Matador Network's Blog, page 2066
August 22, 2015
20 things travelers do in their 20s
Maybe it’s the guy they sat next to on the train, or the girl they stumbled on at a hostel party. They’ll travel together a bit, share everything, and then within two years will have forgotten each other’s names.
2. Stay in shared hostel rooms
“How could we afford not to?”
3. Have sex in shared hostel rooms
And totally think that no one noticed.
4. Fall in love with a place
And not in a hyperbolic “Oh, I love pita chips!” sense, but in a legitimate, deeply felt, heartache-y, head-over-heels, totally-in-love sense.
5. Bore the shit out of friends at home talking about their travels
Every sentence starts with, “Well, when I was in India…”
6. Overestimate how much they can do in a day
No, you probably shouldn’t walk 20 miles. No, you probably can’t see all of Paris in a day. No, there’s not enough time between those two flights for you to go ziplining.
7. Get a little too adventurous with street food
And pay for it dearly the next day.
8. Learn a single word in a language they’re spending weeks immersed in
And that word is inevitably “beer.”
9. Participate in the Tourist vs. Traveler debate
“Of course I’m a traveler and not a tourist,” they’ll say, sipping their Señor Frog’s margarita.
10. Puke at at least one internationally famous site
Your 20s is an era where hangovers don’t yet have the power to keep you in bed all day. I’ve personally puked on South Africa’s Table Mountain, and I have friends who have puked at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, the United States Supreme Court, and Beijing’s Forbidden City.
11. Work a horrible job with the sole purpose of saving for travel
And then quit in an excessively flamboyant manner when they’ve finally saved enough.
12. Learn to skimp on such non-essentials as food and clothing in order to save for travel expenses
Also, gain an otherworldly ability to convince their parents that they’ll only be home “for a month or two.”
13. Get robbed, scammed, pickpocketed, or mugged abroad by being too irresistible of a target
And, in retrospect, be a little upset about the money/camera/passport lost, but mostly psyched about the amazing story they got out of it.
14. Post at least one horribly cliched quote in their Facebook profile
“Not all who wander are lost,” is a popular one, or the Mark Twain bit about throwing off the bowlines and sailing away from safe harbor.
15. Ask at least one foreigner a horribly cliched question about where they’re from
To Australians: “Have you ever eaten a Kangaroo?”
To Brits: “Do you know Prince William?”
To Kazakhs: “So what did you think of Borat?”
16. Take at least one horribly cliched self-portrait at a famous site
Oh look, you’re kissing the Sphinx! Oh look, you and all your friends are jumping at the same time at the Taj Mahal! Oh look, you turned the Eiffel Tower into your dick!
17. Plan at least one incredibly expensive trip around the massive party they plan on attending while there
It might be Carnaval in Rio, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, or Oktoberfest in Munich: they could save hundreds of dollars by going at another time of year, but that’s not the point, dammit!
18. Go an unreasonably long time without bathing
And be proud of it.
19. Take the longest, most roundabout way possible of getting somewhere in the name of saving an almost negligible amount of money
I once took a bus from Cincinnati to Chicago, slept on the floor of O’Hare Airport, flew to Atlanta for a four-hour layover, then flew to Guatemala, where I caught a six-hour bus to San Salvador. It took 36 hours. I could’ve just flown direct and been there in seven hours, but that cost, like, $100 more.
20. Refuse to admit they’re kinda sorta happy to come back home
Their Facebook posts about how they “can’t wait to leave again for another round of travel!” belie the fact that they’re kinda loving having access to their XBox and a pizza-delivery service.
Photo: Étienne Ljóni Poisson 
never travel to Chiapas
1. What’s so special about Chiapas? The scenery is so average.
#cañondelsumidero #chiapas #mexico
A photo posted by Bibi Fuertes (@bibi_fuertes) on Aug 8, 2015 at 3:39pm PDT
2. Your skin can’t handle the clear blue waters of Agua Azul.
A photo posted by Rapius (@paris_by_rapius) on Aug 7, 2014 at 9:31pm PDT
3. You’re scared of visiting San Cristobal de las Casas as you know you’ll never want to leave.
A photo posted by Laphirax Helminen (@laphirax) on Aug 16, 2015 at 9:03pm PDT
4. Meeting descendants of the maya people doesn’t interest you in the slightest.
A photo posted by Llénate De Chiapas (@llenatedechiapas) on Aug 7, 2015 at 10:12am PDT
5. The insects clearly have artificial coloring in them.
#lacandon #chiapas #bonampak #salva #mexico
A photo posted by Rapius (@paris_by_rapius) on Aug 7, 2014 at 9:27pm PDT
6. The urban art scene is just non existent.
A photo posted by Rapius (@paris_by_rapius) on Aug 1, 2014 at 5:18pm PDT
7. Pink organic beans don’t actually exist. This isn’t Jack and the Beanstalk.
#frijol #tierno #chiapas #sancristobaldelascasas
A photo posted by Kuni Gourmet (@kunigourmet) on Aug 8, 2015 at 1:52pm PDT
8. Hand crafted fabrics? You only buy machine-made fabrics that are 100% identical.
#cooperativa #mujeres de la #luna #zinacatan #chiapas
A video posted by Kuni Gourmet (@kunigourmet) on Aug 7, 2015 at 6:07pm PDT
9. The people of Chiapas are way too friendly for your liking.
#Mexico #Chiapas #sancristobaldelascasas
A photo posted by Ale de Ita (@ale_deita) on Aug 7, 2015 at 12:08pm PDT
10. They say that el lago de montebello is a paradise but how’s that possible if it’s not a beach?
A photo posted by Christian Villavicencio (@christian_hofstadter) on Dec 28, 2014 at 8:12pm PST
11. You’ll waste your entire trip trying the local cuisine at wonderful restaurants like Típica.
A photo posted by Restaurantetipica (@restaurante.tipica) on Dec 5, 2014 at 12:50pm PST
12. Waterfalls called clouds? Clearly a myth!
Foto aérea de la cascada Las Nubes en el río Santo Domingo, Chiapas.
Team America: Why only the US can save the world’s heritage sites
Photo: U.S. Army
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts — This summer has been a time of reflection for cultural heritage sites around the world.
The 70th anniversary of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima carried a sidebar reporting how Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, in his own modest gesture, spared Kyoto, with its ancient temples and shrines, as a target city.
At the same time, the confirmed death of Taliban leader Mullah Omar reminded us that, in 2001, he ordered his fighters to dynamite the giant Buddha heads carved into the rock of Banyan in central Afghanistan.
Just this week came the news that archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, guardian of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, had been killed by the Islamic State.
Destruction of sacred and historical sites has become commonplace. In June, Islamic State fighters destroyed two Muslim shrines at Palmyra and laid mines around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which dates back 2,000 years. This radical group also smashed statues in Iraq’s Mosul Museum and pulverized the ruins of Nineveh.
Saudi pilots laid waste to the historic cityscape of Sanaa in Yemen, and looters pillaged the Iraqi National Museum.
In Nepal, earthquakes in the Kathmandu Valley demolished intricate wooden and masonry buildings at World Heritage temple sites. In the frantic search for survivors in Durbar Square, ancient carved timbers were tossed aside.
Loss of life and the misery inflicted on innocent people are the first concerns in the daily turmoil that grips our world. But the history of civilization is being dismantled in the destruction of cultural heritage sites. These acts have a meaning all their own.
The United States could take the lead in containing the damage and putting the pieces back together.
The model for such action is part of our own history in the US: the Monuments Men, a special army unit of curators, scholars, museum directors and archivists that searched for the art treasurers stashed away by the Nazis. They were part of a rescue operation that advised the Army Air Force not to bomb historic Kyoto in Japan, and tried to redirect Allied bombing raids to avoid German cathedrals.
This same awareness could be imposed on today’s complicated military landscape in the Middle East.
Already in place is the International Council on Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS), a UNESCO-mandated organization that could help our armed forces recruit teams that would include experts in archaeology and art as well as authorities on the broader man-made environment.
These new teams, nimble and opportunistic, could be authorized to take covert actions designed to halt destruction and, where possible, bring in the expertise to rebuild.
The Poles rebuilt old Warsaw after Nazi ideologues leveled the old town near the end of World War II. In Germany, Dresden’s Church of Our Lady, destroyed by Allied bombers, was reconstructed.
The US has spent trillions in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has built highways and airports, but has not invested in restoring the infrastructure of cultural and historical sites that carries deep meaning for societies striving for a more stable future.
For a modest investment, here are some first steps that can be taken:
Draw critical public attention to the problem through traveling exhibits mounted by leading museums and US/ICOMOS that would reveal the depth of the damage to cityscapes and antiquities of the Middle East.
Encourage the US Army to add planners and architects with conservation expertise to teams that already include archeologists and curators.
Mobilize these specialists to train new teams of Monuments Men at threatened sites. Resources like the UNESCO-mandated US/Committee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) are currently reviewing potential world heritage applications, including many from the Middle East.
Send the Monuments Men into the field, perhaps protected by Seal Team Six or the Delta Force, where they can secure key sites or to bring relief to shattered towns.
The destruction of Palmyra has already begun with the demolition of two shrines just outside these irreplaceable ruins. We cannot wait until the Islamic State blows up the Lion God in its craven jihad against idolatry.
The British Government isn’t standing by. A team of “rescue archaeologists” funded by the UK is set to lead efforts to save priceless artifacts throughout Iraq, Syria and Libya.
The protection of irreplaceable historic and cultural remains of early civilizations from armed conflict is no trivial matter. There is no time to waste and much more to lose.
Ronald Lee Fleming, FAICP is secretary of the US Committee of ICOMOS. Anthony Flint is a fellow at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
By Ronald Lee Fleming and Anthony Flint, GlobalPost
This article is syndicated from GlobalPost.
11 differences between a normal friend and an English friend
Photo: greyloch
1.
A normal friend will tell you how they feel in almost any situation.
An English friend will keep all their feelings bottled up until they’re blind drunk and then shout them at you.
2.
A normal friend will give you their honest opinion about something when you ask for it.
An English friend will tell you what you want to hear until they’re three pints in.
3.
A normal friend will give you compliments, be nice and be affectionate when they’re trying to show they like you.
An English friend will call you a dick and punch you on the arm.
4.
When you first meet a normal friend they will ask you questions about yourself in order to get to know you.
When you first meet an English friend, they will stay quiet until something happens that you can both moan about.
5.
A normal friend will bond with you over stories of travel and lovers and taking and receiving advice.
An English friend will bond with you over making stories, becoming your lover and being the reason you need advice after one too many pints of ale.
6.
A normal friend goes on a night out to dance and meet new people.
An English friend goes on a night out to drink too much, say questionable things to strangers and not remember why they woke up with puke in their hair and a bruise on their thigh.
7.
A normal friend will only go to the beach when temperatures reach at least 25C and the sun is shining.
An English friend will go to the beach in any weather, armed with sunblock and a windbreak, all year round.
8.
A normal person will help you solve your problems by listening and giving advice.
An English friend will help you solve your problems by filling you with either tea or beer, depending on the severity of the situation.
9.
A normal friend will greet you with a hug and a kiss.
An English friend will talk about the weather before they ask you how you are.
10.
A normal friend will apologise for walking into you.
An English friend will apologise to you for something you did.
11.
When a normal friend asks you if you’re alright, they’re really asking if you’re OK.
When an English friend asks you if you’re alright, they’re saying hello. 
August 21, 2015
20 signs you're culturally Chilean
Upon arriving in Chile and hearing Chileans speak for the first time, you might come to the conclusion that everything in Chile is tiny. You’ll learn that Chileans use the diminutive form of most nouns just for kicks, and a few select others in the augmentative form.
In Spanish, the diminutive form of a word is made by adding “ito,” “ita,” or “illo” to the end. So you never just drink water, you drink aguita. You don’t just go to sleep, you go to tutito. When you’re hanging out with the guys, you’re with the chiquillos. Even a Great Dane would be aperrito. When you stuff your face with food, you’re called chanchito (little pig). To show people affection, you give them a besito.
2. Your food pyramid is more like a rectangle of carbs.
You have actually had to implement a bread budget for the marraquetas, hallulas, pan amasado, sopaipillas, pan de completo, and pan de molde you eat on a thrice-daily basis.
3. Tacos have lost their appeal to you.
Upon hearing the frequent use of the word “taco,” a newbie to Chile might salivate, don a bib, and stock up on salsa, but as a cultural Chilean you know that “tacos” are, unfortunately, traffic jams…not loaded tortillas.
4. You almost understand the meaning of huevón / weón / aweonado / wea.
This oft-used Chilean slang term has a billion hard-to-pin-down meanings that vary depending on the context and specific pronunciation. Some common usages can mean “dude,” “bro,” “jerk,” “a-hole,” and simply “thing.” You understand a fraction of its usages…and that’s pretty much on par with any true Chilean.
5. You know the difference between the bus and the micro.
The micro is the public city bus; the bus is the inter-city bus. The micro is crowded, run-down, and sometimes unreliable while the buses can be quite luxurious.
6. You’ve been to a fonda.
Fondas are little makeshift restaurants / bars / dance halls set up during Chile’s fiestas patrias (Independence Day celebrations). Each fonda has a theme and some offer up a slice of old school Chilean tradition with cueca, terremotos, and completos while others let you rave with your college friends. There’s even one called the Jane Fonda (spelled Yein Fonda, the Chilean way).
7. You’re immune to street dogs.
In other countries, you fawn over the puppies you pass in the streets and yearn for the slobber of a dog you can call your own, but with Chile’s myriad mangy mutts roaming around in the streets, you’ve sort of overdosed on dogs. (But there are still a select few you fall in love with.)
8. You eat once.
It’s well past lunchtime but not quite dinnertime and your stomach’s a-rumbling. It’s time to indulge in your late afternoon tea-and-something-with-bread snack called once, adapted from and named after the British elevenses.
9. You’ve chosen a fútbol team.
And if you’re in Santiago, relationships are made and broken over whether you root for Colo Colo or Universidad de Chile.
10. You no longer require or expect personal space.
In your native Gringoland, you appreciate a solid arm’s length between you and the person you’re speaking with. In Chile, even strangers talk to you within kissing distance. And let’s not forget that Chileans kiss everybody.
11. You never show up empty-handed.
You know that the proper thing to do when visiting a friend’s house is to bring a small gift.
12. You don’t trust anyone.
Chileans often perceive their country to be much more dangerous than it actually is, and so they feel the need to warn foreigners that “Chileans steal,” and when my Chilean friend got his cell phone stolen from his pocket in Barcelona, he joked with his friends that the culprit was probably Chilean.
13. Avocados are your cure-all.
What Windex is to Greek fathers in popular Hollywood films, avocados are to real life Chileans. They’re not just a versatile food but a skin moisturizer, hair conditioner, and herbal remedy.
14. You go the extra mile for a hot shower.
If you want hot water in Chile, you first have to light a finicky gas appliance called a calefont. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem worth it.
15. You’ve become overly formal.
Chileans are very formal and still use the “usted” form of “you” when addressing elders, strangers, or people of authority. This gesture of respect has been so ingrained in you that you’ve taken to curtsying upon exiting a room.
16. You get defensive about Chilean wine.
You know that Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is some of the best in the world, and you’re ready to defend the underdog against the more internationally recognized Spanish, French, and even Argentinian wines.
17. You hardly understand yourself and no one understands you.
With the abundant — almost exclusive — use of slang, profanities, and idioms, and the rapid and abbreviated pronunciation, the Chilean language is sometimes misunderstood even between Chileans. The fact that no one understands you when you speak is actually a sign you’re adapting to the language.
18. You’ve learned the precise way to say certain Chilean expressions.
Chileans love to elongate certain syllables, and certain expressions are curiously pronounced the exact same way by every Chilean.
For example:
“Puuuuucha. Qué laaaaata. Qué foooome.” “Qué weeeeno” “Weeeena, weon” “Yapo!” “Vamo’ altiro” “Vamo’ pa’lla” “CuÁtico!”
19. You think of Chile as an island.
With the desert to the north, the Andes Mountains to the east, icy Patagonia to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west, you’ve learned that Chile is an island apart from South America with its own unique and diverse language and culture.
20. You think you’re better than Argentina.
And really, you are.
Photo: Javier Andres Castro Flores
17 things to do in Vancouver before you die
Let’s just admit a Vancouver bucket list could go on forever. Isn’t that why it’s great to live here? While it’s ludicrous to pick just a handful of items, we had to start somewhere. Here are 17 things you absolutely have to do in Vancouver before you kick the bucket!
1. Stroll through West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park. Bonus: catch the sunset at the actual lighthouse.
A photo posted by beVancouver (@mustbevancouver) on Aug 18, 2015 at 8:54am PDT
2. Hike the Chief in Squamish. Bonus: camp at the bottom, head out early, and sit at the top before the crowds arrive.
A photo posted by Jake Graham (@jakecdgraham) on Aug 12, 2015 at 6:11am PDT
3. Treat yourself to locally churned Earnest Ice Cream. Bonus: get two scoops.
Scotland bucket list
SCOTTISH POET RABBIE BURNS wrote: ‘The best-laid plans o’ mice an’ men gang aft a-gley’. This is certainly true for even the most well planned trips in Scotland. Quite often your holiday will ‘gang aft a-gley’. And it’s generally the weather that sticks a metaphorical spanner into the works. Although the unpredictability of the darn Scottish drizzle is out of your control you can make sure not to skip on these locations during your visit.
Note: Place names located above the central belt of Scotland have been translated into Scottish Gaelic to help with navigation.
1. Scott’s View, Scottish Borders
Scott's View – St Boswells, Scottish Borders by Steve Talas on 500px
The Scottish Borders, with its breadth of rolling hills and scattered historic villages form a stronghold along the borderline of England and Scotland. The Scottish Borders region is a perfect introduction to the lowlands. One location in particular is a must, Scott’s View looking out over the Tweed Valley. From there you’ll be treated to a stunning advantage point where you can appreciate the distance across the border.
2. Loch Ness (Loch Nis), Inverness (Inbhir Nis)
Urquhart castle and the loch Ness by Alain Gaymard on 500px
Located in the Scottish Highlands extending southwest of Inverness the loch is steeped in the mystery of the prehistoric Loch Ness Monster. Stop off at the northern shore in Drumnadrochit at the exhibition centre and have a dram at the Loch Ness Brewery.
3. Dunure Castle, Ayrshire (Siorrachd Inbhir Àir)
Dunure Castle at night by Peter Ribbeck on 500px
The county of Ayrshire is located in the south-west of Scotland, with 80 miles of unspoilt coastline introducing the west coast, in particular Arran (Eilean Arainn), Holy Isle (Eilean MoLaise) and Cumbrae (Cumaradh Mòr). The ruins of Dunure Castle overlook Ayr Bay in the Firth of Clyde. After many years as a derelict and dangerous ruin, the castle has recently been consolidated and is now partly accessible to visitors.
On a side note Scotland boasts some of the clearest skies in Europe, which provide exceptional conditions for nighttime photography. Galloway Forest in Ayrshire is the UK’s first Dark Sky Park and well worth a visit.
4. Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis), Fort William (An Gearasdan), Inverness (Inbhir Nis)
Sunrise over Ben Nevis by camerondj1970 on 500px
Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Scotland, sits at 4,400ft in the western end of Scotland’s Grampian Mountains.
Fort William is delightful and you can easily day hike Glen Nevis in the shadow of the summit. If you are gearing up to summit, it is rare to get clear skies, yet if your time is right and luck is on your side you can experience the falling sun over the eastern peaks.
5. Loch Tummel (Loch Teimhil), Perthshire
Autumn at Loch Tummel by eric niven on 500px
The narrow loch sits north west of Pitlochry (Baile Chloichrigh) in Perth (Peairt) and Kinross (Ceann Rois). The north and south banks offer splendid views of the surrounding landscape. Also stop at Queens View an outlook favoured by Queen Victoria. Nip back to Pitlochry and visit the Edradour Distillery for a wee dram of single malt.
6. Forth Rail Bridge, Edinburgh, East Lothian
Forth Rail Bridge Anchor by David Sharman on 500px
The rail bridge stretches over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, 9 miles west of Edinburgh City Centre. The bridge connects the southeast to the north coast of Scotland. This summer the bridge was awarded World Heritage status.
7. Loch Achtriochtan (Loch Trychardan), Glencoe (A’ Chàrnaich), Highlands
Loch Reflections by Tracey Whitefoot on 500px
Under the care of the National Trust of Scotland, Lock Achtriochtan is located east of the village of Glencoe. Glencoe is all about brooding peaks and a narrow, oppressive valleys. The A82 runs straight through the middle and makes this a great spot for a day trip or if you have time a full week.
8. Kilchurn castle, Loch Awe (Loch Obha), Argyll and Bute (Earra-Ghaidheal agus Bòd)
in Awe (revisited) by KENNY BARKER on 500px
Kilchurn castle sits on the northeastern end of Loch Awe. Access to the ruins is dependent on the water level of the loch, during higher- than-usual levels the peninsula becomes an island. The water runs over 25 miles (41 kilometres) in length, making it the largest freshwater loch in Scotland. The loch is also super place to enjoy some wildlife photography, there are numerous companies running day tours and longer workshops, but BBC photographer and presenter Philip Price’s company Loch Vision is highly recommended.
9. Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran (Eilean Arainn), West Coast
Machrie Moor stones… by Dougie Salteri on 500px
The Isle of Arran, off the West Coast of Scotland, is home to numerous stone circles and standing stones dating from the Neolithic period and the early Bronze Age. The finest collection of circles can be found on Machrie Moor, on the West of the island. Arran itself is a delight to visit, considered as “Scotland in miniature”. There are plenty of places one can visit; Machrie beach, Blackwaterfoot, Corrie, Shiskine, King’s cave on the west, Lochranza, Glen Rosa are only some of top locations not be to missed.
10. The Summer Isles (Na h-Eileanan Samhraidh)
Summer Isles by Jenny Cameron on 500px
Within the Summer Isles archipelago is The Isle of Tanera Mòr, just a mile off the Coigach Peninsula in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. It’s a beautiful and remote place and feels far from the rush and clamour of Glasgow. The Island is surprisingly accessible: just a two hour drive from Inverness and 45 minutes from the pretty fishing village of Ullapool. From the east side the hills of Coigach and the ”Sutherland Giants” are visible across the water of the sheltered sound, to the west the other islands of the archipelago and further out the stormy Minch, then the Sea of the Hebrides. If you’d like a little inspiration before your visit read Gavin Maxwell’s “Ring of Bright Water”, Rowenna Fare’s “Seal Morning” and/or “The Island” by Ronald Lockley.
11. Isle of Skye (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach)
The Birth of Winter by Alister Benn on 500px
The most popular of Scotland’s Hebrides Islands, the Isle of Skye presents some of the most captivating landscape in western Scotland. You’ll be treated to a panoramic patchwork of mountains, moorlands and mile long beaches. The Isle is a mecca for all outdoor activities. The Cuillin passes offer some of the most outstanding coastal views in all of the UK. Here’s a super location guide that will help you make sure you don’t miss any of the epic locations in Skye.
12. Trotternish, Isle of Skye (An t-Eilean Sgitheanach)
Trotternish by Michael Breitung on 500px
Trotternish is the most northerly of Skye’s peninsulas, extending north from Portree (Port Rìgh) to Rubha Hunish. The peninsula is one of 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland. One of the major attractions is The Storr (An Stòr) 719m tall hill that runs down the centre of the peninsula for most of it’s length. If The Storr is not striking enough for you, located at the foot of its cliffs is a 50 meters high tooth of rock, the Old Man of Storr, so intimidating it remained unclimbed until 1955.
13. Buachaille Etive Mor (Buachaille Eite Mòr), Highlands
Buachaille Etive Mor by Ian Sweet on 500px
The Buachaille, is a mountain at the head of Glen Etive (Gleann Èite) in the Highlands. It’s one of the most recognisable mountains (photographed and filmed (Skyfall)) in Scotland. Personally I’d recommend visiting in low season to avoid the tour busses of tourist making their way to Glencoe.
14. Isle of Lewis (Leòdhas), Outer Hebrides Islands
Creatures by Andrea Pozzi on 500px
The Outer Hebrides are a chain of more than 200 islands, 130 mile archipelagothat, that sits 43 miles (70 kilometres) off the west coast of Scotland. The Isle of Lewis makes up the northern part of Lewis and Harris (Leòdhas agus na Hearadh). Gaelic is predominately spoken by the isle’s 18,000 inhabitants, which has helped preserve their cultural identity. Also if you are into surfing Lewis is the place to head for incredible reef and beach breaks.
Photo: njt1982
Cliff diver hit the water at 75mph
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Laso Schaller broke the cliff-diving world record by jumping off the 193-foot (58.8 metre) Cascata del Salto waterfall in Switzerland into a tiny pool of water.
The stunt is impressive and heart-stopping, but Schaller’s used to play daredevil; he is a canyoning expert who regularly jumps off 25 metre, 30 metre or even 35 metre cliffs. No big deal.
By coming out in one piece after hitting the water at more than 75 miles an hour, 27-year-old Schaller put his name down in the history books. 
This month's coolest maps
EVERY MONTH, WE PUT TOGETHER A GALLERY of the coolest maps we saw on the internet. Interestingly, thanks to the huge amount of maps constantly coming onto the internet, a lot of sites have been publishing pieces on map literacy, and how to take the right information from maps without allowing yourself to get misled. The popular science site, I Fucking Love Science wrote about how the projection of maps alone can totally change your perception of the world. Because the world is round and maps are flat, mapmakers are forced to deal with distortions in either the size or distance of places on the planet. Even the orientation of the continents is arbitrary — there’s no reason, for example, that all maps should show Europe in the center, with the America son the left and Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania on the right. They could just as easily be the other way around.
At the same time, there’s no reason that north must be up and south must be down — this is merely convention. At the end of the gallery, we’ve included two videos showing the projection problem, one from Buzzfeed, demonstrating size problems in maps, and one from the awesome show The West Wing, in which geographers explain to a White House staffer the problems with map projections. In the meantime, here are some of the best maps of the month.
1
Favorite NFL jerseys by state
People are VERY loyal to their hometown QBs. Via Reddit
2
Countries with more people than Bangladesh
A very tiny, very crowded country. Via Reddit
3
Which countries are most urbanized?
Vatican City isn't in first because it has a garden. Via Reddit
Intermission
1K+
20 awesomely untranslatable words from around the world
by Jason Wire
221
The 20 coolest towns in the US
by Matador Team
5
27 awesome maps that will help you understand the world
by Matt Hershberger
4
How Americans die abroad
Many Americans travel abroad to kill themselves. Via Reddit
5
The most common jobs held by immigrants
6
The third most-spoken language in the U.S. (behind English and Spanish)
English and Spanish are the top two. Here's what third place is. Via Reddit
7
The world's schools of Islam
Beyond just Sunni and Shia. Via Wikimedia
8
Countries with a crescent moon flag
The crescent moon is a symbol of Islam. Via Reddit
9
Countries with a cross in the flag
At least ONE cross. Spain's is absurdly tiny. Via Reddit
Intermission
221
The 20 coolest towns in the US
by Matador Team
489
What bartenders actually think of your drink order
by Lisa Millar-Jones
4
23 maps that will teach you something new about the world
by Matt Hershberger
10
How many likes each country has on Facebook
Total likes on Facebook. Via Reddit
11
Facebook likes per capita for each country
Which countries have the most likes per capita. Via Reddit
12
Immigrants as a percentage of the population
This does not include refugees, and only refers to first generation immigrants. Via
13
Countries that have an extradition treaty with the U.S.
In case you're planning on committing any major crimes. Via Reddit
14
Hottest recorded temperatures
Where the heat is. Via Reddit
15
Coldest recorded temperature
Where the chill is. Via Reddit
Intermission
489
What bartenders actually think of your drink order
by Lisa Millar-Jones
188
12 differences between a normal friend and a Spanish friend
by Ana Bulnes
4
Awesome maps show how big the US is compared to the rest of the world
by Matt Hershberger
16
Percentage of slaves in the Southern states
This was the reach of slavery as of 1860. Via Reddit
17
Student poverty by school district
This map interestingly corresponds somewhat to the slavery map. Via Reddit
18
Where the Canadian crime is
Crimes reported to the police. Via Reddit
19
Each state's most popular creek name
There are a lot of Mill Creek's in the country.
20
A political map of the world from 50 BC
A very early political map. Via Reddit
21
The empires of Europe
The empires at their fullest extent. Via Reddit
22
World population in 2000 by latitude and longitude
The latitude and longitude that's the densest. Via Reddit
23
India's no-consent arranged marriages
Arranged marriage is common in India. Here's where no marriages are arranged without consent of the couple. Via Reddit
24
Countries that have been (and are) one party states
Blue refers to current one-party states. Via Reddit
25
Countries with a coastal capital
This map missed Iceland and Guyana. Via Reddit
26
The life expectancy ratio of males to females
Men are dying young in Russia. Via Reddit
27
Cigarette consumption by country
These numbers are from 2007. Via Reddit
28
What North America looked like before it was colonized
The many pre-Colombian nations. Via Reddit
29
The safest and most risky world debts
Based on who investors think is likely to default. Via Reddit
30
The percentage of people from European descent
Where people are largely of European descent (including Europe). Via Reddit
31
A decade of world migration (1995-2004)
From 1995 to 2004, this is where people went. Via Reddit.
32
Percentage of Europeans who are not religious but believe in some sort of life force
The statement that the non-religious respondents were asked to respond to for this map was "there is some sort of spirit of life force."
33
The effects of China's air pollution
China has terrible air pollution, and it has an effect on health. Via the Economist.
34
The movement of pre-colonial humans using Y-chromosomes
Y-chromosome dominance can be used to help determine the flow of people over time. Via Reddit
35
Worldwide prevalence of circumcision
There's a whole lot of circumcision in the U.S. Via Reddit
36
Where cancer happens most
A larger version of this map is available here. Via Imgur.
37
How many parties rule the country?
Which countries are ruled by the largest number of parties? Via Reddit
38
What Europe thinks the most useful languages to learn are
What members of European countries think the most useful language to learn is. Via Reddit
39
What Europe thinks the second most useful language is
English aside, here are the languages Europe wants to learn. Via Reddit
40
The world's most efficient healthcare systems
Not most expensive: most efficient. Via Reddit
41
Maximum speed limits in the U.S.
The country's maximum speed limits. Via Reddit
42
The 2015 Global Peace Index
The most peaceful places on earth. Via Reddit
43
Late 20s gender ratio by county
There's a lot of dudes in the U.S. Via Reddit
44
Pluto vs. Australia
THIS is why Pluto doesn't count as a planet. Via Reddit
45
Where the world's most endangered animals are
A larger version is available here.Via Signature African Safaris
46
The United States of Waffle House
Where the Waffle Houses are. Via Reddit
47
Where "fuck" is a popular curse word in the US
The edges of the country love their f-bombs. Via Reddit
This post wouldn’t even sort of be possible without the awesome MapPorn subReddit.
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