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BBC Earth dream job alert

If you weep while watching Planet Earth and dream of hosting your own TV show, you’re in luck. BBC Earth is looking for a first-time presenter, who brings a unique perspective to natural history and science, to host a four-part YouTube series.

The criteria are pretty simple. They want someone who’s truly enthusiastic about the world of science, space, and the human race, and is eager to share their enthusiasm with the BBC audience. The only stipulation? You can’t have been a TV presenter before.

If you think you’re the next David Attenborough, upload a short video to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, that shows off your unique approach to educational communication. The video should be in English, under 60 seconds, with a focus on explaining your favorite fact about science. You can shoot the video vlog style, conduct an interview, utilize animation — whatever you think will get your passion across, and set you apart from the competition. Once you’ve uploaded the video to your social platform of choice, use the hashtag #BBCEarthPresenterSearch somewhere in the post, so BBC can find it.

Now comes the easy part. Just fill out the entry form online, include a link to your video and a short statement about why you want to become a BBC Earth presenter, and you’re done! Just make sure you get your entries in by midnight on July 5th.


More like this: 23 awesome travel jobs and how to get them

The post BBC Earth is looking for a new Attenborough and it could be you appeared first on Matador Network.

USS Arizona memorial is closed

If you’re planning a trip to Pearl Harbor, don’t expect the USS Arizona Memorial to be part of your itinerary. Due to structural issues, the ship’s memorial will remain closed indefinitely while repairs are made. After a crack was spotted in the monument’s outside walls, boat transportation to the site was halted on May 6th.

The famous battleship USS Arizona was among the first ships bombed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Over 900 sailors and marines perished with the ship. In remembrance of the attack and the crew who died, a memorial was constructed on top of the sunken ship in 1962 by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis.

It’s estimated that 1.8 million people visit the USS Arizona Memorial every year, but, even with the memorial being repaired, visitors will still have plenty to see at Pearl Harbor. There is a free narrated of Pearl Harbor that passes alongside the sunken ship and a 23-minute documentary film prior to boarding. The National Park Service releases 1,300 free tickets for the tour every morning at 7 AM, at the ticket counter, on a first-come-first-serve basis. There are also several other free museums, such as the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum, which are still open to the public, and are sure to keep visitors entertained.

The National Park Service has no timeline for the memorial’s reopening, but updates will be posted on the monument’s official website.

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: This World War 2 memorial will give you chills

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The best deserts from Greece

Greece and the surrounding regions are well-known for one dessert item in particular: baklava. In fact, if someone were to ask you to name a Greek dessert, I’m willing to bet that baklava would probably be the first, and the last that would come to mind. Despite it being the most well-known dessert from Greece, it’s not widely consumed by Greeks in comparison to how often these ten sweet treats find a place at the table. Here’s all the delicious Greek desserts you’re missing out on that you need to try, whether it’s on the islands themselves, or at your local Greek deli.

1. Γαλακτομπούρεκο (Galaktoboureko)

Photo: Gestiafoto/Shutterstock

The name of this popular Greek dessert essentially translates to “milk börek.” Popular throughout the Balkans, börek is a pastry which is traditionally stuffed with savory fillings such as cheese or spinach. The Greek version most likely spread throughout the region during the period of the Ottoman empire and instead of being a savory snack we transformed it into a dessert. We took the phyllo pastry and folded it over a rich, creamy semolina custard filling. Soft and sugary on the inside and cased in crisp buttery pastry, this dessert is an outstanding invention, if we do say so ourselves.

2. Καταϊφι (Kataifi)

Photo: Valmas/Shutterstock

Kataifi is also made with phyllo pastry, but in this recipe the phyllo is shredded, giving the dessert a different texture and a similar appearance of galaktoboureko or baklava, both of which are made with the same type of pastry. Depending on the region of Greece, the shredded phyllo is wrapped around a sweet filling of chopped nuts, usually walnuts, almonds, or pistachios. Kataifi is then soaked in a sugary syrup which is commonly infused with ground clove and cinnamon. A perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee.

3. Μελομακάρονα (Melοmakarona)

Photo: Dimitrios/Shutterstock

Melοmakaronas are cookies traditionally made and enjoyed during Christmas time, but you can find them in Greek bakeries throughout the year as well. The aromatic treats are made with flour and semolina which is spiced with cloves, cinnamon, and orange zest. They are then soaked in a sticky syrup, and topped with chopped walnuts. They truly taste like Christmas in every bite.

4. Κουραμπιέδες (Kourabiedes)

Photo: Jabiru/Shutterstock

These are another type of cookie commonly made at Christmas time, but again, kourabiedes can also be found year-round in Greece. They are buttery, shortbread cookies made with local almonds and dusted with icing sugar. Kourabiedes are often compared to wedding cookies, although the use of whole almonds sets them apart from versions found in Mexico, Italy, Russia, and elsewhere.

5. Χαλβάς (Halva)

Photo: Valmas/Shutterstock

There are actually two types of halva found in Greece. The first is a dense, dry sweet made with tahini and is popular throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The second type of halva, pictured here, is a soft no-bake cake made with semolina and soaked in a syrup typically infused with cinnamon and clove.

6. Λουκουμάδες (Loukoumades)

Photo: Apostolos Mastoris/Shutterstock

Loukoumades are our version of doughnuts. They are very similar in shape and consistency to doughnut holes in the US. The deep-fried dough balls are usually soaked in honey syrup and are often covered in chopped walnuts or drizzled with chocolate. Loukoumades can almost always be found at local fairs, festivals, and even concerts. While the origin of loukoumades is greatly debated (like most foods from this region of the world), some claim that these treats were awarded to the winners of the first-ever Greek Olympic games in 776 BC.

7. Μπουγάτσα (Bougatsa)

Photo: Desislava Lyungova/Shutterstock

This Greek pastry is actually typically enjoyed at breakfast time. You’ll find a variety of fillings to choose from in a local Greek bakery such as cheese, minced meat, or a sweet semolina custard. The sweetened version is usually sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar. While this treat makes for a delicious breakfast paired with thick Greek coffee, it’s equally delightful when eaten as dessert.

8. Ρυζόγαλο (Rizogalo)

Photo: Africa Studio/Shutterstock

You’ve probably seen this dessert all around the world, especially in Latin America where it’s known as “arroz con leche.” Rizogalo, or “rice milk,” is known as Greek rice pudding. This thick, creamy treat is topped with cinnamon and is usually served cold.

9. Πάστες (Pastes)

Photo: Photo stella/Shutterstock

Pastes are various types of miniature individual cream cakes sold in ζαχαροπλαστεία (zaharoplasteia), or Greek sweet shops. Pastes are constructed from thin layers of sponge cake alternated with thick layers of whipped cream or custard. They can have can come in many varieties of flavors from chocolate to black forest to tiramisu and more. Pastes are usually offered as a gift when visiting someone’s home as part of the Greek hospitality (filoksenia.)

10. Καριόκες (Kariokes)

Photo: Akis Petretzikis/Shutterstock

These chocolates are another treat found in the Greek sweet shops (zaharoplasteia), and are again a common gift given during the practice of filoksenia. Kariokes are chocolate and walnut-filled cookies dipped in even melted chocolate. They are individually wrapped and make a perfect gift and delicious dessert. Find a smashing recipe for kariokes here.

More like this: The 9 desserts you need to try in Italy that aren’t gelato

The post The 10 desserts you need to try in Greece that aren’t baklava appeared first on Matador Network.

Mini horses still allowed in planes

If you were looking forward to taking your next vacation with your pet peacock by your side, you might run into some trouble at the airport starting July 1st. JetBlue is the most recent airline to impose new strictures on traveling with emotional support animals. Any passenger wishing to fly with an emotional support animal will be required to notify the airline at least 48 hours in advance, submit a veterinary health form verifying the animal’s fitness to fly, a medical prescription from a doctor for the animal, and a signed animal behavior form.

In a release, John Allen, vice president of safety for JetBlue, said that the new policies are meant to be a “thoughtful and collaborative approach to balance the needs of customers requiring assistance while responding to the extensive feedback we’ve received from customers and crewmembers concerned about their health and safety.”

Recently, airlines have been cracking down on emotional support animals due to phony claims and several disruptive incidents. While airlines are taking the matter into their own hands, the US Department of Transportation is trying to create some consistency, by drafting an official set of rules surrounding emotional support animals in the near future.

So, what animals can you bring on the plane with you, exactly? Unfortunately, you’ll have to leave your hedgehogs, ferrets, insects, rodents, snakes, spiders, sugar gliders, birds, reptiles, and any animals with tusks, at home. The good news is, you can still bring along your cat or dog, or — yes, you’re reading this right — miniature horses. A full-sized horse? Absolutely not. Don’t be ridiculous.

H/T: Condé Nast Traveler

More like this: Everything you need to know about your rights for flying with pets

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Sussex, Harry and Meghan's dukedom

The eyes of the world were on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as they tied the knot at Windsor Castle and began their new life as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Everything the light touches on this region in the southeast of England is now under their domain (even if they don’t have any legit power over it) — and with some classic seaside towns in the mix, that’s more light than most places in the UK. So, if watching the nuptials from afar just didn’t cut it for your royal addiction, put down your tissues and crazy hat, and head to Sussex to experience their new dukedom first hand.

1. Five Hundred Acre Wood

Photo: Philip Bird LRPS CPAGB/Shutterstock

If this sounds familiar, chances are you are one of the millions who were introduced to the wonders of Winnie the Pooh at a young age. Ashdown Forest and its Five Hundred Acre Wood in East Sussex were the original inspiration for A.A Milne’s masterpiece of storytelling and remains one of the best uncommercialized ways of re-living the book’s adventures. Grab a pamphlet of Pooh Walks and follow the dotted line to visit Eeyore’s Sad and Gloomy Place, Roo’s Sandy Pit, and the North Pole (or, at least, Pooh’s version!).

2. Seven Sisters Cliffs

Photo: Paul Daniels/Shutterstock

These seven cliffs in East Sussex get their striking white appearance from their chalky insides, but it’s erosion that keeps them visible to the public. While similar cliffs nearby have become covered in grassy overgrowth, these particular ones continue have their sides reclaimed by the battering of rough seas. Plan to stay for sunset to watch the sun paint the cliffs pink.

3. Fish and chips at The Regency

Photo: The Regency Restaurant

There’s are few things quite as British as fish and chips. Head to The Regency, a famous Brighton establishment, to taste an authentic recipe at one of the oldest restaurants in town. People-watch on the outside patio where long ago the building’s original owner, Harriet Mellon, the richest woman in Europe for her time, would sit back and enjoy the fresh caught seafood of local fishermen.

4. SUP around Brighton Pier

Photo: Steve Buckley/Shutterstock

Since the 1930s, Brighton Pier has offered arcade and amusement park enjoyment, which, these days, can become a bit overwhelmingly touristy — over eleven million people visit Brighton every year. At night, the pier offers a spectacular sight, lit up by 67,000 (energy-saving) light bulbs. If you aren’t up for some stomach-dropping rides and crushing crowds, head to the water to get a new perspective on the seaside town’s famous pier while stand-up paddleboarding. If you’re around in July, take part in Paddle Around the Pier, self-proclaimed the world’s biggest beach festival.

5. Treetop ropes course

Photo: Go Ape!

Head to Crawley for some high-swaying adventure among the treetops that will definitely push you out of your comfort zone. Challenge your balance over 35 feet up in the air on sky-high “stepping stones” (think dangling wooden planks) and before ziplining almost 500 feet across the forest floor. If you’re traveling with tots, there’s an easier version for those under 10 years of age.

6. Visit Cissbury Ring

Photo: SuxxesPhoto/Shutterstock

Go for a pastoral stroll through the countryside at Cissbury Ring. The area has been settled since the Neolithic period (aka, a long time) and features an Iron Age fortress that is over 2,300 years old. To keep the grasslands short and well maintained, the National Trust hires semi-wild ponies to graze the land, and they can often be seen munching as a herd or sunbathing on the grassy slopes.

7. Houseboats of Shoreham

Photo: Nick Rowland

A collection of almost 60 houseboats sit on the shore of tiny Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex. Unprohibited by housing restrictions, many of these boats have become liveable art exhibitions, made from reclaimed parts of cars, homes, and surplus materials. If you’re feeling adventurous, spend the night in one — or else bring your camera and just enjoy the funky view.


More like this: No, Harry and Meghan’s honeymoon destination isn’t boring — it’s actually magical

The post 7 awesome things to do in Sussex, Harry and Meghan’s new dukedom appeared first on Matador Network.

SCUBA without a certificate

Perhaps you’ve found yourself in Australia, about to visit the Great Barrier Reef, but you didn’t have time to get that certification to SCUBA dive before you left for your trip. Or you’re nowhere near the ocean, but curious what it’s like to breathe underwater.

SCUBA, Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, lets you explore the underwater world and encounter extraordinary marine life in their own environment. However, since SCUBA diving can be very risky, you need to be certified to do it. That process can involve multiple classes and a few open water dives.

One thing you should not do is take up a casual offer to go diving, unless it’s through a legitimate, instructor-led program for non-certified divers. That said, if you haven’t had the time or the bandwidth to get certified, and still want to swim alongside sea creatures, here are a few safe options.

Introductory or Trial Dives

Also known as resort dives or discovery dives, most dive operators can offer curious first-timers an introduction to diving, which combines a guided “fun dive” with a preview of some the skills you’ll learn on Open Water course.

These start with on-land training to orient you with the equipment and safety procedures, and to teach you the hand signals you’ll need to communicate with your fellow divers. Then you’ll get your first taste of what it’s like to breathe beneath the surface, in either a pool or ‘pool-like’ conditions. Then you’ll head to a shallow dive spot for an instructed-led tour of the reef and the local marine life.

Ocean Frontiers on the Cayman Islands offers a half-day “Resort Course” for anyone who can swim, is at least ten years old, and has completed a medical form. It starts with a training video and a quick quiz, followed by a shallow reef dive with no more than four students per each PADI-certified instructor. The four-hour session costs $149 per person.

In Hawaii, Maui Undersea Adventures offers introductory dives at the Four Seasons Maui, and you don’t have to be a hotel guest to sign up. Instructors start with a 45-minutes lesson on the basics by the pool and, once you’re ready, take you to the reef for a shallow dive. The costs is $129 per person, for people 12 and up. If you have a 10- or 11-year-old in your group, you’ll have to shell out $258 per person for a private lesson.

Aquarium Dives

Many of the world’s major aquariums offer dive experiences, giving you the chance to get up close and personal with the local residents from the other side of the glass. A unique aspect of aquarium diving is the fish are often completely fearless and used to approaching people closely, which can be pretty exhilarating – especially when the big guys come to the party!

The big guys being, well, sharks. Aquariums love to lure in thrill-seekers with these dives. At Deep Sea World in Scotland, anyone 16 and over can get instruction from PADI-certified instructors before going underwater to hang out – and probably keep very, very still – alongside a slew of ten-foot-long sand sharks. It costs £185 ($218) per person. There’s also a £95 ($111) program for kids 8 to 15, which keeps them near the sharks, but not right next to them.

Another bonus of aquarium dives is that you can do them even if you’re a thousand miles from the actual ocean, like in Denver. At the Denver Downtown Aquarium, non-certified divers aged 10 and up can breathe underwater for the first time in their Discover Scuba Diving program. For $205 per person, you get the basic training and then hang out alongside groupers and rays in their exhibit modeled on coral reefs.

Diving in an aquarium is still different to diving in open water. You’re in an enclosed space, where bumping into walls and other objects is a genuine hazard. To prevent this, you’ll generally go without fins and given a little more weight than normal, so rather than swim, you sink to the bottom and walk (or more accurately, bounce) around the aquarium floor. The feeling of weightlessness might be what it’s like to walk on the moon.

SNUBA

SNUBA involves breathing air via a long hose connected to an air source floating on the surface. In SCUBA, on the other hand, your air supply comes from a tank strapped to your back. In SNUBA, you’ll never descend below a comfortable six meters (20 feet), but most SNUBA locations are on tropical reefs where you don’t need to go deep to see colorful corals and marine life.

While SNUBA is generally safe, it still involves breathing compressed air – so SNUBA sessions start with mandatory briefings on how to do so. The golden rule whenever you’re breathing compressed air applies to both SCUBA and SNUBA. Never hold your breath and make a rapid dash for the surface, as lung expansion injuries can occur even in shallow water.

SNUBA is growing in popularity in resort destinations worldwide. The official SNUBA website lists SNUBA operators in over thirty distinct locations. You can SNUBA all over the Caribbean, Fiji, Hawaii, California, Florida, Australia, and the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa.

Green Island Reef Cruises offers SNUBA expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef at Australia’s Green Island National Park, which is home to hundreds of types of hard and soft corals, as well as coral trout, angelfish, parrotfish, and dozens of species of underwater plants. Green Island Reef Cruises offers SNUBA for healthy swimmers 12 and older, at $159 per person.

In the Florida Keys, SNUBA Key West, will take adults and kids eight years and up on a SNUBA dive, following a safety introduction. Prices are $109 for adults and $89 for kids. You’ll likely see stingrays, tarpon, and maybe a barracuda or two.


Snorkeling with manta rays is an experience I’ll never forget

The post How to go SCUBA diving without being certified appeared first on Matador Network.

The best mobile tiny homes

Having a tiny home doesn’t mean you have to be confined to one spot. Although the web is full of photos and video tutorials about creating and living in refurbished shipping containers and small-scale homes of all kinds, these creative tiny home dwellers got a bit more creative and figured out how to combine their tiny home dreams with wanderlust — and the results will have you yearning for a mobile life on the road.

Best Little House in Texas

Cody and Randi Hennigan, the couple behind @bestlittlehouseintexas built their mobile home to withstand both summer and winter traveling. They crafted their tiny house atop a trailer and have road-tripped it across the United States and Canada.

A post shared by Cody & Randi Hennigan (@bestlittlehouseintexas) on Nov 9, 2017 at 8:53am PST

Their setup allows the couple to situate their home in a semi-permanent fashion, complete with a porch and steps out front, but it’s trailer-bound build allows for relocation whenever necessary.

A post shared by Cody & Randi Hennigan (@bestlittlehouseintexas) on Apr 21, 2017 at 10:53am PDT

Tiny House Giant Journey

Jenna from @tinyhousegiantjourney is somewhat of a legend in the tiny house movement, and her story is inspirational on a number of levels — primarily because she up and did what we all want to do: quit our job to travel the world.

A post shared by Jenna

Epic treks in Patagonia

Most backpackers to Patagonia these days are going to take on the W Trek in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park and visit Mount Fitz Roy and the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina’s Los Glaciares. These are certainly stunning locations, but with all that interest comes oversaturation. These two parks now attract hundreds of thousands of annual visitors who crowd the trails and campsites, especially from December to March, and make these wilderness destinations feel more like packed amusement parks than secluded escapes into nature.

Patagonia, a vast region covering over 400,000 square miles in southern Chile and Argentina, has far more to offer travelers who want to see the sights without the hordes. With forests, glaciers, mountainous valleys, fjords, rivers, lakes, and pampas (plains), Patagonia is full of pristine landscapes to explore on foot. So if you’re looking for a hike or trek that showcases the best of Patagonia away from the crowds of Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares, these four awesome treks fit the bill.

1. Cerro Castillo

Photo: aaabbbccc/Shutterstock

If you’re a fan of the “base of the Torres” hike in Torres del Paine, this hike to Cerro Castillo will be right up your alley. This national park’s eponymous mountain is called Castillo, ‘castle’ in Spanish, because of its battlement-like spires, which are similar to those at Torres del Paine. It also has its own glacier and aquamarine glacial lake.

Located about 80 kilometers from the provincial capital of Coyhaique in Aysén, Chile, Cerro Castillo has the jagged peaks, glaciers, forests, rivers, and rugged nature you’ll find in Patagonia’s more famous spots, but without the crowds. The day hike to the viewpoint of the mountain and Laguna Cerro Castillo starts from the small town of Villa Cerro Castillo and takes about eight hours there and back.

Hikers looking for more of a challenge can opt for a four-day trek that starts from Horquetas Grandes on the other side of the park and covers roughly 30 miles of rugged terrain that is home to lenga forests, mountains, and glaciers. Wildlife you might spot include huemules, the tiny and elusive deer species that appears on the Chilean coat of arms, and guanacos, llamas’ wild cousins. You might also spot a condor flying overhead.

Since the interior of the park is relatively undeveloped, the only accommodations on the trek are rudimentary campsites. Unless you have extensive backcountry experience, you should go with a guide. However, you can do the day hike on your own. If you don’t have multiple days to spend here, it’s still a great way to see the best that the region has to offer.

2. Cochamo Valley

Photo: flocu/Shutterstock

Cochamo Valley is known as the Yosemite of Chile. Rock climbers scale its dome granite mountains, which frame a valley filled with old-growth forests, turquoise rivers, cascading waterfalls, and lush meadows. You enter the U-shaped valley on a four-to-six-hour, six-mile hike to the valley center. There you have the option to either stay in a refugio, a kind of rustic lodge, at Refugio Cochamo, or camp at La Junta Campsite. Both sites have basic amenities like bathrooms and showers, but if you need Internet and electricity, opt for the refugio.

From there, day hikes ranging in difficulty from easy to hard take you to different areas of the valley, and most can be done without a guide. The best-known hike, Cerro Arcoiris, is a five-hour endeavor that takes you up through the forest, past 3,000-year-old alerce trees, the oldest and tallest trees on the continent, to a lookout with jaw-dropping views of the entire valley. The valley is also prized by trout fisherman and horseback riders, and its large meadows once made it a regular stop for cattlemen back in the day. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid drove their own herd through here.

The best time to visit is during the summer months of November to March, and we recommend bringing all your own equipment and food since the valley has no vehicle access. Most people choose to stay several days – between their hikes in and out of the valley – to go on various day hikes, enjoy the solitude, and look for wildlife. Pumas are around, but spotting them is rare. Condors, Darwin’s frogs, boar, and pudus, the world’s smallest deer, are some of the animals you’re more likely to see.

3. Dientes de Navarino

Photo: Michal Knitl/Shutterstock

Known as the southernmost trek in the world, this 33-mile journey leads adventurers into the heart of the Dientes Massif on Navarino Island in Tierra del Fuego. This strenuous trek starts in the town of Puerto Williams and winds in a circular pattern into the interior of the island, crossing rocky valleys, virgin forests, rivers, peat bogs, and high mountain passes. Depending on hiking speed, it takes between four to five days to complete, finishing at its origin point.

Named after the jagged, tooth-like peaks of the Dientes mountains — Dientes means “teeth” in Spanish — the route is famous for its isolation and ruggedness; aside from trail markers and cairns, there are almost no signs of civilization. This journey is for backpackers who enjoy roughing it, since you must bring everything along with you, from camping equipment to food. You can complete it without a guide, but don’t even consider that unless you’ve got years of experience hiking and camping in the backcountry. High winds, rain, and cold weather can be a major issue, even during the high season months of December through March. If you have the stamina and fortitude for long days of rough hiking in unpredictable weather, the views and unspoiled wilderness are worth it.

From the trek’s summit in Virginia Pass, you can see the towns of Puerto Williams in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina, as well as the Beagle Channel, the fjords, islands, and mountains of Tierra del Fuego, and the legendary Cape Horn. But also be sure to get your head out of the clouds to look to the ground: Navarino Island is famous for its “miniature forests” of mosses, liverworts, and lichens, some of which can’t be found anywhere else on Earth.

4. Villa O’Higgins to El Chalten

Photo: aaabbbccc/Shutterstock

In the canon of Patagonian treks, this 12-mile, two-to-three-day journey that crosses the border from Chile to Argentina is one of the least known. Starting at the end of the Carretera Austral, the Southern Highway, at the end of Chile’s Aysen Region, you take a boat past the O’Higgins Glacier to the Candelario Mansilla Farm. There you can spend the night and get your passport stamped at their national border post, the most remote one in Chile, before continuing on. You’ll then pass through forests and mountains between Chile and Argentina — unclear which country you are in — until you see a sign welcoming you to Argentina. There you can also catch a view of the famous Mount Fitz Roy, from its less-often-seen backside.

Here, you can either take a boat across Lago de Desierto or walk an additional 9 miles around the lake to the road, where you can catch a bus to the town of El Chalten. The hike is relatively easy throughout, with clear markers, so you don’t need a guide. That said, the only accommodation along the way is the guesthouse and campsite at Candelario Mansilla, so if you plan on taking your time with the hike, bring camping equipment as well as food, water, and other wilderness supplies.

More like this: 18+ mindblowing outdoor adventures in Patagonia

The post 4 awesome Patagonian treks that aren’t in Torres del Paine or Los Glaciares appeared first on Matador Network.

Old herbal rememedies making comback

With the desire for natural remedies and holistic forms of medicine on the rise, the plant-based healthcare of the Middle Ages has seen a revival. If you find yourself gravitating away from traditional prescription medications and towards more organic treatments, you might want to consult this 1,000-year-old manual of plant pharmacology from the British Library’s collection. Luckily, it’s just been digitized for easy viewing.

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Amazing Russian Churches

Yes, the Sistine Chapel and the Sacré Coeur are impressive pieces of architecture, but, like most Catholic churches, their exterior tend to be sober and austere, lacking the color and the tiny bit of fun that could make walking in a little more tempting. Eastern Orthodox churches don’t have that problem — they tend to be brightly painted, and the “onion domes” that top them make them look straight out of Candy Landy. The most iconic Russian Orthodox church is St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, but it’s far from the only merry-looking church worth visiting in Russia. Here are seven of the coolest-looking Russian churches you should definitely seek out.

1. Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, St. Petersburg

Photo: Dance60/Shutterstock

The Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is not visitors’ first choice when in St. Petersburg (that should undubitatively be the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated), but it’s definitely the most beautiful one in town.

Built in 1780 and restored in 1946 after being damaged during the 872-day siege of the city by the Finns and the Germans during WWII, the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, also called Chesme Church, is painted in pink and white vertical stripes, giving it a candy cane look. The vertical stripes and the pointed spires on its towers give the small church the illusion of soaring heights.

2. Church of the Transfiguration, Kizhi Island

Photo: jejim/Shutterstock

This church does not have the colorful appeal of other Eastern Orthodox churches; in fact, its wood construction and lack of color give it a bit of a creepy look. That said, the Church of the Transfiguration, located on Kizhi Island is still a stunner. The many roofs and bulbs (twenty-two of them), as well as the shapes and the height of this church ( it is 37-meter high), make it instantly appealing.

There are two 18th-century wooden churches on Kizhi island (the Church of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Intercession), as well as an octagonal (also wooden) bell tower, and all three are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The churches of Kizhi Island were originally built in the 16th century but were destroyed by lightning and rebuilt in the 18th century.

3. Church of the Holy Igor of Chernigov, Peredelkino, Moscow

Photo: Galina Savina/Shutterstock

Once again, the Church of the Holy Igor of Chernigov is not at the top of the list of those visiting Moscow — the church that tourists flock to is the gorgeous St. Basil’s Cathedral — but it is definitely worth checking out.

You’ll have to go look for the Church of the Holy Igor of Chernigov because you won’t stumble upon it while strolling around the Red Square — Peredelkino is a district of Moscow about twenty-five kilometers away from the city center.

The Church of the Holy Igor of Chernigov is a very recent construction (it was completed in 2012), but it does not take away from its beautiful architecture. This large church (it can accommodate twelve hundred people) is topped with ten onion domes, themselves topped with golden crosses. Each dome is different and they are all incredibly colorful. Inside, the walls are curved to give the impressions that visitors are inside a huge version of one of these domes.

4. Church of Our Lady of Kazan, Irkutsk

Photo: Narongsak Nagadhana/Shutterstock

Despite its remote location, the city of Irkutsk, located on the shore of Lake Baikal in Siberia, hosts one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox churches there is. The Church of Our Lady of Kazan, also called “Red Church” by the locals opened on Easter 1892 after seven years of construction. This church was built in the Neo-Byzantine style and was renovated from 1990 to 2012.

Those who plan on traveling on the Trans-Siberian train all the way to Irkutsk or beyond should take the time to check out this uniquely colorful church.

5. Stroganov Church, Nizhny Novgorod

Photo: LeniKovaleva/Shutterstock

The Stroganov Church, also called the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, was started in the late 17th century, but because several fires, it was only completed in the late 18th century thanks to funds donated by the Stroganov family, patrons of Russian art.

The church is bright red and topped with five ornate domes. Reminiscent of the domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, they are very colorful and mosaic-like. Even though the domes are the most eye-catching elements of the Stroganov Church, its walls and windows are also highly decorated in a Strogonov baroque style.

6. The Cathedral of the Assumption, Omsk

Photo: YURY TARANIK/Shutterstock

The Cathedral of the Assumption in Omsk (a city close to the border between Russia and Kazakhstan) was completed in 1898 after seven years of construction. It got destroyed by the Bolsheviks during the Soviet era, but was entirely rebuilt after the collapse of the USSR and reopened in 2007. According to Lonely Planet, there used to be a statue of Lenin close by, but it was removed in the early 2000s because religious officials did not want a representation of a communist and an atheist anywhere near this gorgeous church.

The Cathedral of the Assumption, also called the Dormition Cathedral, is a white and red building topped with five domes; four of them turquoise and the large, central one, gold.

7. Transfiguration Church, Star City

Photo: SergeyP/Shutterstock

About ten years ago, a new Russian Orthodox church, the Transfiguration Church, was built in Star City. The church is made of wood and is topped with dark-blue domes, creating a beautiful contrast. Despite its apparent simplicity, this church has gorgeous ornate details around its windows.

Star City (Zvyozdny gorodok) is an area close to Moscow where the USSR’s first cosmonaut training center was located. At the time, and until the mid-1990s, the location was kept very secret to keep information regarding space exploration from leaking out of the Soviet Union. Today, the training facility is called The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and is not a secret any longer, but it is still the place of residence and training of many cosmonauts.


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