Matador Network's Blog, page 1442
November 29, 2017
A love letter to Egypt
People told me not to go. My own mother told me not to go. But I had the chance and the seven-year-old in me — the seven-year-old who loved pyramids and tombs and plagues and pharaohs and the rise and fall of one of the greatest kingdoms on Earth — said “we must.” So, I went to Egypt.
But I get people’s reservations: the uprising of 2011, the riots of 2014, again in 2017, and this week’s horrific bombing of a Sufi mosque that left 300 dead and injured over 100. Not only is this attack the worst in modern Egyptian times, but they are dealing with the ongoing issues with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who gained power by military coup in 2013, who seems to be going after the rights of women, the LGBT, and more.
Each time Egypt hits the news I feel this pang in my chest, because I know it means fewer tourists, less income from those relying on tourism, and more fear. Worst of all, it means the radiant people I met in Egypt are suffering. I spent a week in Cairo, that’s all. But that’s all it took for me to fall in love. 
1
Egypt, you engulfed me. Your streets and people were like a warm blanket.
I never felt unsafe with you. Even in the chaos of the city, I only felt welcomed, if not uplifted, like some kind of honored guest. The honor was mine.
2
Your scale was grander than I'd ever imagined; pyramids towered into the sky and tombs burrowed below.
I'd imagined the pyramids since my childhood. I'd run my fingers across the pages of Nat Geo Kids and fell asleep reading about King Tut. Yet, I felt unprepared for the sheer size of the history here.
3
Adventure was thick. You could taste it in the air.
When this is out your window, the energy is electric.
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4
Egypt, your people took me in.
Come for tea, they said. Come for dinner. Come, meet my children. Come, have a seat. Come.
5
I didn't know the language, I didn't know the people, but I never felt alone.
I'll admit there were a few frustrating moments of unwanted attention. While I didn't necessarily feel unsafe, it helped that each time some locals would step up alongside me, immediately and without hesitation, shaming the little boys who touched my backside and giggled or scolding the cat-calling men.
6
Your streets were thumping with life. Everything was on the move.
As if the streets were arteries and the people were the blood, everything was pumping and funneling to another part of the city.
7
Your markets were flooded with color.
Deepest greens, firey reds, ripe purples.
8
Your food was lush, and rich with flavor.
Everything was plump, ready, fresh: baskets of produce brimming over; the scent of freshly roasted coffee wafting the air; hummus sent from heaven, bread straight from the brick oven. I ate my way through the journey and rightly so.
9
Egypt, I ached for your antiques.
Your history was not just pharaohs long ago but remnants of the last 100 years, too. Everywhere had touches of the 20s, the 30s, the 40s. A living museum, as we walked.
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10
Your doorways were always full. Life happened outside, in the streets, bubbling over.
Salam! Welcome to Egypt! A refrain around every corner.
11
Your colors and textures are burned into my memory.
Cyans, magentas, rust orange. I see them in my sleep.
12
Around each corner was another perfect scene.
People, shisha, texture, smoke, life. A photographer's dream.
13
You never stopped surprising me.
For where else could I have found a smiling old man, with his pet owl, taking his afternoon shisha?
14
Egypt, I still taste the peppermint.
It permeated the days: for breakfast, for lunch, before a meal, after a meal. Sweet mint tea marked the passing of the day.
15
Egypt, your sunsets were unparalleled.
The haze turned to pink fire each night.
16
And after dark, you lit up again.
Twinkling lights and lanterns, the glow of hookah bars, the mosques blazing orange like a beacon.
17
The pyramids never ceased to amaze.
Day after day, they only grew more amazing to see, to touch, to watch. At night, when I couldn't sleep, I'd stand on the rooftop deck and stare into the abyss, knowing they were out there.
18
And the mystery of them returned home with me.
No matter how much I learned, all the plaques and guides in the world couldn't undo the weight of mystery I felt standing there.
19
Egypt, I miss you. You are so much more than I expected. I hope you get well soon.
More like this: WATCH: 48 hours in Egypt
Mt. Agung's 2017 volcanic eruption
Indonesia’s Mt. Agung continues to spew ash more than two miles into the sky, forcing thousands around the island of Bali to flee. Unfortunately, the amount of particles being emitted into the atmosphere has also shut down the local airport until at least Wednesday, trapping some 60,000 area residents and as many as 59,000 tourists.
A post shared by Michael Tetro (@tetro.m) on Nov 28, 2017 at 8:23am PST
At the moment, the eruption is relatively small, but it is hard to say whether it will stay that way. On Monday, the Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority raised the alert to its highest level and announced a 6-mile radius evacuation zone. There is a strong chance that lava in the mountain’s crater will overflow, and observers have warned people in the area to watch out for mudflows of pyroclastic material and water coming down the mountain.
Photo: BBC
As the region has experienced hundreds of earthquakes since August, residents around Mt. Agung were not entirely unprepared. By last week, around 40,000 residents had already evacuated, but the vacations of thousands of tourists have been extended for a decidedly undesirable reason. They could be stuck in Bali for weeks.
A post shared by JAY ॐ (@iinjayanthi) on Nov 27, 2017 at 3:45pm PST
Some are making light of the situation in order to stay calm. Tech company CEO Michael Josh told NBC News, “Bali isn’t the worst place in the world to get stuck. It’s kind of an extended holiday for me.”
As an active volcano on the Ring of Fire, Mt. Agung has a long recorded history of eruptions stretching back to 1843. The last time the 10,000 foot mountain erupted was in 1963, and it caused the deaths of more than 1,100 people.
The future economy of Bali also stands to suffer a great deal if the eruption worsens, as it is a tourist hotspot that draws millions of visitors every year thanks to its unique Hindu culture, lush landscape, and serene beaches.
Some scientists have said that this eruption could have a temporary worldwide cooling impact on climate.
As Mt. Agung spits ash into the air, it is also emitting massive amounts of different gasses, including carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. If enough sulfur dioxide reaches the stratosphere (which is around 12 miles above the Earth this close to the equator), it has the potential to mix with water and freeze into droplets. These droplets can stay in the atmosphere for several years and block significant amounts of sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface, causing the global temperature to drop.
While not every volcanic eruption has a global cooling effect (including the Mt. St. Helen’s eruption in 1983), Mt. Agung caused a significant worldwide temperature drop back in 1963. Even so, everything, at least at this moment, remains uncertain.
A post shared by The way of Bali (@thebalinesia) on Nov 28, 2017 at 7:05pm PST
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Villa on the Rocks in Bandol, France
Villa on the Rocks is located in Bandol, a seaside town in the Provence region in southeastern France. This “provencial” villa is anything but. Designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti, who also designed MuCEM in Marseille, it’s a modern home most famous for its spectacular (and unique) 28-meter aquarium pool with transparent walls that look into the lower floor of the house. The light refracted through the water makes an impression on the lower level, infiltrating the space with aquatic hues and watery whirls.
The home extends over three levels and weaves through outdoor terraces, open corridors, multiple living levels, and individual rooms. The designer mid-century modern furniture is vintage, and the gardens are masterfully manicured. But you’ll probably be spending most of your time in the pool which looks out over the ocean, valley, and 5,000 square meters of gardens.
Right now it’s for rent on AirBnb, but if you’ve got around 2.5 million euros to spend, the villa could be yours for good.
How to get there
The villa is located in Bandol, a small seaside town in The Var—a department in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region in Provence (southeastern France). It’s easily accessible from the larger cities of Marseille or Nice by train or car rental. The only way to see Villa on the Rocks is to rent it on Airbnb.
What to consider
At the time of publication, the villa rents for ~$700/ night.
It accommodates up to 10 guests (6 adults and 4 children).
There’s a 2-night minimum stay, but you can rent it out for longer periods as well.
The home is about 400 square meters and has a very open floor plan (some of the rooms are not so much rooms with doors as they are interpreted separate spaces).
Bandol has beautiful beaches that are less crowded than its more famous neighbors like Saint Tropez.
The vineyards are world class, and some of the best in France.
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New Zealand is home when...
So many visitors associate New Zealand with Peter Jackson and Mt. Doom, but for those looking to stay for the long haul, there’s more than tours of Hobbiton and references to Bret and Jemaine. As a country with some of the greatest variety of ecosystems in such a small area, New Zealand isn’t very densely populated, but still provides a number of ways to let residents know who’s made it their home.
1. Maori greetings and simple phrases come as naturally as “hello” and “goodbye.”
2. People keep complimenting your blonde hair… you were a brunette last month.
3. You’ve climbed and/or jumped off of everything the eye can see.
4. You know people aren’t complimenting your sweet ass, but just expressing their contentment… it is pretty sweet, though.
5. Lamb is a staple of your diet.
6. You invest in White Island tours. Sure, it’ll probably explode, but what a view until then.
7. You’re the one explaining to tourists that sand can actually be black.
8. You’ve shared a few beers with more than one All Blacks player.
9. You would never think of answering your phone while driving.
10. You start thinking of magpies, or any bird for that matter, as vermin.
11. You always check the label on any bottle or product, just in case you need a laugh.
12. You’ve dated an actor or actress in an Air New Zealand safety video.
13. You can actually say the name of that hill in Hawkes Bay.
14. You just laugh when others complain about mozzies… they will never know the horrors of avoiding sandflies.
15. Instead of cranking up the central heating in winter, you know to stockpile tinder… but expect to freeze anyway.
16. You understand “how’s it going?” is more than just a banal platitude. People actually want you to answer.
17. Lawn bowls is a regular part of your schedule.
18. You’re convinced there’s still a moa somewhere on the North Island.
19. You don’t care about the words to God Save New Zealand, not when everyone just associates the country with the haka.
20. You’re actually sick of Lord of the Rings and Flight of the Conchords references.
21. You know when it’s time to have a cuppa.
22. No animal scares you… except white-tailed spiders.
23. You spell it Whanganui but still pronounce it correctly.
24. You’ve read a story about flax above the fold of a major newspaper.
25. It takes you 17 hours, 42 minutes, and 6 seconds to upload something to YouTube… but no worries in exchange for everything else NZ has to offer.
More like this: British English vs. Kiwinglish: adapting to your destination without losing your identity
November 28, 2017
British traditions for the Olympics
In Great Britain, you don’t shot put, you wang Wellies. Or at least that’s what this infographic, put together by HolidayCottages.co.uk, suggests. Below is a list of some downright bizarre (eating stinging nettles?) traditions and games and where you can find them on the island. After a quick look over, we think you will agree: it is time for us to organize the Great British Olympics!
1. Waen Rhydd Peat Bog, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Swimming in a bog… competitively?
2. Five Oaks, West Sussex
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Racing lawn mowers has pretty broad appeal.
3. Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester
Photo: Holiday Cottages
In which competitors knock stacks of pastries off a ledge with blood sausage.
4. St Ives, Cornwall
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Having an entire town of teenage boys fight over a chunk of silver sounds like the surest way to break everything.
5. Inveraray, Argyll and Bute
Photo: Holiday Cottages
It’s sort of like tossing a massive javelin, but you get to wear a kilt.
6. Upperthong, West Yorkshire
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Damn right it’s time to consider chucking rain boots haphazardly across a field a sport.
7. Olympia, London
Photo: Holiday Cottages
It’s like normal horse racing, except everything is tiny and adorable!
8. Swaton, Lincolnshire
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Gently tossing an egg to your friend sounds like a wonderful way to spend a weekend afternoon. I’m in!
9. Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Because running between pubs with a sack of wool used to be a sure way to impress a lady.
10. Peterlee, County Durham
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Using a hardboiled egg to break someone else’s hardboiled egg is such an endearing competitive sport that I almost cried watching the 2013 finals.
11. Marshwood, Dorset
Photo: Holiday Cottages
It’s like the Coney Island hot dog contest except competitors are just straight-up eating stinging nettles. So, you know, totally insane.
12. Fenny Bentley, Derbyshire
Photo: Holiday Cottages
Just taking footsie to a whole new absurd, borderline Salvador Dali surrealist level.
You absolutely rock, Great Britain.
More like this: Watch: 4 unusual sports and why they need to be in the Olympics
Guide to the best Hawaiian honeymoon
Overview
With white sand beaches, turquoise waters, gorgeous coastlines, and lush green jungles, Hawai’i is one of the world’s most beautiful destinations. This naturally also makes it one of the world’s most romantic spots and therefore it’s a no-brainer that the Hawaiian Islands are a top choice for many honeymooners. Here are some of the best islands for honeymooners to check out, as well as some suggestions of the most romantic things to do while in Hawai’i:
Maui
Photo: Luca Bravo
The island of Maui is the vision of Hawai’i that most visitors have in their heads: no busy cities, vast open spaces, top luxury resorts, and of course, plenty of secluded beaches. Its laidback island vibe is perfect for getting in plenty of R&R after the wedding planning is finally over.
Top romantic things to do on Maui:
Photo: Eric Ward
Watch the sunset while eating an oceanfront dinner in old Lahaina town.
Spend a day driving the Road to
The coldest places you should visit
While most folks seek out warmer weather when they go traveling, others see sub-freezing temperatures and desolate landscapes as a challenge. Sure, there are winter resorts in central California, but how cool would it be to ski across the frozen tundra of northern Sweden, or to camp out underneath the Aurora Borealis in northern Canada?
That being said, a lot of the coldest places on Earth are inaccessible (either due to physical or legal restrictions), so below is a list of some of the coldest places on Earth that are absolutely worth a visit. They have been picked based on their unique location and/or the activities available to visitors.
1. Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, Iceland
10 things Alaskans don’t blink an eye at
Alaskan drivers are accustomed to sharing the road with the occasional caribou, bison, wolf, or pair of sandhill cranes… and of course, there are the moose. They always have the right of way, so anywhere they’re particularly prone to meandering across the highway, we’ll be sure to post appropriate signage. (And you thought those “moose crossing” signs you can buy at tourist traps were a joke.)
2. Cracked windshields.
Alaska’s roads kick up all manner of gravel and debris, and no vehicle is spared. That’s why in Alaska, beater trucks and recent model SUVs alike shamelessly sport windshield chips. There’s no point in fixing them — the roads are a minefield, and they’ll inevitably be cracked again within a couple months. So instead we wear them like a badge of honor and insist they give our vehicles just a little extra character.
3. Skirts paired with XtraTufs.
While there’s a survey that claims Alaskans are the worst dressed of any Americans, we believe our fashion sense is just misunderstood. Our style may be offbeat, but it reflects our northern lifestyle and our working-class pride. Casual attire reigns and even our beloved XtraTufs can function as day or night-wear. We spend the afternoon fishing in them, then pair them with a skirt, leggings, and puffy vest for a cozy-yet-chic look while we hit the bars. Throw on some Smart Wools for extra insulation.
4. Buildings on the road.
In the summer, the highway is crowded with RVs, boats, and massive trailers hauling off-road vehicles. Alongside all these, it’s not uncommon to see the occasional small house or building fragment being towed down the road. They’re most commonly seen fixed up with some oversized tape or split in half between two vehicles for efficiency’s sake.
5. All the jaw-dropping views.
We’re so flush with incredible views that at times, we fail to appreciate them. Whether we’re at home or traveling, every corner of the state feels plucked from an outdoor catalog — lush forests, calving glaciers, volcanic mountain ranges, and wildflower fields abound. We become desensitized, and the full splendor of it all barely registers until we leave and come back, or are confronted with a scene too breathtaking to ignore.
6. Driving in blizzard conditions.
Every Alaskan has been caught off guard by a snowstorm at some point in their winter driving career. We may have been deceived by the weather report or just decided to chance it, but we’ve all had to power through freezing winds and blinding flurries to reach our destination. Rather than panic, we slow way down, blast our windshield wipers, and pray to the road gods for extra protection.
7. Small plane rides.
Commercial jets get us in and out of Anchorage, but once flying within the state, our aircrafts get quite a bit smaller. Whether the ride is a fixed-wheel or float plane, we’re used being crammed alongside four to nineteen other passengers, and we rarely tense us when the ride gets bumpy. Instead, we sit back, enjoy the views, and have fun identifying our favorite landmarks.
8. Taxidermy decor.
The signs of our hunting and fishing obsession become evident upon landing at Ted Steven’s International. Visitors are welcomed with stuffed polar bears, grizzlies, Dall sheep, and another assorted Alaskan taxidermy. It won’t stop as your travels continue — plastering our walls with dead animals is considered a fashionable way to decorate restaurants, tourist depots, medical offices, and of course, our garages and living rooms. Our favorite variations include moose antlers (with or without the head attached), trophy salmon, whale’s tails, king crab, and grizzly or black bear pelts.
9. Bald eagle gatherings.
While they can be a rare sight in the rest of America, Alaska has more bald eagles per capita than any other state. Here they fish, they congregate, they build nests just off of highways, they soar majestically across the open sky… and just like in The Proposal, they occasionally make off with a small critter. At least one Fish and Wildlife employee has reported finding a cat collar in a bald eagle’s nest, and small dog owners keep an extra-close eye on their furry friends when they let them outside to do their business.
10. Sharing our fishing grounds.
We can get territorial about our favorite summer fishing spots, but we’re often forced to share, and not just with other outdoorsmen. We don’t get surprised to see a bear or two fishing across the river from us. We know we’re not the only species that subsists off of the salmon run, and as long as we keep our distance, we know we’ll be just fine.
More like this: 9 incredible winter adventures to have in Valdez, Alaska
International Chalk Festival
I just happened to be in Florida with my wife visiting her dad (he’s a Canadian snowbird) when we heard about this festival. After seeing images of 3D chalk art on the internet it’s always been something I’ve wanted to see in person, so I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. The International Chalk Festival is an annual event in its 11th year. In 2010, when it was still held in nearby Sarasota, it became the US’s first international street painting festival. It moved to Venice in 2014.
Today, the festival attracts over 200 artists from around the world, from top-tier professionals to amateur hobbyists. Each year is a different theme and this year it was “Evanescent: The art may be fleeting but the memories will last a lifetime.” It was interesting looking at the dozens of pieces and seeing how each artist/team interpreted the theme. The artists are actually creating their pieces during the four-day festival, so you can literally watch them progress as the days go on. While the 3D art tends to be the most crowd-pleasing (you can pose in the art for some fantastic illusions), all of it is beautiful (see photos below).
Need-to-know
2018’s festival is happening November 9-12. The theme will be “Garden of Wonders: A tribute to the marvels of the natural world and the human imagination.” Tickets are $25 per adult for the full 4-day unlimited pass (children under 12 are free). Day passes go like this:
Friday
$5 admission
ONLY Veterans, active service members, and students are FREE
Saturday
$10 Adult
$5 Student
Sunday
$15 Adult
$10 Student
Monday
$10 Adult
$5 Student
Besides the chalk art, there is live music, a large covered seating area, food trucks, drinks (of the alcoholic variety as well), and vendors selling crafts and other products. There are NO PETS ALLOWED, so leave the furballs at home. The festival is a 501c3 non-profit and all proceeds go to the costs of putting the festival on and supporting the artists.
1
Trapped in a jar
This was my fave shot of the day, just managed to capture it right and make it look like she's really in there!
2
Italian artist
There was a big contingency from Italy at the festival.
3
Tom Petty
Gone but not forgotten.
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4
Looking down into the canyon
5
Self-portrait
This was really clever.
6
Malala
Female education activist Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan and Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
7
Biblical
8
Excavation
If you look closely in the art you'll see someone you might recognize.
9
Progress
Being able to watch the artists actually creating their pieces was special.
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10
The right view
Some of the 3D art had special lenses set up so you could get the best illusion. Seeing it with the naked eye didn't do it justice, you needed to look through a camera lens.
11
3D art
12
Details
Amazing what you can do with some chalk...and some talent.
13
Hovering
I love how this looks like it's hovering above the ground.
14
Skeleton crew
15
Super (old) man
You can see with the outlines that much of the art when I visited was not quite completed yet.
Montreal in the winter
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