Matador Network's Blog, page 2149

Rites of passage for Ohio teenagers

Photo: klonoaxero

1. You made your parents drive you out of state to go see a concert.

Nothing ever comes through Ohio. Sure, the occasional show will stop in one of the “big three Cs,” but most of the major tours skip from the east coast to Chicago, so you’ve got to bully your parent into driving you to Chicago, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, or Louisville to get to see your favorite band.

2. You went “Jeeping.”

Maybe you call it by another name — but at some point, you’ve gotten into a friends car, and have just driven around for fun. Maybe you stop at a restaurant, maybe you stop at a friend’s house, or maybe you’ve just cranked up some music and drove in zig-zagging patterns. Regardless of what you called it or did, in car-heavy Ohio, a huge portion of your pre-drinking social life takes place in the back of an automobile.

3. You had to turn down cow-tipping.

As far as I know, no one ever actually went cow-tipping. It always sounded kinda boring and maybe a little bit cruel. But some jackass who was bored of driving around or hanging out in someone’s basement suggested it, and you had to pretend it was a possibility before shooting it down in favor of something else.

4. You partook in at least two illicit activities in the backseat of someone’s car.

One of your first hookups was almost certainly in the backseat of a car — how far it went depends on the person, but cars are probably the only reliable place for teenage privacy in Ohio — and on top of that, you’ve probably driven to rich neighborhoods to smoke pot. “Why rich neighborhoods?” outsiders might ask. Because the police in rich neighborhoods don’t want to pull over teenagers for getting high. Those kids could have wealthy parents who often donate money to the local PD. If you haven’t gotten high in the back seat, maybe you’ve tossed water balloons at passing cars. Maybe you snuck sips of a 40 back there. But you’ve done something wrong.

5. You learned to love drunk food before you learned to drink.

Let’s be honest — most Ohio cuisine that is affordable enough for teenagers is drunk food. Not that BW3’s, Wendy’s, and Skyline aren’t all delicious foods in their own right — but they were clearly cooked for people who are too smashed to care about the presentation. As a Cincinnati teenager, the day that I didn’t spend at least some of my time in a Skyline Chili was rare.

6. One of your teachers came up with a half-assed excuse to take a field trip to a theme park.

Not that you ever complained, but it always sounded a little thin when your physics teacher said that you were going to Kings Island or Cedar Point to “learn about kinetic energy.” You spent the entire day running around from roller coaster to roller coaster, not learning a damn thing, and probably losing brain cells on some of the more rickety roller coasters.

7. You actually hung out under the bleachers at high school football games.

It sounds like an embarrassing Americana cliche — hanging out under the bleachers, maybe making out with someone wearing heavy braces — but it seriously happened. High school football games are major social events, and everyone goes to them — but not quite as many would actually watch the game.

8. You went “cabrewing.”

Not only is it illegal for you to drink underage, but it’s also illegal to be operating any sort of watercraft under the influence in Ohio. Which makes cabrewing complicated. There just aren’t many places to hide a cooler of beer in a canoe if a cop stops you, and it’s not as if a canoe is the most efficient getaway vehicle. At the same time, is there anything better than floating down a river or a stream while having a few beers with your friends?

Argentina truisms

Photo: Oscar Megía

IF, by virtue of charity or the circumstance of desperation, you ever chance to live a little time in Argentina, you will acquire many exotic new facts. You will learn that it is possible, and economically advantageous, to walk fifteen large dogs simultaneously. You will learn that you weren’t really eating ice cream before, just frozen, flavored milkstuff. You will learn that it’s OK for Christmas decorations to stay up until Easter.

You’ll learn that socio-economic crisis is Argentina’s default setting and that things are never as bad as some people make out. That expectations of public toilets must always be low. That not everyone tangoes, in fact only a small minority do. That every foreign sub-editor will at some time in his or her life use the phrase ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ to title an article about Argentine politics / football / whatever.

That the most enjoyable aspect of going to a polo game is telling people that you’re going to a polo game, and that polo as a spectator sport is up there with golf and squash. That the standard way to show your unrelenting passion for your football team (though probably not your polo team) is by jumping up and down on the spot for an unlimited period of time, and that not jumping is a sure sign of Englishness.

That long-distance coach travel at first seems more luxurious than what you’re used to — aeroplane-like and kind of kitschy, what with the coach driver’s mate pulling on white gloves to serve you a glass of sherry by way of aperitif — but that even that doesn’t stop the journey being an intolerable nightmare of cramped legs and bad films. That films on coaches get worse the further north you go, subcontinentally-speaking. That long-distance journeys overland look far more enticing on the map than in their endless fields-of-soy reality. That on long-distance journeys, both tedium and time itself can be reduced significantly by the power of mate.

That cold pizza and mate make an acceptable breakfast under certain circumstances. That the locals will always find it remarkable that any non-Argentine should drink mate, that the drinking of mate automatically makes a non-Argentine Argentine to all effects and purposes, but that no matter how Argentine the non-Argentine is now deemed to be, the Argentine will always be dubious as to the non-Argentine’s expertise re: the making of mate.

That sandwiches de miga are pretty much the same everywhere you go in Argentine territory, as if mass-produced by some huge as yet undiscovered underground sandwich factory, and that the locals are terribly enthusiastic about said sandwiches. That it is often considered rude to take your shoes off in other people’s homes. That it is a widely-held belief that any dish or foodstuff can be improved with the addition of ham and cheese. That writing stuff about being an expat in Buenos Aires gets kind of repetitive and fernet-and-dulce pretty quickly. That at first the whole sobremesa thing will come across as both exotic and real and then eventually kind of dull and finally make you pine for solitude and whatever’s on TV.

That there is generally nothing on national TV, but then at the same time that there is so very much on national TV, if you have a heightened sense of irony.

That self-medication is not a problem. That once you get over all the bullshit about how many psychoanalysts there are per capita, psychoanalysis can be wonderful thing. That the cancellation of internet / cable / phone services is usually the quickest and most effective way of getting the internet / cable / phone provider to fix whatever they were supposed to fix three months ago, and that the phrase ‘doy de baja el servicio’ is the first phrase they should teach you in those intensive Spanish class, along with ‘tengo un novio’, if you’re a woman. That it is impossible to cross the 9 de Julio on foot in one go and that you should stop trying. That secondary qualities such as avenue width can be used as a tourist draw.

That if nothing else, Argentina is water-rich, and that this might come in useful one day, and that on the day when being water-rich becomes a useful thing, Argentina will somehow manage to screw up this once in a lifetime opportunity.

That listening to Aspen Classic for any length of time will inevitably lead to all kinds of reminiscences and embarrassing memories of your teenage self. That this is the only country in the world where Rick Astley can play in, if not sell out, a 3200-seater venue by himself, and that none of the locals will find this particularly odd. That Creedence Clearwater never needed a revival.

That The Simpsons is pretty much an Argentine institution, and that it sounds better in Spanish, primarily because of the Mexican guy who voices Homero. That the locals bemoan the incursion of American culture and that The Nanny was for a long time the most-watched TV show in the country. That some people get really wound up if you say ‘American’ instead of ‘US’ and that the same people then use the term ‘North American’ with complete disregard for Mexicans. That the average social class and education level of the average McDonald’s user is considerably higher than back home, and that some even wear suits.

That winter lasts a week, really, and that you never knew it was possible to get tired of summer. That hyperbole and summertime temperatures are happy bedfellows. That sweating is something you learn to accept rather than combat.

That ‘pelotudo’ is a way, way more offensive term than ‘boludo’, despite their near-identical, big-balled etymologies, and that you can only find this out the hard way. That a surprising number of shopkeepers would rather lose one peso than give you nine pesos in change. That the half-kilo-of-meat-per-person asado rule-of-thumb is nearly always a gross overestimation. That eating choripán from roadside stands in insalubrious areas is fine, health-wise, but not recommendable psychosomatically speaking, and it’s often actually the chimichurri that does you in.

That clubs don’t really get going until 3am, even on a weeknight, and that a large swathe of the under-30s survive on pretty much no sleep whatsoever. That ‘torta’ (‘cake’) is a non-offensive slang term for ‘lesbian’ and that no lesbian can tell you why this is. That this is a country forward-thinking enough to legalize same-sex marriage but still backwards enough to continue outlawing abortion under practically any circumstances. That there tend to be more Argentine women marrying foreign men than foreign women marrying Argentine men, and that you think this might say a lot about the failings of Argentine men but would prefer to sidestep any controversy.

That a disappointingly high number of Argentines will take offence to this innocent article, which is more about the narrow experience of an expat in Buenos Aires than Argentina itself, and let their country down in the comments. That no matter how much you love Argentina, you will eventually leave it for a country with a higher GDP and more developed attitudes towards litter, and then pine for Argentina at various unexpected moments for the rest of your life, but that if you stay you’ll always wonder what might have been, if you hadn’t been chicken.

This article was originally posted on DanielTunnard.com, and has been re-published here with permission.

10 reasons to study abroad in Chile

Photo by Andreas Nilsson

1. There are plenty of English teaching jobs and internships.

Chile is a great place to work, especially in Santiago where there are numerous English teaching opportunities. Though many adventurers have signed up with an institute before arriving, there are plenty of opportunities to snag teaching positions once you get settled.

A few of the more well-known institutes in Santiago to consider include Norteamericano, Fischer, and BridgeLinguatec.

2. There are plenty of Chileans and gringos.

The Chileans I’ve met have welcomed me and befriended me quickly, in spite of my inability to understand them or communicate with them very well. They have extended incredible courtesies that I can only hope to repay when they come to visit me.

On the other hand, everyone needs a little familiarity in a foreign country, and that’s what your ex-pat gringo friends are for. They are the lifelines when Chile becomes a frustrating and intricate labyrinth of cultural cues you don’t understand. Plus, you occasionally need someone who can sing the theme song to the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” with you.

3. It’s fun learning Espanol-po.

Chilean Spanish takes a keen ear and the patience of Buddha to master. It is filled with modismos, or slang, an accent that lops off the ends of s’s and d’s, and a new way to pronounce the “you” form.

In spite of the challenges, it can delight you when you least expect it. For example, the word for boyfriend is pololo, which means a type of small fly that buzzes around your face. What a word!

Photo by Claudio

4. Chile has diverse terrain to explore.

Why visit a bunch of different countries when you can see everything in one? Chile’s got it all. Visit the Atacama Desert, ski the Andes (the longest mountain range in the world), surf the Pacific Ocean, walk the forests around the Lake District, catch a glimpse of a glacier in Patagonia, or climb volcanoes and paddle world-class rivers in Pucon.

5. Chile’s hot…and cold.

The Andes run down the eastern side of Chile and are home of some of the best skiing in the world. From Santiago, you can take a weekend trip to Portillo, the practice site for many professional skiers.

Two hours outside of Santiago to the west are beaches. There are some of the biggest, most uncrowded points for surfing on the whole Pacific coast, as well as chill beach towns.

6. Santiago’s art and culture.

Not only does Chile’s capital have an incredible set of museums like Bellas Artes and the Pre-Columbian, it has a vibrant street art scene withnew murals and graffiti as well as events like those put on by Mamut Collective Theater. I highly recommend their Teatro de Gorilas, an improv show much like Whose Line is it Anyway?

Photo by Nati Lafuente

7. Who can resist an Independence Day celebration that lasts a week?

Chileans celebrate September 18, their independence day, by staging a week of fondas (street fairs), where you can play games, eat lots of food, and watch the cueca, Chile’s national dance.

After the fonda, you will most likely head to someone’s house for a fiesta that lasts until the sun rises. Then, you’ll go home to sleep it off and get up to start it all over again.

8. Chile has a stable economy and government.

Chile’s stable economy and government make it a good choice for solo travelers, especially women looking to move to a South American country on their own. Certainly, there are dangerous areas of any country, and Chile is no exception, but a gal on her own can get along very safely here.

9. Ice Cream.

Places like Emporio la Rosa and Bravissimo can become a favorite corner of the world for the foreigner in Santiago. With flavors like nueces (walnuts), miel (honey) and manjar, you won’t want to return home.

10. For all the familiar, Chile still feels foreign.

For all its safety, Chile is still a foreign country. From having to throw your toilet paper into the trashcan by the toilet to the water heater that must be lit every day to take a shower to the stray dogs wandering the streets, Chile is nothing like home. And that makes it all worth the adventure.

This article was originally published on February 24, 2009.

Signs you were raised in Houston

Photo: Mark Taylor Cunningham

1. You don’t go to the Galleria.

Unless you enjoy ice skating and falling on your ass in front of a huge crowd, there really is no reason to go anywhere near this massive three-story mall. The Galleria is where you send your out-of-state visitors when you want some time to yourself. You do your shopping at local shops in Rice Village or the Heights.

2. You hesitate when a friend invites you to someplace outside of the Loop.

For you, the I-610 loop is a circular boundary that divides the hip inner city from, well, everything else. Everywhere you want to be or who you want to meet is inside the Loop, so there isn’t much motivation to leave. Also, you’re not ashamed to admit the only reason you never went out with that guy you met at the bar last week is because he lives outside the Loop.

3. …but you probably grew up in the suburbs or Katy.

Yes, it’s true. Most of us were raised in the suburbs outside of the city, which is why the moment we could move out, we flocked towards hip studio apartments in Montrose or the Heights, never once looking back. The rent is worth every penny more than living five minutes away from your parents’ house.

4. You’ve been to NASA only once, and it was probably for a school field trip.

Yes, we’re proud to call Houston the “Space City” but don’t ask us anything more about NASA’s mission control unit, which is actually a 30-mile drive to Clear Lake, which means going outside the Loop — hence why we never go.

5. You hate Dallas and you don’t know why.

It’s either ingrained in us from the moment of birth or there are just too many reasons we don’t even know where to begin.

6. You’ve spent at least one of your pre-18 Friday nights dancing to ’80s music at Numbers.

When you drive by this dark, seedy, warehouse-looking dance club on Westheimer in Montrose, you can’t help but reminisce about your high-school days, when you’d caravan with your friends to Numbers on Friday nights to dance (sober) with a bunch of creepos to ’80s music.

7. You’ve crowdsurfed at Fitzgeralds.

Old two-story house turned music venue, Fitz is where you go to see your favorite indie and punk rock bands perform rowdy shows. And if you’re a true Houstonian, the bouncer has kicked you off the stage at least once for crowdsurfing amongst the sweaty crowd.

8. You know what a feeder road is.

The access roads that run along an interstate, commonly known as frontage roads, are known as “feeders” in Houston. Maybe it’s because of the massive amount of freeways that wrap around and along our city that require constant merging, I don’t know, but we’ve aways called them feeders. You can’t even keep track of how many times you’ve been “corrected” by out-of-towners. Your only response is to politely ask them to go back to where they came from if they don’t like it.

9. Houston Restaurant Weeks excites you almost more than the holidays.

For one month, five-star restaurants all around Houston open their doors for the general, non-wealthy population to enjoy a three-course meal at an affordable fixed price. However, you learn to ignore the annoyed looks of the hostesses when you tell them you want the HRW menu instead of the full-priced menu and proceed to order the cheapest wine they serve by the glass.

10. You have an old Oilers jersey in your closet.

Even if you weren’t alive yet when the Houston Oilers were playing AFL games in the (now abandoned) Astrodome, you still keep their legacy alive. You may even be lucky enough to still have a foam finger or two, or a jersey one of your parents scored at a game in the 1970s.

11. Galveston will always be your favorite beach.

Yes, it might smell bad, and the water might be as brown as a mudslide, but Galveston will always be our favorite beach weekend getaway. Its quirky vibe, Strand Historic District, and the rows of beautiful Victorian houses will always make you defend this little island when out-of-towners have nothing better to say than, “It’s dirty.”

12. You’ve used “Westheimer traffic” as an excuse for being late.

Say it’s your first day of work at a new job and you accidentally snooze your alarm a few too many times. You throw your clothes on and rush out the door and show up 20 minutes late. The only sure-shot way to get your ass out of trouble is to blame the traffic on Westheimer. However, a true Houstonian knows about every side street and shortcut in this city to avoid driving on Westheimer, so if you’re new to town, you have at least a few months to use this excuse for being late. After a year, though, people will just start thinking you’re plain stupid for taking Westheimer in the first place.

Canada's passport looks incredible

EVERY COUNTRY TAKES STEPS to protect their passports from forgery. Many countries have started putting computer chips in the passport to insure that they are identifiable, and others still have started hiding images in the pages of the passport that only visible by black light. But only one country has decided to turn those black light images into some pretty beautiful art.

Canada’s new passport looks amazing under a black light. Check it out:

All photos via Architecture and Design

Well done, Canada. Anti-fraud measures should always be this beautiful.

Journalist gear: Monique Jaques

Demobilization in the DRC:
Girls braid hair between classes at Education and Training of the Victims of Nyiragongo (ETN), a nonprofit supported by Ben Affleck’s charity, Eastern Congo Initiative. Photo by Monique Jaques.

Monique Jaques is a photojournalist based in Istanbul, Turkey. She has spent the past four years focused on documenting issues in the Middle East as well as Afghanistan and India. This year she was nominated for the Prix Bayeux-Calvados ‘Young Reporter’ award and she was listed on the 30 Under 30 Female Photographers’ from Photoboite. Her project ‘Growing Up on The Gaza Strip’, first published in the New York Times. She was also shortlisted for the 2013 Photocrati Grant. In 2012, she was selected as one of the recipients of the PROOF Award for the Emerging Photojournalist for her work in post-war Libya and featured in the Bursa Photography Festival. She was also featured in the Ian Parry Scholarship show in 2009 and received an Honorable Mention for the 2008 New York Photo Awards. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, GEO, The Guardian, and CNN, among others.

Follow Monique on Instagram or Twitter and see more of her work on her site.

Monique Jaques is a 2014 International Women’s Media Foundation reporting fellow in the Democratic Republic of Congo and this is the bag she used for the fellowship.

Gear bag

1. Nikon D800

2. Nikon 28mm

3. Nikon 50mm

4. Nikon 28-70mm

5. Two Newswear bags

6. Nikon 70-300mm. To capture surprise safaris and occasional animals in the distance.

7. Nikon SB 600. For lighting environmental portraits.

8. Think Tank Pixel Pocket Rocket for SC and CF cards.

9. Sony Lav Mic kit

10. Justin portable USB charger. Total lifesaver for iphones. Charges four times before it needs to be charged.

11. Sony IC Recorder for interviews an other nat sound needs.

12. Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone

13. NorthFace Surge Backpack. I’ve never found a photo backpack that fits well ergonomically so I started using a women’s fit North Face with padding I took out from a (14) Lowepro Passport Sling bag. It’s so much better and the pockets are incredible.

15. Leather belt for pouches

Hotel things

16. Hanging flashlight. Helpful for the consistant blackouts that happen in Congo.

17. Incense, the cure for smelly hotel rooms.

18. Money belt, old school but always works. Really helpful for cash based economies like DRC.

19. Aeropress coffee machine. After carrying around my own french press, and finding glass covering my suitcase, more often than not, I found this hard plastic travel press. The filters (20) make it a compact and easy to clean travel device for the coffee nut.

21. Purel. Along with electricity, running water can sometimes be scarce and keeping bacteria free is critical when working.

22. Headlamp

23. Earplugs for the light sleeper (me)

24. Electrical and Gaffe tape.

25. Wetwipes, usually stolen from Turkish Airlines. Congolese mud seems to find its way everywhere.

26. Toilet paper, you can never count on it being there.

27. Sunflower seeds, granola bars and other snacks that can last in your bag and you can eat on the road.

28. Eyepatch

29. Tea, Coffee, Oral Rehydration Salts. All necessary for a happy healthy journalist.

30. Starbucks Via, for when there’s no time for the Aeropress.

31. Instant soup. Gross but handy when everywhere is closed.

32. iHome speakers. Plug into any iphone, ipod or music device. Also can be used in rental cars and on boat rides. Charge from USB lasts forever.

33. ThinkTank cable storage bag

34. Nikon battery Charger

35. USB car charger, for that constantly dying iPhone

36. Earphones

37. Sunglasses

38. Doorstop. Easy way to keep intruders out of shady hotel rooms

39. Magical power strip. Takes every type of plug. Life saver.

40. Lowepro Passport bag. Great to travel with as it folds up and makes you blend in a bit.

41. Moleskine notebook

42. Like 5 iPhone cables. I’m terrified of losing them.

43. Sandisk USB 3.0 card reader. 3x faster than the other kind.

44. AC power converter. Changes long car rides into editing time by allowing you to run any plug in device off the AC car charge. Great for laptops.

45. iPad. Purely for entertainment.

Exploring Lalibela, Ethiopia

AFTER TRAVELING overland with two best friends to fourteen countries in Africa and the Middle East, Lalibela in Ethiopia, stands out as one of the most fascinating places we visited. Home to eleven monolithic churches, which were all carved down into the earth out of a single block of red volcanic rock, Lalibela is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its churches are some of the greatest architectural achievements in the history of the world.

It is said that after seeing Jerusalem taken by the Muslims in 1187, King Lalibela, who ruled Ethiopia for 40 years, commissioned these churches to be built with the intention of having Lalibela serve as a new Jerusalem. They are still in use today, home to priests, monks, and worshipers, and serving as a religious sanctuary for pilgrims who come from all over the world.

This article was originally published on january 22nd, 2010.

1

St. George's Church

St. George's Church is Lalibela's most famous church thanks to its unusual cross shape. Photo: Marc Veraart

2

St. George's Church

St. George's Church is isolated from the other churches but it is connected to them by a network of trenches. Photo: Roberto Vallejol

3

Lalibela cross

A priest holds a Lalibela cross. The cross is said to have been given by angels to King Lalibela.

Intermission


1
This is the sickest ski video we’ve ever seen
by Matt Hershberger



25
Daily life around monasteries in Burma
by Rom Srinivasan



21
The world’s 12 most spectacular houses of worship
by Eva Holland













4

Young student priests

Student priests reading the holy book. Photo: Stefan Gara

5

Ethiopian bible

A monk reads the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, using a birr (Ethiopian monetary note) as a bookmark. Most of the priests and monks are kind enough to let you take their photograph, usually for a small donation.

6

Lalibela worshiper

A worshiper takes a moment to pray. The vast majority of the population of Lalibela is Ethiopian Orthodox Christian.

7

Traditional house

The traditional Lalibela dwellings are circular. They are called "tukuls". Photo: Evgeni Zotov

8

Sunday liturgy in Lalibela

A priest gives the Sunday liturgy to about five hundred worshipers. The theme of the day in part: that despite the intrusion some feel from tourists, to respect all of the different nationalities of people that come to visit Lalibela, to treat them with kindness, and welcome them.

9

Lalibela pilgrim

Visitors are allowed to attend certain Masses, although in some of the churches you need to be invited by a member of that specific church. Photo: Gusjer

Intermission


78
How to piss off someone from Cornwall
by Lauren Williams




9 things Americans stop caring about around Christmas Time
by Sara Schneider



18
Africa and the Middle East, overland [PICS]
by Darren Ornitz













10

Ethiopian Orthodox monk

If you want to hike or ride a mule up the nearby mountains, or venture some distance outside of Lalibela, there are many other rock churches and monasteries to explore. Here, a monk poses for a picture in his mountaintop Ethiopian Orthodox monastery.

11

Lalibela boy

This little boy in Ashetan Maryam monastery was selling hand-made hats. Photo: Alberto Martinez Subtil

12

Gardian of the Bible

This Lalibela mountain monk is the gardian of the ancient hand-painted bible he is holding. Photo: Alberto Martinez Subtil

13

Inside an Ethiopian home

While wandering the churches I was asked by a small boy, Chalalhew Megus, to come to his house for a coffee. I followed him to his small home, where I met his mother (pictured), grandmothers, and two sisters. Although we could not communicate more than a few words, for the next hour I enjoyed some of the best freshly ground coffee I have ever tasted.

14

War victims, Ethiopia

After having coffee and popcorn, Chalalhew Megus wanted me to take a photograph of him holding a portrait of his father, who was killed in the Ethiopian-Eritrean war. To the right is his father's mother. It was a very powerful moment and one I'll never forget.

Report: non-drinkers die younger

Photo by Leo Hidalgo

GO AHEAD: have that drink. A report in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research found that non-drinkers are more likely to die at a young age than moderate or heavy drinkers. The people who live the longest are the moderate drinkers, followed by the heavy drinkers, and finally followed by the non-drinkers.

We’ve long known that drinking in moderation has health benefits: red wine in particular is known for its heart health benefits, and the social interaction that comes along with alcohol consumption plays an important role in reducing stress and improving one’s quality of life. But the surprise in the study is that even heavy drinkers are less likely to die young than non-drinkers. The study controlled for most of the factors that would explain this away: poorer people, for example, tend to drink less because drinking is expensive, but there are a ton of other health problems with poverty. And many non-drinkers are former problem drinkers, which could already be the cause of health problems.

But both of these factors were controlled for, suggesting that abstaining from drink is legitimately a less healthy life choice than heavy drinking, even though heavy drinking has serious health risks. So the lesson here is that, while you should preferably drink responsibly, you should definitely have the drink regardless. Your life may depend on it.

Which city should you travel to next

Featured photo by Hubert Yu.

Guide to Nevada's coolest towns

Virginia City (Storey County)

Virginia City, Nevada. Photo courtesy of TravelNevada

The 55th Annual International Camel & Ostrich Races in Virginia City. Photo: Kaitlin Godbey, courtesy of TravelNevada

In 1859, the fortunes of Virginia City changed overnight when miners struck silver in the the nearby desert hills of Storey County. The Comstock Lode silver deposit — America’s first major silver discovery — attracted investors, miners, and residents from all over the country in search of new fortune, and in its peak year the mine produced the equivalent of $465 million. A city of millionaires was born, and during the mine’s 30-year lifespan newly minted tycoons built operahouses, mansions, and upscale saloons along the main drag. Today, fewer than 1,000 people live in Virginia City, but it’s held onto its history, with many of the buildings from its heyday still standing.

With the boom also came bar brawls, murders, and Wild West shootings, and as a result Virginia City has been called one of America’s most haunted towns. Eerie energy and ghost sightings are commonly reported, especially at the Washoe Club, a historic gambling hall where millionaires once played. Ask the bartenders to regale you with the town’s spookiest ghost stories.

Stagecoach rides and mine tours are ever-popular attractions, and Virginia City’s gourmet restaurants like Core and Cafe Del Rio compete with some of the best in Las Vegas. The annual festival lineup is a huge draw for visitors, and this September Virginia City will be hosting its 56th Annual International Camel & Ostrich Races, where jockeys vie for the fastest humpback (the camels reach speeds up to 40mph). The annual zombie run, saloon crawls, and Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry also make Virginia City well worth a trip.

Elko (Elko County)

The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering comes to Elko. Photo: Sarah Murray

Elko sits on the doorstep of both the Ruby Mountains and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Photo: Wheeler Cowperthwaite

With 18,000 residents, Elko has the largest population on this list, but at heart it’s still a cowboy community. Case in point: For the last 31 years, thousands of spur-toting cowboys from all over the nation have descended on Elko’s Western Folklife Center for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, when cowboy culture and the Old West are celebrated through literature, music, and other arts.

Elko’s first pioneers are paid further homage at the California Trail Interpretive Center, where you can learn how the adventurous settlers made their way to the Western frontier in the mid-1800s. There are workshops at the Tuscarora Pottery School, Basque-style cuisine at the historic Star Hotel, and genuine cowboy gear for sale at J.M. Capriola.

Sitting at 5,000 feet on the edge of northern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains, Elko’s high desert climate makes for four seasons of outdoor recreation. In summer, hikers, climbers, and mountain bikers hit nearby trails with quick access to high alpine lakes, granite cliffs, and spectacular views of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. In winter, grab some snowshoes or tear up the backcountry slopes on a heli-ski trip. The hot springs at Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge are also nearby.

Austin (Lander County)

Cycling into Austin on the “Loneliest Road in America.” Photo: Bruce Fingerhood

St. Augustine’s, build in 1866. Photo courtesy of TravelNevada

Gem and antique shops, historic saloons, 150-year-old churches, and sweet cafes line the main drag of this 300-person town. Located along Highway 50 — once dubbed the “Loneliest Road in America” by LIFE magazine — Austin has 11 National Historic Sites covering a variety of Old West attractions including 19th-century churches, government buildings, and Stokes Castle — an old mansion modeled on Roman architecture. There’s more-distant history too; the nearby Toquima Cave was used as dwellings by the Western Shoshone as early as 1,000 BC. Detailed petroglyph artwork covers the rock walls of these sacred caves, and the tribe still uses the location for ceremonial activities.

In more recent years, Austin has become a hub for landsailing, a sport where drivers maneuver sail-powered, three-wheeled vehicles around the desert at high speed. Following last year’s Landsailing World Championship in Austin, official events are slated for 2015 where spectators can watch these modern inventions whipping around on the desert flats.

Twenty miles outside of town is Spencer Hot Springs, and Austin is also working to build on its vast network of mountain biking trails that offer something for all skill levels. Visit in spring for the chance to see fields of vibrant wildflowers in peak bloom.

Tonopah (Nye County)

Photo: Maya West

The historic MIzpah Hotel reopened in 2011. Photo courtesy of TravelNevada

When you roll up to the rural desert town of Tonopah, halfway between Vegas and Reno, finding a place to shack up for the night is an adventure in itself. One option is the elegant Mizpah Hotel, known for its 5th-floor resident ghost, Lady in Red. Alternatively, stay at the infamous Clown Motel, where you doze off as Bozo the Clown watches over you from his menacing portrait hanging above your bed. Or grab your tent and set up camp in the nearby Table Mountain Wilderness — the stargazing opportunities here are second to none (check out the Tonopah Star Trails for more).

While you’re in town, duck into the newly opened Tonopah Brewing Company for house-smoked meats and West-Coast-style pale ale. Tonopah is also home to Nevada’s only turquoise mine that’s open to the public. Those willing to get their hands dirty can have a dig while on the Royston Mine Tour. The reward? Whatever gems you can get your hands on — many visitors get lucky discovering pendant-sized chunks of the brilliant blue.

Ely (White Pine County)

Ely is a prime gateway to Great Basin National Park, where you’ll find some of the clearest night skies in America. Photo: NPCA Photos

A selection of murals on the Ely art walk. Photos, from top to bottom: cifraser1, Jay Galvin, sergeymk

Sitting on the eastern edge of “Nevada’s Loneliest Highway,” Ely is a remote mountain town of 4,000 where history, art, and outdoor adventure run deep. In the nearby Great Basin National Park, travelers have the chance to descend into the depths of the Lehman Cave system to explore a series of limestone and marble caverns full of huge stalagmites and other wild rock formations. The park is also home to the snow-capped Wheeler Peak which, at 13,000 feet, is the second-tallest mountain in Nevada. Here you can hike dozens of trails or take a scenic drive up to 10,000 feet for sweeping views of the Great Basin.

Back in Ely, take a slow stroll through downtown on the 11-block art walk. Scattered down the main drag are over 20 murals and sculptures depicting the town’s history and cultural diversity — highlights along the way include Ely Renaissance Village and the ’50s-style soda fountain that serves up old-fashioned chocolate malts and cherry-lime rickeys.

Ely’s importance as a rail town during the 1900s is showcased on the Nevada Northern Railway, which offers a twisty ride in an open-air car through the mountains of the Egan Range. Originally built to transport copper from nearby mines, today this National Historic Landmark is one of the last operating steam locomotives of its kind.

Rachel (Lincoln County)

Photo: Airwolfhound

Photo: Airwolfhound

Rachel, Nevada, population 75, sits on the edge of Area 51. At first glance, the town gives off a middle-of-nowhere vibe, but with common reports of extraterrestrial activity, Rachel attracts UFO chasers from around the globe hoping to lay eyes on a flying saucer. Notoriety has followed.

At the heart of town is the Little A’Le’Inn, a peculiar motel, restaurant, and watering hole where alien enthusiasts convene and swap stories of the latest sightings and theories. This popular spot also sells its own alien-themed souvenirs and t-shirts — either intriguing or amusing, depending on your UFO stance. Either way, the cafe’s a fun pitstop on the way to the 28,000-acre Mount Irish Wilderness Area. Camping is free throughout the region, and the craggy limestone cliffs are prime bighorn sheep and pronghorn habitat.

Rachel also draws modern-day treasure hunters who use online clues and GPS to explore over a thousand geocache sites along Highway 375, where the cache densities are some of the highest in the country.

This post is proudly produced in partnership with our friends at TravelNevada.