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Worst countries to get sick

Falling ill while abroad is a probably one of the worst things that can happen to a traveler. UK-based insurance Get Going Insurance put together these diagrams showing the ten best and worst countries to get sick in (among the most visited tourist destinations), so that travelers can go informed and insured.

Photo: Get Going Insurance

Mexico‘s got great beaches and incredible food, but the country is the worst tourist destination to get sick in due to a lack of clean water and a heightened risk of infectious diseases. There also aren’t very many doctors there compared to places like the US and the UK.

Poland is another one that caught us off guard. On the one hand, the country has 108 health professionals per 10,000 residents. But it struggles with a lack of clean water and higher risk of disease than most European countries, landing at number two on the dangerous list.

Estonia is rapidly rising as a tourism and expat destination, but still requires a number of recommended vaccinations. It’s a requirement to have the tetanus vaccine for entry into the country.

The most expensive destination for travel insurance claims is Japan, where you can plan on paying about $2,500 for medical care should you fall ill with an infectious disease. Before you cancel your travel plans to Japan, however, keep in mind that the US isn’t far behind. Travelers who fall sick in the US pay an average of over $2,100. The lack of serious disease is low, clean water is often available, but healthcare costs are incredibly expensive.

If you must catch a serious bug while abroad, you’d better hope it’s in Finland — the average claim cost there is only about $150. In the United Kingdom, the average claim cost is about $313, not a drop in the bucket but not necessarily anything to write home about, either.


More like this: Yes, you should probably get travel insurance

The post The best and worst countries to fall ill while traveling appeared first on Matador Network.

Using your phone abroad

Unless you’re a particularly adventurous type who revels in going entirely off the grid, and can’t wait to become totally unreachable, you probably want to travel with a phone that retains most of its normal capabilities without receiving a $10,000 bill in the mail a few months later. The good news is, this is entirely possible. The bad news is that it’s not always cheap or straightforward. It really depends on how long you’ll be abroad for, and what exactly your needs are.

Short Trips

If you’re going abroad for just a few weeks, or even a month, staying connected is easier than you think, and it shouldn’t cost you a dime. When you board your flight and switch on airplane mode, leave it as is, even when you’ve left the aircraft. With airplane mode switched on during your entire trip, you won’t incur any service or roaming data costs. Airplane mode disables data usage, and prevents incoming and outgoing calls/texts. However, since you can use WiFi while on airplane mode, many phone applications still function, like iMessage, GPS, and any internet-reliant app. That means you can be abroad, with no international plan, and still use Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google Maps, and text as usual with those who have iMessage or WhatsApp. But, of course, for this trick you’ll need an internet connection every time you want to use your cell.

Lengthy Trips

If studying abroad for a year, or planning to travel for several months, you won’t want to limit your phone use to just WiFi — you’ll need a new SIM card and cell plan. While plans vary from country to country, you’ll find plenty of options to choose from. You can usually sign up for either 6 months or a year, and there are even cheap plans that you can cancel at any time. You’ll receive a new SIM card, phone number, and data plan, allowing you to make calls and receive texts within that country in the same manner as if you were back home.

While I was studying abroad in Scotland, I was able to sign up with Vodafone, a local provider, for under $25 (£20) per month. My favorite feature of the plan was the EuroTraveller data package, which allowed me to travel anywhere in Europe and continue using my data for only $4 (£3) a day. This was extremely useful on short trips when I needed data (especially GPS), without having to bother purchasing a local SIM card.

SFR, a French carrier, has no-strings-attached plans that provide unlimited calls and texts, as well as a large amount of data, for less than $20 per month. With those plans, you can also use your phone anywhere in the European Union, France’s overseas departments and territories, Switzerland, Andorra, the US, and Canada.

Important: To use a foreign SIM card in your US phone, it must be unlocked by your provider. When you buy your phone, it’s usually “locked,” meaning the phone can only operate with the carrier through which you have a contract. To insert an international SIM card, however, the phone needs to be “unlocked.” Luckily, unlocking your phone is easy — just go back to where you’ve purchased it or ask you carrier.

For impulsive or multi-country travelers

If you don’t know where you’re going, or how long you’ll be there for, you might want access to a phone number and data services, but not want to commit to a lengthy provider contract. Travelers who like to fly by the seat of their pants would be well-served by a pay-as-you-go SIM card. It might be more expensive in the long term, but you’ll have the flexibility to purchase services as you need them, and then move onto the next country without worrying about a contract. Just remember to watch your minutes and data usage, or your service could shut off at a pretty inconvenient time. You can usually top up your plan online or with credits purchased at a local convenience store.


More like this: I’m a millennial who does not own a cell phone. Here’s why I think it makes my life better

The post Everything you need to know about using your phone abroad appeared first on Matador Network.

Why coasteering is the coolest

If you’ve ever visited any stretch of our planet’s 221,208 miles of coastline, you probably took part in one of the countless activities the ocean lends itself to. You might have tried surfing, maybe you had a go at sea-kayaking, or perhaps you simply dipped a toe in the ocean and then spent the rest of your trip catching rays on the beach. But whatever you got up to, chances are you didn’t try coasteering.

Started by surfers in Wales in the 1970s, coasteering has been slow to catch on in other parts of the world, including the United States. Why that is is a bit of a mystery, as it has all of the factors adrenaline junkies crave: hiking, caving, rock climbing, bouldering, ziplining, swimming, and cliff diving. You’d think you’d see people on Instagram posting about it every weekend.

Coasteering is a group activity that involves traversing the intertidal zone (the bit that’s above water at low-tide, but underwater at high-tide) of a stretch of coastline. This is where it differs from traditional rock climbing — the goal is to go horizontally (loosely) from point A to point B, and with rocks, gullies, waves, caves, and tides to negotiate, you’re definitely going to get wet. So, if you want a challenge and a chance to see a coastline’s cliffs from a completely new perspective, coasteering needs to be your next adventure. Here’s everything you need to know before you suit up.

Photo: Gail Johnson/Shutterstock

You don’t have to be an athlete (or even a strong swimmer) to coasteer.

Most coastal activities require a degree of athleticism, and some even require evidence of swimming proficiency, such as the ability to swim two lengths of a pool unaided. Coasteering, on the other hand, was created to suit a range of ages and abilities, making it an ideal activity for families. The basic equipment for coasteering includes a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, and helmet, and these safety measures mean most coasteering activity centers can set a minimum age requirement of eight years old, and a minimum swimming requirement of being able to doggy paddle. But diehard adrenaline-junkies needn’t be put off by the low requirements; coasteering routes can be adapted to suit everyone, including daredevils.

Photo: Gail Johnson/Shutterstock

But it is quite a workout.

It’s a known fact that swimming uses a large number of muscle groups at once. Add climbing and hiking to this, and not only do you have the ultimate strength-building, full-body workout but also one that will challenge your coordination and mental faculties, too. Coasteering, with its naturally extreme environment of waves and cliffs, requires constant alertness: to changes in your surroundings, the safety of everyone taking part, and the impact of each individual’s actions. It’s a mental and physical workout that will leave you absolutely exhausted — you’ll definitely have earned an ice cream on the beach after!

Photo: Gail Johnson/Shutterstock

Coasteering allows you to explore the coastline from a completely new viewpoint.

From surfers to sun-tanners, everyone has his or her own perspective of the sea. But few get a chance to really experience the power of the ocean or witness the range of biodiversity and geological features that characterize marine environments up close. This is where coasteering comes in, offering a rare opportunity to get intimate with some of the most spectacular natural environments on the planet.

When you go coasteering, you’ll tackle gnarly coastline by climbing over it, swimming around it, and jumping into the deepest parts of it. In some parts of the UK, where coasteering has taken off more than in any other country, you can even try “eco-coasteering,” a coasteering tour focused on showing participants the wide variety of flora and fauna that inhabit the coasts of the British Isles.

Photo: DawidAndMarcelina/Shutterstock

The natural surroundings make every trip unique.

As any ocean enthusiast will tell you, the sea is never the same. It changes every day, with a whole spectrum of different conditions from dawn to dusk. This changeability is partly what makes the ocean so dangerous, but it also makes it an exciting environment for explorers and adventurers alike; it’s no coincidence that there are shipwrecks, like the wreck of The Mary in Anglesey, only a few miles from many popular coasteering destinations. At any given coasteering location, tides, swells, and the weather — not to mention the slow but sure process of erosion — all combine to ensure that every coasteering trip differs from the one before it.

Photo: DawidAndMarcelina/Shutterstock

Coasteering challenges you in new ways at every turn.

Most coasteering routes are designed so that the jumps and climbs get progressively more difficult, going from low jumps into calm waters to high jumps into turbulent plunge pools. These may not sound intimidating or look particularly daunting in coasteering videos, but when you’re standing at the top of the highest jump, on a slippery cliff top looking down into foaming water surrounded by rocks, it’s a different story.

This is coasteering’s ultimate selling point; whether you’re scared of heights, claustrophobic, or a weak swimmer, there’s a challenge to overcome for everyone, and you can push yourself as hard as you feel comfortable with. You can brave the highest jump, crawl into a tight cave, or simply face your fear of open-water swimming. Whatever you choose to do, you’re still guaranteed to leave with a huge sense of accomplishment and a massive smile on your face.


More like this: The 7 most beautiful places to go kayaking in New Zealand

The post Why coasteering is the coolest outdoor activity you’ve never tried appeared first on Matador Network.

Why people crowd the boarding gate

It might be the single most inexplicable human behavior while flying. A gate agent announces that a flight’s about to board, and every single person rushes the gate like the last person onboard gets eaten by a hyena — no matter that they have reserved seats, and that those seats are considerably less comfortable than the ones in the airport boarding lounge. The masses are getting on that plane as early as humanly possible, common sense and logic be damned.

But why? Is it a general dislike of airport terminals? Are passengers afraid somehow that if they are not in line right when their group is called, they’ll miss their flight? Do they just enjoy standing in lines like everyone who eats cronuts? We talked to a travel expert and a behavioral psychologist, and they offered some thoughts as to why the hell people crowd airport gates.

People are afraid someone else will gain an advantage.

Despite the obvious fact that everyone will be arriving at the same time, downing the same Diet Coke and Biscoff cookies, people inherently feel that if they get on board first, they’re getting some kind of advantage.

“Some people are suspicious of other people, and if they don’t get there, and get what’s theirs, they might lose it,” says Dr. Greg Smith, who holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology. “So they inherently feel like they’ve lost or gotten cheated, or there’ll be some issue if they’re not first on.”

Some of it reflects the value Americans put on being first, too.

“Our society trains us first is best,” says Anthony Berklich, a travel consultant and founder of travel blog Inspired Citizen. “So if you’re able to get on first, you’ll have better access to something, whether its overhead space, or armrests, or a seat. You can monopolize something in that very small space.”

Pack mentality still rules.

Much like at the grocery store, where you’ll see a check stand with 15 people in line when the one next to it is empty, people have an inherent tendency to follow the crowd, even if it defies all logic.

“People look to their peers to see what to do,” says Berklich. “So if the gate agent calls boarding group one, and everyone gets up and rushes to the front, and people see that, they’ll all do it too whether they’re frequent or novice travelers.”

Fear of no bin space

The most common excuse people give — including Berklich — for crowding the gate is fear that the plane will run out of overhead bin space. And they’ll have to — gasp — check their bags. Airlines, for their part, generally warn passengers in the boarding lounge that a flight is full, then offer to gate check bags for free. But most passengers toting roller bags bigger than their torsos don’t think this applies to them. Then they crowd the gate, so nobody else can stow their hockey equipment bags in the overhead bin before they get there.

“Some people need to have their stuff in the space right above them, so it doesn’t somehow disappear during the flight,” says Dr. Smith. “You get people who travel all the time who say, ‘I’m not gonna be the guy who runs out of space in the overhead and has to check his bag.’ But people do have boarding groups, so in theory that shouldn’t be an issue.”

That is to say, if you hear the dreaded “full flight” announcement, and you’re in boarding group six, odds are you’re checking your bag. So better to check it at the gate early — for free — and just enjoy a drink at the bar sans luggage until final boarding.

FOMO

Fear of missing out is real, even if what they’re missing out on is a cramped coach seat with no electrical plugs or WiFi. Perhaps in the back of some people’s heads, today is the day they’re giving away free pizza to the first 100 people to board the plane. Either way, for some odd reason, there is a big dose of boarding-gate FOMO when it comes time to get on the plane.

“They see a crowd gathering and think if everyone else is doing it then I should be too,” Dr. Smith says. “They think ‘I don’t know why, but if I don’t do what they’re doing, I might miss out on something big.’” Or, ya know, more announcements about lack of bin space.

They think it’ll speed up the process.

Like obsessive lane-changers who think getting a car length ahead will somehow beat the rush-hour gridlock, people crowding the gate have it in their minds that the faster they get to their seats, the quicker they’ll get off the ground — no matter that once they’re inside the jetway, they can wait up to half an hour to sit down anyway.

“The truth is they’re totally powerless to have any impact, but they’ll do whatever little thing they can to get (boarding) over with,” says Dr. Smith. “It’s almost like superstition for some people; they’re doing something hoping it’ll help and have some positive benefit. But in actuality, it’s not.”


More like this: The 7 most frustrating airports around the world

The post The real reason people crowd around the boarding gate, according to a psychologist appeared first on Matador Network.

How 10 nation's flags have changed

This article originally appeared on Credit Card Compare and is republished here with permission.

For centuries, countries around the world have united their people under the ultimate symbol of nationality — a flag. Whether riding into battle after it or waving it at a sporting event, a national flag is a universal way of associating yourself with others from the same place. For the leaders of the country, a flag can be an important tool for inspiring patriotism.

Historically, national flags were mostly used on the battlefield (as military standards) and on ships, where they were introduced to show the country of origin of trading vessels from the early 17th century onwards. In countries like the United States and France, flags began to take on even more importance in the 18th century as symbols of revolution and new identity.

Because national flags have such a symbolic political purpose, many of the designs we know today have changed dramatically over the years. The colors and symbols on a national flag must be carefully chosen, making sure that they capture the essence of that nation. As the sense of identity shifts, so, too, does the design. You can learn a lot about a country’s history by looking at the changes that were made – and this is especially true with countries that gained their independence relatively recently.

Here, we’ve compiled ten national flags and traced their evolution throughout history.

1. Australia

As a former British colony, Australia flew the Union Jack until the 20th century. At this point, it was decided that the country needed its own national flag, and a version of the blue ensign was adopted instead. To give it a real Australian flavor, six stars were added in the shape of the Southern Cross constellation – a symbol of Australia since the early days of British rule -– with one large seven-pointed Federation Star to represent the country’s territories.

2. Canada

Until as recently as the mid-1960s, Canada didn’t have an official national flag. For most of its history, it flew variations on the red ensign, featuring the Union Jack even after Canadian independence in 1931. Complete with its iconic maple leaf, the flag is a well-established symbol of Canada as a country -– a testament to how well designed it is, given that it’s less than 60 years old.

3. South Africa

One of the newest national flags, South Africa’s is a hugely symbolic one, introduced in 1994 to represent the country’s move away from apartheid. The flag was designed and produced in a rush, initially intended to be only an interim design – but it proved to be so popular that it was kept permanently. While the current flag takes inspiration from several of the past designs, it still manages to be unique, helping a nation move on to a better future for its people.

4. China

While it’s a long way from the flag of the Qing dynasty, China’s national flag is a simple but effective representation of a country. It has just fives stars – one large one and four smaller ones – on a plain red background. The red background represents the revolution, while the large star represents the Communist Party and the smaller stars the people of China, unified under its leadership. In this way, the flag acts as the ultimate symbol of the ethos that holds such a large country together.

5. United States of America

Not many national flags inspire as much devotion as that of the United States – demonstrated in part by the number of nicknames it has (Stars and Stripes, Old Glory and the Star-Spangled Banner) and the way it’s flown with pride on everything from the houses of everyday Americans to, of course, the Moon. Its design has gone through some intriguing changes over the years, with new stars being added to the spangled banner after the admission of each new state.

6. Portugal

Some flag design changes seem to come out of the blue, and that was very much the case with the 20th-century adaptation of the Portuguese flag, ushered in by the downfall of the monarchy and rise of the republic. The red and green colors of the Republican Party were adopted onto the national flag in 1911. They represent hope and the red blood of those who died to earn it, replacing the white backgrounds of previous flags.

7. Egypt

It’s not surprising that a country with as rich a history as Egypt has plenty of symbolism behind its national flag design. Its colors date back to the 1952 revolution, with red representing the time before the uprising against the monarchy and the British. The white represents that it was a bloodless revolution, while the black is there to symbolize the end of the oppression of the Egyptian people. In the center sits the Eagle of Saladin, an emblem of Arab nationalism, which was added in 1984.

8. Colombia

The design of Colombia’s current national flag dates back to its day as part of Gran Colombia, along with Venezuela and Ecuador, both of whom have similar flags. The colors are said to signify the riches of the country (yellow); the seas, rivers and sky (blue); and the blood spilled to achieve Colombian independence (red). Notably, unlike most other tricolor flags, the yellow has a ratio of 2:1:1, a feature of the old flag that both Colombia and Ecuador kept.

9. Mongolia

The current Mongolian national flag has its roots in several of its predecessors, most notably the Soyombo symbol on the left-hand side, which is the national symbol of the country. It represents fire, sun, moon, earth, and water. For much of the 20th century, it also had a socialist star on top -– until Mongolia rejected socialism in 1992. The colors of the flag are also symbolic, with the central blue stripe representing the eternal blue sky, surrounded by red stripes that represent fire and prosperity.

10. Hungary

The three main colors of the Hungarian flag were first used in the 13th century. While its design has gone through a lot of changes since then, many of them have been along the lines of the current tricolor design. The colors represent strength (red), fidelity (white) and hope (green). The national flag has remained unchanged since 1957; its straightforward design meant that it didn’t require any alteration after the fall of the communist regime in 1989.


More like this: Can you guess the country’s flag?

The post These awesome GIFs show how 10 nation’s flags have changed throughout history appeared first on Matador Network.

Mistakes tourists make in NYC

There are so many exciting sightseeing spots to visit in New York City. You’ll want to see the Statue of Liberty, listen to musicians perform around Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, sit on the steps of the MET, and grab a slice of pizza at John’s. If you’ve put some thought into planning your trip, your itinerary will almost undoubtedly include these things, but in the rush to plan a vacation to the Big Apple, it’s easy to make mistakes. Here are six of the biggest mistakes that tourists make when they come to New York and how to avoid making them.

Mistake #1: Staying exclusively in Manhattan and not visiting the other boroughs.

Some of the most iconic sights in New York are in Manhattan: Central Park, Times Square, Macy’s on 34th Street, and so on. But there’s so much more to NYC outside of the main island. You’ve got DUMBO and a growing arts scene in Brooklyn, Coney Island in Queens, Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, and even Staten Island has things to offer — the free ferry ride from Manhattan offers one of the best views of the skyline, unobstructed by bridges.

Mistake #2: Avoiding the subway system and taking cars everywhere instead.

The public transportation system here may not be as clean or simple to navigate as London, but it does run 24/7 and will take you literally everywhere you could possibly want to go. We New Yorkers may complain about it, especially when there are delays, but there’s no denying how convenient and affordable it is compared to a cab or Uber. Locals are comforted by the fact that they can go on an all-night bender and still avoid a $50 car-service charge by taking the subway from a bar in the village to their home on the Upper West Side at 4:00 AM. Some tourists are wary of the subway system, and most of their reasoning has to do with the fact that it seems confusing with all the “uptown” and “downtown” business and the sheer volume of train lines. But taking the subway here is just like anything else; it gets better with practice. Once you take it that initial time, you’ll soon understand the difference between directions and come to love how many lines there are. If you need help, ask around — we don’t bite. Car services can get expensive, a ride on a train will cost you a flat $2.75, and honestly, it’s just faster.

Mistake #3: Walking slowly.

If there’s one thing New Yorkers hate, it’s people that walk slowly. We can usually tell who’s born-and-bred or a long-time resident from the visitors by the speed of their step. We always have someplace to be (even if that place is just home), and our ire is a side effect of living in a city that never stops — we really don’t like to be held up. Even worse is when slow walkers stop in the middle of a sidewalk to gawk at something or take a photo. Yes, the skyscrapers are that high. If you’d like to take time to look at something, just step to the side so we can get by. And when you’re walking on the sidewalk, please stay to the right.

Mistake #4: Not preparing for our weather.

Being on the East Coast means we get all the seasons here, as well as their extremes. During winter, temperatures can and will eventually go into the negatives. The biting cold is enough to make us stay home and order takeout for an entire season rather than risk losing limbs outside. In the summertime, temperatures easily rise to the 90s, and on worse days, they head into the 100s. The humidity makes the heat worse, and the combination of the two makes the season unbearable on some days. Visitors seem to think we joke about how cold or hot it can get and don’t pack proper clothing. Pack light for the warmer months and have snow boots ready for the winter — you’ll need them.

Mistake #5: Thinking that scoring a cheap Broadway ticket will be easy.

Yes, there are discounts available. But whether it’s the TKTS booth, student rush, regular rush, lotteries, or day returns, the theater scene here has a large following so everyone, and I mean everyone, has the exact same ideas. The experience of rushing something on the day you want to see a show is an experience in itself, but don’t automatically assume that you’re going to get these tickets. You might show up at the Broadhurst Theatre at 8:00 AM thinking that you’ll nab a pair of $42 tickets to Anastasia when the box office opens at 10:00 AM, but you’ll end up seeing a line of people who’ve been there since six in the morning. If you can spare the time, then go for it, but it won’t be easy and will require some effort — and forget about seeing really popular shows like Hamilton on the fly. If you don’t want to chance missing a show you really want to see, you might be better off buying it online.

Mistake #6: Assuming that things close early and planning your day around that.

A lot of places around the world have stores, restaurants, and sights that close before the night’s hour hits the double digits, so it’s an honest mistake when visitors come to NYC and assume it’ll be the same as everywhere else. But here, there’s no reason to call it quits at 7:00 PM because there’s an equal amount of things to do at night just as there are during the daytime. Museums frequently have late night days where they extend their usual hours. For a night out, there are tons of bars and clubs that don’t close until long past 3:00 AM. And if you’re hungry, there’s always something open, whether it’s the local corner store, fast food, or somewhere you can sit down. It’s called the City That Never Sleeps for a reason.


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The post The 6 biggest mistakes tourists make when visiting NYC (and what to do instead) appeared first on Matador Network.

9 ways Chicago will surprise you

Chicago is much more than skyscrapers, L trains, and deep dish pizza, but it’s hard to see that if you never leave downtown. Do Chicago differently and you’ll find some amazing places, and things to do. Here are the nine ways a trip to Chicago will surprise you.

1. Chicago is not dangerous.

Anywhere you go on your Chicago visit will be a safe place. A lot of people with their own agendas like to paint us as a dangerous murder capital, but that’s just not true. There are some neighborhoods with a lot of violence, and a lot of people are working hard to address that. As a visitor here though, there’s just no way you’ll end up in those areas.

2. It’s all about the neighborhoods.

Chicago is truly a city of neighborhoods. Most of them started as ethnic enclaves of newly-arrived immigrants, and some still are. Others have changed completely, but most still maintain at least some links to their past. Each Chicago neighborhood definitely has its own unique character, and part of the fun of visiting the city is getting to know them.

3. There’s a ginormous lake.

A lot of people are vaguely aware that there’s a lake here, but they don’t expect it to have a horizon line with no visible land beyond it. The lake is basically Chicago’s non-salty sea.

4. And you can dig your toes into the sand.

Chicago has 24 beaches spread out along 28 miles of beautiful lakeshore. In the summertime, the beach is definitely the place to be.

5. We have an epic food scene.

When people think of Chicago food, most of them probably expect pizza, hot dogs, sausages, and Italian beef. We do make all of those things pretty damn good, but our food scene is much more diverse than that. First off, the immigrant population means there’s an incredible variety of world cuisine spread all throughout the city. Then there’s our fine dining scene, which has some of the country’s best and most innovative restaurants. It’s not all Polish sausages here, really.

6. There are enough museums to keep you busy for months.

Chicago is one of the best cities in the world for museums. The Art Institute, The Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium, and the Shedd Aquarium, etc. No matter what you’re interested in, we have a museum for it, and chances are it’s one of the world’s best.

7. The nightlife is pretty damn good.

Chicago has always been a blue-collar town, so if you’re looking for nightclubs, you’re better off in LA, New York, or Miami. But if you want to have a really fun night out, Chi-Town is the place to be. Normal liquor licenses let bars stay open until 2:00 AM every night, and some places don’t close until 4:00 AM (and 5:00 AM on Saturday nights). Live music is also easy to find. Make sure to try a real neighborhood bar, and order yourself a shot of Malort.

8. There are parks everywhere.

Thanks to some great urban planning, Chicago has a wonderful system of parks stretching along most of the lakefront and throughout the neighborhoods. Some are little more than a playground, but lots of them are huge and have forests, lagoons, sports fields, bird sanctuaries, conservatories, museums, and more.

9. Chicago can hold its own against any city in the world.

Chicago is the Second City, as in second to New York, and we always have a chip on our shoulders about that fact. Still, New York City is not a bad place to be second to. In Chicago, our people, neighborhoods, food, culture, and history combine to create a truly world-class city.


More like this: The 11 best free museums in Chicago

The post The 9 ways a trip to Chicago will surprise you appeared first on Matador Network.

Outstanding in the Field farm dinner

You see pictures of long, pristine dinner tables in the middle of nowhere on a bucolic farm or a breathtaking beach, filled with an Eden of colorful produce and picture-perfect plates of farm-fresh food. You may think it can only be found on a Pinterest board or a celebrity wedding magazine spread, but these dream-like dinners actually do exist, and for people that aren’t country music stars getting hitched.

Photo: Laura Reilly

Outstanding in the Field brings these wondrous dinners to foodies around the entire country, asking diners to bring their appetites, a willingness to socialize, and maybe their own plate (it’s a quirky tradition, and they’ve amassed quite a collection over the years). Founded in 1999 in Santa Cruz by chef and renowned landscape artist Jim Denevan, Outstanding in the Field was originally conceived to disrupt the stiff, white-gloved fine dining scene, and restore a communal breaking of bread between dining companions, friends, and strangers alike, by seating them all at one, giant white table in the great outdoors.

Since its inception, Outstanding in the Field has taken its signature red, 1953 tour bus to all 50 states and 15 countries, for farm-to-table — or rather, table-to-farm — dinners. While the stops on Outstanding in the Field’s annual tour change every season, some team-favorite locations make an appearance on the itinerary year after year. The Secret Sea Cove in Santa Cruz, held again this July, is one of those special places. With a beach so private that almost no one else is allowed to use it the rest of the year, it’s easy to see why the team keeps coming back.

Photo: Laura Reilly

Here, diners sip local wine with the natural soundtrack of crashing waves behind them. They dig their toes in the sand and hope that the threatening rising tide doesn’t swallow them up before they’ve finished eating. Sea otters, seals, and dolphins are all known to make appearances, and the taste of salt in the air means the seafood couldn’t get any fresher. And in the hands of host fisherman Hans Haveman, you know you’re getting the prime catch of the day.

Just like all Outstanding in the Field dinners, no menu is revealed ahead of time. Instead, diners put their faith in the host chefs, who take inspiration from the local land and ingredients to create mouthwatering, family-style meals. This particular dinner was helmed by chef Brad Briske of restaurant Home in nearby Soquel, California. While you don’t go to a seaside dinner without having an intense love of seafood, enthusiasts still had to be surprised by the offbeat, innovative plates: squid and watermelon salad with basil, lemon, and chili oil; halibut sausage with potatoes and anchovy aioli; and fresh hook-and-line caught cod, clams, and mussels in a tomato-saffron fumet.

Photo: Laura Reilly

And, of course, there’s dessert: almond-ricotta cake with local fresh strawberries and cream, served with drinking chocolate, which is a fancy hot cocoa that doesn’t come in powder form nor is topped with marshmallows. No matter — you’ll be plenty cozy even without the marshmallows when you end the night sitting next to a massive, raging beach bonfire.

Photo: Esther Lang/Outstanding in the Field

As magical and “once-in-lifetime” as this sea cove dinner sounds, it’s far from the only fantastical offering from the Outstanding in the Field team. There are dozens of stops on the North American tour, which traverses the entire United States and parts of Canada before circling back to the West Coast for a few final fall events in California and the end-of-season Foraging Feast in Pescadero in November. The 2018 tour has already made its way through California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Rockies, but there’s still the entire Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and South to go. There are even two international legs in Burgundy, France and Bermuda.

While many of these events are already sold out — some sell out the second tickets go on sale in early spring — a few still have tickets, and they’re no less spectacular. From an organic Italian meal outside Portland, Maine to an international twist on classic Texas flavors in Houston, here are 13 Outstanding in the Field events you can — and should — go to this year.

1. South Haven, Missouri

A post shared by Seedling Fruit (@seedlingfruit) on Aug 12, 2017 at 3:32pm PDT

Sunday, August 12th

Host Farmer: Peter Klein, Seedling Farm

Guest Chef: Mike Kenat, Salt of the Earth

Last year, chef Mike Kenat and the team at Salt of the Earth laid down a slab of wood across the entire table and filled it with a delectable array of cured meats, cheeses, pickled veggies, and fresh fruits — and you’ll likely enjoy a similar cornucopia this year. That, and other rustic American food, will be sampled at a beautiful fruit farm, full of apple trees and strawberry patches.

2. Battle Creek, Michigan

A post shared by Green Gardens (@farm.greengardens) on Jun 16, 2018 at 8:27pm PDT

Tuesday, August 14th

Host Farmers: Trent, Jorah, and Ruthie Thompson, Green Gardens Community Farm

Guest Chef: Chris Kidd, Rustica

Green Gardens Community Farm sits just outside of Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, and features a nostalgic wrap-around porch and a greenhouse that keeps the farm churning through Michigan’s harsh winters. You’ll enjoy fine summer weather though, as you eat a seasonal menu from chef Chris Kidd, who’ll be using the farm’s bounty as his key ingredients — it doesn’t get more local than that.

3. New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

A post shared by Kenneth James Dixon (@ken_dixon) on Sep 27, 2017 at 5:17pm PDT

Sunday, August 19th

Host Farmers: Chris Brittenburg & Aeros Lillstrom-Brittenburg, Who Cooks For You Farm

Guest Chef: Justin Severino, Cure | Morcilla

Pittsburgh residents can take a much-needed break from the busy Steel City in this nearby, rolling green farm in New Bethlehem. Here, Pennsylvania-born chef Justin Severino will show what he learned cooking in California for many years, with cuisine influenced by both coasts.

4. Windham, Maine

A post shared by Bumbleroot Organic Farm (@bumblerootorganicfarm) on Aug 29, 2017 at 10:09am PDT

Tuesday, August 28th

Host Farmers: Jeff & Abby Fisher | Ben & Melissa Whalen, Bumbleroot Organic Farm

Guest Chefs: Damian Sansonetti & Ilma Jeil Lopez, Piccolo | Chaval

Portland, Maine is on the tip of every culinarian’s tongue this year, with local restaurants receiving national acclaim by foodie authorities everywhere. See what all the buzz is about by trying food from two of Portland’s best Italian restaurants — Piccolo and Chaval — in the peaceful setting of Bumbleroot Organic Farm in Windham just outside the city. You should especially look forward to dessert: chef Ima Jeil Lopez was recently nominated for a 2018 James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef.

5. East Greenwich, Rhode Island

A post shared by Pat’s Pastured (@patspastured) on Jun 14, 2017 at 5:13pm PDT

Sunday, September 2nd

Host Farmer: Pat McNiff, Pat’s Pastured

Guest Chef: Benjamin Sukle, birch | Oberlin

Enthusiasts of sustainable, grass-fed meats will definitely be keen to dine at Pat’s Pastured farm near Providence, Rhode Island, which is home to cows, pigs, ducks, and chickens. The pastures are constantly rotated: the animals eat the grass, then move to another field, before returning to the original once the grass is nice and long. Chef Benjamin Sukle will be cooking up some of these proteins in non-traditional styles.

6. Duxbury, Massachusetts

A post shared by Island Creek Oysters (@islandcreekoysters) on Jun 13, 2018 at 3:58pm PDT

Wednesday, September 5th and 6th

Host Farmers: Skip Bennett & CJ Husk, Island Creek Oysters

Guest Chef: Charlie Foster, Woods Hill Table

There’s no better way to usher out summer than with a bushel of fresh, briny New England oysters. Oysterman CJ Husk will shuck some for you, and let you get up close with the process in the seagrass. Chef Charlie Foster is sure to incorporate these oysters into the menu, but you can expect a diverse farm-to-table spread.

7. Tyringham, Massachusetts

A post shared by Woven Roots Farm (@wovenrootsfarm) on Oct 12, 2017 at 5:41am PDT

Sunday, September 9th

Host Farmers: Jen & Pete Salinetti, Woven Roots Farm

Guest Chef: Brian Alberg, The Red Lion Inn

Journey to the scenic, underrated Berkshires for a meal at Woven Roots Farm, a 10-acre, no-till, bio-intensive farm that uses regenerative agricultural practices to stock local markets. Chef Brian Alberg is a Berkshires native and founder of Berkshire Farm & Table, so you can rest assured that no one knows his way around the local ingredients better than him.

8. Amagansett, New York

A post shared by Amber Waves Farm (@amberwavesfarm) on Sep 15, 2017 at 4:08pm PDT

Sunday, September 16th

Host Farmers: Amanda Merrow & Katie Baldwin, Amber Waves Farm

Guest Chef: Dominic Rice, Calissa

You won’t need a few spare thousand dollars to rent a helicopter to take you to the Hamptons to enjoy this meal. In a region known for its exclusivity, Amber Waves Farm — true to its name — welcomes people with open arms. At this down-to-earth Hamptons dinner, you’ll enjoy chef Dominic Rice’s Greek-inspired dishes, which can include anything from house-made charcuterie with marinated Kalamata olives to grilled octopus.

9. Silver Spring, Pennsylvania

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Tuesday, September 25th

Host Farmer: Tom Culton, Culton Organics

Guest Chefs: Kevin D’Egidio & Michael Griffiths, helm

You don’t need to go far out of Philadelphia to experience the quiet countryside. Culton Organics in Silver Spring, Pennsylvania has been in the family since 1741 and grows over 70 types of vegetables. Many of these rare, heirloom vegetables will be on the menu, interpreted by chefs Kevin and Michael at helm, a contemporary American restaurant in Philly.

10. Lexington Park, Maryland

A post shared by Robert McFarlane (@mcfarlar5) on Oct 6, 2017 at 8:26pm PDT

Saturday, September 29th

Host Farmers: Brett Grohsgal & Christine Bergmark, Even’ Star Organic Farm

Guest Chef: Michael Rafidi, Washington DC

Whether you’re in Washington DC or Baltimore, make your way over to the Even’ Star Organic Farm in Lexington Park, Maryland. Here, you can guarantee the veggies, fruits, and flowers are scientifically perfect: farmer Brett Grohsgal has a Master’s in Soil Science, and Christine Bergmark has advanced degrees in plant physiology and ecology. This masterfully farmed produce will be utilized in chef Michael Rafidi’s creative menu, which also might feature some of the hundreds of free-range, egg-laying chickens roaming the farm.

11. Brenham, Texas

A post shared by Andrea Nicole (@lonestarandi) on Feb 1, 2018 at 12:57pm PST

Thursday, October 11th

Host Farmers: Michael & Leslie Marchand, Whitehurst Heritage Farms

Guest Chef: Ryan Lachaine, Riel

Just because you’re in Texas, don’t expect good ol’ barbeque. Instead, you’ll dive into a truly interesting fusion of Ukranian and French-Canadian food, with some local Texas flavors, courtesy of chef Ryan Lachaine of Riel in Houston. You’ll savor it at the dreamy Whitehurst Heritage Farms, where pasture-raised, chickens, turkeys, and forested hogs roam free.

12. Queen Creek, Arizona

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Wednesday, October 17th

Host Farmer: Erich Schultz, Steadfast Farm

Guest Chef: Jeff Kraus, Crepe Bar

You may not associate the arid landscape of Arizona with a plentiful harvest, but the dry state has some of the lushest produce. Steadfast Farm outside of Phoenix is a bio-intensive market farm with organic fruits, veggies, and pasture-raised poultry for eggs. Former food truck chef Jeff Kraus, now of neighborhood cafe Crepe Bar in Tempe, has a great working relationship with farmer Erich Schultz in the Phoenix culinary community, so their harmonious collaboration is sure to yield a soulful dinner to remember.

13. Thermal, California

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Friday, October 19th

Host Farmers: Robert Lower & Christina Kelso, Flying Disc Ranch

Guest Chef: Russ Sevilla, The Ace Hotel

For a truly luxe experience, head to Thermal outside of Palm Springs in the Southern California desert, where Outstanding in the Field puts on an annual dinner for VIPs at Coachella Music Festival. Flying Disc Ranch is a date garden that feels like a palm tree oasis. Los Angeles chef Russ Sevilla will be cooking up a refreshing, elevated Californian meal under the cool canopy.

Celebrate Father’s Day with Temecula Olive Oil Company! Treat Dad to an event he will never forget. Enjoy at our of our ranch, live entertainment, hand crafted cocktails and locally sourced food in our olive grove. For more information, tap the photo or visit our website.

A post shared by Temecula Olive Oil Company (@temeculaoliveoilcompany) on Jun 12, 2018 at 4:26pm PDT

14. Aguanga, California

Saturday, October 20th

Host Farmers: Thom Curry & Catherine Pepe, Temecula Olive Oil Company

Guest Chef: Brian Redzikowski, Kettner Exchange

The Outstanding in the Field’s North American tour begins to wrap up at the Temecula Olive Oil Company near San Diego, where it initially began their cross-country bus journey. The full-circle trip is especially rewarding because the olives are now perfectly ripe for harvest season. Chef Brian Redzikowski will return for his second stint at Temecula with an entirely new menu, and we can only assume there’ll be lots of bread to soak up all that delicious olive oil.

The post These dreamy outdoor dinners with long, winding tables belong on your bucket list appeared first on Matador Network.

New art exhibition in the Swiss Alps

As if the natural beauty of the Swiss Alps was not quite enough, now the area will also be peppered with art. An art exhibit just opened in the Swiss Alps’ Safien Valley, featuring several installations inspired by nature. The exhibit is part of the Art Safiental Biennale 2018, and its purpose is to allow locals and tourists to interact with unique, temporary pieces. The “Horizontal — Vertical” exhibition is also accompanied by an art hiking map, which guides visitors to the exact locations of all 14 pieces, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost in the mountains.

Photo: Art Safiental

Many of the participating artists actually traveled to the valley last year, to stake out a location for their installations. Exhibits include a large blue ramp with a yellow racing stripe, a hive of honey bees whose buzzing is broadcast through speakers, and a video installation in an underground tunnel. One particular piece, by American artist Lita Albuquerque, features a bright blue figure of a female on the summit of a mountain, lying down with one ear pressed to the ground. What makes this piece truly special, however, is its counterpart located on the other side of the globe in New Zealand, due to be installed soon on the ocean floor.

Photo: Art Safiental

Photo: Art Safiental

The installations will be visible until October 21st. They’re free to view, and hikers should allot two days if they want to see everything (it’s about 60 to 90 minutes between each piece). Guided tours, as well as special talks and performances, will also be available.

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: This Instagrammer’s shots of the Swiss Alps will blow your mind

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BA employee with man bun fired

As an airline passenger, it might seem like you have to jump through a hundred hoops before you can even board the plane. Well, those hoops are no less numerous for airline workers themselves. And it’s not just flight attendants. Sid Ouared, a former British Airways employee, was terminated from his customer service role on his final day of training because his hairstyle was against the dress code. In Ouared’s opinion, his firing is an example of discrimination. “According to them,” he told The Sun, “the man bun doesn’t comply with their uniform policy. The fact that they dismissed me for being a man with long hair is ridiculous and sexist.” In the video below, he told ITV News that “they dismissed me on the claims that my hair is like a ‘girl’s hair.’”

If he wanted to keep his job, he was told that he must either cut his hair, put it in a turban, or (perhaps, most surprisingly) wear dreadlocks. As no prior employer has ever had an issue with its length or style, Ouared was reluctant to cut his hair, and since he is neither Sikh nor Rastafarian, those options were out of the question. The British Airways dress code does, however, state that men’s hairstyles should be “clean, tidy, and well-groomed,” with ponytails “only permitted to secure dreadlocks.” The vague language of the guideline leaves enough room for both sides to make a reasonable argument.

The point of outrage for Ouared, and many others, is that women are allowed to wear their hair in buns without issue. It’s even encouraged. Is Ouared’s firing an example of a glaring double standard? Or does it simply reinforce the airline’s right to enforce dress codes that adhere to a preferred aesthetic?

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: How to become a flight attendant and travel the world for work

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