Matador Network's Blog, page 1306

The most Instagrammed beaches

Some complain about how “doing it for the gram” has turned traveling into less of an experience and more of a quest to take highly edited photographs for instant feedback. And, sure, anyone who’s traveled with someone who takes 700 pictures of a waterfall then immediately goes home can attest to the fact that Instagram has some downsides. But it’s also exposed millions of people to the beauty of destinations they may never have heard of.

Case in point are some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, places you might have never known existed if you live in America. Through the magic of social media, we can now learn about a California-esque beach town in England or a rusty shipwreck on the sand in Greece without having to do much more than scroll a feed. The folks at Travel Supermarket looked at the beaches hashtagged the most on Instagram over the years, and here are the top 20.

A post shared by Protaras, Cyprus

How to teach sports around the world

Let’s say you want to do good abroad and give back to the communities you visit, but you aren’t sure that painting a schoolhouse is exactly how you want to volunteer overseas. You may, after all, be a lousy painter.

But maybe you love to surf or play basketball, or you’re badass on the soccer field. More than that, you know how much you’ve gained from participating in the sports you love, and you want young kids from less-privileged circumstances to experience the joy — as well as the physical, social, and emotional benefits — that sports can bring. Here are the organizations that can help you bring your athletic skills to kids around the world, which will allow you to travel abroad at the same time.

1. Sporting Opportunities

Photo: Sporting Opportunities

UK-based Sporting Opportunities was designed to “provide coaching opportunities to benefit children from disadvantaged communities,” Director James Burton told us. Moreover, the program also benefits “students from America, Europe, and Australia who are wanting real-life experience in the field of sport and development.”

Sporting Opportunities offers the opportunity to coach kids on baseball in Argentina and basketball in South St. Lucia, all the way down the sports alphabet to volleyball in Ghana. In fact, it offers opportunities to coach 20 different sports and teach in three sports-related areas, including physical therapy, sports psychology, and sports film and media. It offers programs in 13 different countries, so check out the website to find a match between the sport you love to coach and the country to which you want to dedicate your energy.

You do have to pay to participate in these programs, which can last anywhere from two weeks to three months for a full-on sports-management internship, and the price can exceed $300 per week. In return, though, many in-country expenses are covered. Burton says covered items can include “food, accommodation, airport pick-up, in-country transport, full support, and a contribution to the charity work they will be directly involved with.”

2. Waves International

Photo: Waves International

Waves International is a registered non-profit organization that believes we should give back to the communities to which we travel. In addition to local youth interested in surfing, you’ll also be spending serious time with community members, working in everything from environmental stewardship to microfinance projects. Waves International currently operates in three places with incredible surfing and a strong need for assistance: Lobitos, Peru; Puerto Escondido, Mexico; and El Transito, Nicaragua.

In return for your good work, you’ll be part of an amazing community of fellow surfers who care about giving back, and you’ll make lasting connections with the community. You’re asked to pay $295 a week to cover costs, on top of a one-time $395 donation. For that, you get accommodation with the other volunteers or a home-stay option, three home-cooked or restaurant meals a day, access to a selection of surfboards, and support for any projects you run.

3. Volunteering Solutions

Photo: Volunteering Solutions

Volunteering Solutions connects interested people with volunteering opportunities abroad. Among the options is sports volunteering — specifically soccer coaching in Brazil, Ghana, Ecuador, and South Africa, as well as basketball and surfing in some of these locations. The programs can last anywhere from one week to six months, which also makes them appealing to students taking a gap year. Most programs also include the chance to explore the nearby areas with other program volunteers on weekends.

Prices vary depending on location, and the per-week cost decreases with longer stays, although a one-time $250 fee is tacked on. In Ecuador, you’ll pay $500 for two-weeks, but that will get you accommodation, orientation, 24-hour staff support, and medical insurance. Staying with a host family is an additional $100 per week, but your meals will be included as well.

4. International Volunteer HQ

Photo: International Volunteer HQ

If you like a lot of sports or are into fitness for its own sake, Volunteer HQ offers the opportunity to focus on general sports education and fitness in Jamaica, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, and Uganda. If you’re specifically interested in teaching surfing and swimming, South Africa has programs for that. In places like Ecuador, simply getting kids to use their bodies and understand the importance of physical fitness is important.

IVHQ works hard to keep fees low, starting at about $590 for a two-week coaching program in Argentina and topping out at $1,940 for 12 weeks – on top of the $299 registration fee. Lodging and all meals are included, and you can get a discount on language classes.

5. Global Vision International

Photo: Global Vision International

With Global Vision International (GVI), you can teach soccer or surfing in South Africa. You can also coach soccer, cricket, tennis, and track and field in India. You’ll work with a local school in India’s Kerala region to teach sports skills, help the kids with their English, and boost their confidence both on and off the field.

At $1,795 for two weeks, the India sports-coaching program is not cheap, but it does include accommodation and three meals a day. Moreover, GVI offers scholarships to participate in it – since the organization recognizes that the program benefits not just those being coached but also the people doing the coaching.


More like this: 3 awesome ethical programs you should volunteer for abroad

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Misconceptions about Wisconsinites

Even though most people have never set foot in the dairy state, let alone have the knowledge to point it out on a map, it often feels like the outside world has huge misconceptions about Wisconsin. It’s said that we only care about the Packers and are obsessed with dissing Chicago, and we are critiqued for pronouncing the names of our state and biggest city wrong. Here are a few more misconceptions about Wisconsin that we’d like to put to bed.

1. Milwaukee and Wisconsin are actually pronounced how they are written.

If you’re making the “L” sound when saying the name of our biggest city or sounding a little too British when pronouncing the name of our state, expect blank stares.

2. Wisconsinites can’t make fun of themselves.

Charlie Beren’s Manitowoc Minute videos may be short, but they make us laugh for a lot longer than the title implies. Also, they prove that we are not just obsessed with ripping Chicago; we can make fun of our accents and funny habits, too.

3. Beer that good must be sold everywhere.

It can be found at cookouts and in fridges across the country, and according to the Brewers Association, it comes from the 16th top-producing craft brewery in the US. Yet to get it out of Wisconsin, loyal friends and brave shop owners from Minnesota and Illinois have to carry it over state lines because you can only legally buy it in the state that gave the US great beer in the first place. That only seems fair, though; if the whole country could buy Spotted Cow or the other beers produced by New Glarus Brewing Company, there might not be enough left for us!

4. Only the Packers fill stadiums.

This may not be the first league that comes to mind when thinking about Wisconsin sports, but the Northwoods League baseball teams play such exciting ball that they have impressively loyal fanbases in each of the nine Wisconsin cities they call home. It’s okay that you’ve never heard of the Madison Mallards or Eau Claire Express, though; Wisconsin’s other professional baseball team is also used to getting no respect!

5. Nothing worth talking about ever happens in Wisconsin.

Talk about news worth calling home about: come winter, you can see a legitimate apocalypse if you are brave enough to venture out of your home, local bar, or, God forbid, Lambeau Field during a Packers game. The grocery stores will be empty. Shovels will be left abandoned in the snow banks in front of homes, and suddenly there will be no traffic on the streets. Forget trying to contact friends or family to share the news — they will ignore any calls and texts faster than you can ask, “zombie?”

6. All cheese curds are fried.

If you think the world of cheese curds is limited to fried grease, you’re sadly mistaken. Don’t get me wrong, done properly, fried cheese curds can be absolutely delicious. But if you’ve never had a cheese curd that squeaks, we have a problem.

7. Wisconsin is a flyover state.

Every year in July, Oshkosh’s Wittman Regional Airport becomes the world’s busiest airport during the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture. The festival experiences all the activity of O’Hare with just as many landings and takeoffs in half the time, and it even spares you the heckling from airport security for your Packers gear.

8. The Bucks are never going anywhere.

Two words: Greek Freak. Not only is he giving Milwaukee a name around the world by attracting record levels of fans and attention — not to mention crowds of adoring Greek admirers in every city he visits — but he is also committed to the city and taking the Bucks organization to places it hasn’t gone since 1971.

9. We all know the ins and outs of farm life.

Just because we love eating cheese doesn’t mean we all have close relationships with the cows that produce it. The dairy state is home to many residents that would feel just as out of place on a farm as your slickest New York City slicker. However, we would definitely be way less obnoxious about the smell, because you know — we’re actually nice!

10. Wisconsinites only think about the Packers.

Even though the Sunday night newscast always begins and ends with Packers news, Wisconsin news channels report on the big events happening in the world, too. We just have our list of priorities straight and know what we want to think about right before we go to bed.


More like this: 21 habits that are hard to shake when you leave Wisconsin

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11 reasons to never date an Arizonan

Arizonan singles have a lot going for them. We are a wild bunch, clad in turquoise and silver and tight jeans, surrounded by loving dogs and horses. Who wouldn’t want to chill with a sexy cowboy or cowgirl under the hot sun, or cuddle under a blanket to the sounds of a monsoonal thunderstorm? But we have a lot of quirky characteristics that may not be for everyone; here are 11 reasons you should never date an Arizonan guy or gal.

1. We’ll stomp you at basically anything outdoorsy.

From rodeo to rafting, hiking to hang gliding, off-roading to orienteering, we’ve been experts at it all since we were knee-high to an ostrich (which we’ve bred alongside our steers since we were in 4-H).

2. We’re stoners.

We legalized medical marijuana in 2010 though the effort was on the ballot back in 1996, earlier than most states. It’s just another marker of our libertarian mentality. But it is a well-known idea that stonerhood matches up nicely with being a great lover.

3. Our families are going to vet you forever.

You cannot win this battle. But (if and) when they finally accept you, you’ll have a team of up to 100 aunties and mamas on your side, forever and ever, amen.

4. We’ll take you on a 20-mile bike ride in the heat and pretend it’s an enjoyable way to spend a scorching Sunday afternoon.

We’ve found the perfect deodorant and sickly enjoy watching you struggle and sweat. Don’t worry, though; we’ll always have a hidden supply of water stashed away for you.

5. We’ll try to convince you that rain in the desert smells like romance.

We are fully aware that rain has no smell, but there’s no denying the musty perfume of the monsoons hitting the creosote bushes. We know you think it stinks, but for us, it’s heaven.

6. We drink. A lot.

You’ll find us knocking back a Michelada, a Dos Equis, or a margarita. Or a shot of mezcal. Or a Kurrrrrz lite. Or, Dios forbid, all of those. And we’ll expect you to keep up during round two by the campfire.

7. We don’t have sex between March and November.

It’s far too hot. And when we crank up the air conditioning or try it in a pool, there’s a shrinkage factor to consider. So forget about it.

8. We are like 90 years old.

Arizona is a state of retirees looking for college-student sugar babies. With that comes liver spots, varicose veins, and imperfect plastic surgery. But we’ll take you to the best buffet in town.

9. On the second date, instead of flowers, you’re going to get a Kokopelli statuette.

You might think it’s quaint until you get that bronze howling coyote on the third date.

10. We sure hope you aren’t expecting a diamond when we propose because you’re getting a chunk of turquoise wrapped in copper wire.

Nothing says forever like our state metal hugging our state stone.

11. We will bring you a slew of gear to protect you from our vehicles.

Hope you like shin guards and goggles protecting your peepers against sand in our monster trucks, and military-grade helmets protecting your noggin on our Harleys. It’s not that we don’t like your short romper, it’s just that your butt cheeks are going to stick to the vinyl seat, and that’ll leave a mark.


More like this: 12 commandments for dating a girl from Arizona

The post 11 reasons you should never date an Arizonan appeared first on Matador Network.

America has a massive cheese surplus

America might not have a budget surplus, but we have something even more exciting — a cheese surplus. Somehow, cheese enthusiasts have found themselves in an ideal situation: supply is exceeding demand. The surplus just hit 1.39 billion pounds, which is probably enough to top our pizzas through 2025.

The reason for the surplus? For a few years now, US dairy manufacturers have been producing too much milk, and excess milk gets turned into cheese to make it last longer. In 2014, dairy farmers scaled up their operations in response to high demand for powdered milk from China, and when China’s economy started to slow, American dairy producers were left with too much milk. The European Union has also made it more difficult for US cheese producers to do business abroad, so by 2016, the US had 1.2 billion pounds of extra cheese domestically.

To balance out surpluses in the past, the Department of Agriculture has bailed out dairy producers, buying up millions of dollars of excess cheese and distributing it to food banks. It remains to be seen if the same approach will be taken here.

In the meantime, we can all do our part by buying up lots and lots of cheese. Which, given our insatiable zest for cheese and collective depression over the avocado shortage, shouldn’t be too hard to do.

H/T: Mental Floss

More like this: Highlights of a week in Quebec

The post America has a 1.39-billion-pound cheese surplus, and we’re not complaining appeared first on Matador Network.

Underrated Canadian wine region

It’s often easy to forget where you are in the world when sipping house-made wines on a lakeside patio while overlooking a valley ripe with vineyards. When it hits you, the realization that you’re in British Columbia may take a moment to set in, as western Canada hasn’t always been thought of as a world-class wine destination.

But with a near-perfect blend of wine touring, outdoor adventures, and stunning scenery, BC’s Okanagan Valley is solidifying its standing among the world’s elite wine destinations. Just a four-plus hours drive east of Vancouver (or 45 minutes by plane), the area is attracting travelers who want more than old-fashioned, sedentary, and expensive wine tour vacations. Here’s why the Okanagan Valley is the next Napa Valley.

1. The city of Kelowna has it all.

Photo: Stan Jones/Shutterstock

With just under 200,000 people, the Kelowna area is the urban hub of the Okanagan Valley. It’s big enough that everything you need is nearby, but it’s also a tight-knit community where locals see familiar faces among the people strolling or biking along the waterfront. You can be on a lakeside hiking trail within 10 minutes of grabbing a coffee in the heart of city, and you can view the vineyards just across the lake from downtown. Kelowna, and the Okanagan Valley in general, is just one of those places that people come to and never want to leave.

Kelowna is also where the BC wine movement started. In 1859, a forward-thinking French Catholic priest named Father Charles Pandosy planted the first wine grapes in the valley. These days, Father Pandosy is enough of a local legend that an entire area of Kelowna is named after him, and it’s no coincidence that Pandosy is one of the hippest parts of town. It’s an easy place to forget about your troubles, because, seriously, what problems do you have that can’t be solved by a few glasses of bubbly?

2. You don’t need to be a wine expert.

Photo: BC Wine

The Okanagan Valley has a humble but optimistic honesty to it, the kind that drove straight out of Napa the day the first cable TV camera crew showed up. This makes it the perfect place to learn about wine culture and ask questions without drawing awkward looks. Even the snobbiest BC oenophile is no more intimidating than the crusty old regular at your local dive bar. You might be daunted at first, but the ice will break as soon as the first cork is popped, and you’ll quickly find yourself reveling in half-tossed stories about the smoke taint that crushed the 2003 vintage and why Hester Creek’s Cab Franc is the only thing you should drink after a day on the water.

Commercial wines didn’t hit the region in force until the 1970s. Back then, winemakers came from all over the world and spread their seeds across the valley just to see what stuck, resulting in a still-evolving story of trial and error that has found increasing precision over the last few years. Even today, it’s not uncommon to find that the person who crafted what’s in your glass and the person explaining it to you are the same individual. Your odds of chatting it up with a winemaker are even better in winter, when the crowds thin and the seasonal water hounds make their way back home.

3. You’re surrounded by incredible outdoor activities.

Photo: robynleigh/Shutterstock

The Okanagan Valley is flush with nature and all the activities that come with it, no matter the season and no matter the weather. It’s Canada’s only ‘desert’ region, and the endless sunny days of summer will beg you to step beyond the patio. You can climb the Skaha Bluffs, kayak in Okanagan Lake, and sneak in some whitewater rafting in between tastings. Or head down to Penticton, grab a tube and a cooler that won’t sink, and spend an afternoon floating your way along the Penticton River Channel that connects Okanagan Lake with Skaha Lake.

In winter, Big White Ski Resort is just an hour away — not to mention you’re less than two hours from the Powder Highway, so skiers and boarders have every reason to rejoice. The valley is also a haven for golfers, with nearly three dozen golf courses spread from north of Kelowna down to the town of Osoyoos, just north of the U.S. border. The outdoor options make for a balanced trip: you can easily burn off the calories from all that wine.

4. You can boat your way between wineries.

Photo: Quail’s Gate

Three wineries throughout the valley have boat docks, all located on Okanagan Lake. If you have access to a boat, you’re sure to turn some heads as you pull up to one (or heck, all three) of them. Quails’ Gate is the closest to Kelowna, located just across the bridge over Okanagan Lake heading south.

Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, which specializes in sparkling wines, sits between Kelowna and Penticton and also has a boat dock. If you’re a total baller, you could actually arrive at Fitzpatrick Vineyards by helicopter — but pulling up on a kayak or boat allows for a slightly more discreet entrance. The third winery you can reach by boat, Bench 1775, is the furthest south, located above Penticton on the Naramata Bench.

5. Or do a fuel-free tasting tour in Penticton.

Photo: Albert Pego/Shutterstock

BC wine country is an optimal place to visit if sustainability is your jam. After you land in Kelowna or Penticton, you’ll probably have to take a van to wherever you’re staying. But after that, a fuel-free wine tour is more than doable. The most popular option is to rent a bike or e-bike and pedal your way from place to place.

The Kettle Valley Rail Trail connects a number of the wineries in the region and allows you to get some movement in between drinking sessions. Just be sure to rent a trailer so you can take a few bottles back with you. For those driving an electric vehicle, charging stations are readily available throughout the valley and at hotels, including the Penticton Lakeside Resort.

6. The farm-to-table food scene is on point.

Photo: Tim Wenger

Have you ever tried geoduck? Don’t look at a picture, just do it. Your trip to the Okanagan Valley isn’t complete until you do. Beyond this local delicacy, you’ll find fresh veggies and seafood on the menu at nearly every winery in the region. Quite often the vegetables on a chef’s menu are picked from his own garden out back, a nod to the valley’s rich soil.

You can sample locally sourced food across the valley, but for the ultimate palate-tester head to the country’s first Aboriginal-owned winery, Nk’Mip Cellars. Their site on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve is home to a full resort with multiple kitchens, presenting a historic take on Okanagan cuisine. Their hyper-local menus include BC seafood complementing the valley’s produce for a culinary experience as memorable as the wine itself.

7. It’s still affordable.

Photo: Covert Farms Family Estate/Facebook

You’re not going to find any $75 tasting fees with stiff pours and a hurry out the door in the Okanagan Valley. Covert Farms, for example, charges CAD $59 (about 45 USD) for a full tasting, charcuterie board, and tour of the winery and farm. The price includes the chance to pet their free-ranging Scottish Highland cattle, snap a photo with a llama, and, if you’re there in early summer, devour a bucket of fresh strawberries that you handpicked from their orchard.

Not every spot offers a full-on “Little House on the Prairie” vibe, but being able to walk in the door, sample what’s offered, complement the grapes with locally sourced food, and carry on without having to slyly sneak off to the restroom to privately check your account balance is still doable here.

8. The views are incredible.

Photo: Tim Wenger

The hardest part about drinking wine in the Okanagan Valley is holding onto your glass. The vast majority of the valley’s 182 licensed wineries sit shoreside on Okanagan Lake, creating a backdrop that commands as much attention as the wine itself.

As you’ll quickly learn, a patio table is the place to be. Vineyards dot rolling hills as far as the eye can see, their deep green leaves giving way only to crisp blue water and rising peaks. It’s quite easy to get distracted and loose grip on your beverage — leave that white shirt at home to avoid showcasing any ensuing fumbles.

9. And of course, there’s the wine itself.

Photo: Tim Wenger

Across the valley you’ll find a collection of quirky, unique wineries that have yet to be taken over by relentless hordes of snobby tourists more interested in Instagram selfies than embracing the tranquility of casual wine touring. None in the region exemplify this more so than Summerhill Pyramid Winery, where proprietor Stephen Cipes infuses his biodynamic wines with a bit of spirituality. Each bottle spends no less than one month in a massive pyramid-shaped wine cellar resonating with the sacramental energy fields that only a pyramid is believed to provide. In addition to Summerhill, a number of wineries are or will soon be certified organic and producing biodynamic wines — meaning you’re not going to drink pesticides along with your pinot.

The region’s northern location gives it extended sunlight hours throughout the short, hot growing season, where temperatures regularly top 90 degrees — leaving the end product with a mouthwatering acidity that complements the region’s fresh seafood and veggies. While rieslings and other whites dominate in the north, pungent and flavorful reds are the staple on the valley’s southern end. Across multiple varietals, over 75 wineries in the region opt for bubbles, and you should follow suit if you want to order like a local. Just don’t call it champagne.

If you fly into Kelowna, Experience Wine Tours can pick you up at the airport and give you the lowdown on the entire valley. You can customize your tour or take their recommendations. Just be sure to plan your trip either north to south or vice versa to avoid driving up and down Highway 97 more than necessary. Harvest is in full swing during September and October, an exciting time to be around, but summer weekends are also packed with special tastings and events.

No matter when you come, you’ll reach pure nirvana if you’re a fan of merlots, pinots, or rieslings. Chardonnays and sauvignon blancs are common as well, but even the casual rosé drinker will feel right at home.


More like this: The top 5 wine destinations to visit in the US besides Napa

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Southwest has amazing deals for fall

Already looking past summer to your fall and winter travel plans? Southwest has you covered. The airline’s International & Nationwide sale features low prices on nonstop flights throughout many major US cities, as well as several international locations.

Domestically, you can fly between Orlando and Nashville for just $91, Sacramento and Boise for $75, or San Diego and New Orleans for $171. The international deals are no less appealing. You could fly between Ft. Lauderdale and the Bahamas for just $171, Puerto Vallarta and Los Angeles for $139, Punta Cana and Ft. Lauderdale for $169, or Oakland to Cabo San Lucas for $142. The cheapest flight path available is between Jacksonville and Ft. Lauderdale for $67.

Other domestic destinations you could fly to for varying affordable prices include Austin, Chicago, Denver, Boston, Atlanta, Portland, New York City, Washington D.C., and Las Vegas. International destinations also include Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Belize, and Cuba.

Domestic travel is valid from Aug. 21-Dec. 19, and international travel is valid from Aug. 21-Dec. 21. Be sure to check the terms and restrictions for blackout dates and other details that might affect your booking.

To take advantage of the sale, book your flight before the sale ends on July 20.

H/T: Southwest

More like this: 9 underrated small airlines you should be using to fly internationally

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JetBlue flight attendants save dog

We’re always hearing about dogs helping their owners in times of need, but now we humans are finally returning the favor. In a letter written to JetBlue, passenger Michele Burt told the story of how flight attendants Renaud Spencer and Diane Asher saved the life of her three-year-old French bulldog, Darcy. On her flight from Orlando, Florida to Worcester, Massachusetts on July 5th, Darcy wasn’t responding to commands to lie down during the flight, which struck Burt as strange and uncharacteristic. Immediately, Burt noticed that her tongue was blue — a sign of insufficient oxygen.

Although airline policy requires pets to stay under the seat and inside carriers, flight attendants allowed Darcy to emerge from the carrier, and brought bags of ice to help calm the dog down. When that failed, Spencer suggested an oxygen mask, which did the trick in a matter of moments. “Within a few minutes,” Burt wrote, Darcy “became alert and after a short time she didn’t want the mask…I believe [Spencer] and [Asher] saved a life.”

JetBlue responded with a statement thanking their flight attendants, and said, “we all want to make sure everyone has a safe and comfortable flight, including those with four legs.”

Burt has confirmed that Darcy made a complete recovery.

H/T: Insider

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The post JetBlue flight attendants break the rules to save a dog’s life appeared first on Matador Network.

9 museums dedicated to food

Art museums aren’t for everyone. Whether it’s wandering endless halls of portraits depicting old white guys, or having to endure a bunch of hipsters claiming that a solid black canvas is “so deep,” having to plod through a museum can be a real drag if the subject material isn’t your thing. But that doesn’t mean you should swear off museums forever. If food is the only reason you get out of bed in the morning, then you need to check out these epic museums around the world that are dedicated to your favorite munchies. From ramen to watermelon, celebrate the history and cultural importance of these foods by visiting these 9 museums — and be sure to fill your belly before you exit the gift shop.

1. Museo Nazionale delle Paste Alimentari — Rome, Italy

Photo: Valentyn Volko/Shutterstock

What do you think of when you think Italian food? Pasta, of course. The Italians honor their favorite carbohydrate with a full-on party in its honor, showcasing the history of pasta in their country. If you’ve ever wondered how a certain pasta got its shape, how the food came to such prominence in Italy, or had a desire to thumb through historical texts documenting pasta’s evolution over the course of centuries, this is the spot for you. Fair warning — you’re going to be hungry when you leave, but you’re in Rome, so appeasing your craving for carbonara is a pretty easy task.

2. Museo del Prosciutto di Parma — Langhirano, Italy

Photo: Musei del Cibo di Parma/Facebook

Langhirano is home to another epic Italian food museum, and this time prosciutto is the ospite d’onore. The salty, tangy prosciutto di parma is a delicacy here, and the museum takes you on a deep dive into the history of pork’s various incarnations, from basic ham all the way up to prosciutto. After a visit here, you’ll definitely better appreciate all the work that went into making that prosciutto the next time you’re at the deli.

3. Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum — Shiojiri, Japan

Photo: Shinyokohama ramen museum/Facebook

Ramen, in its purest form, is an art that requires a lifetime to master. So it goes without saying that like all lifetime accomplishments, the story of ramen deserves a museum in its honor. Shin-Yokohama is a three-story colosseum to the stuff, complete with a theme park, guided tours, and plenty of opportunities to sample famous recipes from the nine ramen shops on site.

4. European Asparagus Museum — Schrobenhausen, Germany

Photo: barmalini/Shutterstock

Whether it’s sauteed in butter and served as a side, chopped into a salad, or caramelized into a main dish, asparagus is one of those versatile veggies that has become a favorite crop the world over. Germans, in particular, are incredibly fond of asparagus — enough that they felt it necessary to erect an institution surrounding what they’ve affectionately dubbed the “royal vegetable.” The museum itself is lodged across three floors of a historic 15th-century building and features exhibits, a detailed history, and an outline of the conservation efforts that have made this once-elusive vegetable affordable for the masses. You can also check out Andy Warhol’s painted tribute to the food. Happy Spargelzeit.

5. Amsterdam Cheese Museum — Amsterdam, Netherlands

Photo: Amsterdam Cheese Museum/Facebook

Cheese gets its proper turn in the limelight at the Amsterdam Cheese Museum. Enjoy a free cheese tasting, explore the history behind cheese making, brush up on the most famous Dutch cheeses, and soak in the knowledge of the museum’s “committed cheese guides” as you make your way through the grounds. Be sure to take a photo of the world’s largest cheese slicer, and take as much vacuum-wrapped cheese with you as you can fit in your checked bag. Not to ruin your dream, but the answer is no — the museum isn’t looking for any additional cheese guides at this time.

6. Jacques-Torres Chocolate Museum — New York City, United States

Photo: Jacques Torres Chocolate Museum

There are several chocolate-themed museums around the world, but none more deserving of a visit than this one. The Jacques-Torres Chocolate Museum is designed to be as informative as it is drool-inducing, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the process of making chocolate and a thorough history of the sweet’s role in historical events and celebrations. You’ll also enjoy nine different tastings along your tour, before ending it with a Mayan-inspired hot chocolate. The gift shop is stocked and ready to send you out the door with enough loot for everyone you know, but we won’t tell if you decide to keep it all for yourself.

7. Watermelon Museum — Beijing, China

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You may not think of watermelons when you think of China’s capital city, but the area to the south of Beijing is actually among the world’s most fruitful watermelon producing regions. The residents in the Panggezhuang Township love watermelon so much that they created a 4,000-square-foot museum for it. You’ll tour past gigantic wax impersonations of the watermelon, and if you can read Chinese, you can lose yourself in a number of whimsical poetic tributes to the fruit, which unfortunately offer no English translation. The only bit of concern is that the museum certainly instills a burning desire to eat watermelon, but you have to satisfy that craving outside, as no watermelon is actually served at the museum.

8. Poznan Croissant Museum — Poznań, Poland

Photo: Rogalowe Muzeum Poznania/Facebook

Though you may associate croissants with France, they take croissants quite seriously in Poland too, enough so that the recipe for their beloved St. Martin’s Croissant is legally protected under EU law; it’s not a St. Martin’s Croissant if it’s not folded exactly 81 times. The Poznan Croissant Museum pays tribute to the very specific recipe of this national favorite pastry. The museum gives you the chance to observe and take part in the process of baking St. Martin’s croissants, and odds are you’ll get more than your fill in the process.

9. SPAM Museum — Austin, Minnesota, United States

Photo: SPAM

Hormel invented SPAM back in 1937, and over the ensuing decades this canned delicacy of processed pork parts has developed such a notorious reputation that the SPAM brand was compelled to open a museum. SPAM is by all accounts a cult phenomenon in modern times, and if you’re on board with the salty goodness, then this is the place where you’ll finally be among your kind. You can view old advertisements and packaging, learn about how and why the product rose to acclaim during World War II, play with interactive exhibits, and get your fix on a snack that you probably don’t get enough of back home.


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Snorkeling with Earth's creatures

Los Rápidos de Bacalar is a waterway that’s the color of a pale, aquamarine gem in some places, and a deep indigo blue in others. It extends 35 miles across a lesser known corner of the Yucatán Peninsula in Quintana Roo, Mexico, just north of the border with Belize.

Dotted with small islets, the waterway connects the southern and northern parts of the Bacalar Lagoon, a body of water full of rare microorganisms that harken to the beginning of life on Earth. Also known as the Lagoon of Seven Colors, the Bacalar Lagoon mesmerizes with its variety of hues. It’s also home to living colonies of stromatolites, which thrive in the lagoon’s uniquely alkaline environment and are responsible for its magical array of blues.

Living stromatolite colonies look similar to coral, but are extremely rare, existing in just a handful of places in the world. The stromatolites in Los Rápidos are a relatively new addition to the landscape, dating back to the Holocene era, which began about 12,000 years ago and continues today. But they are remarkably similar to the microbial organisms that were among the first living things on Earth.

The oldest known stromatolite fossils clock in at around 3.7 billion years old, not much younger than our planet itself. They were formed by layers upon layers of cyanobacteria, the same bacteria from which all life on Earth has stemmed and which made the earth’s atmosphere a habitable and pleasant place for life to thrive.

At Bacalar, these bacterial formations aren’t among the oldest on Earth, but they show us what those structures looked like when they first emerged. These living rocks are a treasure. Combine them with a multi-colored lagoon and a relaxing, undeveloped landscape, and a ride down Los Rápidos de Bacalar will be a memory that will stay with you for a very long time.

What to consider

You can book a tour or go by yourself. Take a taxi from Bacalar to Los Rápidos and float (or swim) from the river to the lagoon.
No credit cards are accepted at Los Rápidos.
Bring your own snorkeling gear.
Wear reef-safe sunscreen only. Sunscreens that are not labeled as reef safe kill off the microorganisms that make coral and cyanobacteria thrive.



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