Captain himself.

Photo: Captain Hooter

The last chapter of Captain Hooter’s book is about how to meet up with him when you go to Amsterdam. And it’s not just lip service.

“I regularly come out and meet my readers when they come during a weekend,” Captain Hooter says. “I have a chapter about the breakfast of champions, which is at one of the only places in the world where you can smoke a joint, drink a mimosa, eat breakfast, and look at all the tourists. That’s very unique.”


More like this: What you should and shouldn’t do in Amsterdam’s red-light district

The post This guy smoked cannabis at every single coffeeshop in Amsterdam so you don’t have to appeared first on Matador Network.

Best US gas station restaurants

Seasoned road trippers know that the best food often isn’t found at Michelin star restaurants or prepared by world-renowned chefs. Sometimes, the most enjoyable dining experiences take place just after 2:00 AM in your car when you’ve been driving for nine straight hours and stopped at a little burrito joint attached to a gas station.

The best of these hole-in-the-wall eateries can leave an enduring impression on travelers because the food is hearty, affordable, and prepared by people who know what they’re doing. Once you’ve tasted Guthrie’s famous gas station fried chicken in Alabama, or pork chops from the Woah Nellie Deli at a Texas Mobile station, you’ll think twice about ever paying for those “fine dining” portions again. For some truly eye-opening, and mouth-watering, dining experiences, you need to try these delicious gas station meals from across the country.

1. El Carajo — Miami, Florida

Photo: El Carajo International Tapas and Wines/Facebook

Miami is full of destination restaurants, but you don’t have to go into the city to get a memorable meal. You just have to stop at the Mobil station on 17th Ave and US1. This family-owned spot has been around for two generations, and it’s easy to see why. The Spanish tapas are local legend, and the sardines, bacalhau fritters, paella, and wine will make you completely forget you’re inside a gas station. El Carajo’s wine selection alone has made it one of the best-kept secrets in Miami. It’s the type of place that’ll make you a believer in the concept that you can’t judge a place by its humble exterior.

Where: 2465 SW 17th Ave Miami FL

2. Guthrie’s Chicken — Auburn, Alabama

Photo: Guthrie’s Chicken/Facebook

There’s no shortage of solid fried chicken spots in the US. Fried chicken is a staple of the South though with so many options it can be tough to know exactly where to stop. Since 1965, Guthrie’s Chicken has served the city of Auburn with its famous, golden-fried chicken fingers. As the place has grown in popularity, it’s expanded to locations all across Alabama, though the spot on East Glenn Ave attached to the gas station is a favorite — particularly among the city’s college crowd. Get a plate with chicken, fries, a slice of white bread, a Coke, and Guthrie’s sauce. Ask for extra sauce, always.

“Guthrie’s was my guilty pleasure all through college,” Matador Network editor (and Auburn grad) Nick Hines says. “There are other Guthrie’s locations in Auburn, but the one attached to the gas station is by far the best. I’d prefer not to admit how many times I needed gas and decided to get it at that station in particular just so I could grab some chicken as well. It doesn’t matter whether you eat it inside or in shame in your car — just eat it fast while it’s hot.”

Where: 804 E. Glenn Ave, Auburn AL

3. The Brew Pump — Asheville, North Carolina

Photo: The Brew Pump/Facebook

Asheville is a must-visit on any road trip through the South, and if you’re going to stop there to fuel up, you might as well grab a bite too. The Brew Pump is a gas station mixed with a food truck pavilion, which features a different food truck each day. From Chinese to BBQ, there’s a wide and rotating variety of foods in the gas station. A backyard area has picnic benches, Adirondack chairs, a cornhole lawn game, and locals with their dog. Added bonus: It’s also a beer bar where you can get pints from the city’s many famous breweries.

Where: 760 Haywood Rd, Asheville NC

4. The Powerstop — Gunnison, Colorado

Photo: The Powerstop/Facebook

About three and a half hours southwest of Denver, the town of Gunnison is nestled in the Rocky Mountains and considered to be the “base camp” of the Rockies, making it the perfect place from which to explore the range. It’s also home to The Powerstop. Located on North Main Street, The Powerstop bills itself as the “coolest gas station restaurant ever,” and that’s not much of an exaggeration. The same guy who sells your gas will also take your food order. The place has won several awards for its burgers — the perfect, hearty meal before hitting the road — but it’s also known for its delicious Denver staple, the breakfast burrito. Breakfast is served all day at The Powerstop, and that means a wide range of egg- and meat-stuffed burritos.

“In a state where breakfast burritos are serious business, The Powerstop is a beacon call to the mountains of central Colorado,” Denver native and Matador Network editor Tim Wenger says. “The fact that you can down a quick beer and burrito while the driver gasses up the car makes it that much more epic.”

Where: 905 N. Main Street, Gunnison CO

5. Billeaud’s Meat and Grocery — Broussard, Louisiana

Photo: Billeaud’s Meat & Grocery/Facebook

Conventional wisdom might say that it’s best to avoid buying pork at a gas station, but that rule goes out the window at Billeaud’s Meat and Grocery. Attached to a Shell station in Broussard, Louisiana, this restaurant and grocery store has been filling locals’ stomachs with classic Cajun food for decades. When the modern building was constructed in 1959, the owners started selling convenience store items, butcher cut meat, and liquor. The place is particularly known for its boudin sausage and pork cracklins — cube-sized pieces of crisp, cut-up pork belly. The food has proven so popular that Billeaud’s has expanded to three locations, but the original can be found at 111 East Main Street in Broussard.

Where: 111 E Main St, Broussard LA

6. Whoa Nellie Deli — Lee Vining, California

Photo: Whoa Nellie Deli/Facebook

Visitors to Yosemite are there to see Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, and El Capitan, but now you might go there just for this gas station. The Mobil station just past the park’s eastern entrance at the corner of highways 395 and 120 isn’t just a place to refuel before exploring the park’s natural wonders. It’s also home to the Whoa Nellie Deli. The deli has some of the best fish tacos around and great views of Mono Lake and the Dana Plateau while you’re filling up the tank. The deli has it all, from wild buffalo meatloaf to pizza to fish tacos, so you’ll surely find something to satisfy your appetite. And no, you won’t have to eat in your car. The Mobil has picnic tables where you can relax, enjoy your meal, and take in the view.

Where: 22 Vista Point Drive, Lee Vining CA

7. Czech Stop — West, Texas

Photo: Laura Sparks/Czech Stop/Facebook

Czech food isn’t exactly synonymous with Texas, but after experiencing this pit stop, you’ll be recommending kolaches — a puffy pastry filled with fruit or cheese — to anyone passing through the Lone Star State. Texas actually has the largest number of ethnic Czechs in the country, and that heritage shows. Czech Stop in West, Texas, is certainly doing its part to carry on the Czech tradition. Located on I-35, Czech Stop is inside a Shell station and serves some of the best kolaches around. Also on the menu are breakfast sausages, fruit pies, and other sweets.

Where: 105 N. College St., West, TX

More like this: 7 destinations you’d never expect to have amazing street food scenes

The post 7 gas station restaurants better than your favorite local spot appeared first on Matador Network.

Best Malta hikes to do this summer

The Mediterranean archipelago of Malta, just over 400 miles off Italy’s southern coast, encompasses multiple worlds. To visit here is to stroll alongside European, African, and Middle Eastern culture and heritage, typically in the same town and often on the same block — and all within just 122 square miles of land. The countryside is peaceful and colorful, especially in spring and early summer when nature is in bloom. The coastline is picturesque, offering paths that lead to historic cities, towns, and villages.

In fact, Malta is full of wonderful places to get outdoors. You might even spot the endemic Maltese Everlasting flower, found only on the west coast in yellow bushes adorning the white cliffs. These walkable excursions offer a diverse taste of the island nation and your best bet at snapping an Everlasting photo.

1. Marsascala to Marsaxlokk Bay — Malta

Photo: trabantos/Shutterstock

Distance: 2.5 miles, 420 feet total elevation change

Along Malta’s east coast, and mostly on paths, this easy walk offers excellent views in a short distance. Start from the quiet fishing village of Marsascala, easily accessible from the capital, Valletta. The small, traditional turquoise fishing boats, called luzzu, fill the small port and signal that you’ve found the right spot. Follow the coastline and, after passing the last piers, the homes give way to countryside.

You’ll then walk along terrain sloping towards the sea and over two circular bays, past a few thin beaches accessible only by boat. The highlight of the walk is deviating along Ras il-Fniek, the slim spit of land that divides the two bays, 50 yards wide at its thickest. Walk to the end and face inland. The two blue bays will both be in your view range, so have a camera at the ready.

2. The Victoria Lines — Malta

Photo: Vladimir Zhoga/Shutterstock

Distance: 7.5 miles, 1350 feet total elevation change

Our favorite trek follows the Victoria Lines, fortified walls completed by the British in 1897. Running east-west across the northern half of the main island, they follow a natural geological conformation called the Great Fault — with fairly steep hillsides and thick, dark-green underbrush. Well-kept forts and stretches of fortification line much of the trail, but the complex is no longer continuous since a century of modern construction and natural wear and tear have broken up several parts of it. Nevertheless, the path is fairly clear throughout its length.

The walls’ sections are especially recognizable in the green patches, the clean white limestone line marking its presence in an undulating and, by Maltese standards, densely inhabited landscape. This walk, in particular, offers views of the island that can change starkly as you move between sections of the hike. After some houses, a valley; after the valley, fields; and at its the end you suddenly see the blue sea popping out behind a natural mound. Expect very few people and many quiet moments.

3. West Coast Walk — Gozo

Photo: View Apart/Shutterstock

Distance: 2.8 miles (one way), 1650 feet total elevation change

This relatively short walk on the northern island of Gozo packs a major punch in terms of endurance and visual reward. Start at Ta’ Sarraflu (San Raflu Lake). The pond, alive with varied flora and dotted with bright-colored flowers, is one of the few permanent water bodies on Malta — a unique sight. Small, and situated at a lower level from the road, the healthy green plants pinned around the water are an oasis in the middle of an otherwise dusty countryside. As you head west, the path then hops to the other side of the road and towards the coastline, and from here, the walk is aligned to high cliffs overhanging the sea.

The land shines white, green, and brown, rising on your right and contrasting with the vast view of the blue Mediterranean to the left. This point of the trek showcases a beautiful and elegant juxtaposition of colors and natural elements, and the faint sound of waves crashing against the cliffs below is a constant sound of nirvana — especially if the wind is high and the water rough. On land, you might catch a bunny, mouse, or bird dashing from one shrub to the other.

Halfway through the walk, on the tip of the second westernmost point of the Malta archipelago, find Ras il-Wardija, an ancient Punic Temple. Looking like a mysterious squared-off cave dug into the rock under the path, it’s just one room with a few alcoves in the walls. The temple marks an acutely angled corner in the coastline’s jagged, white cliffs. Walk a few steps and you have a view in a new, northwesterly direction of the vast Mediterranean.

The highlight of this walk, however, comes about a mile and a half due north. The Dwerja Tower, built in 1652, is one of many watchtowers on the islands. This one, however, offers the bonus of actually being accessible to trekkers. You can climb onto the roof to admire the view.

You are not done once you’ve seen the tower. Just another 10 minutes of walking takes you to the interior side of the cliffs to the Inland Sea. It’s a seawater lagoon connected to the Mediterranean by a narrow natural arch opening in the tall cliffs. You access it via the gently sloping stone beach. The luzzus fishing boats often sit ashore.

4. The Short One — Gozo

Photo: CoolR/Shutterstock

1.05 miles, 300 feet elevation change

The Short One is also on Gozo island. It’s a quick and easy hike that can be done in just a part of the day. Start from Raqqa Point, the northernmost point of Gozo. The crystal-clear waters around the sea-level rock protrusion are a favorite spot for divers, but they can be extremely rough on a windy day.

Walking east, you’ll be on the road, though halfway through it’s worth taking a quick detour to walk down to the 350-year-old saltpans dug into the rock in a checkerboard pattern. The place is quiet, and the juxtaposition of the man-made rectangular shapes and natural elements make for a good stopping point.

You’ll soon arrive at Wied il-Għasri (Ghasri Valley). This deep and very narrow gorge cut into the limestone rock showcase grey, white, and blue tones, speckled with the greenery growing from the rock. At the bottom of this gorge, the clear, turquoise-tinted water is rarely crowded — and a perfect natural pool for a swim. This is another favorite spot for divers.

5. The Long One — Malta

Photo: Serg Zastavkin/Shutterstock

Distance: 10.9 miles; 1590 feet elevation change

The Long One, on Malta island, is composed of three sections: Mdina to Rabat, Rabat to Dingli, and Dingli to Blue Grotto. Hiking the whole route is a full-day excursion that requires proper planning, including sunscreen and hiking shoes. Each section is unique. You could also break up the hike into two separate hikes — putting together the first two legs, which center on the towns of Malta, and hiking the third leg on its own.

First part: from inland to coast

Depart from Mdina and head west towards Rabat, enjoying views of the car-free side alleys of the town. It’s common to see doorsteps decorated with potted plants and little balconies in front of wooden doors. The dark browns and greens of the doors and plants contrast pleasantly against the pale limestone walls. The town ends quite suddenly, and you’ll walk along tall walls of white stones with a lot of crawlers growing tall.

The countryside rises and falls like the rest of the island, and here it’s common to see geometrically shaped fields. In spring, they’re carpeted with red or yellow flowers that are a big splash of color among the island’s otherwise muted colors. Among the big variety of wildflowers only some persist through summer, offering colored corners at every turn. A lot of the route is on road but there won’t be much traffic most days. In the distance, you’ll see the historic crosses that crown the roofs of tiny churches.

In less than an hour, you’ll arrive in Rabat, a quiet town dotted with trees and small businesses in quaint storefronts. It’s a nice view of Maltese life without the tourists. If you are only doing the first part of the hike in one day, you could briefly stop to explore some of the many historic sites in Rabat, including a Roman house or the St. Paul’s catacombs, before heading south towards Dingli.

The Rabat to Dingli section allows for more time away from major roads and occasionally puts you on unpaved stretches of dirt and road. Here, the landscape starts undulating more with slightly higher hills and steeper slopes. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a couple of small streams covered by the branches, but the little running water available here disappears pretty quickly during summer. Nevertheless, little birds, insects, and especially lizards are a common sight. Dingli is the last town with services you’ll cross before arriving at the end of the hike.

Second part: the coast

Just outside of Dingli, the Mediterranean Sea appears behind a landscape now devoid of any tall trees. Shrubs and bushes cover the rocky ground. This stretch, which takes you in a southwesterly direction towards the southern end of Malta could take up to four hours. Despite the distance, there are many interesting spots are worth a quick visit, including Bronze Age grain silos, the Hagar Quim Temples (dated 3600-3200 BC), and the Tal-Ħamrija Coastal Tower.

Be sure to visit St. Mary Magdalene Chapel at the beginning of the path. The well-preserved, sand-colored structure is built on a fairly level rocky plane overlooking, yet set back from, the sea. The quiet place seems to beckon weary trekkers pushing through towards the finish line for a moment of quick pause and reflection.

From now on, you’re primarily on unpaved paths. The landscape abruptly ends in dramatic cliffs hung high above the sea, though the path will steer you safely around any hazards. On a breezeless day, you can hear the waves down below. An interesting deviation inland worth taking is to Our Lady of Consecration church. Set within a fertile small valley next to few squat farmhouses, this church is an open-air sacred space still visited by worshippers. The minimalistic design of grey stone has no new walls, just one historic preexisting one up front, and no roof. The backdrops all around are dark-green slopes.

The trek ends at a cluster of buildings called Triq Il-Madonna Tar-Ruzarju, a sea-level spot surrounded by sharp rocky cliffs. Here, you can rent a small boat to go around the cliffs to the east and, in a few minutes, be in the famous Blue Grotto. The Grotto is set within the jagged cliffs within a little cove, easy to miss if you aren’t paying sharp attention. Enjoy a well-earned, relaxing swim in the cove after a long day on the trail.


More like this: The real Hong Kong is a vast and wild natural wonder

The post 5 walks with beautiful ocean views to do in Malta this summer appeared first on Matador Network.

Microplastics found in the Pyrenees

We tend to think that only those living in densely populated urban environments are exposed to pollution, but that’s not the case. As reported by NPR’s Christopher Joyce, microplastics — fragments smaller than a fifth of an inch, broken down from larger pieces of plastic — have just been found in a remote area, 4,500 feet up in the Pyrenees mountains.

A team of researchers from Scotland and France analyzed samples of dust, rain, and snow from the Bernadouze meteorological station in the mountains in southwest France, and found that hundreds of plastic particles fell each day. On average, daily, during the five-month experiment, they found 365 plastic particles on a 10.7 square feet surface. The microplastics found were fibers from clothing, parts of plastic bags, plastic film, and packaging material.

This startling find shows that not only urbanites are at risk of inhaling toxic microplastics. While more research is needed to determine the exact risks for humans, studies show that plastic particles impair reproduction and damage the digestive tracts of various animal species.

It’s unclear right now how to prevent microplastics from spreading, but the simplest solution seems to be pretty obvious: produce less plastic, and keep it out of the environment in the first place.

H/T: Smithsonian.com

More like this: 6 steps you can take today to become a zero waste traveler

The post Microplastics discovered in the remote Pyrenees mountains appeared first on Matador Network.