Matador Network's Blog, page 2164

In the world's most polluted city

No, that’s not snow: Indian men bathe in an industrial waste-foam polluted section of the Yamuna River, on the outskirts of New Delhi in May 2013. Fed up with living in the world’s most polluted city, some residents are fighting back, on their rooftops and backyards. (Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Away from jarring city traffic and dusty New Delhi streets, the Upadhyes’ rooftop garden is a lush green haven of vegetables and herbs, even after the summer rains have drawn to a close.

The couple, both freelance filmmakers, said they visited the local market only twice a month this season. Before, they went every two days. Their produce — including okra, coriander, and amaranth — came from four 16-square-foot planting boxes filled with a careful mix of soil and seed.

“Eating what you grow is a different kind of joy,” said Yamini Upadhye. “In the middle of dinner I run up to get some fresh basil and add it to a dish. The quality of a meal changes.”

With their terrace experiment in full bloom, Nitin and Yamini Upadhye have joined a small but growing number of families trying to adopt sustainable, eco-friendly practices in India’s smoggy capital, and for good reason. In terms of air quality, Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, according to a World Health Organization report. And a study by the city’s health department revealed that 70% of all running water is impure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making an effort to appear green, cracking down on cosmetics tested on animals and launching a quest to make India a leader in addressing climate change. And the WHO report motivated the New Delhi transport department to build a cleaner public transportation system.

Still, Delhi families seeking to deploy renewable energy or grow food work with little of the guidance or government support available to residents of Europe or even the US. Meanwhile, they contend with power cuts and choking smog.

“There is a lot of potential going forward,” said Anurabha Ghosh, the CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a nonprofit policy and research group. “But there are also great challenges.”

Kamala Ratnam, a South Delhi resident, said her late husband didn’t shy away from those challenges when he installed a 3.5-watt solar energy system on the rooftop of their apartment building in 2010.

After five years of studying solar energy, Chudamani Ratnam, who led an Indian oil company, had fashioned a relatively large system of sixteen solar panels that gives the household at least six hours of energy per day and supports an electric stove and air conditioning unit.

While neighbors and friends have been inspired, Ratnam said the system sometimes comes at a high cost — about 16,000 rupees ($300) to replace each of the batteries. Many people, she noticed, also feel overwhelmed by the technology, especially without a clear-cut place to go for guidance or financial assistance or subsidies.

“My husband was a man of science, it was a passion project,” she said. “Not everyone can do it.”

That gap in access to information and technology is part of the reason for India’s untapped potential when it comes to renewable energy, Ghosh said. According to one study released this year, there are only 700,000 solar water heaters in Indian households, though almost 45 million have the capacity to use these cost-effective, readily available systems.

Another limitation is government policy. In 2010, India launched the Jawarharlal Nehru Solar Mission, a government program to deploy 20,000 megawatts of grid-connected solar power in the country. But much of this push for renewable energy has only been focused on rural areas, and it hasn’t always been successful.

Luckily, Ghosh said, the surge in eco-entrepreneurs has also risen to meet the demands of a more aware and conscious public. “Historically there was no business model around this.”

That’s what Amit Dhingiya and Mridu Mahajan, founders of Nirvaaha Organics, discovered when they launched their organic grocery store in 2011.

Nirvaaha, a quiet store in Delhi’s Defense Colony neighborhood, is fragrant with dried spices and grains. “People are tired of hearing about pesticides and poison in their food,” Dhingiya said of Delhi’s growing awareness of organic food.

Many studies support the dangerous impact of pesticides on cancer rates in India, and elsewhere. In recent decades, respiratory illness and even lung cancer have become rampant in Delhi.

Nirvaaha is careful about sourcing their products from producers that care for both the land and their harvests. They work with local farmers for their chemical-free produce, and get fresh milk from a nearby dairy that doesn’t pump any hormones into their cows. These careful choices, Dhingiya says, are why his customers trust him.

But for him it’s more than a business model. The 34-year-old entrepreneur and Mahajan also host community cafes, cooking classes and workshops on gardening to help more families like the Upadhyes have a choice in what they consume.

“It’s a shift in consciousness,” Dhingiya said. “It’s slow, but it’s growing.”

Watering the plants in his garden, Nitin Upadhye checked the newly growing spinach leaves and pulled out some dried-up carrots from the bed on his roof. As he and Yamini discussed what they would be growing as the winter season arrived, he mulled a more personal reason for tending their first garden.

“In Buddhism we have the concept of oneness with the self, the environment,” he said, chewing a fresh spinach leaf with a salty taste. “To me this is an attempt to live in harmony.”

By Ankita Rao, GlobalPost

This article is syndicated from GlobalPost.

What does your wine order say?

Photo: Jasmine Tieu

I work in a wine bar. As such, I am well versed in pretense, snide cork sniffing, and long-winded soliloquies about tannins, boutique vineyards, and oak vs. steel. Below is a list of common wines and judgments about the people that order them. In fairness, if you are polite and leave a generous tip you can order anything, even a glass of the dishwasher’s sweat, without scrutiny.

Chardonnay: You are a middle-aged woman or a bottom, possibly both.

Pinot Noir: You have seen the Paul Giamatti classic Sideways.

Merlot: You haven’t seen the Paul Giamatti classic Sideways.

Riesling: You enjoy the crisp taste of apples and alimony payments.

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Biodynamic: You are a vegetarian with a deep love of astrology who may or may not recycle menstrual blood into garden fertilizer. You own at least one crystal.

Barolo: You are undeterred by price and appreciate the profound sense of belonging that organized crime provides.

Port: You own a lot of velvet.

Sauvignon Blanc: You like notes of freshly cut grass and are allergic to pubic hair. Unless you call it Sauv Blanc, then you are a person I want to punch.

Shiraz: You are fearless in the face of bold fruit and spice notes. You enjoy aromas of leather and smoke and dabble in BDSM.

White Zinfandel: You drink Mountain Dew for breakfast and might be wearing slippers.

Cabernet Sauvignon: You are patient and uncomplicated. You will argue the unsung genius of Bily Joel’s early work.

Malbec: You are easy to please, enjoy high elevations, and suffer from rare ailments related to blue-blood incest.

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Gruner Veltliner: You are a free spirit dulled by a puritanical and domineering marriage. You pay cash to avoid leaving a paper trail.

Pinotage: You love dynamic hybrids, like World music, Pineapple kush, and transvestites.

Chenin Blanc: You love to try new things. You were an early adopter of vagazzling and jumpsuits as formal wear.

House red or white: Your lack of self-respect is evident and your acceptance of mediocrity will prevent you from ever being successful, even at buying house plants.

World's largest cities from above

WE’RE USED TO LOOKING AT CITIES from the bottom up. Skyscrapers towering over us, rows of buildings forming gigantic canyons for us to walk and drive through, massive roadways we have to risk our lives crossing – everything about our largest cities from where we normally stand seems impossibly big.

So naturally, our minds are blown when we see our metropolises from far above and realize how tiny they look from afar. Occasionally, we’ll get a glimpse of this out of the window of a plane, but now, in the age of aerial (and even satellite) photography, the best glimpses we get of the tininess of our civilization come through the lens of a camera. Here are some of our civilization’s greatest achievements as seen from above.

This article was originally published on December 7, 2010.

1

Chicago, USA

With over 9 million inhabitants, "Chicagoland" holds the title of third most populous metropolitan area in the United States. If you're planning a visit, our Focus Page has plenty of info on the Windy City, including -- of course -- What NOT to Do in Chicago. Photo: Premshree Pillai

2

Moscow, Russia

Russia's capital city - home of billionaires, beautiful churches, and the Kremlin - looks cold and beautiful from above. Photo: Imgur

3

Tokyo, Japan

Be sure to check out our guide on What NOT to Do in Japan before you plan your trip to the world's most populous city. And just think, somewhere down there are ten incredibly delicious ramen shops. Photo: LuxTonnerre

4

Vancouver, Canada

British Columbia's most famous city, Vancouver, is set on a peninsula amongst some impressive scenery. Photo: Evan Leeson

5

Dubai, UAE

The world's most lavishly rich city is known for it's insane skyscrapers and indoor ski-slopes. This image is of Dubai Marina, an artificial canal. Photo: TheGiftsOfLife

6

Barcelona, Spain

The capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, Barcelona is so much more than just La Rambla. Photo: Aldas Kirvaitis

7

Seattle, USA

Judging from the greenery found in any of Seattle's 5 Best Parks, it's no wonder the Pacific Northwest's largest is nicknamed "Emerald City."Photo: Seattle Municipal Archives

8

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is probably one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world, squeezed as it is between the southern Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain. Photo: Airpano

9

San Francisco, USA

America's second-densest city (behind New York), is beautiful, expensive San Francisco. Photo: PostImg

10

Los Angeles, USA

Spanning almost 500 square miles, the city of Los Angeles is the second largest in the United States. A city with this many options means you'll probably want to glance at our guide on What NOT to Do in Los Angeles to find out where the best taco trucks and hipster bars reside. Photo: �amonn O'Brien-Strain

11

Central Park, New York City, USA

This photo was taken by Russian photographer Sergey Semenov directly over New York's famous Central Park. Photo: Sergey Semenov

12

Las Vegas, USA

The largest city in Nevada and a magnet for gamblers and partygoers from around the world, Las Vegas is one of the most recognizable cities in the world -- except perhaps from this vantage point. When the money (or luck) runs out, be sure to read Sara Benson's 7 Things to Do in Vegas BESIDES Gambling.Photo: Rob

13

Detroit, USA

Detroit may not be the most popular city on this list, but seen from outer space, it's certainly one of the most attractive. With a population of almost 4 million, it's also one of the largest. Take a closer look, and you just might find something to love about Detroit.Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

14

Lisbon, Portugal

The largest city in Portugal, Lisbon is also one of the Oldest Still-Inhabited Cities on the Planet.Photo: jamie.silva

15

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Dig into our Focus Page on Brazil if you're interested in visiting the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere.Photo: Eduardo Zárate

16

New York City, USA

The biggest city in the United States, New York City is also one of the most visited in the world. Matador's managing editor Julie Schwietert's guide on What NOT to Do in NYC will help you avoid the tourist traps.Photo: Nathan Siemers

17

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne may only be the second largest city in Australia, but it is the most livable. For tips on what to do in Melbourne, read What NOT to Do in Melbourne.Photo: Jes

18

Dublin, Ireland

It's hard to find a reason to leave the city of Dublin -- except, of course, Matador Goods editor Lola Akinmade's colorful photo essay on Western Ireland.Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

19

London, UK

The largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, London is home to over 250 museums, those awesome red buses, and the infamous Sunday roast.Photo: Ben

20

Miami, USA

A city that's known for sparkly nightclubs and Cohibas may not seem very budget friendly, but Jared Romey's Budget Guide to South Beach can show you how to pinch your pennies without sacrifice.Photo: Paul Nicholson

21

Tehran, Iran

One of the largest cities in Western Asia and the world, Tehran isn't at the top of many "must visit" lists, but after reading 7 Reasons to Travel to Iran NOW, it's at the top of mine.Photo: Ensie & Matthias

22

Seoul, South Korea

With a population of over 10 million residents, Seoul is the largest city in South Korea and by far the best place in the world to eat a refreshing bowl of naengmyeon. There's plenty to explore outside the city, as well. Check out our Focus Page on Korea for more.Photo: Jrwooley6

23

Johannesburg, South Africa

Not only is Johannesburg the largest city in South Africa, it also holds the title of largest city not situated on a river, lake, or coastline. Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

24

Paris, France

Not only is Paris the largest city in France, but it's also the most touristed city on the planet. Stay away from the herd with our What NOT to Do in Paris guide. Photo: V!CAR!OUS

25

Singapore

Home of one of the fastest growing economies in the world, this city-state is incidentally one of the Top 12 Places to Go For Cheap Healthcare. And if you're looking for cheap healthcare, you'll probably be interested in this guide to Singapore on a Shoestring Budget. Photo: William Cho

15 photos of Uganda’s diverse wildlife and culture

PERFECTLY PUDGY in every way, my first hippopotamus sighting was through bleary eyes and a dusty windshield. Past the dinner hour, exhausted from a day of traveling, and anxious to stretch my legs, our Land Cruiser sped desperately along a dirt road on a pitch black East African night. We spotted her eyes first, glowing in our headlamps. Then her rotund body came into view with curves that could not look more plump in a cartoon drawing.

On our first day in Uganda, the first “big five” sighting from our seats in the safari vehicle trumped even the best inflight entertainment and comfortable seats on our convenient Brussels Airlines flight from New York to Belgium to Entebbe the prior day. Then, without slowing much, Brian, our expert safari driver, sped off to Mweya Lodge for food and rest.

Already hooked on Uganda by the hippo experience, even sleep deprivation would not keep me from waking early — ready to absorb every minute on our schedule that allowed us to uncover unexpected adventures and new experiences in Uganda.

[Editor’s note: Andrea was a guest of the Africa Travel Association in part to attend their 39th annual World Congress event.]

1

Waking up on safari, I quickly discovered that many hippopotamuses roam through the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Staying near lakes and rivers to protect their sensitive skin against sunshine during the day, hippos even give birth in the water. At night, the massive herbivores heave their bodies onto the land in search of grasses to eat.

2

During my eleven days in Uganda, I encountered about 30 elephants -- some close by and others grazing in the distance. Each magnificent sighting reignited my childlike imagination. Each day, the enormous animals can walk more than 80 km (50 miles) to graze on up to 300 kg (660 lbs) of grasses and trees, and drink an impressive 200 liters (53 gallons) of water.

3

Queen Elizabeth National Park hosts a number of volcanic craters within its boundaries. Mineral-laden lakes fill many of the craters and cape buffalo enjoy their cool waters. While the lakes contain too much alkalinity and salinity to drink, the buffalo appear to enjoy cleaning up in these volcanic bathtubs.

4

Traveling to Uganda to attend the Africa Travel Association’s 39th Annual World Congress, our group of conference delegates learned about the government’s commitment to strengthening tourism awareness and infrastructure in Uganda. The Hon. Maria Mutagamba, Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities spoke of new roads we saw under construction and announced plans for new airports that will enable travelers to bounce around the country efficiently. His Excellency, Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda reinforced the government’s commitment to tourism by attending the opening ceremonies at the World Congress in Kampala -- taking pride in his Country’s impressive, mostly unknown, sites like the glacier-capped Rwenzori Mountains.

5

The women in the Rubona Basket Weavers Association use natural dyes made from scratch at their workshop in Rubona to color raffia used in the beautiful baskets they create. The Association employs 200 female workers who create baskets in a variety of colors and designs. Eco-friendly production makes these baskets marketable around the world with profits from each basket going back to the women who made it. With economic growth that may hit a 6% increase in gross domestic product in 2015, Uganda has an impressive number of entrepreneurs and sustainable businesses that provide employment and revenue for their towns and businesses.

6

If Uganda had a single color, it would be green. Cloaked in tropical foliage, the landscape sits at an average of 1200m (4000 ft) above sea level, keeping the country cooler than I expected on the equator. This environment enables tea farmers to produce vibrant green crops on the hills. Uganda’s southern landscape radiates the color green in beautiful and evenly manicured tea fields.

7

Bicycles carry every kind of item in Uganda. Many people, particularly in small rural communities, are limited in transportation resources. I saw bikes moving everything from pineapples to a stack of mattresses! On market days men carry farm produce, like matooke (a variety of banana), to town by bicycle, where their produce can be bought by distributors and exporters.

8

Inside Queen Elizabeth National Park resides an entire community of labourers who only have one initiative: to mine salt. The government allocates the Katwe Salt Lake to the economic benefit of the Katwe townspeople. Since salt is the only commodity allowed to be developed within the park, all other goods, including food, are brought in and traded for salt.

9

Only leaving a nomadic life in the forests of Uganda, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo in 1992, the Batwa Pygmies now reside in Uganda near the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. To preserve their culture and heritage within their community and educate visitors about their history and livelihood, The Batwa Experience provides a peek into the life of the pygmies. After a long uphill hike, the Batwa people welcomed us to their small village with lively dancing and songs. The proceeds of this experience go back to the Batwa people for their education, healthcare, and development projects.

10

The cornerstone of Uganda’s tourist industry resides with the 400 mountain gorillas that call the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Bwindi Impenetrable National Park their natural home. With an estimated 786 mountain gorillas remaining in the world, Uganda currently has 53% of the global population. The gorillas, of course, have no passports and cross freely between Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda.


Threatened by poaching, recent preservation efforts and tourism have enabled the mountain gorilla population to begin growing again. The steep price of a tracking permit goes back to preservation efforts and into the local communities for development projects. Witnessing the beautiful creature in their environment is unforgettable. The animals treat their own illnesses and even add sweet and salty flavors to their food using various roots and plants. They move together as a family and make a new nest each night.

11

Water really does drain in opposite directions on either side of the equator. On every major road in Uganda, a line marks the earth’s midsection. Heading south out of Kampala, we found an equator crossing where a man used three funnels to demonstrate how water drains in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. As for the funnel set up directly on the equator — it goes straight down with no spin at all!

12

Our final official activity for the Africa Travel Association’s 39th World Congress took our group of conference attendees to the source of the Nile River in Jinja. Everyone planted a tree to symbolize Uganda’s commitment to the environment — emphasizing each person’s role as a caretaker of our world. Justa C. Lujwangana, founder of Curious On Tanzania, posed for stylish tree-planting photos before we rushed off to watch canoe races and enjoy a boat ride to see bubbling source waters from Lake Victoria flow into the River Nile.

13

Saying farewell to Uganda, our group visited the Uganda Wildlife Centre where distressed animals are taken for rehabilitation and care. I never expected to bow to a bird, but with the very large (and in charge) shoebill, a bow is protocol. The bird first dips its head toward a person and waits for the move to be reciprocated — a sign that this enormous, winged creature shows respect and should be respected.

14

Endangered and protected, white rhinoceroses are being bred in captivity in order to help their population. Poachers have significantly stolen from their herds for the love of their horns. The Uganda Wildlife Centre cares for two “just friend” rhinos. With a thick iron gate between us, on a back-of-house tour I felt privileged to pet these leathery animals and marvel at their distinct and large features.

15

With smiles and laughter, we said goodbye to Uganda by feeding the gentle giraffes at the Uganda Wildlife Centre. On an elevated stage we marveled at their spots — a darker coat for the older giraffe and lighter one for the junior. Known as the “graceful giraffe” for their walk and run, Murchison Falls National Park is the best place to see them in the wild.

3 nations fighting climate change

Drought, storm surges, failing harvests, and potential wars. From African deserts to South American jungles, the news from the climate change front lines is increasingly desperate.

In Lima, bureaucrats and leaders from nearly 200 governments are haggling over the fine print of a planned climate change treaty, due to be signed in Paris in December 2015. Citizens at the sharp end of global warming have also been gathering here.

Here’s what three of them, from three parts of the world that are highly vulnerable to changes in the climate, said to GlobalPost.

Sadok Elamri, from the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, a Tunisian nonprofit

Photo: Simeon Tegel/GlobalPost

“There are 240 million people who live in 22 countries in the Sahel, the region around the Sahara, and they are at serious risk from climate change. The desert is expanding, growing every year, and surrounding towns and cities.

“Our big fear is both drought and armed conflict.”

“The forecasts are for rains to start failing by 2025 or 2030. People are already taking water from underground sources but it is not sustainable.

“Our big fear is both drought and armed conflict. Tunisia, Libya and Algeria share an aquifer and they need to cooperate and ensure that is used sustainably and renewably. So do Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya.

“Even in the desert, in Mali for example, there are microclimates that allow human communities to live. These will be really hurt by climate change. I’m not optimistic, because the Sahel nations are poor and people depend on agriculture. They don’t have the capacity to adapt.

“This COP [United Nations climate conference] is crucial. Paris is our last chance. We need strong commitments from developed nations to curb their emissions. We also need funds to help us adapt to climate change.

“Climate change is here, now; we don’t say that frequently enough.”

Shuuichi Endou, Japanese photographer based on the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, which he also represents as environmental goodwill ambassador

Photo: Simeon Tegel/GlobalPost

“Two degrees is too much — 1.5 is probably the limit for Tuvalu.” (Two degrees Celsius is the benchmark temperature rise above pre-industrial levels that many scientists say would avoid catastrophic climate change.)

“Tuvalu will be gone in about 15 years…many are already evacuating.”

“We are just 2 meters above sea level so whenever there is a storm surge or large waves, we get swamped. The seawater has worked its way into the water-table and our crops of coconut, banana, taro and breadfruit are failing.

“They say Tuvalu will be gone in about 15 years. There are just 10,000 people in Tuvalu and many are already evacuating to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. Those that aren’t making plans know that they will have to soon.

“We urgently need climate change not just to slow down or stop but to reverse; even with a relatively strong agreement in Paris, it is hard to see that happening.”

Maria Lopez, indigenous Yanesha leader, from the Peruvian Amazon

Photo: Simeon Tegel/GlobalPost

“In the jungle, we feel climate change every day. The heat is stronger now than it used to be. The seasons have changed now, too.

“We can’t trust the rains to come anymore.”

“We can’t trust the rains to come anymore. There is drought. We don’t know when to sow. If we do it when we did it before, then the crops fail, or grow too small.

“We’ve stopped growing coffee and cacao, our main cash crops, and now rely on our subsistence crops, like cassava and bananas. There is hunger in the communities.

“There is also logging on our lands. Some native people have titles to their lands but many don’t and the loggers get concessions from the government. They tell us that logging makes it hotter.

“We have come to the COP to present our stories and to hear what solution the government will offer us.”

By Simeon Tegel, GlobalPost

This article is syndicated from GlobalPost.

Phrases only Argentines understand

Photo: Louie Escobar

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1. Ser Gardel | To be Gardel

You are Gardel when you are the way you wanna be, when you don’t need anything else. This expression means “to be on the top,” like Carlos Gardel, the most famous tango singer in history. Being Gardel is attaining a supreme level of self-sufficiency and privilege. You are Gardel if, in summer, you get a canvas pool to put up with Buenos Aires’ heat. And, if you get a house with a swimming pool, you are Gardel with an electric guitar!

2. Me cortaron las piernas | “They’ve cut my legs off!”

On June 30, 1994, Diego Armando Maradona’s World Cup in the USA came to an end when he was marched off the pitch by a nurse, having failed a drug test. That awful day, his career on the national team was surprisingly finished. At the saddest moment of Argentinian sports, Diego said this unforgettable phrase that is still used to refer to an injustice. Of course, we exaggerate that expression to complain about trivial things, like the absence of ketchup on a hot dog stand, for example.

3. Pegar un tubazo | To hit someone with a tube.

Don’t be alarmed if an Argentinian asks you to hit him with a tube; he’s simply saying “call me.” It doesn’t matter if you do it from a telephone, a cell phone or Skype.

4. Ir a llorarle/cobrarle a Magoya | To go crying to (or get your money from) Magoya.

Magoya is the first name of a being whose origin, life story, location, and other biographical data are totally unknown. But there is one thing we do know well: Magoya will never be there when we search for him. Magoya represents an indubitable void. We have never seen him (it?), and we won’t. We just know that if someone warns us: “Do not sell that thing to X, because he never pays his bills,” we do it under our responsibility. And if, finally, X fails to pay what he owes, someone will send us to charge Magoya.

5. Estar hasta las manos | To be up to one’s hands

Sometimes, recognizing and accepting love is really hard. Telling it to a friend is much more difficult. That’s why, perhaps trying to mitigate the impact of the news, Argentinians admit: “I think I’m up to my hands with this girl.”

But we also say we are up to our hands when we are really busy and we don’t have enough time to do everything we have to do (which can also a consequence of being up to your hands in love).

6. Buscarle la quinta pata al gato | To search for a cat’s fifth leg

Argentinians are used to being worried about (or in) trouble. And when we don’t have anything to complain about, we look for it. We buy things with distrust, listen to people wondering if they are telling the truth and see conflict where it doesn’t exist. We love searching for a cat’s fifth leg and, from time to time, we find it!

7. Andar como turco en la neblina | To go like a Turk in the haze

If, as the tango says, “you’re confused and you don’t know what trolley to follow,” then that’s because you go like a “Turk in the haze.” It seems that the origin of this phrase comes from Iberian Peninsula. Many years ago, in Spain, pure wine (no water) was called “Turkish,” because it wasn’t “baptized.” To be drunk was “to catch a Turk.” Is there a better image than a drunk lost in the haze for describing that feeling of being confused?

8. No hay tu tía | There’s no your aunt

“There’s no way to do it, bro. Although you try, there’s no way to solve the problem There’s not your aunt!”

The “atutía” was a substance derived from copper smelting. It used to be used as medicine for certain eye diseases. In Spanish, “atutía” sounds like “tu tía,” which means “your aunt.” “There’s no atutía” was the original phrase to say that something had no remedy. Over time, distortions turned it into “there’s no tu tía”. So, when something has no solution, there’s no your aunt.

9. Hacer algo de cayetano | To do something silently or without telling anyone

If you have the pleasure of visiting Argentina and a friend of yours asks you to do something “de cayetano,” be careful. You don’t have to dress up like San Cayetano, the saint of working. Nor do you have to go to religious procession on August 7. “De cayetano” means “silent” or “without telling anyone.” So, if you’re strolling through the Obelisco and you find a $50 bill, pick it up, but “de cayetano…”

10. Tirar los galgos | Release the greyhounds, or drop pickup lines

Argentina has notoriously beautiful women. In attempting to seduce them, Argentine men improvise speeches, sometimes with success, other times not. Obviously, this is not about a hunting with dogs, (as is practiced in rural areas), but both ways of releasing Greyhounds may have much in common.

11. Ponerse la gorra | Put on the police cap

Argentinians don’t like authoritarian behavior…except their own! There is always somebody who, in moments of joy, prefers to get serious. That’s why we immediately order them to “take the hat off.”

7 things travelers want for Xmas

Photo: SkyDivedParcel

Travelers can be a pain in the ass to Christmas-shop for. We tend to be non-materialistic types, more interested in accumulating foods tried, experiences had, and countries visited than things gathered. But this by no means that you can’t buy good Christmas presents for the travelers in your life. Here are some things that pretty much every traveler wants.

1. Sky miles

If you’re a frequent business traveler, but don’t think you’ll use any of your miles for yourself, give them to the traveler in your life — most airlines allow this. Most hardcore travelers are points-hoarders anyway, using points credit cards for every purchase so as to make sure all of their money counts double. Your gift of a few thousand points will get them that much closer to their next trip, and if you give them a bunch of points, they might be able to stretch it into a full vacation. And it basically cost you nothing.

2. Gift certificates to places that aren’t stores

A lot of people see gift certificates as a cop-out present: “Yeah, I just didn’t have the time to think about what you might want, so I guess you can just go figure it out yourself.” But a lot of travelers collect things much less than they collect experiences, so buying them an experience is a pretty great gift. You can plan it out a bit yourself if you don’t want to feel like you’re copping out. Try places like restaurants, spas, sky-diving schools, jet-ski rentals, amusement parks, beach passes, or scuba-certification courses.

3. Something to document their travels with

I’ve always loved getting notebooks and a good pen as a gift, especially ones that are travel sized. I’ve filled up dozens of them through the years, and the little tidbits that I wrote down while I was traveling — sometimes no more than two words — have sinced morphed into awesome travel stories that I’ve gotten to write about. Photographers will be even more appreciative, as their equipment’s a lot pricier than writers equipment.

4. A smartphone

Smartphones are quickly becoming a traveler’s best friend. They have everything you could possibly need: maps and compasses for those who get lost, translation apps for speaking to strangers in strange lands, travel apps for finding and booking cheap flights, photo apps for amateur photographers, e-reader apps for long train rides, and music for when the other people in your hostel won’t shut up at 2am.

5. Gear

Is your traveler a hiker? Get her boots or a backpack. Is your traveler a diver? Buy him a snorkel. Is he a surfer? Buy him a thesaurus. Most habitual travelers have a hobby that drives their travel, and if you help support that hobby, you’ll help support their travels.

6. Booze

I mean, this goes for everyone and not just for travelers, but travelers who don’t have any money are likely going to be saving as much as possible, and thus will probably not be going out as much as they might like to otherwise, so get them a nice bottle of wine or scotch and offer to help them drink it. Travelers with money are still probably going to appreciate it — maybe arrange a pub crawl in whatever town you’re in at the moment, or go visit a winery or a brewery.

7. World peace

Seriously: Afghanistan and Syria are supposed to be incredible. Ditto Ukraine. Ditto Israel and Palestine. There are a billion better reasons than travel to want world peace (like, for example, having fewer children killed or pressed into the armed forces) but travelers want to see the entire world, and it’s hard to do that when entire countries are inaccessible due to violence or disease. And most travelers are humanitarians anyway. So if there’s nothing else you can think of to get for them, try making a donation in their name to effective giving organizations like The Life You Can Save, or making a microloan in their name on sites like Kiva, or get them politically involved in human-rights organizations.

Best of the East from a Californian

As I was essentially raised on the West Coast of the United States, I had a previously misguided view of the East as being entirely flat, metropolitan, and unimportant to a true adventurer. What could the East Coast possibly have on the Sierras, Cascades, Pacific Coast, southwestern deserts, and abundant national parks?

In a fortunate turn of events, I went from being an undergraduate on the California coast to a graduate student in Maine and quickly came to love the East as I do the West. Now a firm believer of the importance of domestic travel, I’ve finally narrowed down my list to the places which most profoundly reversed my view of this side of the US.




1

Adirondacks, New York

The difference between New York City and upstate New York is drastic. For example, Adirondack Park is larger than any western national park. The park is nearly three times larger than Yellowstone, and bigger than some eastern states. It is a historical landmark in the United States’ push for publicly accessible wilderness and has equal standing with Yosemite. Between kayaking Lake Champlain and deep wilderness backpacking trips in the great range, I found a lifetime’s worth of trip ideas.
Photo: Adam Riquier

2

Northern Appalachians

One of my first experiences with eastern ranges was a hike up Mount Katahdin in Maine. Not seeing how a mile-high mountain could be a challenge, I gauged this hike might take four hours. Those who've hiked the Appalachian Trail or anywhere in Baxter must be floored by that statement. It was a savage, all-day affair, even for this Californian who's used to hiking 14ers. Somewhere in between the precipitous scramble along the Knife's Edge and the perfectly mirrored reflection of "The Great Mountain," I half-walked and half-limped my way toward a genuine reverence for this range.
Photo: Jeffrey Stylos

3

Little River Canyon and Talladega National Forest, Alabama

No trip through the South would be complete without seeing its Grand Canyon. The Little River Canyon drives straight through the plateau of Lookout Mountain and carves an impressive 800-foot gorge. There's a substantial amount of unexplored rock climbing and river running through the uncrowded area. Further southwest, the Talladega National Forest protects the tallest mountains of the state. Mt Cheaha is a relatively short mountain, but has epic vistas which reminded me of something out of the Northern California foothills. Lastly, there's Oak Mountain State Park which is one of only 50-something best mountain-biking destinations named by the International Mountain Biking Association.
Photo: JWagnonPhotography

4

West Virginia

New River Gorge is an obvious candidate for the best known natural feature of Appalachia, and seeing it in person was surreal. Sure the Grand Canyon is wider and deeper but the New River is the oldest river on the continent, slowly carving its way over 325 million years (over four times older than the Colorado River). The sheer remoteness of Seneca Rocks, Spruce Knob, and Canaan Valley along with the hidden beauty of Pocahontas County are just the tip of the iceberg for the mountaineer's state. I haven't had the extensive travel experiences here as I have in New England, but I left with an encyclopedia-length list of things I'd return for.
Photo: Kate Webster

5

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is a more coastal version of Asheville, exhibiting surprisingly accessible Southern elegance. It remains delightfully available to even the most economical of travelers. Downtown Charleston had the full range of restaurants, historical sites, and bright southern architecture. Even a wilderness-loving guy like me found enjoyment among the tourists. James Island and Folly Island had very affordable accommodations and a great beach for 20-30-somethings while Kiawah Island was a millionaire's paradise (however, there's a great public beach on the island where you can wander one of the country's best shorelines). Kayaking through marshes full of dolphins and under all the Palmettos and Spanish moss almost made me not miss the coast of California.
Photo: Jen Goellnitz

6

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville exemplifies Appalachian chic. It’s a city that's elegant but accessible to anyone, and the locals are quite friendly. It’s also large enough and historical enough to have developed its own culture while supporting a thriving 20-30-something scene. Asheville’s a lot like Denver in that respect (and the nearby Black Mountain is like Boulder). Perhaps it was just the crowd I was running with, but it seemed like everything revolved around nature and outdoors. There wasn't an off-season, just different outdoor sports tin perfect weather. Hiking the Black Mountain Traverse and mountain biking the nearby Brevard Dupont State Forest are not to be missed.
Photo: Jay Joslin

7

Pennsylvania mountain biking

The number of mountain biking trails in Pennsylvania expands every year. The state has developed excellent cross-country road biking, but the technical singletracks are just as good. Ohiopyle is right in the heart of the Allegheny Trail and whitewater country. The Baughman, Sugarloaf, and McCune Trails were extremely technical, but I managed to survive and discovered yet another mountain biking Mecca.
Photo: Jonas Nockert

8

Eastern Kentucky/Western Virginia

I put this here for two reasons: Firstly, it is an area of abundant natural beauty. The rugged ridge and valley areas around Wise, Norton, and Big Stone Gap look like waves frozen in time. The rugged semi-alpine summits of eastern Kentucky are frequently overlooked for more popular summits in North Carolina. However, the magnificence of the mountains contrasts with the significant degree of rural poverty that permeates the region. Appalachia has some of the most frequently overlooked, yet persistent poverty in this country. As a family practice student in rural Maine, I was no stranger to rural poverty. I hope that I can continue to be involved in advocacy for the rural poor even though I'm now in the big city.
Photo: Universal Pops

9

Coastal Maine

I’ve kayaked extensively through the Channel Islands of Southern California and Northern California's Lost Coast, along with a few jaunts through Washington’s San Juan and Alaska's Inside Passage. It takes a lot to impress this paddler. Nevertheless, my first 100-mile expedition of the Maine Island Trail was equally adventurous but distinctly Atlantic. Maine has a "drowned coast”; what was once a mountain range is now innumerable archipelagos and rugged coastlines. These tens of thousands of islands, which are mostly preserved in their natural state, make this coast a northerner's Caribbean.
Photo: Brent Danley

10

Natchez Trace and Vicksburg, Mississippi

Natchez Trace Parkway is a favorite among cross-country bikers. This road follows a historical route though the state and follows along rivers and marshes that are as pretty as any mountain. Something which shouldn't be missed in Mississippi is Vicksburg National Military Park. This park is as well preserved as Gettysburg and hold about as much historical significance. Vicksburg is built on the Mississippi River bluffs and was a perfect military base in the Civil War. It was a strategic stronghold that anchored the Mississippi River to the Confederate States. The lengthy trench warfare and siege was some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Once captured, Vicksburg divided Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas from the rest of the South and was instrumental in ending the war. The battlefield is meticulously preserved with monuments for every state that was involved in the battle.
Photo: Stephen Bugno

10 incredibly useful Slovak phrases

Photo: TEDx Bratislava

1. Ako sa máš? [ako sa mash] | How are you?

We Slovaks really mean it and we expect a sincere answer. Depending on how close we are to you, you should choose level of sincerity / politeness. If we are just colleagues who are not really close, it’s okay to say some general information. But if you are my friend, or a closer coworker, I expect to hear details.

The Slovak language is all about being specific and detailed. “I’m fine,” just will not do. We want to know why you are fine.

2. Nech sa páči [nyeh sa paatshi] | Here you are

Often heard in restaurants when ordering a meal, when being served drinks, or even when someone holds the door for you. It’s super confusing, I know! But don’t worry; it is just a polite way to say ‘There you go.’

3. V pohode [fpohodye] | It’s cool / It’s okay

This phrase established its place in the Slovak language just in recent years. Its meaning connects to anything that you want someone to be cool about. It also means you are saying that something is good, e.g. “This club is v pohode.”

4. Jedno pivo, prosím [yedno pivo proseem] | One beer, please

Slovaks celebrate everything with alcohol. Whether it’s just an ordinary night out, promotion at work, or your birthday, one day you will need to order a beer. Beer comes in two traditional sizes: big one (veľké) which is 0.5 litre and small one (malé) which is 0.3 litre. Guys rarely order a small one (just fyi, so be careful when ordering).

5. Na zdravie [na zdravye] | Cheers! / Bless you!

This is one of the first things you learn right after you learn to order a beer. You will hear it everywhere when you try to socialize. Every time you have drinks with someone, and it may be even a soft drink like our traditional wannabe Coca-Cola called Kofola. This common phrase is accompanied with toasting glasses against each other: first with top of the glass, then bottom, and then one more slam against table and you’re good to drink your beer.

Na zdravie is also phrase that we use when someone sneezes.

6. Dobrú chuť [dobroo hut] | Enjoy your meal

Wishing someone bon appetit when he/she is eating is something you can learn from any conversation book or tourist guide. But what do you reply? There are few options ready for this situation. One of them is replying with the same phrase — “dobrú chuť.” The other one is “podobne.” Its meaning is “Same to you,” however, it literally means similarly. You can also say “ďakujem, aj tebe” — meaning, “Thank you, to you too.”

7. Prosím [proseem]

The most universal word in the world! Prosím means please. It also means here you are. It means shock. It means you’re welcome. It means I want. It means asking for a favour. It means WTF. It means basically everything that bitte means in German.

8. Fakt [fucked] | Really?!

All foreigners think Slovaks swear a lot because they hear the word ‘fakt‘ pronounced as English ‘fucked’ everywhere they go. So what’s the matter with us Slovaks? Fakt means ‘really’ in a matter of a shock, as in “Really?!” or “Are you serious?!” Slovaks just use fakt.

Once I was travelling with my friend and her English fiance in my car and we were talking about something in Slovak and every other word we used was fakt. After five minutes, her fiancé shyly asked “Excuse me, but what does fakt mean?”

9. Four levels of Slovak love

Slovaks express their love or affection toward anything in four levels:

1. Páčiš sa mi [paatshish sa me]: related to something you encountered for the first time, “I like (how) you (look).”

2. Mám ťa rád [maam tya raad]: related to something you already experienced or saw before and enjoyed it. You can like your friend, you can like thai food, you can like pink color.

3. Ľúbim ťa [lyoobim tya]: first level of “I love you.” You can love your parents, or your boyfriend/girlfriend, your family, your friends.

4. Milujem ťa [miluyem tya]: the higher level of loving someone or something (close to adoring) and this is usually used for long-term boyfriend or girlfriend, or husband and wife.
10. Ja som s tebou husi nepásol [ya som styebow hoosi nyepaasol]

If you need to put someone in their place, this phrase is ideal. It literally means, “I haven’t herded geese with you,” meaning, you might be a shepherd, but I’m the boss here. Parents use this phrase on their kids when kids get too rude.

7 dates Seattleites go on

Photo: Kris

Thai Tom

With hopes of exuding an aura of cultured worldliness well beyond your years (and financial means) you take your lovely date to Thai Tom. Heads up: first step through the door is tantamount to what it must be like entering that wardrobe-portal to Narnia. You’re a world away from Seattle, surrounded by ceramic elephants and sizzling saucepans of noodle spice chicken. When all else fails in making conversation, at least you can fall back on how authentic the experience is.

The catch with Thai Tom as a dinner-date destination is that as a customer you really are in for an authentic Thai dining experience, in which your definition of a ‘3 star’ pad Thai is at least three scales and an eternally-vacated sinus away from your samurai chef blade-wielding, Marlboro-smoking Thai cook’s definition of a ‘3 star’ dish.

The food’s so spicy it’ll ruin any chance at establishing a comfortable, smooth-flowing conversation with the lovely lady across the table from you because you’ll be too busy wiping a napkin across your sweaty-as-a-ballsack-in-a-sauna face. Waiter, does this pad-see-ew come with a gym towel and a blueberry pomegranate Starbucks refresher?

Caffe Vitta

Taking your date to Caffe Vitta as opposed to Starbucks is like taking your dinner date to a 4-star steakhouse instead of T.G.I Friday’s: you’re telling him / her they’re worth the drawn-out wait time and snobby service, and that you’re not living paycheck-to-paycheck (even though you very well may be). You’ll walk into the intimate, darkly-lit interior only to realize there’s no chance you’ll lock down a table before Vitta runs out of coffee altogether — which would be pretty fucking confounding, considering the store’s flooded with bags of free-trade java beans, intended as hipster-chic decorations.

Maybe if we got rid of the damn java bags, Caffe Vitta, less customers would have to carry on conversations over coffee on a gum-infested sidewalk where hobos are constantly interrupting by begging for Jack in the Box.

Sounders game

The anticipation that steadily mounts leading up to a soccer match does wonders for juicing up a conversation. Fans are pregaming or hammered (because that’s the logical play), and when the game actually starts you need not worry about the faintest trace of an awkward silence with the deafening roar over ‘Clink’ field.

But I hope you’ve put away the last three paychecks. You’re a 90-minute game away from having spent $85 on medium-sized Bud Lights, $20 on a hastily-defrosted burger alongside Kidd Valley garlic fries (after eating which you should never breathe on a human again), and of course the obligatory Sounders Scarf.

The Seattle Great Wheel

The whole time you’ll be asking yourself, what’s so damn great about this? You’re on the waterfront, so the breeze blowing off the ocean is significantly colder than anywhere else in Seattle (so, marine-arctic cold), and you’re realizing now that high heights on automated metal wheels are no place for romantic dates. Plus you guys had to pit stop at the neighboring Ivar’s for a couple of under-baked bread bowls beforehand — and the chowder’s generating white caps in that stressed stomach of yours.

Bainbridge Island excursion

You’ll stroll alongside your date through impeccably-manicured sidewalks, alleyways laden with trash cans cleaner than your kitchen table, garden-paths covered with exotic plants imported from Neverland, toward boutiques and Parisian-inspired cafés comfortably outside the college student’s budget. At one point you whisper hushed promises (with crossed fingers) that this is what your future together could look like — if she’s just patient with your slow, yet steady climb up the greasy corporate ladder.

Drinks at Comet Tavern

Sometimes you’ve had a long day, and you need to fall back on the conversationally-lubricating features of a pitcher or three. Comet Tavern is pretty kickass, with its bartending crew abiding by an unwritten code to wear the man-bun at all times, and its expertly-curated playlists contain legendary rock jams.

As you stare into your date’s eyes, you’ll calmly reflect on the reality that you don’t need to carry on with unnecessary ‘conversation filler’ when the both of you would rather lose yourselves in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Maybe, just maybe, your date’s sights are set on a ‘sim-m-ple ki-i-i-nd of man’ able to chill amid the date’s comfortable moments of silence.

Zoolights (Seasonal)

It’s Christmas time. The extended family, hostile in-laws, and pampered, pesky tweens, teens, and toddlers are in town. There’s no room in the house, so, naturally, you take your date on a trip to Point Defiance Zoo to see the Christmas lights. But it’s the coldest time of year, and at the end of the night, in order to not freeze your nipples off, you consider draping a web of Christmas lights over your frozen limbs.

Then it occurs to you that your date with her lightweight sweater and Lululemon tights was at least twenty-five degrees colder — borderline hypothermic. So you put aside the well-being of your now black-market-diamond-hard nipples and give her your coat. What the fuck were you thinking coming here?