Photo: ItzaFineDay

1. The Lebanese

When I was growing up, civil war raged in Lebanon. We read in newspapers about Christians, Shi’ites, and Sunnis killing each other, foreigners being kidnapped, horror stories from the refugee camps at Sabra and Shatila.

Several of my schoolmates went on to join the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. Before going, many associated the Lebanese — or all Arabs, really — with trigger-happy warmongers and terrorists (the press was just as skewed in the ’80s, remember?).

But, without exception, they came back with a new understanding and completely altered views, proclaiming great affection for the people of Lebanon.

Later, most of my college friends in the U.S. were from the Middle East — some were Lebanese. It’s been years — more than 20 — but I still remember their exuberance and optimism. Despite having to constantly worry about friends and families back home, they managed to remain down-to-earth and lighthearted.

Photo: Panoramas

2. Ancient history

I love archaeology and ancient history, and Lebanon has plenty to offer. More than 7,000 years old, the urban centers of Byblos and Tyre are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, home once to the prosperous, seafaring Phoenicians.

Like Matadorians, the ancient people of Lebanon were enthusiastic travelers.

The tiny country (about the size of Connecticut), has 5 properties inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage books. In addition to Tyre and Byblos, these include the Roman ruins at Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley, the monasteries of the holy valley Quadi Qadisha, and the ancient city Anjar.

I’d love to take my time and explore all of them.

3. It’s peaceful. At the moment.

The U.S. State Department urges its citizens against all travel to Lebanon. If, in the face of this advice, they still go, it suggests to “keep a low profile, varying times for all required travel.”

Friends who have just returned from Lebanon are dumbstruck by this, Europeans and Americans alike. They feel safer in Beirut than in most Western cities.

Also, the travel warning didn’t stop the New York Times from awarding Beirut top billing among the top 44 places to go in 2009.

Since I’m not a U.S. citizen, I look at my country’s travel advisory instead. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs simply recommends that Norwegian citizens in Lebanon exercise caution. I can do that.

Photo: Petteri Sulonen

If I want the safety of traveling in a group, numerous operators run tours in Lebanon, including Voyages Jules Verne, Audley, and Patrick Syder.

However, there’s no denying the situation is fragile. Since the end of the civil war in 1990, Lebanon has had its share of conflicts, including the short-lived yet devastating war with Israel in 2006.

Best to see this ancient land now while it’s peaceful. Right now is Lebanon’s time.

4. The food. And the wine.

I adore Arabic food, especially street food. Can’t wait to try the local hummus, maftoul, tabouleh, a piece of sticky baklava.

Yogurt, which I normally find bland and uninspiring, is a completely different food in the Arabic world. Garnished with olive oil and sea salt, the strained yogurt known as lebneh is delicious.

I look forward to strolling around Souk El Tayeb, Beirut’s first farmers market, and eating at Tawlet, the market’s open kitchen — where Christian, Sunni, and Shi’ite farmers serve in turns.

I’d also like to sample a glass or three of Cabernet Sauvignon from the sunny hills of the Bekaa Valley — perhaps from Château Ksara or Château Kefraya. I may even try the local arak.

Appropriate somehow, as this valley is home to the Temple of Bacchus, god of wine and intoxication.

Photo: Abouid

5. Natural diversity

Being in the mountains in the morning, skiing down the slopes of Mount Lebanon if I wish, then popping down to the beach for a Mediterranean swim in the afternoon — sounds fabulous.

I hail from a mountainous country and would probably feel right at home amidst Lebanon’s mountain scenery.

I could hike or bike the Lebanon Mountain Trail, or even trace the Baskinta Literary Trail, touring numerous landmarks related to Lebanese poets and novelists along the way. What a wonderful way to fuse nature and culture.

Ultimately, I just like the Middle East. I’ve visited Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and Syria — all the countries in the neighborhood. And I speak some Arabic, enough to make myself understood. But it’s been years, so just in case, I might bring a copy of Useful Arabic Phrases for Travelers.

Writing this, I can’t think why I haven’t already been. In fact, I think I’ll book a ticket right now.

Community Connection

Sophie’s good to go. If you are too, check out 3 Secrets To Planning Your Next Big Adventure.

Photo: Piotr Pawłowski

I WAS STRUCK by the dominance of the color gray as I walked through the gateway stamped with the blocky letters “Warszawa Centralna.”

I had just happened to arrive in Warsaw on a cloudy day, and the white-washed sky seemed to exaggerate the drear of the city’s low-slung concrete buildings squatting in patches of overgrown weeds. The cars, buses, street stalls, and even stern-looking people all seemed dressed in muted tones, fading towards one color: gray.

I hadn’t planned to come to Warsaw on my trip — I ended up there to apply for a visa — as guidebooks and friends had warned me off Poland’s capital, calling it, well, really ugly.

Indeed, brutally razed by the Nazis and then rebuilt by the Russians in Communist concrete, Warsaw is no looker. But as I explored the gritty streets and learned about Warsaw’s place in Polish history, I started to feel that it deserved a better reputation.

It doesn’t have the glitter and glamour of Krakow’s medieval ramparts and Wawel Castle, but Warsaw, more than most cities I’ve seen, helped me understand the spirit and strength of its people’s nation.

Photo: nicksarebi

1. Warsaw Rising Museum

After securing a room in a hostel built in the former offices of a USSR Sugar Committee, I headed for the Warsaw Rising Museum.

This turned out to be an excellent place to start, as it gives a thorough primer on one of the most formative events in Poland’s recent, tumultuous history. I vaguely remembered the words “Warsaw Uprising” from a high school textbook, but I knew almost nothing, before the museum, about the bitter rebellion Warsawians led against one of the strongest armies ever massed.

For close to two months, militias, mostly civilian, flung up barricades in the streets and smuggled weapons through sewer tunnels, struggling to retake their city block by block. Surrounded by the Nazis, with no hope of winning without Allied help, the Warsawians fought their desperate battle until food was so scarce they fried donuts in perfume and graveyards were so full they buried their dead in the streets.

The Allies never came, and when the Warsawians finally surrendered, the Nazis marched the entire population out of the city and systematically demolished it. As my audioguide put it: “We are talking about the evacuation and destruction of one of the largest cities in Europe, the capital of one of its largest countries.”

The museum documents the struggle with cases of militia armbands and weaponry alongside replicas of underground radio stations and torn letters delivered by the Uprising postal service.

I spent nearly three hours here, but even that wasn’t enough to read the text at all of the museum’s 50+ exhibits. At 5 PLN (US$1.50) with my International Youth Travel Card (10 PLN regular price), it’s an amazing value, though the 10 PLN audioguide was probably a bit excessive.

Photo: Harshil.Shah

2. The tram and Stare Miasto

I grabbed a rattling tram north towards, I hoped, the city’s Old Town, or Stare Miasto.

I couldn’t decode the Polish route listed at the tram stop, and the cars stopped so often it might have been faster to walk, but the lively, clattering tram ride was a good followup to the sober museum.

It was less crowded than any metro ride I took in the city, and filled with everyone from teens toying with iPods to grannies carrying sacks of cabbage, it made for great people-watching.

Having visited the museum, I had an even deeper appreciation for Warsaw’s “Old Town,” which, unfortunately, isn’t very old anymore. Before the war, the neighborhood housed important political and cultural centers dating from the 13th century through the 20th, but like most of Warsaw, it was destroyed by the Nazis after the failed Uprising.

Miraculously, most of the Old Town has been painstakingly rebuilt, and while the paint jobs looked fresh, many of the buildings seemed so architecturally accurate that it was hard to believe I wasn’t seeing originals.

My tour started at the north end of the neighborhood, at the crumbling, red-brick Barbican, a medieval watchtower with old city walls. I headed south through the arch down a road lined with vendors selling beer-swigging folk dolls and gaudy Polish flag t-shirts, then walked out into the Old Town Market Place to admire the bright pink Royal Castle, where every Polish monarch lived from the 16th century until Poland’s third partition in 1795.

I ducked under an awning to get out of the light rain and snapped a few pictures of the domed roof and clock tower, watched by a few tourists drinking expensive coffee at one of the outdoor cafes.

Further south, the tight ribbon of squares and back alleys opened into the Royal Route, a long street lined with both ancient and modern government headquarters.

I did my best to decode which palace was which using the “Warsaw Directory” my hostel had given me, but the rain was falling harder, and there were really a lot of palaces. I stopped in front of the Presidential Palace, taking a moment to read the exhibit memorializing President Lech Kaczyński, who had died tragically in a plane crash one month before my visit.

Finally, I moved on to the gates of Warsaw University to admire the academic buildings and long courtyards and, more importantly, look for dinner.

Photo: moniko moniko

3. Pierogis and mleczny bars

I had vowed to eat local specialties as much as possible on my trip, so I found a pierogi restaurant.

My hostel had recommended a place just south of Stare Miasto called Pierogarnia na Bednarska, tucked around the corner from a small park.

I stared blankly at the Polish listings scrawled on the blackboard for a minute before asking a group of British businessmen for recommendations. They laughed and indicated a stack of English menus on the counter.

I ordered, by pointing, the vegetarian sampler, a plate of tasty dumplings whose fillings included potato and cheese, spiced bulgur and mushroom, and garlicky spinach. It was delicious and, at 18 PLN (US$5.50), a reasonably priced dinner.

My original dinner plan had been to find a mleczny bar. It means “milk bar,” but these cafeteria-style restaurants serve up a wide selection of traditional Polish food. I’d heard their sparse decor, simple food, and long lines made them some of the most authentic holdovers from the Communist era, but the infamous Cockroach Bar I’d searched for near Warsaw University was apparently closed.

I got the mleczny experience the next day, though, while wandering a different neighborhood with Antoine, a French traveler I’d met at my hostel. The Ząbkowski Bar, with plain cloth curtains, plastic chairs, and a badly translated menu, lived up to expectations.

Antoine and I tried to decode the garbled English — what the heck was “chicken thick?” — then wrote our order in Polish on a scrap of paper and passed it to the elderly cashier.

The food was probably the best I’ve ever been served with a steel ladle. And the prices were Communist-era, too: a cucumber salad, plate of pierogies, piece of chicken (“chicken thigh,” as it turned out), and soda cost me 13 PLN (US$4).

Photo: zakwitnij

4. Praga

I needed to stay in Warsaw until the next morning to drop off my visa application, but I lingered for the entire day to explore further. Antoine suggested that we check out an older neighborhood across the river, Praga Północ.

Amidst the Communist low-rises, we saw some of Warsaw’s only surviving prewar buildings. The giant blue onion domes of St. Mary Magdalene church, one of very few Orthodox churches in Poland, were visible even before we’d finished crossing the Wisła.

We wandered along the flooded riverbank until we stumbled into a sprawling outdoor market, which Antoine, skimming his guidebook, decided was the Różyckiego Bazaar.

Asian hawkers called to us from behind heaps of baby clothes, slinky dresses, and faux-designer jeans. I bought a long white skirt for 25 PLN (US$7.50) that I somehow loved, though it was too big and looked like a tablecloth.

After our mleczny bar lunch, we walked past the Koneser Vodka Distillery, hoping for a tour or at least some free samples. Apparently tours can be arranged, but we couldn’t find an obvious guest entrance, so we read about the factory’s history on a sign outside before looping back towards the bridge.

Embracing the ugly

As I lugged my backpack past abandoned buildings and shattered windows on my way to the train station, I wondered, again, what had ever made the Soviets prize bleak concrete as a building material.

Photo: Grzegorz Łobiński

Even with the sun shining brightly, the towering Palace of Culture and Science next to the train station looks like the Adams Family mansion, gloomy and grimy.

But I didn’t like Warsaw because it was beautiful (or not). I liked it because in spite of everything it was still there, once again the heart of a thrice-divided but proudly resurrected Poland.

Community Connection

For another Matador report from Poland’s capital, check out Lauren Lim’s The most kick ass flat in Warsaw.

Photo: Larry Johnson

1. Don’t… pronounce it Mel-born

Nothing screams tourist more than being the only one in a city of 4 million people pronouncing it incorrectly.

Do… pronounce it Mel-buhn (or Mel-behn) and learn the local lingo

When we refer to footy we’re talking about Australian Rules Football (AFL), and despite a growing interest, no one really cares too much for soccer or rugby here.

We tend to get around in our thongs, too; no one wears “jandles” or “flip-flops” in this city.

2. Don’t… dress for the weather

Disregard the seasonal forecast, because you may experience one of the hottest days on record, only to receive a month’s rainfall the next. Then, you’ll be hammered by hailstones the size of small fruits.

Do… dress for EVERY type of weather

Pack some factor-50 sunscreen, an umbrella, and your windproof jacket. And layer, layer, layer. Don’t forget to bitch and moan about the weather too. Striking up a chat with an exasperated “Can you believe the weather we’re having?” will set you in good stead with the locals.

3. Don’t… buy into the Melbourne vs. Sydney debate

Melbourne isn’t a city of touristy sights comparable to Sydney, but it is regularly ranked among the “world’s most livable cities.” For me, Melbourne is not a city to see; it’s a city to do.

Photo: avlxyz

During summer, one of my favorite things to do is pack a picnic and a bottle of wine, and head to the Royal Botanical Gardens. Here you can catch an outdoor play or pull up a beanbag at the Moonlight cinema.

Also, check out the twilight openings at the Queen Victoria Market to shop and sample international dishes, or join the locals and kick back with a barbecue and beer on the banks of the Yarra River.

Do… take Melbourne’s side if you have to

OK, if you must spark some inter-city rivalry, tell people that you think the “locals are friendlier” and that Melbourne is much more “cultured” than Sydney. We love hearing this, and it could earn you a free drink.

4. Don’t… expect to go surfing

Ah, bless those surfers heading to Melbourne for the Aussie lifestyle of “sun and surf” — sorry, but our waves are tiny!

Photo: Paleontour

Do… go windsurfing or kiteboarding instead

Melbourne’s calm bays provide ideal conditions for windsurfing at Brighton, Elwood, and Sandringham.

Or try kiteboarding on St. Kilda’s West Beach. A lesson will set you back $100 for an hour.

5. Don’t… take the City Circle Tram

Although it’s free and a great way to get around the city, the speaker static, tram bells, and people transiting through city chaos makes it all a bit tricky to hear the audio guide.

Do… take a FREE guided walking tour

Melbourne’s grid design makes it easy to explore by foot. A local volunteer that speaks your language can provide you with a free walking orientation of the city.

Or if you prefer to see the city solo, download a self-guided walk and look out for the City Ambassadors in red t-shirts if you need directions or advice.

Photo: 710928003

PNG is one of the least developed countries in the world, but it’s one of the most expensive for travellers. There’s little tourism infrastructure, and virtually nothing for budget travel.

As a result, typical visitors are moneyed folks willing to pay top dollar for the country’s world-class diving, snorkelling, birdwatching, trekking, and cultural shows.

But travel on the cheap is possible, as my girlfriend and I recently discovered on an impromptu trip. Here are some ways we found to save cash.

Photo: Ian @ ThePaperboy.com

1. Sleep in a village home

Most hotels cater to business and government travellers. Even at the cheapest roadside guesthouses, we didn’t find anything under 100 kina (about US$35). But if you sacrifice some comfort, you can stay for free with a family.

We usually got a thin mattress on the floor with a pile of laundry posing as pillows. But the families were very friendly and happy to host a foreigner.

It’s possible to just ask people on the street if they’ll put you up. There’s a good chance someone will say yes.

To be safe, though, try asking at a church — each town has several. We had luck with Catholic churches in Kavieng and Vanimo, as these have guesthouses for visiting clergy. Since there were no guests, we slept for cheap.

If you stay with a family, offer some kind of gift to your hosts: buy the food for the day or give them 20-30 kina for their trouble.

We stayed one week with a family in the Western Highlands and five days with another in Kavieng, New Ireland. The former asked for money, since they work in tourism, but we had to beg our second hosts to at least let us buy some beers.

2. Seek out cheaper airfare

PNG doesn’t have a national network of interconnected roads — the mountainous terrain makes this impossible. The only way to get around the country is by flying.

There are two domestic airlines; Airlines PNG is cheaper than Air Niugini, but it doesn’t fly everywhere. There are also precious few direct flights, which means connecting through Port Moresby no matter where you’re trying to go.

Photo: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

But there are ways around this. Many flights make stopovers in major ports, and you can simply hop on for the first leg. We flew from Mt. Hagen back to Moresby, then to Kavieng via Lae and Rabaul. But we could’ve easily found a flight from Mt. Hagen that stops in Lae, then switched planes to Kavieng.

It means extra work when researching flights online, but it saves money and travel time.

You can also skip the main airlines altogether. The Mission Aviation Fellowship is an organization that flies missionaries and supplies to remote villages and larger towns. They’ll transport travellers for a lower price than the airlines if they have seats available.

Contact them at bookings-png@maf.org.

3. Take a boat

Port Moresby, the nation’s capital, is a popular stopover for leisure sailors looking for supplies and maintenance. Many of them continue on to other coastal towns and islands, and they may be happy to hire crew members willing to work for free in exchange for a ride.

We didn’t do this, but expats we met at the Royal Papua Yacht Club in Port Moresby said it’s common. Inquire at the club and someone will show you to the right person.

Photo: Ian @ ThePaperboy.com

4. Take the PMV

Where there are roads, take the people’s transport: the Public Motor Vehicle (PMV). These 15-seater buses leave regularly from well-defined stops and cost a pittance. It’s also the cheapest way to travel within cities if you don’t have a car or someone to show you around.

Trips can vary greatly in time depending on the driver and road conditions; i.e., don’t expect to arrive on schedule. And avoid traveling after 5PM. That’s when razkols, PNG’s petty criminals, are most active.

5. Hit the public markets

PNG has decent supermarkets stocked with familiar foods imported from Australia and Asia. Trouble is they cost more than they do in Australia. Since most locals grow their own food, markets don’t sell high volumes of imported groceries.

Case in point: a jar of instant coffee can cost US$18, while a tub of Nutella goes for $15.

But every town has at least one market selling cheap produce. Papua New Guineans aren’t much of a bargaining people, and prices tend to be fixed unless you’re buying large quantities.

Yes, we got tired of sweet potatoes, crackers, and canned fish, and felt we’d entered food heaven once we crossed over to Indonesia. But our wallets thanked us.

Photo: Arthur Chapman

6. Consult the Tourism Promotion Authority

There are no tourism information desks anywhere. Not in the airports, not in the cities. Most people who come to PNG have it all organized by a travel agent.

So the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, based in Port Moresby, is the closest thing. When we paid them a visit, they were surprised by our request for suggestions, but then spent an hour listening to our needs.

We didn’t care for diving, surfing, or birdwatching, but wanted to experience local culture in the Highlands and on the coast. They connected us to tour operators and guesthouses that tailored their expensive packages to our budget. Thanks to them, we had an unforgettable trip without another tourist in sight — and at a manageable price.

Contact:
Pacific MMI Building, Level 5
PO Box 1291 Port Moresby
Phone: +675 320-0211

Community Connection

Connect with Roberto at MatadorTravel.com, where he goes by mojotrotters. And don’t miss his community blog posts: A night in a village of Papua New Guinea and Dealing with stares in Papua New Guinea.

Photo: muse1nspired

IN OCTOBER, we started BorderJumpers.org as part of our journey to visit nearly every country in Africa. At each stop, we met with farmers, community organizers, labor activists/leaders, unions, NGOs, funding and donor communities, and local press, and we blogged the experience.

Having visited more than 17 African countries so far, and spoken with hundreds of travelers, we’ve accumulated the following list. If you’re looking for something to do in any of the countries on the continent, here are some ideas to get you started.

And if you know of a cool or interesting activity that you don’t see here, please add it in the comments.

1. Algeria: Spend a day walking in Algiers to see Turkish palaces and the Martyrs Monument. The Dar Hassan Pacha Palace is a good one.

Photo: manbeastextraordinaire

2. Angola: Head to Luanda in February for their annual carnival and join other expats for live shows and movies at Karl Marx. Claudio Silva has more in 5 Reasons to Go to Angola in 2009 (And Beyond).

3. Benin: See lions, leopards, hippos, and more at the Parc National de la Penjari. In Contonou, we hear the bar Le Costa Rica is a lot of fun.

4. Botswana: The best-value walking safari in Southern Africa is right next to Gaborone at a place called Mokolodi Nature Reserve. We love their permaculture projects, and they offer rhino tracking and safaris by horseback.

5. Burkina Faso: Explore Ouagadougou, one of our favorite capitals in Western Africa, then head to “Bobo” — Bob-Diolasso — the country’s second city.

6. Burundi: Check out the the craft market or relax at Saga beach.

7. Cameroon: Spend three days hiking Mount Cameroon (the highest peak in Western Africa) and visit rescued wildlife at the Limbe Wildlife Center.

8. Central African Republic: You can try for Dzanga-Sangha National Park — very tough to reach without a chartered plane, but an incredible place to spot wildlife.

9. Chad: We’ve read about a Sunday afternoon music and dance party at a place called Plantation right outside N’Djamena.

Photo: Julien Harneis

10. Congo: We’ve been told that tours to the Parc National d’Odzala are worth the hefty cost. You can go trekking with the chance of spotting elephants, monkeys, and gorillas.

11. Cote d’Ivoire: Spend a few days in Abidjan for excellent food, drinks, and nightlife.

12. Democratic Republic of the Congo: We’ve heard about the Chutes de Lukia, where you can swim in natural lakes and then pay a visit to botanical gardens.

13. Djibouti: Walk Djibouti City for a day, and then head to the Bay of Ghoubet to snorkel with whale sharks.

14. Equatorial Guinea: See forest elephants and other wildlife on day hikes in Monte Alen National Park, and on your way back through Malabo check out the Marcado Suma market.

15. Egypt: Nick Rowlands tells you what you need to know in What NOT to Do in Egypt.

16. Eritrea: Another place that few travelers visit, Eritrea retains strong Italian influence in its espresso, cappuccino, gelato, pasta, and pizza, found everywhere in the capital city of Asmara.

17. Ethiopia: We ended our most recent trip in Addis Ababa, one of our favorite cities in Africa. Within the bumper-to-bumper traffic, people herd sheep and vendors hawk everything from Mentos to vacuum cleaners. The country is also famous for the rock churches of Lalibela.

18. Gabon: Lonely Planet recommends connecting with the Ebando Association to learn traditional arts and dance.

19. Gambia: Head to Serekunda to visit the Katchikali Crocodile Pool, take traditional drumming and dance lessons, and trek the Bijilo Forest Park.

Photo: Stig Nygaard

20. Ghana: We visited the Cape Coast Castle, where slaves from all over Africa were imprisoned before being shipped to the U.S. and Europe.

21. Guinea: Join up with the Environmental Research Institute in Bossou to see chimpanzees, or hike the rainforests of Foret Classee De Ziama.

22. Guinea-Bissau: Hippos at Ilha de Orange, beach at Poilao Marine Park. If you’re there in February, catch Bissau’s carnival.

23. Kenya: Head North to Samburu to meet with pastoralists and see wildlife; while in Nairobi make sure you try the Indian restaurant Haandi. Check in with a Matador destination expert for more.

24. Lesotho: In the south, walk from Semonkong to the 200m Maletsunyane Falls.

25. Liberia: Explore the markets of Monrovia, followed by a drink at Mamba Point Hotel.

26. Libya: Visit the 800-year-old World Heritage old town of Ghadames.

27. Madagascar: Four hours east of Antananarivo, trek the rainforest in search of lemurs. Save a few days for the capital (don’t miss the lunch buffet at Hotel Sakamanga).

28. Malawi: Before heading to Lake Malawi, spend a few days in Lilongwe and visit the Lilongwe Wildlife Center, a sanctuary space for rescued, confiscated, orphaned, and injured wild animals.

29. Mali: Timbuktu might be too dangerous at the moment, so spend a couple days enjoying Bamako’s live music and nightlife, and make sure to grab dinner at Soukhothai.

30. Mauritania: After a visit to the fish market in Nouakchott, try a camel ride in Atar, or bird watch at the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin.

31. Mauritius: Swim the ocean and hike the rainforest in the same long afternoon at Grand Bay.

Photo: papalars

32. Morocco: Get lost in the traditional markets of Marrakesh, where you can see everything from a dentist pulling teeth, to snake charmers, to unidentifiable dried fruits. When you’re ready to head out, try 5 Views of a Lesser-Known Morocco.

33. Mozambique: Enjoy coffee and wifi at Nautilus in Maputo, then hit the white-sand beaches of Tofo.

34. Namibia: Travel to Namib-Naukluft park and trek through the dunes of Sossusvlei to watch the sunrise.

35. Niger: Lonely Planet says there’s a giraffe herd 60km east of Niamey around Koure.

36. Nigeria: In Lagos, see live jazz at New Afrika Shrine, shop the fabric markets, and grab some Indian grub at Sherlaton restaurant. Matador Goods editor Lola Akinmade will be happy to add to this.

37. Rwanda: Spend a day at the Kigali Memorial Center to learn about the Rwandian genocide. For us, it was another reminder of how easily we turn our backs on events in Africa and our apathy towards a continent we know so little about.

38. Sao Tome & Principe: See exotic flowers at the Flora Speciosa, visit the Corallo Chocolate Factory, and see a local coffee plantation.

39. Senegal: Catch a live performance at the Institut Francais, go dancing at Youssou N’Dour’s nightclub Thiossane, and pay a visit to the photogenic town of Saint Louis.

40. Sierra Leone: Once you’ve hit all of Freetown’s bars, try a canoe trek in Outamba-Kilimi National Park.

41. South Africa: So much to do here, but make sure to fit in a walking tour of Soweto and a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.

42. Sudan: We suggest visitors find an organization to volunteer with. There’s no better way to get to know this beautiful yet turbulent country.

43. Somaliland: Definitely a road less traveled. I’ve read that the beaches of Las Geel are beautiful, that the country is relatively safe for Westerners, and that Hargeisa is worth a wander.

44. Swaziland: There’s whitewater rafting on the Usutu River — along with crocodiles and 10m waterfalls.

45. Togo: Spend a few days in Lome for markets, restaurants, coffee shops, nightlife, and dancing.

46. Tunisia: Take a tour of the desert and visit Douz, where you can go camel trekking.

Photo: hjallig

47. Uganda: First, go whitewater rafting at the source of the Nile (near Kampala) and visit Lake Victoria. Then, if you can afford it, go gorilla trekking or hiking in Mgahinga National Park.

48. Tanzania: Spend four days hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, then head south to Zanzibar Island for a spice tour and beautiful beaches.

49. Zambia: Start in Lusaka, and then head to the Copperbelt to visit the chimpanzee sanctuary (animals rescued from poachers) at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage.

50. Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls is huge, but we liked Harare better. Time your visit to enjoy the Harare International Festival of the Arts (April).

Community Connection

Before you go, make sure to read 10 Ways the International Community Must Help Africa and 44 Organizations Providing Internships, Volunteer Vacations, and Long-Term Programs in Africa.

Photo: jmv

I AM ORIGINALLY from Vancouver, BC, so obviously I was pretty stoked when, during the last hours of TBEX 2010 in New York, it was announced that Vancouver would be the site for the event next June.

Photo: PoYang_博仰

What is TBEX?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t know. I didn’t until a few months ago. TBEX is Travel Blog EXchange, a “community of new media travel writers” founded by Kim Mance,who also edits the online magazine Galavanting.

For the weekend of June 26-27, around 300 travel bloggers gathered to listen to experts talk about travel blogging, to network, and to, well, party.

TBEX 2011 will be in Vancouver, Canada

Since I grew up in Vancouver, I thought it would be a good idea to share some insider tidbits in anticipation of your visit next year.

First, some random facts:

• The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver. Did I mention that Canada won the most gold medals (14) in the 86-year history of the Winter Games?
• The population in Vancouver proper is 578,041 (Metro Vancouver: 2,116,581).
• Stanley Park is 10% larger than New York’s Central Park.
• As of 2010, it has the 4th highest quality of living in the world, according to Mercer.com.
• Nelly Furtado was born and raised in BC’s capital city of Victoria on Vancouver Island, about a two-hour ferry ride from the city.
• It is a.k.a. Hollywood North due to the large amount of television shows and movies filmed there.

My picks for eats

Sushi. My favourite when I lived there and possibly even better when I returned for a visit last February:

• Hoshi Sushi – On West 12th near Macdonald, in Kitsilano.

The Eatery / Photo: iwona_kellie

Another solid choice is The Eatery. It’s more funky with loud music and unique sushi creations. A good place to go with some friends.

Tapas. Head to Bin 941 in the city. It’s cozy, stylish, and damn good.

Fish and chips. Find the tucked away Go Fish, near the entrance to Granville Island. It’s the best I’ve ever had. Anywhere. Part of the fun is finding it.

Hangover breakfast. Can’t beat the one at Milestones. Order the prime rib hash — tender slices of beef over pan-fried potatoes, sweet onions, bell peppers, and roasted corn in a special hash seasoning. All topped with two poached eggs and real hollandaise sauce.

Don’t forget to order a caesar to go with that.

Other cool tips

One way to get under the skin of a city is to read through the local free newspaper (and I’m not talking about Metro or 24 Hours). In Vancouver, this is the Georgia Straight, which was founded as an anti-establishment alternative newspaper in May 1967. Real Vancouver.

Photo: JamesZ_Flickr

I lived across from and loved Kitsilano Beach. But let’s be honest: it’s for posers. Head over to Spanish Banks for some long stretches of sand and lots of volleyball nets. Awesome views of the downtown skyline too, perfect place to watch the sun settle.

Take a walk over the Burrard Street bridge for views on the crescent beaches of English Bay, the docked sailboats in the marina, and the little False Creek ferries puttering back and forth across the water.

Keep your eyes on the calendar for the Commodore Ballroom. It’s the best live venue in the city, possibly the country. I saw Weezer there a few years ago. It was unbelievable.

Finally, win a 7-day whitewater rafting trip in BC

Atlas Obscura is holding a contest where you can win an adventure package in British Columbia. The deadline for entry is July 11, 2010. From the website:

Your trip begins with a spectacular scenic flight over the glaciated Coast Range into Chilko Lake Resort, on the edge of a glacial lake, and ends one week later at historic Gang Ranch on the Fraser River, the lifeblood of Canada’s largest river system. After snapping some victory photos and exchanging high-fives, it’s time for one more chartered flight back over the stunning Coast Range.

Photo: CGehlen

To enter the contest, simply add your email address and postal/zip code in the link provided above.

Resources for your visit

Miss604 – THE source for all things Vancouver.

Translink BC – How to navigate around Vancouver by public transport.

Tourism British Columbia

Vancouver Accommodations

Vancouver Hostels

Couchsurfing.org – Find free accommodations and get an insider’s perspective on the city.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Vancouverites, let’s hear it. I know I missed a ton of great things to do and see in Vancouver. What are your favourites? Please share below!

Hot dog eating contest at Nathan’s. Photo: American Girl in Japan; Feature photo: Dave Hogg

I was hugely pregnant, and I waddled toward the West Side Highway, hoping someone would feel sorry for me and share their patch of grass in the Hudson River Park. No such luck, though; by 6, the police had already closed access to the park. I was relegated to a standing only section of the street near 9th Avenue, where I could only tell fireworks were going off by their sound.

Never again.

If you’re still convinced the Macy’s show is the way to go, then the strange combination of Justin Bieber, Enrique Iglesias, The New York Pops Orchestra, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir should send you running in the opposite direction.

Here are a few alternatives to the fireworks:

1. Rosanne Cash concert on Governors Island.

The Rosanne Cash concert is just one of several special events scheduled to take place on Governors Island on the 4th. If the music doesn’t interest you, you can ride a bike around the island. Make sure you take an earlier ferry; Governors Island is getting increasingly popular and lines are longer and longer every time I head over there.

2. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Though major contender Takeru Kobayashi will sit out this year’s event due to a contractual conflict, the show will go on in Coney Island. This is the 94th year of the hot dog eating contest, which will start at noon. Get there early — this contest is strangely popular; last year, police estimated the crowd to have topped 40,000.

Hot dogs downed in 10 minutes? 68.

3. Red, White, & Brews 4th of July Bash at Long Island City’s Water Taxi Beach.

It’s free. There’s beer. And live music and DJ sets all day — from 1PM until 1AM (but no fireworks, as far as we know).

Photo: ercwttmn

4. Staten Island’s Independence Day Parade

Uncle Sam on stilts, sno-cones, and musical performances are all part of the Staten Island parade, which steps off at 12:30.

5. Declaration of Independence Exhibit at The New York Public Library

If you’re feeling contemplative (or if you just want to get inside for some air conditioning — it’s supposed to top 94 degrees today), visit the main branch of the NYPL on Fifth Avenue to view a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was written in Thomas Jefferson’s hand. The exhibit is open from 1-5PM.

And if you’re unable to imagine the 4th without fireworks, then you can test your luck at these places:

*Ink48 Hotel’s Press Bar, a rooftop bar with views of the Hudson. Tickets are costly and are likely to be in short supply.

*The Empire State Building closes to regular visitors from 8-10:30PM, opening the 86th-floor observation deck for guests with special July 4th tickets.

*Anywhere along JFK Boulevard in Weehawken, New Jersey. This street runs right along the Jersey side of the Hudson River. Expect crowds, especially since Jersey canceled its biggest fireworks shindig.

Community Connection:

Planning a last minute party? Read How to Green Your 4th of July Party for ideas about an environmentally friendly celebration.

Photo: Author

IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE to cloudy skies and soggy socks: summer is here! In celebration of the tan lines and cold beers ahead, I have compiled for you a list of 94 of my favorite summertime activities in San Diego — one for every day of the season.

1. Kick off the summer with a hike along the oceanfront trails at the Torrey Pines State Reserve.

2. Ruin all that exercise with a high-calorie picnic of cheese and snacks on the beach below.

3. When the weather heats up, head to the penguin encounter at Sea World. Get wet.

4. Make friends in the exorbitantly long lines at Phil’s BBQ. It’s worth the wait.

5. Take your girlfriend on a kayak tour of the La Jolla caves.

6. Tip your kayak, then pretend to be getting eaten by leopard sharks until she cries. (I’m still not convinced they’re harmless.)

7. Eat your way through the OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off. Speedwalk to Rite-Aid afterwards to grab some much-needed antacids.

8. Eat an acai bowl for breakfast while watching the morning waves roll in.

9. Every lazy exercise routine must include a day at the Morley Field Disc Golf Course. Pot smoking, optional; popsicles from the snack shack, mandatory.

#9: Frolf / Photo: magnusdigity

10. Wait out the June Gloom in the climate-controlled casino at Viejas. If the gambling doesn’t make you feel better, some rum and cokes probably will.

11. A camping trip at South Carlsbad State Beach is the perfect excuse to crack a beer at dawn and eat nine hot dogs for lunch.

12. Ride a beach cruiser from Ocean Beach to La Jolla. Stop for ice cream cones — plural — on the Mission Beach boardwalk.

13. Get cultured for free on Tuesdays at Balboa Park. Congratulate yourself for being a sophisticated museum-goer.

14. Shotgun a PBR and loiter around The Casbah, the best place to see an up-and-coming band before they get all famous and you have to pretend not to like them anymore.

15. Risk heat exhaustion at the Wild Animal Park. Pant like a buffalo while giraffes, gazelle, and hippos all intermingle at the watering hole.

16. Study graffiti in Chicano Park. Tell Lucky-2-Tears I say hello.

17. Have lunch and a Long Island at South Beach Bar & Grille, home of the best fish taco I have ever laid lips on.

18. Hop on the old wooden roller coaster at Belmont Park in Mission Beach. You’ll scream more from the creaking than the ride itself.

19. Order a caprese sandwich at Mona Lisa’s before exploring the Little Italy Mercato.

20. Dig out your old Zelda costume and hit Comic-Con, the Western Hemisphere’s largest and most popular nerd-fest.

21. Couldn’t get tickets to Comic-Con? Head Downtown anyway. The chance to see Darth Vader have lunch with a Transformer only comes once per year.

22. Overlook the fact that it’s mentioned in every San Diego guidebook. Presidio Park is one of the best places for an afternoon picnic in the city.

23. Summer’s all about simple pleasures. Run around Ocean Beach all afternoon clutching a popsicle and chasing the wild parrots.

24. Spend frivolously on an overpriced jet ski rental and speed around Mission Bay.

25. Take a free tour of the Stone Brewery in Escondido. Get complimentary beer at the end.

26. Devour the best bacon cheeseburger on Earth at Hodad’s. Bring an aspirin for when the heart attack hits.

27. Paint yourself rainbow and head to Balboa Park for the annual LGBT Pride Festival.

28. Forget Taco Bell. Eat a true San Diego Staple: carne asada fries.

29. Best place to watch the nightly fireworks at Sea World without having to do that whole Sea World part? Fiesta Island.

30. Enjoy a sandwich and some cheap booze at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. Watch out for the seagulls. They peck. Hard.

31. Rub elbows with San Diego’s douchiest clientele at the Altitude Sky Lounge. The view into Petco Park on a game night makes it completely worth it.

32. Learn to surf at La Jolla Shores, where both the waves and the locals are gentle.

33. After watching the 4th of July fireworks shooting off the Ocean Beach pier, take cover — the annual OB Marshmallow Fight is on.

34. Spend the morning of the 5th cutting dried marshmallow out of your hair, then join one of the numerous post-4th beach cleanup events.

#28: Carne Asada Fries
Photo: permanently scatterbrained

35. Lose every bet at the Del Mar Racetrack. Thanks to 4 O’Clock Fridays, you can still afford the free show afterwards.

36. Not to state the obvious, but San Diego is home to one million (okay, 33) beaches. Nothing says summer like sand in the crack.

37. Watch the old-timers get drunk and rowdy playing beach softball at the notoriously vulgar Over-The-Line tournament.

38. Take a date to the South Bay Drive-In and make out in the back seat, just like the olden days.

39. Suppress your inner Godzilla as best as you can for the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition.

40. Pet a llama with one hand while eating a giant turkey leg with the other at the Del Mar Fair. I’ll never call it by that other name.

41. Watch in awe as a stranger projectile vomits into the street, then lose your shoe at Beer Fest. I mean — wait. Shit.

42. Walk fearlessly through the Whaley House in Old Town. Try not to cry.

43. Speaking of pants-crappingly scary, bring your acrophobic friends to the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge and watch them squirm.

44. Stay up late for a Grunion Run, when fish crawl up the shore to spawn. Bring a bucket and a flashlight if you plan to do more than just be a voyeuristic creeper.

45. Even if you don’t have a large enough wagon full of money to play, visit the Torrey Pines Golf Course just for the views.

46. Afterwards, join me in getting drunk with the locals at the Mission Bay Golf Course.

47. Look for Slomo, the slow-motion in-line skater out on the Pacific Beach boardwalk.

48. Fork over $5 to sit on the grass for a Padres game with a plate of nachos and a baseball glove.

49. Gorge yourself on fresh apple pie and ice cream at the Julian Pie Company. So. Good.

50. The Mission Bay Aquatic Center can take you wakeboarding without the added expense of buying a boat.

51. Unbend a coat hanger and grab a bag of marshmallows for a bonfire at one of San Diego’s many fire-friendly beaches.

52. On your way to a show at Belly Up in Solana Beach, stop by Pizza Port for some locally brewed craft beer.

53. Now that Pizza Port is also in Ocean Beach, a pint of the Skid Mark Brown may be the new Winston’s pre-show ritual.

54. But for a true taste of how pizza and beer is done in OB, head a few blocks down to Newport Pizza & Alehouse to eat a Tony Soprano.

55. Take a day trip into Tijuana. Do your best not to get kidnapped — government warnings don’t lie, right?

56. Get some holes poked through your head at Apogee Piercing on Newport Avenue.

#57: Mission Trails / Photo: Lee Sie

57. Spend a day getting skinned knees and elbows while mountain biking at Mission Trails.

58. Jump off a cliff at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Or, if you’re me, just watch quietly.

59. While you’re there, take your pants off and check out Black’s, the nude beach below. On second thought, keep your pants (and sneakers) on to climb down the unstable cliffs.

60. Be a sucker for cheap amusements. Embrace the crappy helmets and shitty bats at the batting cages at Boomers in Kearny Mesa.

61. Do you enjoy being ridiculed by children? Yes, me too. That’s why I skateboard at the Robb Field Skatepark.

62. Silently loathe the Starbucks up the street as you relax at Jungle Java, where wi-fi has always been free.

63. Try to finish your plate at the Hash House in Hillcrest. I’d keep a pair of stretchy pants in the car if I were you.

64. I’m not about to let digital music take over without a fight. Lou’s Records in Encinitas is my final dying ally.

65. Get zen at the Self Realization Fellowship’s Meditation Gardens in Encinitas.

66. Is public humiliation totally your thing? The Mission Beach Wave House’s FlowRider is for you.

67. Enjoy a freshly-caught lunch at Point Loma Seafoods. Order anything with calamari in it. Actually, just order anything.

68. Pedal through the city at night on the Midnight Madness bike ride.

69. People-watch on the streets of Downtown San Diego. Watch two bums fight over a shoe.

70. Slip slowly into a sugar-induced coma at Extraordinary Desserts in Little Italy.

71. Mount Soledad is an ideal spot to look out at the city lights. Or to make out with your summer fling.

72. Hunt for treasures at Kobey’s Swap Meet. I once went for a guitar, but left with a bonsai tree and a framed photo of a Mexican fisherman.

#73: Hot Air Balloons / Photo: Lee Sie

73. Time your southbound commute through Del Mar just right to see hot air balloons float by at sunset.

74. Mix alcohol and board games at the Whistle Stop on Tuesday nights. Take it easy — I’ve lost many friendships over violent Connect Four disputes.

75. The San Diego Velodrome’s Tuesday evening races are like a hipster version of NASCAR!

76. Spend a day volunteering as a dog walker for one of San Diego’s shelters or rescues.

77. Take a history lesson and a cheesy photo in front of the lighthouse at the Cabrillo National Monument.

78. After the lighthouse, visit the nearby tidepools and get pinched by a crab. (That’s what you get for poking at the wildlife.)

79. The Red Fox Steak House serves dinner, but the real reasons to be there are the extremely stiff drinks and the jazzy piano man.

80. The open practices at Chargers Training Camp give you the chance to get up close and personal with a bunch of very large men.

81. Shovel down a halibut burrito at the Tin Fish, then go splash around in the fountain with a bunch of little kids and the occasional homeless guy.

82. Engage in a stereotypical Southern California beach volleyball game on the public courts at Mission Beach.

83. Channel your inner Lebowski and order up a White Russian at the East Village Tavern + Bowl.

84. Only slightly crappier than Napa, San Diego wineries provide an enjoyable tasting experience without having to put up with uppity wine snobs.

85. Fishing is kinda messy, but boats are fucking awesome. Take a whale watching tour if you’re not up for fighting with a 100-pound tuna.

86. Ocean Beach’s leash-free Dog Beach gives your happy pup a chance to frolic, chase a Frisbee, or just sniff butts all day long.

87. Pan for gold in Julian, where the Julian Mining Company will graciously spike your first handful

88. Dinosaurs are real. See Rangui and Rumbi for yourself on Bonita Road.

89. Spot harbor seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla, but keep your distance; they don’t smell as cute as they look.

90. Catch up on some summer reading under the Moreton Bay fig tree at Balboa Park. Get hit in the head by a fig.

91. Pop your collar and get your fake tan on, because the Pacific Beach bar scene is calling. For a lower frat-boy factor, try Cass Street Bar & Grill.

92. Munch on a churro (or 12). Best bargain in town? Costco.

93. Do you have a large inventory of Pepto Bismol to use up? One competitive eating challenge at Tower Bar will solve that.

94. Restaurant Week is appropriately slotted for the tail end of bathing suit season. Get fat for fall!

Do you love your city as much as I love mine? Tell us what favorite activities that you’ll be partaking in this summer.

Community Connection

For more summer trip ideas, read these tips on How to Pick Your Next Beach Vacation.

Photo: kevin.j

1. Cholila, Chubut

In a quick decision, I jumped off my El Bolsón-bound bus during a 5-minute rest break.

Over the past five days, I’d taken advantage of the hop-on-hop-off bus to explore Parque Nacional Los Alerces and places between Esquel and Bolsón like Lago Verde and Bahía Rosales, but nobody had mentioned Cholila.

With only a few pesos in my pocket, I was happy to discover that most of the town’s highlights are completely free.

Things to do

Although there was neither a thoroughbred horse nor rifle in sight, my active imagination pulled me back to the early 1900s the moment I walked onto an abandoned farm outside Cholila. I felt like an outlaw.

After all, I was standing outside the former home of bank robber Robert Leroy Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy.

Photo: Jeff Bartlett

Like some modern-day travelers, Cassidy longed to quit his nomadic ways and settle down. After being chased out of the U.S. in 1901, he realized his dream — albeit temporarily — in Cholila. He staked claim to 15,000 acres of land and built a four-room log cabin along the banks of the Río Blanco.

By 1905, Cassidy was back to his criminal ways, but his log cabin remains just 8km outside town. The site is on private land, but visitors are welcome to tour the grounds and check out the historic building.

A second attraction is the Fiesta Nacional del Asado, held for three days at the first weekend of February. Originally slated as a provincial festival, it went national in 2010. More than 560 asados, including some 200 goats and 100 sheep, are grilled up during the fiesta.

More than just meat, the festival has Argentinean gauchos competing in events like rodeo, hatchet throwing, and horse racing.

Where to stay

While many of Argentina’s non-national park campgrounds are full of horse dung and garbage, the free Camping Municipal in Cholila is surprisingly clean.

Bathroom facilities are basic and refreshing. The moment my head hit the cold showers in the morning it became obvious I wouldn’t need my daily cup of joe.

Getting there

A number of companies run a multiday hop-on-hop-off bus between Esquel and El Bolsón, which include an optional stop in Cholila. Tickets cost $15USD and remain valid for two weeks.

Stops in Cholila, Lago Verde, Bahía Rosales, and Villa Futalaufquen are recommended.

Photo: Jeff Bartlett

2. Chos Malal, Neuquén

Goats, hundreds of goats, delayed our arrival into Neuquén’s historical capital, Chos Malal. We’d survived both the winds and brutal 40°C heat that transform the steppe into desert, but there was nothing we could do about the goats.

Only one bridge spans the Río Neuquén, and local gauchos regularly herd hundreds of chivos through the police checkpoint, down the highway, and across the bridge. In this remote corner of Patagonia, livestock supersede motorized transport.

Things to do

Located 45km north of the city, Cerro Wayle is solid for outdoor activities.

In the winter, a small ski area gives beginners a test and provides backcountry access to the more experienced. In summer, the zone fills with hikers hoping to summit either Volcán Tromen or Volcán Domuyo, the latter being the highest peak in Patagonia.

Chos Malal, at the confluence of the Río Neuquén and Río Curi Leuvu, is also a big fishing destination. Its high altitude provides the cooler waters needed to maintain a healthy trout population in both rivers, plus the nearby Lagunas de Epu Lauquen.

Just remember to buy a fishing license at a fly shop in town.

Where to stay

Although slightly more expensive than the typical backpacker budget allows for, Hostería Don Costa (~$20USD/double) is a log-built hotel with an attached parrilla restaurant and ice cream shop, along with clean rooms.

Photo: REALISMO MAGICO.

Getting there

There’s daily service from Zapala to Chos Malal ($8USD, 3 hours). Travelers coming from Mendoza can jump a twice-weekly overnight Andesmar service ($25USD, 12 hours).

3. El Nihuil, Mendoza

My arrival in El Nihuil can be described with a single word: confusion.

In the heart of Mendoza, a province known for arid terrain, the High Andes, and endless vineyards, I stood staring at water. The immense lake stretched to the horizon, broken only by the occasional presence of a sail.

Things to do

The strange combination of green waters and volcanic formations is overshadowed by the sheer height of the canyon walls in the Cañón del Atuel. Regular bus tours take passengers down the narrow switchbacks into the canyon and stop at the main viewpoints.

I opted for a more interactive alternative: cycling. The 46km descent from El Nihuil to Valle Grande left my brake fingers aching and my legs fresh. Unfortunately, the punishing return ride would reverse that fortune.

Photo: Jeff Bartlett

Then there are the massive black sand dunes, located only 5km south of town, that attracted the Dakar rally in 2010. Several local companies offer ATV rentals for those looking to trace the now-famous route.

If nothing else, make sure to enjoy the lake. The hydroelectric reservoir formed by the power station dam is the largest lake in Mendoza. Fishing, windsurfing, and water skiing in the warm(ish) waters is easy to arrange.

Where to stay

Club de Pescadores de San Rafael ($5USD/tent, $45USD/8-person cabin) is the local fishing club and offers an extensive weekend retreat, with campsites, cabins, swimming pool, and restaurant.

Getting there

Regular buses run between Mendoza and San Rafael ($5USD, 3 hours). From the San Rafael bus station, you’ll need to hop a local bus to El Nihuil ($3USD, 1 hour).

Community Connection

Matador senior editor David Miller and Matador Life editor Leigh Shulman both call western Argentina home. Check out their personal blogs for more insights into the region.

Wet republic / Photo: YoTuT

1. Drink

Sure, we appreciate those watered-down cocktails served up free and easy while we feed dollar bills into casino slot machines. But mixology as an art form survives in Vegas. So kick back with an authentic muddled mojito at the Mirage’s Strip-side Rhumbar, with its open-air patio for people-watching, or get away from the tourist crowds at the speakeasy-style Downtown Cocktail Room.

Love dive bars? The Double Down Saloon, near the airport, is a punk-ass live music joint owned by the genius behind Frankie’s Tiki Room, a kitschy tropical fantasy just off I-15.

2. Dance

Like any 24/7/365 city, Vegas thrives on nightlife. Powerhouse clubbing on the Strip gets all the attention, especially at Encore’s XS and the Venetian’s Tao. But you don’t have to wait in line for hours and pay $50/head just to get your groove on.

Harrah’s outdoor Carnaval Court, smack bang mid-Strip, is usually a no-cover bar with DJs or live bands. Or explore downtown’s cooler local scene on Fremont St., east of Las Vegas Blvd. Start at the Beauty Bar, where live indie bands alternate with eclectic DJs from LA, San Francisco, Portland, and beyond.

3. Jump

Into the pool, that is. Summertime in Vegas means one thing: pool season. Yeah, you can just hang out by your own hotel pool — Mandalay Bay’s artificial beach and wave pool, for example, is like an amusement park — but that’s probably not where the party’s really at. Vegas’ pool clubs are a hotter, hipper, crazier scene, especially on the weekends.

Order up a pitcher of frozen lemonade at the MGM Grand’s mammoth Wet Republic or Wynn’s more sophisticated Encore Beach Club, or join the madness at the Hard Rock’s Sunday Rehab, where you might be required to act nonchalant when you see a rock star like Courtney Love knocking back too many margaritas, then falling in the pool.

Photo: tedkerwin

4. Dive, Spin & Roll

While most hotels prohibit you from diving headfirst into their relatively shallow pools, you can take a header off the Stratosphere Tower, the tallest building of its kind in the American West.

The tower’s brand-new SkyJump lets you experience free-fall (safely strapped into a harness) from 108 stories above the Strip.

Or brave Insanity, a thrill ride that dangles you over the tower’s edge then spins you around like a centrifuge. Nearby at the old-school Sahara casino hotel, the Speed – The Ride roller coaster bullets through the vintage camel marquee to a 224-foot-high tower, then makes your guts churn as it roars backward along the same looping track.

5. Shop

Let the Strip have its megamalls, where big-name designers have million-dollar showrooms. Elsewhere in the city, you can hunt down vintage, antique, and other unique, only-in-Vegas shops. Downtown, the Gambler’s General Store sells decks of souvenir cards once used in Vegas casinos, as well as full-sized roulette wheels and customizable poker chips.

Retro Vegas collects hard-to-find Mid-Century Modern pieces dating back to Vegas’ Fabulous Fifties and the Rat Pack days. Gold & Silver Pawn, made famous by the History Channel’s Pawn Stars reality TV series, also has Old Vegas memorabilia in spades. Hankering for a real showgirl’s boa? Find one at Rainbow Feather Co.

6. Get Smart

Few travelers know about it, but Vegas is home to some surprisingly worthy museums. At the Atomic Testing Museum, relive the Atomic Era, when mushroom clouds exploded over the desert horizon and Las Vegas crowned a Miss Atomic Bomb.

At the Springs Preserve, learn how Vegas came to be (think: water, silver mines, and the railroad), then consider the future sustainability of this artificial playground as you wander the xeriscaped gardens and desert trails.

Miss Atomic Test 1954 / Photo: x-ray delta one

7. Get Out of Town

Eventually the canned air and the ding-ding-ding of slot machines will drive you crazy. That’s when it’s time to rent a car, hit the road, and find some solitude in the Mojave Desert.

Red Rock Canyon is a popular destination for rock climbers and mountain bikers, while Valley of Fire has bizarre-looking red rock formations with names like the Beehives and Duck Rock that you can scramble around; both places are great for scenic drives or road cycling. (Tip: Go early or late in the day, because summer temperatures can be dangerously hot.)

Mount Charleston, in the Spring Mountains, is a cooler summertime escape for hiking to waterfalls and peak views, and snowboarding and skiing in winter. Or zoom down a zipline in Bootleg Canyon, then go land sailing around a desert dry lake near the California state line.

Death Valley is an easy two-hour drive to the east. Even Utah’s Zion and Bryce Canyons and Arizona’s Grand Canyon national parks are just a day trip from the Strip.

Community Connection

For more alternative travel ideas, check out our Green Guide to Las Vegas. Need to find more watering holes in this desert? Browse our locals’ list of The Top Dive Bars in Las Vegas.

Photo: mikebaird

COMPILED BY 25 professional documentary and travel photographers, American Photo’s recently published list of the 25 Best Places in the World to Photograph is an assortment of destinations around the world that provide ideal backdrops for culture, wildlife, architecture, landscape, and underwater photography.

Photo: muha…

Each of the contributing photographers also shared their reflections on why their favorite destination stands out. Judging from the answers, scenery alone isn’t always what makes for the best photograph.

In addition to some obvious picks, the list and accompanying photo gallery included a few unexpected spots. The following selections and remarks captured my curiosity most:

Culture: New Guinea

“It’s like going back into the Stone Age culture,” Chris Rainier says of New Guinea. “And that’s pretty cool in the beginning of the 21st century.”

Wildlife: Antarctica

Paul Nicklen — “I will always be exploring ecosystems, documenting what is disappearing due to climate change. We are losing a lot more than just ice.”

Photo: adomas

Architecture: Oman

Jen Judge — “The contrast between the barren desolate landscape and the ornate ancient architecture seems like the ultimate balance between man and nature.”

Landscape: Namibia, Africa

George Steinmetz says, “Interesting things take time to reveal themselves.”

Underwater: Red Sea

Jeff Rotman — “Every place is unique. But the Red Sea’s special beauty is its lush and rich coral reefs…”

Though their “best” places to photograph are miles apart, the photographers share a common connection to their surroundings. They have explored a place enough to learn what time of year the colors change, where the wildlife congregates, and what the traditions of its people are.

Any location can become your “Best Place in the World to Photograph.” The most memorable photos don’t always come from the most beautiful places. Much like the richest travel experiences, great photographs come to those who allow a place to show them its secrets.

Now, it’s your turn. Tell us your favorite places in the world to photograph in the comments.

Community Connection

Over at the Traveler’s Notebook, Paul Sullivan asks What’s the most photogenic city in the world?

Photo: Phillie Casablanca

1. Samba schools throughout the year

Carnival isn’t the only time to experience the spectacle and beat of Rio’s samba schools. As soon as Carnival finishes many of these schools will start rehearsals for the following year.

Photo: plasmastik

These practice performances can be seen for cheap and will become more and more elaborate the closer it gets to Carnival, with full-dress rehearsals in the months just prior.

I’ve seen performances in October that were as professional as anything I’ve seen in the Sambadrome during Carnival. Details can be found at the Rio Carnival site.

2. The Maze

Favela Tavares Basto is like no other in Rio — peaceful with constant police protection. There are no drugs and violence is very rare. It attracts artists and creative types wanting to enjoy the city’s vibrancy while staying away from the tourist enclaves and the edgy atmosphere of many of the other favelas.

Tavares Basto lies on top of a hill next to Botafogo/Catete where The Maze — a guesthouse/club — takes center stage. The best way to enjoy it is on Jazz Night — first Friday of every month. If nothing else, the views from the terrace, where you can see Christ, Sugarloaf, and Copacabana beach, are worth the trip up.

3. Ice cream

Ice cream can be bought on almost every corner in Rio de Janeiro, where flavours like mango, passionfruit, and açai are as common to buy as fruit juice or a sandwich. There are parlours that offer more inventive flavours too, and some even offer home delivery.

Photo: James Byrum

One of my favourites is Mil Frutas, with shops in Ipanema, Leblon, and down the road from the Botanical Gardens. Their flavours — like white chocolate with jabuticaba or cupuaçu and combining amazonian fruits — are wild. I still dream about the Orange Ginger Delight I had on my last visit.

Keep an eye open for the frozen yoghurt stores like Yogoberry. They are extremely popular in Rio and also have a tonne of flavours to choose from. Plus, even the non-fat ones seem to taste great.

4. Rio’s Surf Bus / Rio’s surf beaches

I can’t decide which is the biggest secret, Rio’s Surf Bus or it’s amazing surf beaches. Either way, these two easily go hand in hand as something that any surfer — beginner or pro — as well as any fan of beaches should know about. Those who are thinking of heading down the coast to Ubatuba or Lopez Mendez should have a look at some of the options in Rio beforehand.

The Surf Bus, which is specially designed to transport surfboards, runs three times a day from Rio’s city centre to its more western beaches, with another three return buses to bring you back. It’s in this direction that you will find some of the most consistent beaches on this whole coastline.

Photo: leszekwasilewski

The first notable beach after Ipanema (with its Arpoador surf spot the most popular in the city) is Barra da Tijuca, a 12km stretch of sand perfect for beginner and expert surfers (and kitesurfers). Next is Recreio, an untouched beach, perfect even for those with no interest in surfing. This is followed by two more beaches: Macumba and Prainha.

All four of these are great for surf, and they offer an alternative from the beaches normally associated with Rio thanks to their tropical landscape.

The hostel Rio Surf n Stay recently opened near Macumba beach, in a perfect spot for anyone wishing to learn to surf in Rio or have easy access to the beach.

5. Plano B

A good first Friday night in Rio is the Lapa street party. However, if you’re like me and are looking for something a bit different, there’s another scene in Lapa.

Photo: ground.zero

Plano B is one of the few places in Rio to have international DJs that bring a mixture of electronica, techno, and dub every week. Beers can be bought from the fridge inside or at any of the bars in Lapa.

There’s always a crowd of indie-types both inside and outside the shop (Plano B is a record store during the day) and even on the quieter weekday nights they show films. If you’re a skin-flint like me or want to do something outside of the mainstream this is the place to be.

6. Rock climbing

Rio is one of the best places in the world for rock climbing. I’ve met many a French climber who agrees. There are two options: urban climbing around the city, or proper rock climbing in Tijuca Forest. But it’s for the urban climbing that Rio gets its status.

The big city climb is Sugarloaf, one of the major attractions of Rio. It’s a great opportunity to climb close to your hostel and enjoy the views of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Flamengo’s beaches, especially great around sunset when the nightlife begins to buzz and lights illuminating the beaches stretch for miles.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’d like to see a different perspective on Rio, check out Hang Gliding Over Rio de Janeiro.

Matador Nights has Carnival covered. In planning your trip for the famous festival, don’t miss 8 Essential Tips for Carnival in Rio. Or, for a taste of Carnival in other cities, Julie Schwietert has some great photos in Brazilian Carnaval: Going Beyond Rio.

Photo: jonrawlinson

1. Hiking

A quick ride on the Whistler Village Gondola delivers alpine hiking without the tough slog up the mountain. I recommend looking down: bears often clamber on the slopes (best viewed in the safety of the gondola) and mountain bikers catch air along the trails.

Photo: jonrawlinson

At the peak, backdrops of white glaciers and teal lakes make for great photos. Few walk far enough to find the wildflowers or sip tea at the Harmony Alpine Tea Hut. But do take caution: as I sat admiring the view on one trip, a small rockslide fell from below the peak and boomed into the restricted-area glacier bowl.

At lower altitudes, hiking trails fan out from the village. Lesser-discovered parks include Brandywine Falls (with its impressive waterfall), Garibaldi (where marmots scurry beside the trails), and Joffre Lakes (with its looming glaciers). It all adds up to some of the best scenery on the west coast.

2. Getting cultured

When I wandered into the cedar Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (4584 Blackcomb Way) just minutes before closing one day, the interpreters were still happy to teach me how to twist a bracelet from spongy strips of soaked cedar bark. Unfortunately for me, the café, with its bread-like Bannock and venison chili, was closed at the time.

But with better planning you can make sure that doesn’t happen to you. Exhibits — be it sculptures and canoes, language games, or lessons on making a craft — illuminate the local First Nations cultures.

3. Biking

Besides hikers, the Village Gondola carries mountain bikers to the top of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. The 200km (124 miles) of trails are divvied up much like ski runs, with easy courses for first-timers and black-diamond routes for the extreme.

Before you go, check their Safety Information.

Photo: leo.zuck

For no-cost cycling, there’s the paved 35km Valley Trail or a gravel loop around Lost Lake. Known to be clothing-optional, Lost Lake is ringed with nature trails where I’ve spotted woodpeckers, herons, and impressively slimy slugs. As for nudists, I’m told the rare few stick to the dock in Canine Cove.

4. Rafting

A raft trip where our guide navigated much of the Green River backwards left me longing for a bumpier ride. I’m already planning a journey to the rougher, raft-flipping rapids of the Elaho and Squamish rivers. Local rivers swell with the spring thaw so schedule in early June for the best runs.

Based in Whistler close to the Village Gondola, Wedge Rafting offers warm weather tours.

5. Paddling

For a drier on-the-water experience, head to the lakes that trim the western and northern edges of the village and hop in a canoe or kayak. Alta Lake is where, back in 1914, Rainbow Lodge became Whistler’s first tourist retreat. The lodge has since burnt down, but the fishing, paddling, and swimming remain.

Photo: kyhuskers2

6. Zip-trekking

Ziptrek Ecotours suspends its steel cables over creeks and forest. Put trust in the wire and reach speeds of more than 80km/h (50mph). I’m particularly fond of the company’s commitment to sustainability.

7. Climbing and Bungeeing

Rock climbers gather at local cliffs such as the granite face of the Stawamus Chief that stands near the Sea-to-Sky Highway. Although it’s fun to watch climbers, I opt for the hiking trail ’round back. The climb over smooth granite and uprooted trails has lots of ladders, short drops, and panoramas of the ever-snowy Tantalus Range.

If you’d rather go down than up, plunge into the Cheakamus River canyon with Whistler Bungee or jump with Whistler Skydiving.

8. Eating and Drinking

On a summer Sunday, I love browsing the Whistler Farmer’s Market, where vendors line up with their bounty from local orchards, vineyards, hives, and fields. Arrive hungry and taste the samples.

Although many reserve tables at Araxi (4222 Village Square) with its full wine cellar, and at the flash Bearfoot Bistro (4121 Village Green), I prefer to keep things simple and cheap at Splitz Grill (4369 Main St.) where the burger toppings include tzatziki, kosher pickles, and sprouts. Grab another solid meal at the vegetarian-friendly deli Ingrid’s Village Café (4305 Skier’s Approach).

The Whistler Brewhouse (4355 Blackcomb Way) taps its own kegs and those from regional breweries.

9. Watching

Festivals, people, and wildlife make Whistler an easy-going, sit-back sort of place. Walking along the Village Stroll can be lively, but often requires dodging pedestrian traffic jams of absent-minded vacationers, snowboarders, and kids.

Grab a seat somewhere and just watch Whistler happening.

Sea-to-Sky highway / Photo: pat_ong

10. Driving

The Olympics triggered multi-million-dollar upgrades to the Sea-to-Sky Highway. Driving the smooth route from Vancouver to Whistler, I’ve spotted a mother bear with her cubs as well as eagles. From Whistler, a pothole-filled road continues northeast to Pemberton and on to the gold-rush town of Lillooet. Gear-down for the hairpin bends and steep hills.

For those who thought I was about to impart some golf secrets, I’ll oblige: Whistler is also home to four much-lauded greens.

And of course there’s still a chance in summer to get out in the snow at one of North America’s favorite resorts — glacier skiing is open until late July.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

How did Whistler get its name? Read Whistler’s Little Secret to find out.

Photo: mrhayata

1. Don’t… expect a modern Japanese lifestyle

Mainland Japan is all about efficiency and neon. Elaborate transport systems link destinations with amazing speed. Trains leave on the dot, fast food is served before you can blink, and lights emerge full force at dusk.

But that’s mainland. Okinawa is a different entity.

Do… enjoy the island pace

Bus schedules, business meetings, and public events all operate on Oki time, lagging considerably behind the frenzy of Tokyo or Osaka.

In addition, there are no sprawling train or metro systems. That means you’ll have to rent a car, roll down the windows, and breathe fresh ocean air. Instead of neon, you’ll witness stunning blue at unexpected turns.

2. Don’t… be afraid to get lost

Streets can be confusing to visitors. What looks to a Westerner like a dead-end alley is often a widely traveled two-lane street. Apart from major intersections, there are few street signs.

Locals give directions like so: “Pass the sugarcane field, turn right at the Family Mart, it’s next to the outdoor vending machine.” Needless to say, navigation is hard when there’s a vending machine for every 3 people on the island.

Photo: knaakle

Do… wander anyway

Okinawa is only 65 miles long and averages 5 miles wide, making it hard to get completely disoriented. So stroll down a narrow alley in Naha City or a sandy path in Onna Village without worry.

In my own experience, getting lost has presented new discoveries, like a funky beach bar full of Okinawan surfers. Another time, I took a wrong turn and found myself surrounded by a blooming lily field.

3.Don’t… chow on Japanese standards only

Okinawa offers an array of excellent food, including sushi, noodles, rice dishes, tofu, and other traditional favorites. But part of what makes the island unique is its distinctive regional cuisine, produced by local farmers and manufacturers.

Do… sample the Okinawan diet

Many health experts believe traditional Oki food enhances longevity. In fact, Okinawans hold the title of longest lifespan in the world.

Enjoy soba, black pork, sea grapes, beni-imo purple sweet potato, goya (bitter gourd), peanut tofu, and jasmine tea and live to 100.

Goya stir-fry / Photo: pelican

4. Don’t… give up on goya

A local staple for centuries, goya is an extremely bitter vegetable packed with iron and vitamin C, often served in stir-fry dishes.

Many visitors instantly dislike the taste and never give it a second chance despite its health benefits and affordability.

Do… try multiple incarnations

Ingenious cooks have devised skillful ways to disguise the notoriously bitter taste. Goya stir-fry not your thing? Well then, try another version.

My personal favorites include goya smoothies, goya beer, fried goya chips, and goya ice cream.

5. Don’t… be surprised at “Japanese only” signs

Okinawa has been playing host to around 45,000 Americans since the end of World War II. Despite the integration of foreigners into many aspects of daily life, some locals simply want a space of their own.

Thus, there are bars, restaurants, and other places designated off limits to non-Japanese.

Photo: micsalac

Do… patronize foreign-friendly establishments

There’s no shortage of cafes, recreation spots, drinking holes, stores, museums, and cultural venues that welcome foreigners. Naha’s Kokusai Street, Onna Village, Chatan, and Nago are overflowing with them.

6. Don’t… throw out trash haphazardly

Due to a lack of landfill space, proper trash disposal and composting are taken very seriously. On a tiny island, there are dramatic environmental repercussions from irresponsible behavior.

Residents are fined accordingly.

Do… pay attention to your waste

Separate your garbage into specified organic food, paper, plastic, glass, and noncombustible bins. Public venues conveniently provide separate cans for different kinds of waste. Local municipal offices accept recyclable and refurbished materials.

One funny particular about Okinawa is that trash collectors play a whimsical tune similar to ice cream trucks in the West. The first time hearing it, I raced outside to buy some and found a trash truck instead — not an ice cream cone in sight.

7. Don’t… fret over typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis

This tiny island between the Pacific Ocean and East China Sea is vulnerable to Mother Nature.

From June to November, residents brace themselves for the official typhoon season, averaging 30-40 tropical storms of varying intensity. On top of gusty winds, street flooding, and downpours, Okinawa often gets rocked by small tremors with the chance of tsunami.

Do… enjoy the stormy weather and swaying buildings

While foreigners wait in long lines to buy canned goods, locals accustomed to the dramatic weather can be found out having fun at restaurants and shopping centers during the most (seemingly) catastrophic conditions.

Buildings are earthquake proof and built to withstand strong winds and rain.

Photo: Silentmind8 pro

8. Don’t… assume Okinawa is all palm trees

Beaches are certainly the standout attraction here. And the warm clear waters and coral reefs off the coast make snorkeling and scuba diving popular activities.

But there’s much more to do and see — caves, historic sites, lush forests, and mountains.

Do… explore the island’s interior

Wander one of the 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites, hike up Hiji Falls, explore the Valley of Gangala, and check out stalactites inside Gyokusendo Cave.

My favorite outdoor excursion of all has been strapping myself in a harness at the Forest Adventure Park, zipping along the treetops and gazing at the ocean in the distance.

9. Don’t… stay at one of the tourist resorts

Like most island destinations, Okinawa features that long stretch of done-up tourist hotels. They do have comfortable rooms, expansive buffets, and private beaches, with all the giant umbrellas that go along with that.

But they’re also expensive, impersonal, and overflowing with tour groups.

Do… book at a fun, offbeat inn

Try something different with Beach Rock Mountain Village, where you sleep in one of the communal tepees and eat all your meals in a treehouse.

Or stay at the Banian Resort Trailer Park and sleep in a “themed” trailer overlooking the ocean.

Photo: Dolmang

10. Don’t… be typical

The world-class Churaumi Aquarium, with its huge tank of whale sharks and manta rays, is awe-inspiring. Okinawa World Park and its Habu snake show are entertaining. And Peace Prayer Park, honoring fallen soldiers of the Battle of Okinawa, is moving beyond words.

But there are so many cultural events to attend here that encourage interaction and understanding of local traditions and customs.

Do… join the community in regular celebrations

Okinawa hosts a range of public events over the year, including Dragon Boat Races, Children’s Sumo Wrestling, fireworks festivals, Eisa Dancing parades, and the world’s largest Tug of War.

Let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like pulling on a giant rope with 15,000 of your closest friends. Don’t mind the summer humidity — these are unique chances to witness the unique character of the people…and take awesome pictures.

Community Connection

Get closer to Okinawan culture by reading about Shinugu Matsuri: The Festival That Could Change the World.

THROUGHOUT MY TWO years of living in Melbourne and hosting Couchsurfing guests, I met many visitors with overly ambitious plans and not enough time. So I asked contributing editor Juliane Huang to compile a graphic to show everyone just how big Australia really is. Even I was surprised at what she came back with.

Graphic by Juliane Huang

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more digits from down under, read Australia By the Numbers. Interested to know what it’s like to live there? See A Day in the Life of an Expat in Sydney, Australia.

Photo: Randy Son Of Robert

Overview

The western Maui districts of Lahaina and Wailea, dominated by opulent resorts and golf courses, get all the honeymooners and wealthy tourists. Budget travelers will have better luck sticking to areas in the east.

Kihei is a laid-back beach town. Upcountry Maui has ranches, small farms, old plantation general stores, and a vineyard. Paia, formerly the center of Hawaii’s sugar mill industry, attracted a hippie movement in the 1960s and is full of small shops and cafes selling natural foods, hemp products, and eclectic clothing. Hana can only be reached by a long, partially unpaved cliffside road, so it’s the least developed.

Accommodations

Maui has an abundance of budget hotels and hostels spread over the island. Since it’s a small piece of land, you’re never far from anywhere you might want to go.

Photo: ewen and donabel

The bulletin board outside of Mana, a natural foods market in Paia, offers plenty of listings for rentals, sublets, and hostels.

Backcountry camping inside the crater of the Haleakala Volcano is free.

Food

Lunchtime in Maui often finds me hiking in a forest or zigzagging in my jeep along some crazy cliffs, so picnics are the order of the day. You’ll find a lot of advertisements for pre-packed lunches along popular routes, but I find that with all the quality supermarkets, farmer’s markets, and fruit stands on the island, packing my own is easy and more cost-effective.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar gives cheapies an opportunity to sample the island’s seafood on Mondays and Sundays, when everything is half off from 5:30-6PM and after 10PM.

The Jawz fish taco truck is also popular with locals and is usually stationed outside of Big Beach, south of Wailea.

Photo: erikogan

Attractions

Planning what to do on a budget in Maui is the easiest part. Mostly because nature is free.

The road to Hana, a 68-mile ribbon of coastal highway, allows for stops along the way at waterfalls, Rainbow Eucalyptus trees, black sand beaches, and bamboo forests.

La Perouse Bay is a stretch of black volcanic rock on the edge of turquoise sea, while the top of the Haleakala Volcano is a popular spot to watch the sun rise amongst the clouds.

You can definitely skip the expensive whale watching boat excursions — during whale season I saw them from spots all over the island for free.

For checking out some serious Hawaiian surfing, Peahi (Jaws) and Hookipa are the main spots.

Nightlife

I’ll admit it — I’ve done a Luau. It involved dinner around a table with tourists rocking flowery button-ups and a dance dedicated to thanking American businessmen for everything gained from the takeover of the island. Seriously.

Also? It was expensive.

I was more impressed with the spontaneous dancing at Little Beach in Makena. Every Sunday as the sun sets, locals form a drum circle with fire dancers.

I had to hike barefoot over sharp rock in the dark to get over the cliff that leads to this stretch of clothing-optional beach, but if you arrive in the afternoon at Big Beach there are groups of people with torches that lead the way.

Transportation

Maui has buses to all main locations, with fares ranging from free to one dollar, but barely any run past 9PM. You’ll also see plenty of hitchhikers getting picked up.

But I’ve found that a car really is the most convenient way to get around Maui, and pretty much the only way to drive the road to Hana without paying for an expensive private tour.

I recommend skipping all of the brand-name car rental places at the airport in favor of Kihei Rent a Car, which has older models at discount rates.

Community Connection

For more tips, try getting in touch with the Matador community’s destination expert on Hawaii, hawaiibren.

Photo: Ormando SLR

1. Camarones, Patagonia

Camarones is a rare beast — a serene beach destination in Argentina. Not many of them exist.

In fact, apart from the over-crowded Mar del Plata and Miramar, I can’t think of a better place to relax by the ocean (although do bear in mind it can get quite chilly, especially during winter).

There’s a certain ease of life here, perfect for anyone set on lulling about for a couple of days on pristine beaches or wanting to see Patagonian life by the ocean. It doesn’t change too much in the village either, where the townsfolk are as friendly and laid back as you’ll find.

Getting there

The only real problem is arriving. It’s 70km on a dirt road from Trelew via the El Ñandú bus — departures: Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 4PM.

Photo: nestor galina

Attractions

Nearby is the Cabo Dos Bahías nature reserve, home to 25,000 penguin pairs. Best time to go is spring (Sept-Nov) when the penguins return to their nest, with mid-November best to see the little chicks as they hatch and waddle around.

There’s no public transport to the reserve, but if you have a car it’s well worth the visit. Due to the inaccessibility, the colony is visited a lot less than it should be, so at the very least it’ll give you bragging rights.

Where to stay

As with much of Patagonia, when you’re going off the beaten track the main problem is finding somewhere decent to stay — one of the reasons so many choose to camp.

The main hotel/guesthouse in Camarones is the Complejo Indalo Inn. They have a big complex with tidy rooms, plenty of amenities (including Internet — rare for the region!), and views of the ocean. Particularly convenient if you want to make reservations and are unsure of your Spanish.

2. Fiambalá, Catamarca

I have no doubt 99.9% of people will not have heard of Fiambalá. The majority of Argentineans I’ve met seem blissfully unaware of its existence too. A small village in the state of Catamarca, Fiambalá lies some 320km from the provincial capital.

Photo: Sr. Amortuorio

Consisting of a small dusty town square and three or four main streets, there’s something of a desert feel about this town. Everywhere you look is the blurry sight of the Andes (the constant heat has a hazy effect).

It’s a hot place and carries many of the habits of small Argentine villages, such as passing out after drinking three or four beers for lunch — compulsory siestas that mean a severe lull in village activity around the 3PM mark and generally a very drowsy feel to the place (not helped by the altitude).

Attractions

If this doesn’t sound like your place then maybe I’m not selling it well enough. For me, the beauty of Fiambalá lies in living everyday life like a local (and is why I stayed there for a month), but there are also plenty of things to do.

10km away are the thermal baths, where I enjoyed the solitude of the mountains along with the mineral cleanse of a hot soak.

Due to the dry climate, nearby vineyards produce a very strong, but very nice, assortment of red wines, which can be bought directly for cheap.

Photo: MGPanoramico

Plus, every January there’s now the Dakar rally that passes through and sends this village into a frenzy.

Getting there and staying

Buses run every day from Catamarca — which in turn is linked to Salta, Tucuman, Jujuy, and other northwestern hubs — and take 8 hours.

For accommodation, it’s possible to camp at the thermal baths or stay in one of their cabins.

There’s a guesthouse at the Don Diego vineyard, a couple more dotted around the village, and the French owner of Oh La La, the restaurant on the main square, is happy to help backpackers passing through.

3. Choele Choel, Rio Negro

I have to admit I knew nothing about Choele Choel before arriving there.

I’d made a sudden decision to head south to Patagonia and so caught a bus to Bahia Blanca. The only hostel in Bahia was full, and the city looked no different than countless other places I’d been to, so I decided to try my luck hitchhiking.

Photo: Lucas_B

After a couple of hours a truck stopped and offered me a ride to Choele Choel. I remembered it as being slightly more south so jumped in.

When I later saw on the map that I’d in fact gone about 300km due west I wasn’t too worried — these mistakes can help with discovery, as I was soon to find in Choele.

This area of Argentina (central and just north of Patagonia) is full of fruit. All around are flat, green fields covered with apple, plum, and pear trees, with elaborate drainage systems creating little canals that dunk in and out of the fields and under the roads.

Attractions

It’s this scenery that makes Choele so alluring, with the Rios Salado and Negro Norte playing an important role in daily life. People seek them out to relax, bringing along their kids, setting up the barbecue, and walking the luscious gardens that freckle the banks.

The adjoining village, Luis Beltrán, is one of the original Welsh communities of Argentina, along with Gaiman and Trevelin farther south.

Unlike those destinations, though, which have been taken over by tourism and tea rooms, Luis Beltrán maintains the feel of an Argentine town, except with Welsh names for everything. There’s the Williams patisserie, featuring some great cakes by Hughes and Hughes, and Juan Bevan’s, the local butcher.

Getting there and staying

Choele Choel can be reached by low-cost buses arriving from Bahia Blanca, Trelew, and Neuquén. There are no hostels but plenty of places to camp and guesthouse/hotel owners can be bartered with easily.

Community Connection

Find out What People are Listening to in…Argentina.

Photo: Astig!!

1. Don’t… go to Disneyland

I know, that’s crazy talk. But consider this: For a family of four to visit The Magic Kingdom for a day, they’ll need to shell out…$268. $268! And that’s not even including California Adventure.

Figure in parking, food, and a pair of Mickey Mouse ears, and you’re dropping some serious dough in 12 hours.

Do… visit The Getty

Consider taking in some culture in LA. The Getty Center is located near the well-to-do area of Brentwood.

Although parking will set you back $15, admission is FREE. The exhibitions are always interesting, and there’s a garden outside the buildings where kids can run around.

2. Don’t… get Kogi tacos from their trucks

Kogi is the big thing in these parts. Take Korean BBQ, put it in a tortilla, add some special sauce and some cabbage, and you have the it-food of the moment.

That said, if you follow the Twitter feed and find one of these trucks, you’ll have to wait. In my case, two hours.

Do… order at the Alibi Room

The Alibi Room is a cozy, nondescript bar on the edge of Culver City. It’s the only place to get Kogi tacos outside of their trucks.

The wait is minimal, and you can pair your spicy pork burrito with a wide selection of microbrews.

3. Don’t… hike Runyon Canyon

There are over 200 hiking trails in Southern California. Each offers a gorgeous (though sometimes smoggy) view of the L.A. skyline.

Runyon Canyon, located off the Hollywood Hills, will give you a nice view. But the trail smells like dog shit and is well frequented by chatty locals — no solitude here.

Do… hike Mt. Baldy

To prepare for the Inca Trail in Peru, I hiked the Manker Flats Loop. This trail is located more than an hour’s drive east of LA.

You climb up to Mt. Baldy’s peak, which at over 10,000ft. is the highest point near the city. On your way down, you get to traverse a precarious stretch called Devil’s Backbone.

Instead of hiking all the way down, I rode a rickety ski lift with no seat belts. I almost lost my hat. The ride is recommended.

4. Don’t… go to Hollywood and Highland

It’s crowded, lined with cheap souvenir shops, and filled with crazies dressed in super-hero costumes, mugging for photos and harassing for tips.

This is no way to see Hollywood.

Do… catch a concert at the Hollywood Bowl

When summer begins, so does Hollywood Bowl season. The Bowl puts on concerts covering a wide array of genres (classical, jazz, worldbeat).

I like to get a group of friends, get cheap tickets in the back for $15 each, pack a picnic basket and a bottle of wine, and enjoy Mozart as the sun sets.

5. Don’t… take a movie stars’ home tour

If you end up on Hollywood Boulevard, you’ll come across a man trying to sell you a Movie Stars Home Tour. Accept his offer and you’ll ride in an air-conditioned bus through Beverly Hills and see the mansion where Nicholas Cage lived…back in 2001.

Unless you’re into well-manicured lawns, this is a waste of money.

Do… put together a self-guided on-location tour

Your favorite movie probably features a location in So Cal.

For Swingers, check out The Dresden, where Marty and Elaine still perform nightly. For (500) Days of Summer, hunt Tom and Summer’s bench in Pershing Square.

6. Don’t eat on Restaurant Row

Restaurant Row is a stretch of La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Along this street lie numerous fine-dining establishments, frequented by celebrities and entertainment moguls.

Great for autographs, but if you want a meal? Start saving now.

Do… eat a taco…from a truck

(Caveat: See #2 above.)

If you venture to Highland Park or Boyle Heights, you’ll see numerous plain white catering trucks serving tacos filled with carne asada, carnitas, and even tripas.

These trucks have been a part of the LA scene for years, and their tacos go for as little as a dollar each. My favorites are La Estrella Tacos in Highland Park, and El Korita near Downtown.

7. Don’t… ask where South Central is

Yes, Boyz ‘N the Hood was a great movie. But that was 1991. Say this to any Angelino and expect stares.

Do… grab a burger in SOUTH LA

When I found out South LA is home to several mom-and-pop burger joints, I had to give one a shot. I hit up Fresh and Meaty Burgers, near Crenshaw and Florence.

I had to pay the cashier through a sheet of bulletproof glass. The burger was meaty, greasy, and delicious. I’m going back.

8. Don’t… waste a day on Catalina Island

There isn’t much to do here. The most exciting thing I found was renting a golf cart and riding it through the residential areas.

Do… spend one Downtown

You can grab dim sum from Empress Pavilion in Chinatown, catch Mexican folk dancing on Olvera Street, tour the LA Central Public Library, double down a bowl of ramen from Daikokuya in Little Tokyo, and kick back with a few drinks at L.A. Live, all in one day.

I’ll always take that over riding a golf cart through someone’s backyard.

Community Connection

Get over to Nights for Top 10 Hipster Bars in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, and then check Change for Urban Volunteering: Los Angeles.

Photos: LHOON

THE LOCAL TOURISM BOARD in Asbestos, Quebec, is getting creative.

They’ve decided to take the small town’s one and only marketing point — the 2km-wide Jeffrey mine, largest open-pit asbestos mine in the world — and turn it into an attraction. So says an article in last week’s Guardian.

The town and region have made headlines before, for resisting the accepted medical consensus on asbestos and continuing to export it for use in developing nations. That story itself is fascinating, but probably falls under the jurisdiction of a different Network site.

What intrigues us here at Trips is that locals seem to be taking their bucking of international health advisories to the extreme of inviting visitors to tool around in their asbestos dust. And marketing it as “healthy living and adventure activities.”

“It’s like a great big sand pit, a gigantic playground!”
- Marc Cantin, coordinator at the local tourist board

So how crazy do you think this idea is? Would you ride a mountain bike, drive an ATV, or rock climb in Asbestos’ Jeffrey mine? Cast your vote below:

Community Connection

Read about how to protect yourself against asbestos exposure in your home in Avoiding Household Dangers: An Interview With The Queen Of Clean, Alison Haynes.

Photo: jeansman

1. The Controversy

I grew up thinking of Taiwan as a sovereign nation not unlike Japan or France. As it turned out, not everyone sees it that way.

The People’s Republic of China, its neighbor across the Taiwan Strait, regards the democratic island as a renegade province unwilling to reconcile with the motherland.

When China became a member of the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee after decades of absence from international engagement, Taiwan (which previously had been representing China) was expelled from both bodies. As a result, Taiwanese athletes compete at the Olympics and other international sporting events as part of a delegation called “Chinese Taipei,” and under a specially designated flag.

I feel that a visit is necessary to better understand Taiwan’s ongoing saga with China. Its tricky geopolitical status also means it rarely gets any major recognition on the international stage, so it’s time that I make my way there and show it some love.

Photo: keepwaddling1

2. The Treasures of the National Palace

The Forbidden City is definitely on my list for Beijing, but it contains only half the historic artifacts and artwork collected by China’s imperial families. I want to see the rest as well, which will require a visit to the National Palace in Taipei.

Near the end of the Chinese Civil War between Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalists and Mao Zedong’s Communists, the directors of the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City gathered as many pieces as they could and sent them to Taiwan before the Communists seized the museum, an effort that likely saved the collection from being destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

The over 677,000 cultural pieces are now housed in the National Palace, a collection that alone would make it worth the journey to Taiwan for me.

3. The Colonial History

Like many Asian nations, Taiwan has a history of foreign settlement dating back to the 1600s.

A Portuguese fleet that came across the island in 1544 fell in love with its landscape, calling it Ilha Formosa, or beautiful island, which stuck as its Western name during colonial times. The Dutch arrived in the 17th century, set up a colony, and built a fort on Penghu Island, the ruins of which still exist.

For the first half of the twentieth century, the Japanese occupied Taiwan, and their legacy remains in the form of roads, railways, hospitals, schools, government buildings, bathhouses, and cuisine.

I’ve been fascinated on my previous travels in Asia by the dichotomy between native culture and imperial vestiges. I think Taiwan will provide another interesting study in post-colonialism.

Photo: epler

4. The Aboriginal Communities

I’m aware that 98% of the country’s population is made up of Han Chinese who began migrating to the island in the 14th century, around 15% of whom are the descendants of dissidents who fled the mainland after 1949. But I know little about the remaining 2% who make up Taiwan’s aboriginal communities.

Recently, there has been a resurgence in celebration of aboriginal culture, which is attributed in part to an ongoing search for a distinct Taiwanese identity.

I’ll make sure to check out the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines, located opposite the National Palace, which showcases the cultures of Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples, as well as some of the aboriginal villages along the east coast, like Fusing, Bulowan, and Mataian, to acquaint myself with the native inhabitants of the island.

5. The Food

The Taiwanese are among the most voracious eaters in Asia, with a rich and complex culinary tradition, which features both aboriginal and Chinese influences. The cuisines of various Chinese regions, including Szechuan, Fujian, and Guangdong, are also well represented in the country’s restaurants and street stalls thanks to the influx of migrants after 1949.

Photo: LWY

The Japanese left behind their cuisine too, so there’s wide availability of sushi and other Japanese-influenced dishes.

The New York Times’ Frugal Traveler Matt Gross, whose wife is from Taiwan, has written about his affection for Taiwanese cuisine, including in the current issue of Saveur magazine. He goes so far as to suggest that food is “one arena in which Taipei blows Beijing away.”

I’m looking forward to sampling xiao chi — or small eats — including fried buns, oyster omelets, peanut candy, and the infamous stinky tofu. The Shilin Night Market, known for its food vendors, is most likely where I’ll get my fix.

Are you drawn to any countries in particular? Which ones and why?

Share below!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Talk Taiwan with other Matador travelers currently in the country.

Modified image from Wikimedia Commons.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’re like us, this illustration will get you excited to go explore all the natural wonders that lie inside Alaska’s massive borders. Matador Co-founder Ross Borden recently traveled from the southeast of AK near Juneau, to Anchorage in search of some of the best heli skiing in the world.

Check out his Photo Essay: Heliskiing with SEABA in Haines, Alaska, and his shots from skiing in the Chugach range with CPG.

He also answers his own question in Is Juneau, AK, Really Just a Little Drinking Town With a Fishing Problem?

Feature photo: Alaskan Dude

All photos: Francisco Collazo

1. Don’t… visit MOMA or The Met

I don’t have anything against either of these museums. I used to be a card-carrying member of MOMA and I’m planning to check out their new exhibit, “Rising Currents: Projects for New York’s Waterfront.”

It’s just that a visit to MOMA will set you back $20 (unless you join the budget seeking horde on Friday night from 4-8 PM, when admission is free). The “recommended” admission for The Met is the same.

And besides, both of these museums are so huge that it’s hard to feel you’ve “done” them or squeezed the value out of that ticket price in just a single visit.

Do… visit MOCA, MOCADA, El Museo del Barrio, or The Jewish Museum

Given New York’s immigrant history, it shouldn’t be surprising we have a museum for almost every diaspora, including MOCA (Museum of Chinese in America), MOCADA (Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts), El Museo del Barrio (located in Spanish Harlem, a museum for Puerto Rican and Latin American art), and The Jewish Museum.

Architect Maya Lin at the opening of MOCA

Admission at all four of these museums is less than that wallet-busting $20 you’ll drop at MOMA or The Met. ($7 at MOCA and free on Thursdays; $4 suggested donation at MOCADA; $6 suggested donation at El Museo del Barrio with free admission every third Saturday; $12 at The Jewish Museum and free on Saturdays).

But the real reason to visit these museums is because they’re smaller in size and let you walk away feeling like you really saw everything and learned something interesting in the process.

Plus, these museums aren’t overrun by crowds and the facilities are excellent. MOCA is brand new and El Museo’s paint has barely dried after a recent renovation.

2. Don’t… do the Statue of Liberty

There’s something that feels unpatriotic about telling you to skip the Statue of Liberty, but I have my reasons. First of all, a visit to Liberty sucks up your whole day, what with long lines and strict security. Second, if you really just want to see the statue, you’ll get a much better view from the ferry or from Ellis Island than you will on Liberty Island itself.

Do… visit Ellis Island AND the African Burial Ground

The Statue of Liberty… skip it.

Ellis Island — the nation’s “premier federal immigration station,” according to the National Parks Service — is far more interesting than the Statue of Liberty if you’re really passionate about American history.

The 30-minute film, “Island of Hope, Island of Tears” is a Ken Burns-esque documentary that tells the history of Ellis Island. If you’d rather walk than sit, guided tours convey the same information. And if you’re interested in genealogy, you can look up your ancestry here.

Another alternative is visiting the recently opened African Burial Ground, which, like Ellis Island is run by the National Parks Service. There’s no admission fee to enter the visitors’ center, explore the exhibits, or to visit the actual burial ground itself. You can read more about the African Burial Ground on my blog.

3. Don’t… go to Central Park

Yes, it’s enormous. Yes, it’s beautiful. Yes, it even has wildlife.

But New York City has more than 29,000 acres of OTHER parks, and many of them are just as beautiful — if not more so — than Central Park.

My favorites are Ft. Tryon (at the northern tip of Manhattan, with elevated views of the Hudson River, it was built by the son of the architect responsible for Central Park); The Hudson River Park (a long, narrow park that runs almost the entire length of Manhattan’s West Side and offers areas for picnicking, watching movies and live performances, bike riding, skate boarding, rollerblading, and kayaking, among other activities); and The High Line (an elevated urban park built on an old freight line).

Cycling on Governor’s Island

Outside Manhattan, my favorites are Gantry Plaza State Park (a waterfront park in Long Island City with multiple piers — has THE best views of Manhattan; great for photos; also has hammocks in the summer, a kayak launch point, and a nearby “beach” bar), DUMBO’s Brooklyn Bridge Park (a work in progress, also waterfront), and Governor’s Island (open June through October).

4. Don’t… assume a hotel is beyond your budget

“But New York hotels are so expensive….”

True, but your doctor bill may be more expensive after you spend a few nights on a bedbug infested hostel mattress or a few mornings in a sketchy hostel shower.

Do… check out hotels beyond Manhattan

Check out the Ravel in Long Island City (waterfront views — and no, it’s not on Long Island; it’s five minutes from midtown Manhattan), which currently has rates as low as $99/night.

Sunset in Long Island City

Hotels are popping up all over LIC, with a Holiday Inn being the closest to a subway line (39th Avenue stop on the N and soon to be defunct W train).

5. Don’t… go to Serendipity or Magnolia

Do you really want to spend an hour in line for a frozen hot chocolate or a cupcake?
Serendipity and Magnolia are popular because they were featured in “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sex and the City,” respectively. Do you think that makes their desserts any better than anywhere else?

Do… chase down the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck and eat some Wafel and Dinges

Van Leeuwen serves artisanal ice cream out of a roving truck — red currant, giandujia, hazelnut, and ginger, to name a few flavors. They have a storefront in Brooklyn if you can’t catch up with the truck.

If ice cream’s not your thing, look up the Wafel and Dinges truck, which serves Belgian waffles with all manner of dinges — toppings — or find a truck to suit any craving you might possibly have. Check the City Room Blog’s Twitter list for a full roster of food trucks (many offer special deals to Twitter followers).

6. Don’t… go see a movie

New York is a great place to see a movie because we have so many specialty theatres, like the ImaginAsian, an arthouse cinema featuring Asian films.

But did you really come to New York to see a movie?

Do… go see a movie being filmed

The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting lists films and TV shows currently being filmed in the city, and if you follow @olv on Twitter, you can find out where and when filming is scheduled to occur.

7. Don’t… shop for knock-offs on Canal Street

“Psst. Want a Coach bag? Prada? Prada?”

You don’t believe that $20 Coach bag on Canal Street is real, do you?

Besides being cheap, your purchases on Canal Street support an underground economy, the consequences of which are largely hidden from view (and involve immigrants living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in stairways and closet-sized rooms in the buildings where you’ll be taken to view the merchandise).

Do… support local artists in Union Square

An indy filmmaker sells DVDs in Union Square.

Keep your conscience clean and get something real by browsing Union Square. Local artists sell paintings, photos, jewelry, homemade t-shirts, indy films, and lots of other wares at tables arrayed around the southern end of the park. You’ll get something that’s really original…and you don’t have to feel bad about it.

8. Don’t… visit Little Italy or Chinatown

Again — nothing “wrong” with Little Italy or Chinatown (visit the former during the San Gennaro festivities, the latter during Chinese New Year celebrations). Both of these neighborhoods remain cultural enclaves that have somehow managed to resist encroaching gentrification.

Do… visit lesser-known immigrant districts

But why not explore one of the lesser known neighborhoods like Koreatown, Little Brazil, Polish Greenpoint, and predominantly Greek Astoria? These immigrant neighborhoods are just as lively — and less touristed — than Little Italy and Chinatown.

And if you’re headed to Astoria, let me know. I’ll meet up with you at Omonia for some Greek coffee and Sokolatina.

Explore a less familiar venue.

9. Don’t… go to a show at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, or Broadway

Like MOMA and The Met, these are all world-class venues, but there are dozens of other event spaces where incredible concerts, lectures, and performances are given by well-known and totally fresh talent.

Do… get your culture fix at a venue you’ve never heard of

Some places worth checking out include BAM (the Brooklyn Academy of Music), Bargemusic, The LAByrinth Theater Company, the Manhattan Theatre Club, and The Chocolate Factory.

Community Connection:

Matador has lots more New York City resources on our New York Focus Page.

A WHILE BACK we talked a little about Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Destinations for 2010. We weren’t all that impressed with the list, given that most seemed to already be heavily touristed.

This month Rough Guides published their own list called The big five emerging destinations. I gotta admit, their arguments are much more compelling. Here they are:

1. Panama – With Costa Rica’s over-development, Panama looks fit to step in as the next big tourist destination in Central America. Rough Guides cites a developed infrastructure, year-round sunshine, and a “lush” coastline as some of the reasons to put it on your map.

2. Mongolia – A 1,600-mile cross-country highway called the Millennium Road is due for completion this year. Believe me, this is good news.

Hours and days of bumping around in an old Russian van is enough to keep many people away, but this new road just might lure more travelers in to explore this big, diverse country.

3. New Orleans – After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Rough Guides says the Big Easy is “on the up.” And a Superbowl win by the Saints certainly doesn’t hurt.

4. Colombia – Although they mention to steer clear of parts of the Amazon and the south, Rough Guides has strong arguments to visit this once torn country: “wild beaches, rainforest and mountains…vast coffee plantations, archaeological sites and colonial cities.”

5. Iceland – Perhaps too expensive in the past for the budget backpacker crowd, Iceland’s economy is hurting for some love, and this is reflected in the prices.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Tom Coote also gave readers his list of the 5 Next Big Travel Destinations.

Not convinced about travel to Iceland to help them with their economy? Read my side of the argument in Why You Should Travel During the Global Recession.

LAST JUNE, Matador Change editor Julie Schwietert posted US Calls for Stricter Tourism Guidelines in Antarctica. It drew in some interesting viewpoints about travel to the white continent.

Tim Patterson said,

The contrast between the reality of the place and the luxury of the tourism is just too weird. Antarctica is a destination one should have to earn.

Eva Holland chimed in,

As far as Antarctica itself goes, I’ve always sort of felt like it’s the only part of the planet with NO naturally occurring human residents — and as such, it really ought to be left alone.

While our own Hal Amen took a tongue-in-cheek approach,

Let’s sneak down there while no one’s looking.

He was obviously joking, but if Hal or any of you want to see Antarctica without actually having to freeze your extremities off, you can.

The flight to where you came from

Antarctica Flights, operated by Croyden Travel in conjunction with Qantas, specializes in one-day excursion flights over Antarctica. You can board in Melbourne or Sydney on a flight that lasts around twelve hours and lands where it takes off.

Chris Johnson of The Age took a New Year’s Eve flight. He reported that although these flights have been occurring since 1994 (they’ve made 87 flights and flown 30,000 people over Antarctica), this last NYE flight was the first time an airbus A380 — seating 450 passengers — was used. The prices ranged from AUD $999 to $6000.

According to Antarctica Flights’ website, the experts you fly with “include scientists, glaciologists, explorers, adventurers or mountaineers.” On the NYE flight, you would have been dancing in the aisles to jazz music while the endless ice passed beneath you.

And the environment?

Besides donating $500,000 to various charities, Croydon Travel offsets their offices’ carbon footprint and offers passengers the opportunity to do the same.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Exorbitant prices aside, would you do this? Or do you agree with Tim that a visit to Antarctica needs to be earned?

And is this responsible tourism?

Photo: loufi

1. No more travel advisory

The U.S. State Department issues travel advisories that many, including myself, feel are too conservative (the issue is discussed by JoAnna Haugen in depth in Should You Listen To Travel Warnings About Honduras?).

So if they’re willing to lift the advisory on Syria, that goes far to assuaging any safety concerns I may have had.

The NYT article linked above states that Syria is “crucial to peace in the region.” Time to get out the passport, meet the people, and promote world peace.

Photo: seier+seier+seier

2. The Dead Cities

In northern Syria, not too far north of the little pocket where the last communities of Aramaic speakers live, lie Syria’s mysterious Dead Cities, “780 abandoned settlements dating back to between the fifth and eighth centuries.”

There are also remnants of an Iron Age temple from around 1200 BC.

Several of the Dead Cities have been dug by archaeologists and are laid out for visitors with useful signs and information; others lie within modern villages: strange stone towers sprouting from gardens, fragments of carved lintels lying under the pistachio trees.

There’s so much history in Syria — Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, the Silk Road, the Crusades. But this region — probably the entire country — is seriously under-touristed. Seeing these lesser-known ruins would certainly be on my itinerary.

3. Aleppo’s rise

The Dead Cities are an easy drive south of Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world and a great place to see the synthesis of all the cultures mentioned above. Plus the souks, hammams, and other attractions familiar to Middle East travelers.

Photo: seier+seier+seier

As The New York Times reports, the city’s tourism industry is growing. They quote Karam Artin, a 20-year-old interior design student:

In a few years, this city will be swarming with tourists, and, hopefully, even more American visitors.

Now is the time to go.

4. Reading Matador Network content

As a Matador editor, it’s my pleasure to read (or, on a bad day, at the very least skim) every article published across the Network. I could plan an entire trip based on this content.

Matador Abroad has my back with Useful Arabic Phrases For Travelers. I’d of course check in with dwb, our destination expert for Syria.

And Matador’s other regional experts could help me out if I decided to scope 6 Under-the-Radar Destinations In The Middle East.

Where are you dying to travel to RIGHT NOW, and which online content inspired you to go? Share your stoke in the comments.

Community Connection

If you’ve traveled to Syria and blogged the experience, I’d love to read your work. Leave a link in the comments. Or better yet, post a Matador blog about it.

FOR THE VACATIONER in Cuba, that may sound weird. You can buy beers for one dollar, huge dinners for ten, and sleep for under thirty. But if you’re a long-term budget traveler headed to Cuba, you may want to pay attention.

CUC vs. moneda nacional

First thing’s first. Cuba has two currencies: the national peso (moneda nacional) and the convertible peso (CUC or, colloquially, the “cook”). For all intents and purposes, it’s easy to think of the CUC as being roughly equivalent to the U.S. dollar. At the time of writing, one CUC could be exchanged for 24 national pesos (from here on I will refer to national pesos simply as pesos).

Top row: CUC / Bottom row: moneda nacional

Cubans deal mostly in pesos. Everything they need on a day-to-day basis is bought with pesos in shops and restaurants that specifically deal in pesos. “Luxury” items like toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, deli cheese and meats, and televisions are purchased in “dollar” shops — stores that only deal in CUCs.

TIP: Do NOT go to Cuba with U.S. dollars. You will incur a steep penalty (around 10%) to exchange to CUCs. Here is a Cuba Currency and Money Guide.

Accommodations

If you’re budget traveling, get to know this term: casa particular. These are private homes that rent one or two rooms to foreigners. They are similar to a B&B.

In Havana, you get what you pay for. We stayed in a beautiful mansion-like house for $30CUC in Vedado. But we also stayed in a tiny apartment in Central Havana, where our room wall didn’t extend to the ceiling, and we had to share a bathroom. For the latter we paid $15CUC.

Outside Havana, the prices seem to vary more, regardless the quality of the casa. In Viñales you could stay at a $35CUC casa which, as nice as it is, might have frogs on the bathroom walls at night. Or you could stay for $15CUC at a more humble casa, but with beautiful views of the mogotes.

Assuming your eye is on your budget, here are some tips when finding casas particulares:

Note: blue signs = OK for foreigners,
red signs = only for Cuban nationals

Don’t book one listed in a guidebook — Not only are they generally more expensive, they’re the busiest. In most big cities and towns, there are loads of casas. They are easily identifiable by the sideways, blue “H” symbol on their door. (We also found the casa owners at the ones not listed in the guidebooks to be more friendly and hospitable.)

Don’t go with a tout — You’ll be approached at bus stations or if you’re walking/cycling around with your bags. The touts take a $5CUC commission so the prices are $5CUC higher than they would otherwise be.

Stay away from the center/touristy areas — Prices can drop dramatically even a couple of streets away. A little legwork can save you lots of money.

Try bargaining with the owner — If you can’t knock five or ten CUCs off the nightly price, try to get your breakfasts tossed in for free. If you’re staying long term (a week or more), you will be able to negotiate a lower price.

Eating

This is purely a guess, but probably 95% of visitors eat dinners and breakfasts in their casa particular. This is not a bad thing, and usually the food in them is superior to anywhere else. But if you want to save money, there are other ways.

Street food — Entrepreneurial Cubans roll their carts streetside and hock pizzas, meat-filled buns, hot dogs, and a multitude of other foods. You can be pickier in the bigger cities since something else will be around the corner if you don’t like what you see. It’s all sold in pesos so is very cheap.

A pan con jamon y queso (bun with ham and cheese) might cost 5 pesos on the street and $3CUC (equivalent to 72 pesos) in a restaurant.

Farmer’s markets — Balance the street food a little with some fruit and veg. Sold in pesos, the produce costs cents.

Peso restaurants — Find these. And eat in them. They’re generally good and you can get a similar meal as you would in a casa particular (meat, rice and beans, veggies) for a fraction of the cost. 40 pesos (just under $2CUC) will net you a decent dinner.

Casa particular — You can save money eating here too. The dinners are so huge — compensation for the relatively steep prices — that they can either be shared between two people, or you can ask for a smaller meal for cheaper. For example, $5CUC instead of $8CUC for a meal that will still fill you up.

Of course, only you can gauge yourself, so try the full meal first.

Hotel buffets — Mid-range hotel breakfast buffets are around $8CUC. Fill yourself up, then fill up your bag for the rest of the day.

TIP: Unless you have a steel stomach or no respect for your body, don’t rely solely on street food. It’s a good idea to mix it up with meals at the casas.

Entry fees

As in other times of bargaining, your power lies in how badly you want it. In Santiago de Cuba, we cycled to the Castillo del Morro to find out it cost $5CUC each to get in. We weren’t willing to pay it so we just walked away. Seconds later we were called back and told we could go in for $5CUC for the both of us.

On the other hand, at the Necropolis in Havana, we were surprised that they raised the entry fee from $1CUC (as stated in our Rough Guide) to $5CUC.

We walked away there too. No one followed.

Don’t be shy

Be vocal. Don’t be shy to ask if prices are in CUC or moneda nacional. You might assume something is in pesos and then be shocked to find out it’s not and you’ve just spent 24 times what you expected to.

Although bargaining isn’t as big a thing in Cuba as in SE Asia, it never hurts to try.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Looking for more tips on Cuba? Be sure to visit our Cuba Focus Page and feel free to ask our experts, Conner and Julie, any questions you might have.

Photo: Kıvanç Niş

1. Don’t… stay in Taksim

Most buildings in Taksim (home to many popular clubs) were constructed before the era of enormous nightclub sound systems — they don’t muffle the party. Istanbul’s night-owl tendencies and lack of noise curfews means the area doesn’t quiet down till the wee hours. No fun for the weary.

Instead, book a bed in Galata or Cankutaran, areas that are centrally located but much calmer by night.

Do… visit after dark

While it may be a lousy place to sleep, Taksim is an awesome place to be awake. Turn off Istikal Caddesi onto any side street and you’ll find a handful of taverns to choose from.

Nevizade Sokak is the most dense of the tavern streets. Families tend to sit streetside at outdoor tables, while the young and agile climb steep flights of stairs to the surrounding rooftop bars.

Riddim has cheap drinks and a genius dj. Mavi Bar is cozy but never dull.

2. Don’t… bother with the Topkapi crowds

I know people will disagree, but unless you’re a huge history buff, Topkapi Palace isn’t worth the mob and the price. Even in the middle of winter, in a downpour, the crowds feel like Woodstock.

What’s more, while the art and architecture are certainly gorgeous, you can see similar pieces in the old buildings and galleries of Istanbul.

Photo: Kıvanç Niş

Do… check out Dolmabahce palace

It has all the opulence of Topkapi, but Dolmabahce offers a guide and a free harem tour. It’s the site of Turkey’s transition from empire to republic, from being the center of the civilized world to taking interior design cues from other cultures.

The Bosphorus views are fantastic, and there’s an aviary with some pretty goofy peacocks. Also, Dolmabahce has the second largest chandelier in the world (you win again, Dubai).

3. Don’t… think you’re eating Greek

Turkey and Greece have a lot of similarities food-wise, but there are long-running disputes over who invented what. Turks are proud of their cuisine, and to suggest it’s an imitation can cause hurt feelings (or worse, anger).

The cheese may taste like feta to you, and the liquor like ouzo, but ask your waiter for the Turkish names and try to remember them.

Photo: claude.attard.bezzina

Do… accept a cup of tea

The offering of tea is the traditional Turkish equivalent of “can I add you on Facebook?”

When you’re invited into someone’s home or shop for tea, it means, “I like your company, sit and chat with me a while.” It’s considered rude to turn down food or drink, so unless you have a plane to catch, pull up a chair.

One of the loveliest traits of Turkish people is their tireless sociability, even through a language barrier.

4. Don’t… stop at the Pudding Shop

Across from the Hagia Sophia, the Pudding Shop was once the meeting point of new-age travelers on the hippie trail to Kathmandu.

It’s no longer the flower child hangout of 50 years ago. The name is the same, but on the inside it’s just a tourist-oriented (and tourist-priced) restaurant like any other in the area.

Do… get lunch two doors down

Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi only makes a few dishes, but boy do they make them well. This is Turkish food for Turkish people, well-priced and always packed.

Try kofte, a type of grilled lamb meatball, or fill up on bean salad and lentil soup.

Photo: Atilla1000

5. Don’t… bother with taxis if possible

Traffic in Istanbul is plain ol’ slow, especially during rush hour. Give the cabs a miss — buses too.

If your journey is too far to walk, look into Istanbul’s extensive subway, Metrobus, and tram lines. They’re crowded but speedy.

Do… map your route on foot

Istanbul street life is one of the subtlest glories of the city — the narrow alleys, laundry hanging overhead, the sudden slopes and hills.

Steep-but-pretty Galata, where many cars fear to tread, is a hub of cool music stores, cafes, and arty residential pockets.

6. Don’t… misunderstand dress codes when visiting mosques

Women queuing at the visitors’ entrance of the Blue Mosque are often seen fretfully wrapping their heads in bazaar-bought pashminas to cover up tightly, headscarf-style.

Here, it’s not necessary for non-worshipers to cover their hair completely. Some guides will tell you it’s not necessary at all.

Photo: Jrwooley6

What’s more important is for your sleeves, neckline, shorts, and skirts to hit a modest length. No tank tops or short shorts, or you’ll be asked to use your new pashmina as a sarong.

Do… let worshipers worship

Mosques have specific prayer times, but visitors can choose to pray whenever they visit. This means that while the mosque is open for tourists, worship is still taking place.

Try to talk quietly, pul-lease don’t use your cellphone, and if you want to snap pictures of people in prayer, at least be discreet about it. Also, be mindful of the separate men’s and women’s sections.

7. Don’t… live off doner and baklava

They’re cheap, ubiquitous, and oh so tasty, but you’d be shortchanging yourself by staying in this food rut.

Other common, delicious Turkish foods are saucy iskender kebap, lentil (mercimek) soup, and desserts like rice pudding (sutlac) or sticky ice cream (dondurma). Check out the sweets at a Mado Cafe.

Do… try a point-and-choose restaurant

There’s a point-and-choose place on every street in the city. From the window, you’ll see a dozen trays of different foods and a cafeteria-style counter.

These restaurants are inexpensive and fresh. Each dish will cost 2-5 lira, and if you go with a friend or two, you can sample and share the whole menu.

Photo: ae35unit

8. Don’t… take the Bosphorus cruise

It’s a pretty tour, yes, but a relatively pricey one. The boat has plenty of seating, but the window seats fill up fast.

Your 3-hour stopover on the Asian side provides views of the Black Sea and the ruins of a small pre-Ottoman fortress. That leaves another 2 hours and 30 minutes of touts trying to draw you into their seafood shops.

Do… take a ferry to the Prince’s Islands

For a better daytrip, do what the Istanbullians do and hop a ferry to the Prince’s Islands in the Marmara Sea. It’s far cheaper than the Bosphorus cruise but still provides views of Istanbul and its southern waterfronts.

Once on the islands, you can swim, hike, and rent bikes. Buyukada, the last island on the route, is my favorite for its car-free streets and weathered wooden villas ranging from old-world gorgeous to 70s gaudy.

Community Connection

Over at Matador Abroad, find out why Istanbul is one of the 18 Most Scenic Places For Teaching English Overseas, and what life is really like for An English Teacher in Istanbul.

Photo: CellarDoor

1. See the “future”

As I walked out of the 18th-century observatory — the Jantar Mantar — I saw a board discreetly announcing the presence of the “Rajasthan Astrological Council & Research Institute,” which turned out to be a small, neatly maintained office.

Photo: Meanest Indian

Next thing I knew, Dr.Vinod Shastri was quietly going through my Hindu-style computer-generated horoscope and firmly stretched palm.

His account of my life so far was bang on, but the predictions of my future were mostly pleasant and generic, no specifics I could pin him down on.

Still, Dr.Shastri’s place is worth a visit if you’re already at the Janatar Mantar. He charges from $13 to $65 and can be contacted on 9414051118.

2. Check out the mummy

The main attraction for many at the Albert Hall Museum is the Ptolemaic-era Egyptian mummy. But there’s a lot more from the world and India, starting at the 19th century and going way back — carpets from Persia, samurai swords from Japan, Chinese pottery…

Avoid the tour guides and rent an audio guide (a soothing voice set to a strumming sitar) instead. This way you can walk through the complex at your own pace. For about $4 and 60 minutes of my time, the visit was worth every cent and second.

3. Take the night tour, get off at the last stop

At 6PM, we showed up at the Rajasthan Tourism office for the government-conducted evening tour.

My four companions for the evening and I were bundled into a jeep. Brief halts were made at some monuments and landmarks. Here’s a demo of how most stops went:

Guide: Hawa Mahal, ladies and gentlemen, was built in 1799 and has over 953 windows.
Me: Hmm, okay. (I could barely see the palace, forget the windows. The photographs were blurred, black somethings.)
Guide: Now we move on ladies and…

Photo: Lucid-Dreams

But as we got out of the city, the drive turned exciting, and the last stop — Nahargarh Fort in the Aravalli hills — had a most spectacular view of the city.

There was also a restaurant, which served up a great vegetarian dinner for just us five tourists.

If you can pretend to enjoy the fleeting stops at the other monuments — to which you’ll have to make a day trip to truly enjoy — at just about $6 (dinner included), the “Pink City by Night” tour is worth it for the last stop at Nahargarh.

4. Spin around town

Most of Rajasthani cuisine is either floating in or bursting with ghee (clarified butter). By far the best is the set-menu thali, which includes appetizers, main courses, and desserts served on a huge plate — a great variety of local dishes in one go.

The hotel restaurant at LMB is universally recommended as the place to order the Rajasthani thali, but Om Tower (another luxury hotel) has one that’s just as good, plus a revolving restaurant with live performers. It’s also less touristy and more a place where local families bring visitors to show off their city.

For the restaurant to complete a turn around the city you’ll need 90 minutes — for the thali, a huge appetite and $5.

Photo: Author

5. Find the best souvenir in Jaipur

As I walked along the streets of the old city, I was approached by a white-bearded, toothy-smiled gent and asked if I would like my picture taken. A bit of a narcissist, I started to fish my camera out but stopped when I saw where he was pointing.

A 150-year-old camera belonging to Tikam Chand, whose family has operated it for over two generations, stood on a rickety tripod.

It took a while for this antique instrument to produce the final product, but when I finally saw the photo, my eyes welled up — it was like looking at a picture of my grandmother in her twenties. Only she was wearing the same outfit I was…

Yeah, it was me, in that beautiful B&W style — what dusty albums and faded memories are made of.

The cost of the best souvenir in Jaipur: 50 cents. Tikam Chand and his old camera can be found in front of the Vidhan Sabha building. His digits are 9828072800 and 9324715885.

Community Connection

Before you go, get familiar with 10 Indian Customs To Know Before Visiting India.

Photo: MarmotChaser

TO BE QUITE HONEST, I didn’t expect much from Alaska’s capital city. Wandering through downtown, which consists of a single street, it’s quickly apparent that this is not a very lively place in the winter.

Although there’s no shortage of dive bars, most everything closes early, and the famous Red Dog Saloon, apparently a hotspot for eating and drinking in summer, is completely vacant. Nothing but touristy t-shirts in the window that read “Juneau, AK: A quaint little drinking town with a fishing problem.”

Photo: MarmotChaser

This is not the summer high season, when Juneau becomes a rotating door for massive cruise ships bringing more than half a million people into the tiny town.

In July, there are so many attractions that cruise ship passengers — most of whom only have between 4 and 8 hours to explore before it’s time to “set sail” — have tough decisions to make.

In February, though, Juneau seems desperately boring on the surface. The bears are all hibernating, most of the fishing rivers are frozen over, and the spectacular mountains surrounding the Mendenhall Valley stay hidden in the clouds.

But the more time I spent in town, the more it grew on me, and as I explored and connected with the local people, I found all sorts of adventures to keep me occupied.

If you’re passing through Juneau in the winter, here are 7 things to keep you stoked.

The Silverbow Inn

This is the place to stay in Juneau. Run a by a very cool couple who live in the loft next door, the Silverbow has a homey vibe but includes all the amenities of a five-star hotel. The rooms are spotless, the staff is amazing, and they set you up with everything from an iPod-ready audio system to a hot tub on the roof.

The best part is the Silverbow bakery, which is attached to the hotel and brews up fresh coffee and cooks breakfast and sandwiches on a sourdough recipe that’s more than a hundred years old. This place is legit.

Sledding, Mendenhall Glacier / Photo: Sonny Side Up!

The Sandbar

I don’t care if the Red Dog Saloon is Juneau’s hotspot. My bar will always be the Sandbar. Located 15 minutes out of town by the airport, this place is an authentic Alaskan dive.

I rolled in there around 10PM and the night was just getting started with aggressive drinking and lots of quarters being fired into the jukebox. I’ve never walked into a bar and had the bartender recognize I was from out of town and proceed to introduce me to the entire bar.

The halibut burger tasted like it was caught about an hour ago, and I stayed for hours chopping it up with the locals, a great mix of business leaders, loggers, and fishermen.

Alaskan Brewing Co.

I had been drinking down Alaskan Ambers and thoroughly enjoying them since I stepped foot in AK. But I love the brand even more now that I’ve seen where it comes from. This place has a great story, which was told to me by one of the brewmasters — quite a character.

Like many microbrew startups, the odds were firmly against Jeff and Marcy Larson when they founded Alaskan in 1986.

Nugget Falls / Photo: trentroche

To get it off the ground, they took $5K investments from 80 Juneau residents and focused on brewing great beer.

Those who laughed at their offer in ‘86 are surely kicking themselves now — Alaskan is booming and profitable, turning out more than 20 different brews each year.

Still, they’ve kept their operation small, only producing 126,000 barrels of brew in 2009, the equivalent to what Anheuser-Busch pumps out every 8 hours.

Whether it’s the ultra-pure glacier water or their passion for making great beer, I liked just about every one I tried, and the brewery is a great stop to make.

Eaglecrest Ski Area

I had come to AK to heli-ski, and when I arrived I didn’t know one ski area in the state by name.

Just across the bridge from downtown Juneau on Douglas Island, there’s a little ski area called Eaglecrest. This place is actually run by the city and like many things in Juneau, it has a very strong community vibe. No high-speed lifts or $94 tickets here, but they have some amazing terrain.

Photo: MarmotChaser

Eaglecrest is ideal for side-country skiing, with tons of hiking options and a very liberal open gate policy. Everyone seems to know each other and the group of skiers and riders who frequent the mountain sneak in runs before and after work.

It had been dumping for two days and we had an amazing day there — 2 feet of fresh pow and untracked turns down the outer bowls all afternoon. I was also very impressed by the level of a lot of the riders on the hill…people were charging!

Mendenhall Glacier

Alaska has a way of making you feel very small, and a visit to the mouth of the Mendenhall Glacier does it to the extreme. Just one of 38 glaciers that extend down from the Juneau Ice Field, the Mendenhall is 12 miles long, more than a mile wide, and is 800 feet thick in some spots.

They’ve built a nice visitor’s center with telescopes that look out over the glacial melt and right into the jaws of the beast. You can also freely hike up to the glacier or even onto it, if you have the right gear. Everything here is free and it’s only a 10-minute/$14 shuttle from town. Don’t miss it.

Alaska Powder Descents

If you want to get out of town for the day and up into the “real” mountains, check out Kevin and Sean at Alaska Powder Descents. They have helicopters and all the gear for any adventure, from glacier exploration to heli-skiing.

Photo: Alaska Powder Descents

I got a chance to ski with these guys a couple times and they’re good people, very knowledgeable about whatever it is you want to do, from kayaking with whales in the summer to heli-boarding in winter.

From what I gathered, regardless of the season, you can essentially design your own multi-day adventure and they’ll make it happen.

Perseverance Theatre

Looking for a bit of culture before retiring to the rooftop hot tub at the Silverbow? Don’t miss the very funky Perseverance Theatre on Douglas Island.

We went and checked out their current production, “BOOM.” It was well acted and had a pretty crazy plot and was packed with sexual energy and language. I was shocked at what I was seeing until I noticed in the program that the guy who wrote it was from San Francisco.

Community Connection

For more looks at backcountry heli-skiing, don’t miss the original video Brian Chu shot with Ross Borden earlier this year: Heli Skiing in the Ruby Mountains, NV [MATADOR ORIGINAL VIDEO].

Photo: natalielucier

1. Don’t… just stick around St. John’s

St. John’s, the capital city, is my one true love. The nightlife is incredible, the people are friendly, and the brightly colored townhouses set against a backdrop of The Narrows are gorgeous.

However, the combination of the country’s lowest tuition fees offered by Memorial University and the city’s low cost of living draws a huge student population keen on making Newfoundland seem like just one big college boozefest.

This is only partially true.

Do… explore the province

Just outside St. John’s, the wilderness begins. Walk the coast from the East Coast Trail or take a whale watching tour from Bay Bulls, where puffins and seabirds form a huge screaming bird colony just minutes from the shore.

Photo: europa70

On the west coast, Marble Mountain has great skiing and is located near Corner Brook, a pretty town in a valley that’s filled with small pubs and great music.

Further west you’ll find Gros Morne National Park, famous for its mountains, forests, bogs, and shorelines. Then head north to L’anse aux Meadows, the only known ancient Norse settlement outside of Greenland, believed to have been established around AD 1003.

You can also trek around the Coast of Bays on the south coast, where tiny settlements void of paved roads are accessible only by ferry.

2. Don’t… berate a Newfoundlander on politics

Regardless of your personal political opinions, there’s a strong separatist movement within the province and even if your Newfoundlander friend is not a supporter, he or she will take great insult if you talk down on it.

In fact, even from St. John’s harbour you can spot a massive Flag of Independence atop a hill across the water. To many, the flag is a sign of our individuality. Newfoundland is a world of its own, and many Canadians fail to see this.

Do… discuss the weather

If you find yourself cornered in a political trap, politely steer the conversation towards a topic all Newfoundlanders love to hate: the weather. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gloriously sunny day — there’s always a flaw to point out:

• If it’s raining: “Oh my, it’s a wet one today!”
• If it’s overcast: “I sure do miss that sunshine.”
• If it’s sunny: “Nice day, no rain! Goodness, too hot for me though.”

3. Don’t… limit your nights to George Street

The notorious George Street in St. John’s is usually the focal point of a young person’s visit to the city. Festivals, street events, and an ungodly number of pubs/bars/clubs guarantee a great night, but one that’s tried and tested by just about every alcoholic on the map.

I’m a big fan of the street, but sometimes the crowded bars filled with 19-year-old stripper-wannabes is damned exhausting.

Photo: natalielucier

Do… explore the rest of the downtown scene

Within a few minutes’ walk of George, Duckworth Street and Water Street have tons of pubs with character and cheaper booze.

Listen to fiddle music at Nautical Nellies on Water Street, or hang out with the locals in The Duke of Duckworth. The Ship is a place for artsy folk to hang out and mull over the injustices of the world.

Also, seek out pubs hidden in secret alleyways, like Bar None. It’s practically a treasure hunt.

4. Don’t… eat only seafood

We’re a province heavily dependent on the fishery. When John Cabot made it to Newfoundland in 1497, he reportedly scooped bucket-loads of fish right from the water.

But there’s more to the local food scene than cod tongues, cod cheeks, and cod au gratin. A harsh year-round climate unsuitable for growing many crops has caused Newfoundlanders to dream up creative new dishes based on the little provisions we have.

Do… try the lesser-known local cuisine

Newfoundland has a lot of favoured dishes. Devour a hefty mooseburger at The Celtic Hearth on Water Street. For fine dining, try Bacalao, where the menu includes blueberry-peppercorn caribou steak salad and caribou medallions in partridgeberry sauce.

You could also go for a traditional Jiggs dinner of boiled veggies and salt pork. And if you must order poutine, ask for dressing on the side. Just do it.

Photo: knifeplease

5. Don’t… shop

Shopping here kinda sucks. Skip the malls — most of their stores are linked to the same chain, which offers little variety. Also, Newfoundland has the highest sales tax in Canada (along with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick).

Do… shop downtown, if you must

Downtown St. John’s does have some notable shopping options, albeit pricey ones.

Check out Johnny Ruth or Twisted Sister on Water Street for apparel. For local goods, The Tickle Trunk and many other stores downtown offer unusual trinkets, like magnetic poetry in the form of Newfoundland words.

6. Don’t… call a Newfoundlander a “Newfie”

“Newfie” is considered a derogatory term, holding connotations of “stupidity” and “laziness” (especially when preceded by the word “goofy”). Many outsiders perceive the people who live here to be inferior because of their rough accents and often simple ways of life.

Here, there are no skyscrapers, famous designer labels, or reliable public transit. We get along just fine without it.

Do… brush up on your Newfoundland lingo

The above being said, generally Newfoundlanders use the word “Newfie” as a term of endearment; it’s all a matter of context.

Photo: Number Six (bill lapp)

If you’re in a crowded bar with a bunch of jolly locals, you are most likely welcome to use the term freely. Dance a jig, even.

The dialect is also filled with strange, often silly-sounding words, which is why we have our very own dictionary.

If you’re hitting the small outport communities, I suggest taking one along lest you be baffled when someone asks how you are by saying, “How ya getting on now?” (The appropriate answer is “Best kind.”)

Community Connection

Check out who else from the Matador community is currently in Newfoundland by searching on this page.

Photo: Inayat Ali (Shimshal), courtesy of the Pamir Times blog

NORTHERN PAKISTAN’S KARAKORAM HIGHWAY, one of the highest roads in the world, is often blocked by landslides.

In most cases, the national Frontier Works Organization is able to clear affected areas and open the road within a matter of days, but the landslide that took place on January 4, 2010, covered the village of Attabad, blocked the flow of the Hunza River, and created a lake over 7 miles long and 200-feet deep.

Below is video coverage from Al Jazeera:

Reports from local news sources have put the death toll from the initial slide at 20. Originally only 26 houses were taken out, but with waters rising between one and three feet per day due to blockage and heavy rains, several villages have now been washed away. Camps have been set up in neighboring villages for the 1,500+ displaced persons.

The Karakoram Highway is effectively blocked at Karimabad, the Hunza Valley’s main town and central base for tourism and trekking. The slide took place 15 miles north of Karimabad, and now the only way to reach Upper Hunza and Gojal is by helicopter. Stranded villages have been evacuated by boat.

Three miles of the Karakoram Highway are completely submerged, including a vital bridge between Shiskit and Gulmit.

Aid workers and journalists working in the area have not come to a consensus as to how long it will take to drain the lake and restore the road. Some estimates are as optimistic as April, while others predict the road will remain blocked through the summer months. Others fear the warm season’s glacial runoff will continue to enlarge the lake and make the situation worse.

Photo: mariachily

For travelers

All areas in Upper Hunza and Gojal will be off limits until waters have subsided and the road is clear. Hikes and tours out of Karimabad into Lower Hunza may still be possible, although with the trade route to China shut off there are likely to be shortages of goods.

The Khunjerab Pass leading to China is usually blocked by snow from September through May, which means right now all villages between the landslide area and the Chinese border are cut off from transportation and trade. Village traders have started ferrying essential goods to these villages by boat.

If you are planning a trip to northern Pakistan for summer 2010, you can still head to Chitral and the Kalash Valleys, Skardu and Baltistan, and the Gilgit-Diamer region.

Learn more

The blogs of the Pamir Times and Hunza Times are the best online sources for updates on the situation in Hunza.

Community Connection

Read about how disaster struck on the other side of the world in Machu Picchu after the Floods: Update and Outlook.

Photo: kennymatic

1. Don’t… skydive

In Auckland, you can jump face-first off the Sky Tower, try a bungy jump (both reverse and the traditional — from the Harbour Bridge), and of course skydive.

And, okay, if you’re only in Auckland as a stopover, by all means go for it. But for those headed south, there are many more and better opportunities to shake, fling, roll, or bounce yourself silly.

Do… get cultured and soused

There are museums, galleries, beaches, and shopping by day, and plenty of clubs, bars, and gigs at night.

Find out what a flat white is by indulging in Auckland’s café culture, particularly on Karangahape Road or in Ponsonby.

Or, if you just want to relax, you’ll find lots of like-minded individuals to shoot the breeze with in the common areas of the city’s many hostels — known here as “backpackers.”

2. Don’t… expect anyone to recognize your jersey

There’s a small contingent who follow American football, and lots of people shoot hoops in the park. Our soccer team has even made it into the 2010 World Cup.

But those aren’t the biggest sports down here.

Do… realize New Zealand is sports mad

Highly recommended are netball, cricket, and of course rugby. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to see them, because every park is filled with local teams at the weekend. Just check the map for green areas and head on over. You’ll be surprised at the turnout even for social matches.

If you do have money to spend, it’s worth trying to get tickets to watch either cricket or rugby at Eden Park. While many North Americans say they don’t “get” cricket, if you go to a one-day match (a “one-dayer”), you’ll be all right.

Photo: Kiwi Flickr

And since rugby is one of the things New Zealand is famous for, there aren’t many more “authentic” local experiences than watching the All Blacks play.

3. Don’t… pack your top hat and tails

Not that you would, but who knows what’s in some of those giant backpacks. You won’t need any dressy clothes unless you’re here on business.

Even when dining at a nice restaurant, the tendency is to under-, not over-, dress.

Do… focus on comfort

New Zealand is a laid back sort of place with a relaxed dress code. The summer uniform is shorts and jandals (flip-flops); for the winter, well, just add a hoodie and beanie.

Fleeces are also popular in the winter and you’ll see a fair number of commuters wearing them whether they have a t-shirt or a shirt and tie on underneath.

4. Don’t… think the CBD is all there is

Auckland can seem pretty small, and in many respects it is. The CBD (Central Business District) and its little collection of high-rise buildings don’t match up to those of most international cities.

Do… explore the third largest city in the world by land area

But remember — there’s much more to Auckland than the CBD. Out west you can drive or tramp through native bush to the other side of the Waitakere hills to find some prime beaches.

Photo: Sids1

Covered in sparkling black sand, Piha, Kare Kare, and Te Henga/Bethell’s are popular with surfies and kite surfers.

In the harbour, there are many islands to explore — Great Barrier, the beaches and wineries of Waiheke Island, and Rangitoto and its climbable volcano.

5. Don’t… underestimate the cuisine

Locals can be somewhat confused when visitors complain about the food, so perhaps it’s not obvious where to look for the best eats.

Ask around and make a habit of walking down side streets to see where Aucklanders are eating. Of course, you do need to try a steak and cheese pie or a mince potato top, but don’t stop there.

Do… order Asian

New Zealand is geographically much closer to Asia than Europe, and we’re slowly embracing this fact. For specific recommendations, check out Eating Asian in Auckland: A City Guide to Ethnic Food.

6. Don’t… stay indoors in the summer

It’s just not allowed! No self-respecting Kiwi would waste a perfect day indoors when there’s so much going on outside, and we’d be horrified to think that our visitors might miss out on what life is all about here.

Do… check out the festivals

Photo: wonderferret

Many of these are free.

There are cultural festivals, like the Lantern Festival at Chinese New Year, and Pasifika, one of the biggest Polynesian festivals in the world.

Many parks host local festivals, where you can bring your own picnic and enjoy the free concerts, plays, or movies.

7. Don’t… freak about the rain

It’s not worth waiting for the rain to stop before you head out. Accept that some days might not turn out picture perfect and sunny. But that’s not to say it’ll be pouring the entire time.

Do… take layers

With reference to the advice in #3 above, you’ll begin to understand why Kiwis dress for comfort. In ten-minute intervals you’ll be rained on, get sunburnt, or catch a chill from a southerly (cold winds that come up from Antarctica).

You’ve been warned.

8. Don’t… get sunburnt!

Seriously…don’t. Thanks to the hole in the ozone layer, the burn time in New Zealand is about 7-10 minutes in the summer. Many people don’t believe this and suffer the consequences on their first trip to the beach.

Do… wear sun protection at all times

The good news is we’re more aware than ever about the dangers of the sun and there’s a wide range of sunscreen available at any chemist’s (drugstore).

Ask any Kiwi kid and they’ll tell you to “Slip, Slop, Slap, and Wrap!” Translated, that’s slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat, and wrap on some sunnies (sunglasses).

Photo: CowCopTim

9. Don’t… miss the local music

With such a small population, it’s hard for New Zealand to attract big name bands. There are many talented local musicians that have filled the void.

Do… pick up a gig guide

You can find guides and flyers at Real Groovy, Tourist Info, and the many city cafes to get an idea of what’s on.

New Zealand is an island nation that likes laid-back sounds influenced by reggae, dub, and Polynesian music, but we’re also into our rock, pop, you name it.

Check it out — since it’s mostly local, you have a good chance of getting into the afterparty.

10. Don’t… shop downtown only

Downtown is great for outdoor gear, t-shirts, and souvenirs, but it’s mainly chain shops. Apart from some interesting outdoor wear, there’s probably nothing you couldn’t find back at home.

Do… funk out on K’ Road

Karangahape Road (called K’ Road) and its side streets are Auckland’s alternative area. There’s an Asian supermarket if you’re missing tofu, a couple of places to sit and write your journal with a cup of chai and an Indian sweet, secondhand shops, bars, and cafes with good coffee and atmosphere.

This is also the place to get a Maori tattoo. Everyone’s doing it.

Community Connection

The Traveler’s Notebook has podcast called Road Trip: Northland, New Zealand and info on How to Work New Zealand’s Wineries.

Photo: Schantzilla

1. Don’t… expect to understand Pakistani English

Some Pakistanis speak English fluently, but most have a distinctly local flair to their speech.

Locals who’ve learned English solely from grammar books and flawed pronunciation drills may wonder what funny language you’re speaking.

Do… learn basic phrases in Urdu

While only about 10% of the population speaks Urdu as a native language, many more use it as a trade language. I’ve found that pulling out even basic Urdu phrases can result in lower prices and invitations for chai.

Photo: HovaHe

The proper linguistic skills can even weasel you out of speeding tickets.

2. Don’t… travel by day during Ramadan

Long trips during the Muslim month of Ramadan are brutal. Most people are fasting, or at least pretending to fast, and it’s rude to eat, drink, or smoke in public. This includes on a bus, train, or plane.

I was once on a bus during Ramadan that didn’t stop for a bathroom break until we’d been driving eight hours straight.

Do… go by night

If the trip you’d like to take is longer than you can go without water or a toilet, travel from sunset to sunrise.

Passengers are in a festive mood after nightfall, and there’s a collective feeling of relief that everyone can eat and drink at will. Bring some snacks to pass around.

3. Don’t… fill up on the first course

Often when you visit a Pakistani house for a meal, you’ll be served an array of fried appetizers, meats, cookies, and sweets. This is not the main meal, even if there are a dozen dishes.

If there isn’t bread or rice on the table, it’s probably just a starter.

Photo: Umair Mohsin

Do… budget your stomach space

Save room for the main course and dessert.

This is particularly important during Ramadan, when locals host iftar parties to break the fast.

Iftar is a special meal eaten when the sun goes down, but almost immediately after it dinner is served, which in turn is followed by a sweet dish.

4. Don’t… assume “no” means “no”

In Urdu it’s polite to say “no thanks” (Nahin, shukriya) at least once before accepting something. If you offer something to a local, always ask at least three times.

Do… make it clear when you really mean “no”

When you genuinely don’t want something, like a seventh serving of biryani, it can be hard to communicate it.

Put your hands over your heart in a gesture of sincere thanks while saying, “Bas, shukriya,” — No more, thank you.

5. Don’t… visit city monuments on Sundays

Important monuments and shrines are swarmed by locals on Sunday afternoons. Pakistani tickets usually cost just 10 to 20 rupees, so many families head to forts or parks for picnics on their day off.

Photo: *_*

Do… go on a weekday morning

Foreigner tickets to those same forts and parks, like Lahore Fort or Hiran Minar, will set you back 200 rupees, so go when you can have the place to yourself.

Between 10 and 11 AM is the best time to arrive, as there won’t be as many beggars and hawkers as there are in the afternoon. If you go earlier than 10, the gates might not be open yet.

6. Don’t… think you know what a “dance party” is

If a middle-aged man invites you to attend a late night “party,” this is what you’ll get: a bunch of men drinking, smoking, and gawking at a teenage dancing girl they’ve hired to entertain them.

Yes, female tourists may also be invited to such an event.

Do… cut it at a Pakistani wedding

Weddings here last for three days or more. The best day to attend a wedding is on mehndi (a day or two before the main ceremony), when there’s usually a high-energy bhangra dance party going on.

7. Don’t…wear shorts or tight clothing

You may see some local men wearing cargo shorts in posh areas of Islamabad, Karachi, or Lahore, but don’t assume you can follow suit.

Locals will give you the stare down, and showing skin outside certain neighborhoods will attract unwanted attention.

Photo: Author

Do… try on local Pakistani dress

Pakistani shalwar kameez are quite comfortable, especially during Punjabi summers. You can buy these suits ready-made in malls or outdoor markets, or you can pick out cloth and get one made by a local tailor.

Men’s and women’s outfits have loose, baggy pants and long, tunic-style shirts.

Women also wear a matching dupatta to cover the head and chest. Think of a dupatta as a protective shield from wandering eyes.

8. Don’t… freak when the lights go out

Make the phrase “load shedding” a part of your vocabulary. In almost every part of the country there are frequent, government-controlled power cuts.

Power usually goes out on the hour and for an hour at a time. There may or may not be a schedule, and depending where you are you might only have juice for 12 hours out of 24.

Do… bring a flashlight

Keep a small one on you and have some matches and candles in your bag. When booking a hotel, ask if the property has generator or UPS backup.

9. Don’t… fly between Islamabad and the Northern Areas

Flights are often canceled or at least delayed due to weather, and you might end up spending days or weeks in Islamabad waiting for the next available plane.

Photo: DPerstin

Do… take the Karakoram Highway

The Karakoram Highway runs through the Indus River Valley and continues to the Chinese border at the Khunjerab Pass.

Air travelers miss out on the Karakoram’s cliffs, rocky beaches, and tiny chai shops set up near glacial waterfalls.

Community Connection

Trips has been leveraging the wisdom of Matador’s destination experts to compile advice similar to this on destinations around the world. See more at our What NOT to Do page.

Photo: Sergey Gabdurakhmanov

1. Don’t… go to the top of the Sears (sorry, sorry) Willis Tower

The Willis Tower (formerly Sears) is the tallest building in North America and one of the most iconic landmarks in the town that gave birth to the skyscraper. It’s probably Chicago’s most popular tourist attraction, and visitors stand in line for hours to pay upwards of $30 to get to the observation deck.

With the opening of the new transparent “sky ledges,” which allow you to step out over the street, the crowds of fanny-pack tourists have only grown. Don’t add to them.

Oh, and by the way, Chicagoans are pissed about the name change.

Do… try the John Hancock’s Signature Room

Save money and get an equally amazing view by visiting the Signature Room, a posh cocktail lounge on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center, Chicago’s second tallest building.

Photo: adactio

2. Don’t… ask for ketchup

The true Chicago hot dog is something locals protect with religious fervor.

No matter where you claim the best dogs are found, a true Chi-town dog consists of the same sacred ingredients: a Vienna beef weenie on a poppy seed bun, topped with diced onions, sport peppers, curiously neon green relish, a pickle, a tomato slice, celery salt (very important) and mustard. Period.

Ask for ketchup on your dog and you’ll quickly find yourself taking a personal tour of the bottom of the Chicago River.

Do… try Hot Doug’s

The city has more dog stands than Starbucks, but they’re not all alike. Out in the Avondale neighborhood, Hot Doug’s makes gourmet dogs named after celebrities.

Then there are the daily specials, made out of a range of rare and seemingly dangerous meats. Ever had a wild boar or pheasant dog? You will at Hot Doug’s.

3. Don’t… take a double decker bus tour

You see the same sight in every major international city: camera-ed tourists clinging to the top of a London-style double decker as it kicks up dust and smoke going from tourist trap to tourist trap. It’s been done.

Not to mention traffic in Chicago sucks.

Do… take a Chicago River architecture tour

Travel the city’s original highway: the river. There are a handful of tours that start from either Michigan Avenue or Navy Pier and usually last about an hour and a half, cruising up the river and out into the lake.

Chicago is an American architecture destination, and this is the best way to check it out. Time it right and your tour could end up with a skyline view from the lake just as the setting sun hits the buildings.

Photo: DominusVobiscum

4. Don’t… go to the House of Blues

On any given night, the chances of hearing actual blues being played at the HOB are slim to none.

More likely, you’ll end up with a Slipknot tribute band.

Do… chill at Rosa’s Music Lounge

Chicago is the home of the blues and its history is written on the pockmarked streets and boarded up storefronts of the old west side. Grab a cab out to the Humboldt Park neighborhood and Rosa’s Music Lounge.

This is a real blues club — dark, dingy, and very cool. Rosa’s has pulled some of the most legendary bluesmen of the last thirty years. Grab a seat in the back and tell the waitress to keep the whiskey coming.

5. Don’t… try for a table at Pizzeria Uno

Deep dish pizza is another of Chicago’s sacred institutions. And Pizzeria Uno (no, not the chain restaurant, the original) is its birthplace.

Unfortunately, this is a well-known fact, and the wait for a table can border on two hours during the dinner rush.

Do… swing around the corner to Pizzeria Due

Uno’s became so popular with locals and tourists alike that a second location, Pizzeria Due, opened just a block north of the original.

It’s housed in an almost identical brownstone walkup and serves the exact same meat and cheese pie as its sister site, but the wait’s usually only half as long.

Photo: Herkie

6. Don’t… blow your budget on a rooftop game

If you’ve watched a Cubs game on WGN, you’ve seen the throngs of fans peering down from the rooftops of the buildings that border Wrigley Field.

It’s a fun tradition that goes back decades, but the truth is tickets are expensive (upwards of $150), the view often lousy, and you don’t get to experience one of the real highlights of Chicago: Wrigley Field itself.

Do… be patient

Game-day tickets at Wrigley can be pricey, but not if you know what the locals know. Get to Wrigleyville (the neighborhood surrounding the park) early, find a seat at one of its many watering holes and take in the first inning or two from the bar.

After the crowds have gone into the park and street traffic has died down, the licensed scalpers who sit on every corner start to get impatient, which means you get a deal. Tickets that would have sold for $60 before the game can go as low as $5 or $10 after the first pitch.

Just don’t get there too late or the Cubs might already be down eight or ten runs.

Photo: johnnyalive

7. Don’t … visit in winter

It’s cold, it’s windy, it’s miserable. We have to suffer the weather because we live here. You have a choice.

Do… come during summer

Chicago in the summertime is like almost no place else on Earth and, after about eight months of bone-chilling cold, Chicagoans know how to enjoy it.

This is the time to hit up the Windy City.

Community Connection

Trips has more expert advice on what to avoid in popular destinations around the world. See it all on our What NOT to Do page.

Photo: Not all potatoes can swim…

1. Get to Know Little Damascus

Under the Ummayads, during the early years of Islamic expansion, Nablus was modeled on the empire’s capital at Damascus, and distinct echoes of that Levantine city remain today. In fact, the Arab geographer Al-Muqaddasi, working in the 10th century A.D., referred to Nablus as “Little Damascus.”

Traditional balconies, mosques, stone buildings, and public drinking fountains front the narrow alleyways of the Old City and commemorate the ancient past. Crumbling khans and clock-towers also survive from the time when Nablus was an important link on the trade route between Syria and Mecca.

The narrow streets are full of little finds like this, as well as small shops and cafes that are great places to spend an afternoon over a hot black coffee.

2. Tour Olive Oil Soap Factories

Nablusi soaps are known throughout the Arab world and are made from three simple ingredients: water, virgin olive oil, and sodium compounds that stick the other two together.

Nablus has been producing these natural soaps for centuries and, although no factories are operating commercially today, many make and sell them to tourists. Check out the “Arafat soap” from the Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center.

Some operations are also starting to ship to Western organic/natural markets.

Photo: Marcel Masferrer Pascual

3. Take Some R&R at the Hammams

Steams, baths, and massages are popular in this part of the world, and Nablus has two great Hammams (Turkish bathhouses).

Hammam esh-Shifa (09-238 1176) is located in the heart of the Old City and was built in 1624 by the local Tuqan family. It retains most of its original features and stepping inside does feel a bit like a time warp.

The bathhouses are usually open daily from 08:00-24:00 for men, except on Tuesdays and Sundays when they’re reserved for women 08:00-17:00.

4. Visit the Samaritan Community

Mount Jarzim overlooks Nablus, and at its top is where the Samaritan community lives. A traditional Jewish sect widely misunderstood and even ostracized by the earlier Jewish community, they have co-existed with the Muslims of Nablus for years.

The Samaritans believe Mount Jarzim is the first piece of land ever created by God. Today, there only around 700 followers, with other Samaritans living in Tel Aviv and Jaffa.

There’s a small museum on the history and traditions of the Samaritan community, open Sunday-Friday from 08:00 till around 14:00.

Photo: Tracy Hunter

5. Eat the World’s Best Kanafeh

Ask any Palestinian what they think of Nablus and they won’t bring up its political history, or that it was once an important center of learning and trade. They’ll probably tell you Nablus makes the best kanafeh in the world. Period.

Kanafeh is a sweet pastry made of thin wheat shreds and warm goat cheese soaked in sugary syrup (I know this sounds like a crazy sweet/savory combination, but just try it — it’s amazing!).

The Al-Aqsa pastry shop is the best place to order Kanafeh Nablusi. It’s always busy making a fresh batch for its constant stream of customers — grab yours with a hot coffee and wander the Old City.

6. Experience Real Life in Palestine

Unlike other Palestinian cities, Nablus hasn’t yet been swept up by tourism, so you do get the true Palestinian experience — warts and all.

Photo: Not all potatoes can swim…

City walls are covered with martyr posters and bullet holes, and to get to Nablus you have to pass through two Israeli checkpoints — all part of what it’s like to be a Palestinian under occupation.

But on top of that, you’ll see the other side of Palestinians: their generosity, humor, and hospitality. Getting lost is almost impossible, as locals will go out of their way to help and even personally deliver you to your destination.

The chances of bumping into others tourists are still pretty slim and, as the locals’ English is limited-to-none, this is also the place to practice your Arabic.

Community Connection

Back in 2008, Brave New Traveler published a post on Bullets And Backpackers: Political Tourism Hits The West Bank.

Photo: Prefeitura de Olinda

Salvador

As voted by the readers of O Globo, one of Brazil’s main newspapers, Salvador is the most-loved carnival in the country, as well as the self-proclaimed “Largest Party in the World.”

Carnival in Rio can be extremely upper-crust, with seats in the famous Samba Velodromo going for hundreds of dollars and even the cost of standing on the street increasing each year. Then you’ve got Salvador, where carnival is free to attend (unless you want to follow the parade, which will run you around $100US).

The party goes for 6 days and 6 nights — longer than Rio — most days from 6pm till 5 in the morning. This year things kick off February 11.

Even though its lower-key, Salvador may be getting a little too commercial for some folks. There was a lot of criticism in 2008 when Fatboy Slim and Bono showed up, and Brazilians are now starting to look elsewhere.

Photo: Prefeitura de Olinda

Recife/Olinda

Many of Salvador’s defectors are now heading farther north to Recife and Olinda, two neighbouring cities each with an open-air carnival.

These are more old school — the feel good is in the air, samba and cachaça are flowing, and — most importantly — both are completely free.

Just remember these cities are pretty far up the coast and some serious distance from Sao Paulo and Rio. But things do shake out a bit earlier. Well about now, actually — the official kickoff is February 12, but pre-carnival swag’s been going on since way back on Jan. 6.

For photos of the 2009 Recife/Olinda and Salvador carnivals, click over to Brazilian Carnaval: Going Beyond Rio.

Paraty

Closer to Rio and Sao Paulo (in fact, right between the two) is Paraty. Its carnival is off the radar; I really got lucky when I found it.

Paraty is an old colonial town, all stone streets and one-storey splendour. But for carnival everyone goes a bit nuts. One reason is that they brew some of the finest cachaça in Brazil (often referring to it as pinga).

Paraty goes off on February 12. Make sure to catch the Bloco da Lama on the 13th, when everyone goes down to the river, covers themselves in mud, and then runs around the streets.

While here it’s also worth checking out the nearby fishing village of Trindade, with seven of perhaps the finest beaches in the entire country.

Ouro Preto

An old mining village in the mountains of Minas Gerais seems an odd place to go for carnival, but it’s all about the student community here. It’s the Brazilian equivalent of Animal House.

The students set up different co-ops and sell packages that include unlimited beer, a mattress on the floor, 24-hour security, and an endless string of parties for the entire week — a serious hot spot for anyone under the age of 25. The locals are less happy, but there’s no sign its popularity will wane.

Many of the parties are based in student houses and unofficially on the streets so there is very little “sanctioned” information available. The co-ops will need to be contacted directly to book your stay.

República Necrotério (The Morgue) and Calamidade Pública (Public Calamity) are two of the most well-known and, as with all the others, have full details on their websites. The dates are loosely February 12-17 but may differ between co-ops.

Photo: borderlys

Montevideo (Uruguay)

This is another little-known carnival that deserves more attention (even if it’s not in the festival’s “motherland”). Montevideo is also nearer Rio than some of the carnivals in the north of Brazil.

There’s less glamour, but tons more diversity.

Initial parades featuring groups of dancers and drummers playing Uruguay’s candombe beat are followed by 40 days of music, theatre, and comedy. Each neighbourhood sets up a stage for nightly performances.

It’s a far more civilised affair, and definitely the longest carnival in the world. The official start was January 28, but things really got swinging on February 4 with the candombe parades. It’ doesn’t stop till March. (If there’s a lot of rain it can last longer, as each of the 40 days must have performances so all the acts can be judged.)

Community Connection

Carnival doesn’t even stop at Uruguay. See Matador dispatches from last year’s parties in Oruro, Bolivia, and Barranquilla, Colombia.

You also shouldn’t miss Julie Schwietert’s Carnaval. Darkness.

Aguas Calientes, 7-10 days ago / Photo: Stephanie Lim (full copyright)

THE RAINS ARE STOPPING, the tourist evacuations winding down, and attention is beginning to shift to restoring access to the ruins. This will be difficult, given the scale of the damage to infrastructure caused by several weeks of torrential rains and flooding in the Urubamba Valley.

Unprecedented rainfall has caused severe damage to homes and transport links in the region, in some cases costing lives, and rendering several thousand people homeless. One piece of good news for the Cusco region is that Machu Picchu itself is undamaged and can be reopened as soon as access is restored to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town).

The short train line west of the town has been completely washed away in several places, but road access to the hydroelectric plant (the train’s endpoint) is expected to be restored this week. Once this happens, it will be possible for travelers with boots to make their way from Cusco to the hydro plant by bus or colectivo (shared taxi). From there it’s a 3-hour walk along the tracks to Aguas Calientes.

This has been a popular alternative route to Machu Picchu for a while now, favored by the backpacking crowd because it doesn’t require the purchase of any train tickets.

However, although this route will be theoretically possible as soon as the road is reopened, authorities are advising that travelers should not walk to or from Aguas Calientes, as the area is still under a state of emergency and rising water levels remain a danger.

Evacuation chopper / Photo: Stephanie Lim (copyright)

According to engineers at Ferrocarril Transandino S.A., the concession that maintains the tracks, the initial repairs between the hydroelectric plant and Aguas Calientes should be completed by mid-February, restoring road/rail transport to Machu Picchu.

However, full service from Cusco is not expected to resume for at least eight weeks, until the section between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes is repaired. Till then, the two rail firms and travel agencies will be using alternative road/rail options to bring tourists to the ruins.

Meanwhile, repairs to the steep switchback road from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu are underway, and authorities are confident that the road will be reopened by the time the first travelers begin to return.

Community Connection

Find out how you can help Machu Picchu porters through the Karikuy-Haugen Fund. Read about its foundation in JoAnna Haugen Co-Founds Fund for Machu Picchu Porters.

Photo: BlueLinden

1. Don’t… go to Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf sounds like it was really cool 60 years ago, when fishermen actually sold the day’s catch to locals.

Nowadays, it’s the most unabashed, soul-sucking tourist trap in San Francisco, filled with corporate chains, barking sea lions, and gutterpunks posing for photos with Japanese tourists. It’s also a haul from any other cool attraction.

Do… go to the Ferry Building

If you want to check out the piers and see how folks are eating in SF today, hit up the Ferry Building. The renovated landmark is home to local farm and food boutiques, and hosts weekly, year-round farmers markets. Foodie indulgences draw locals and tourists alike, but beware: the fancy cheeses and organic produce add up.

Also, be sure to stop by cult favorite Blue Bottle Coffee.

2. Don’t… ride a double-decker bus

Not because I have anything against seeing a city from atop a moving vehicle, but because it’s damn cold up there. Double-deckers are great for views, but they’re also great for catching damp gusts of fog and ocean wind.

Those grim, purple-lipped faces are mildly amusing from the street, but you don’t want to be one of them.

View from Dolores Park / Photo: dustinj

Do… ride the J-Church

One of the city’s best views is along the J-Church line, when the streetcar heaves up the steep incline to the top of Dolores Park. All of downtown, the Bay, the bridge, and the East Bay are splayed out in front of you, plus the sunning hipsters of San Francisco’s trendiest green space.

The J-Church is a part of SF’s MUNI mass transit system, meaning a ride is only $2 (unless you sneak through the back doors for free).

3. Don’t… eat at the Cheesecake Factory

Really? One of the best dining destinations in the U.S., maybe the world, and that’s the best you can do? Sure, Union Square looks pretty all lit up at night, but come on.

Do… eat at a Top 100 restaurant

The San Francisco Chronicle’s annual Top 100 Restaurants list is like the Michelin Guide for the Bay Area. Every restaurant that takes itself seriously competes to make the list, while cult followers and die-hard foodies try to eat at all 100 in the course of a year.

Check out last year’s list and an interactive map on the Chronicle’s website. My recommendations: NOPA, Delfina, Slanted Door.

4. Don’t… wear an Ed Hardy shirt

Nothing says douche-tard quite like an Ed Hardy shirt. They’re especially offensive in the city where Ed Hardy rose to fame — and still tattoos.

Photo: Shannon Archuleta

Do… get a real tattoo

You know what looks more like a tattoo than an Ed Hardy shirt? A real tattoo. You could cough up the $200/hour and get your own Ed Hardy piece at Tattoo City or visit one of the many top-notch shops in the city.

My recommendations: Black Heart, Everlasting, and Skull and Sword.

5. Don’t… stand on the wrong side of the escalator

Never mind complaining about the steepness of hills or gasping at buttless chaps. The most egregious offense a visitor can commit is blocking the bustling flow of businessmen and bike messengers in the MUNI and BART stations.

You’ll know you’re guilty when an angry commuter shouts: “Left side walks!”

Do… move yourself and your unwieldy luggage to the right side of the escalator

We got places to go.

6. Don’t… buy drugs on Haight Street

The Haight Ashbury’s era as a hippie haven of flower-laced acid trips ended about, oh, 40 years.

And Twitchy McGee over there muttering “doses, doses” is really not the guy you want to trust your money or psychiatric well-being with.

Do… take a trip to Oaksterdam

If you’ve gotta get high, head over to Oaksterdam. Near the 19th Street BART station in Oakland, this is the Bay Area’s premier medical marijuana district, complete with a gift shop and university, schooling pupils in the how-tos of the cannabis industry.

Be aware that you’ll need a doctor’s note to purchase those grapes.

Photo: ingridtaylar

7. Don’t… say anything homophobic

It’d be like going to Israel to spout anti-Semitism.

Do… go to the Eagle Tavern

Really feel the need to spew gross bigotry? Take it down to the Eagle, the famous SOMA leather-daddy dive bar. Those guys’ll be glad to engage in a healthy, uh, debate.

8. Don’t… ask where all the black people are

San Francisco likes to advertise its progressive thinking and liberal policies, but it has a dirty secret. The City by the Bay has been bleeding its African-American population for decades, since a 1950s “urban renewal” project bulldozed through the heart of the Fillmore, the “Harlem of the West.”

Post dot-com-boom, the black population of San Francisco has dwindled to a pathetic 7%.

Do… smile politely at the city’s claims to diversity

San Francisco is culturally and artistically vibrant — but when it comes to race and socioeconomics, the diversity train left the city over a decade ago.

For an excellent exploration of the African-American quandary in SF, rent the indie flick Medicine for Melancholy. Just don’t discuss it loudly over dinner.

9. Don’t… roll your eyes when we say “hella“

We’re like sailors who don’t notice we’re swearing. And when you point out every single usage of our most identifiably awesome intensifier, it makes you stand out as a non-native who’s not down.

Because, really, we know you’re just jealous you’re not from the Sucka Free, Yay Area.

Do… join the linguistic phenomenon that’s captured millions

Rolls of the tongue so sweet and smooth…

Community Connection

Check out more Bay Area titles from Matador:

My Hometown in 500 words: Oakland, CA

San Francisco’s DNA Lounge Has it All

Best Taquerias in San Francisco

The Great Matador Roadtrip: Vancouver to San Francisco

Overheard on Greyhound: Reno to San Francisco

Photo: orse

1. Don’t… visit during the cold season

Even skiing enthusiasts might struggle with the below-zero temps and short days. Winter is a beautiful, magical time, but it’s not for beginners, nor for travelers on a budget.

Photo: artic pj

Do… set your sights on summer

In Oslo, the sun sets for a mere 3-4 hours a day. Then, you can sleep under the stars — or, if you head just a bit farther north, under the midnight sun.

Summer also means friendlier and more extroverted locals who have discarded the last vestiges of winter — i.e., their inhibitions and most of their clothes.

2. Don’t… underestimate the country’s size

Norway may be small in terms of population, but not so in land. From Oslo to Kirkenes in the Norwegian Arctic is about the same distance as Oslo to Rome.

Do… set aside at least a week

This is the minimum you’ll need to see Oslo, the mountains, the West Country fjords, and Bergen.

3. Don’t… fly between Oslo and Bergen

Or between Bergen and points north. It may be fast, and flights are often cheap, but you’ll miss spectacular mountain scenery.

In this case, the journey is as important as the destination.

Do… take the Bergen Line

You’ll be doing your bit for the environment and experiencing one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys at the same time, cruising across the mountain and through Hardangervidda National Park. The lucky will spot herds of reindeer on the Hardangervidda plateau.

Photo: t a k k

North of Bergen, try a voyage with Hurtigruten. Abroad, it’s best known as a cruise line taking tourists along the spectacular coastline all the way to the Russian border in the Arctic.

But Hurtigruten is also local transport, hauling passengers and goods between remote outposts where the quickest (or only) route between points A and B is by sea.

4. Don’t… do the famous Norway in a Nutshell Tour

At least not in one day! You won’t have time to savor the experience — plus, it’s quite expensive.

Do… take your time biking along the Bergen Line

Get off at Haugastøl (or Finse, to avoid the initial steep incline), and bike along Rallarvegen, the construction paths built and used by the rail workers who laid the tracks across the mountain 100 years ago.

5. Don’t… restrict yourself to hotels

The best and most unique hotels are expensive. Also, you’ll miss Norway’s major attraction: being outdoors, being in nature.

Do… stay in mountain cabins

Or even better, sleep for free. Bring a tent and pitch it anywhere. Locals do this often.

Photo: Ernst Vikne

Allemannsretten, an ancient right now formalized as the Outdoor Recreation Act, means anyone has access to uncultivated land such as mountains, forests, lakes, and beaches, regardless of official ownership.

You can camp out for two consecutive nights on any uncultivated land, (more than two nights and you have to ask the owner). The only requirement is that you stay at least 150 meters from the nearest house or cabin.

In the mountains or more remote areas, the two-night-limit doesn’t apply.

You’re also free to pick berries and mushrooms and drink water from mountain streams. If you go this route, check out Matador’s Beginner’s Guide To Foraging For Food.

6. Don’t buy groceries at kiosks

These include chains like Deli de Luca, Narvesen, and 7-Eleven. Prices here are often three times higher than elsewhere.

Do… find a local supermarket

Even if it means you have to walk an extra block or two, hit up a supermarket like Kiwi, Rimi, or Rema.

7. Don’t… shop at Oslo’s fashionable Bogstadveien

That goes for the renovated shipyard Aker Brygge as well. These two spots are good places to watch your money disappear.

However, if you must, be sure to look for the “tax-free” sign to save the 25% VAT/sales tax.

Do… go to Grünerløkka or Grønland districts

These lively enclaves are filled with small, independent Norwegian and Asian shops, respectively. Lots of cool finds at bargain prices.

Photo: Author

8. Don’t… dine on Oslo’s Karl Johan Street

The main drag is hit or miss when it comes to restaurants and taverns. The only sure thing is that you’ll be overcharged.

Do… walk 5-10 minutes in any direction

Taste goes up, prices go down. In the Grønland area, try one of the many Indian or Pakistani restaurants.

In Vika, there’s a good vegetarian buffet at Vegeta, or head to the Oslo harbor to buy shrimps straight from the boats.

Beer’s never dirt cheap, but prices vary from NOK 30-90 (USD 5-15) for a pint. This beer list, along with this one, have been compiled for beer enthusiasts on a budget. (They’re in Norwegian, but I’m sure you’ll get the important parts — addresses and prices. NOK is abbreviated kr.)

Community Connection

Norway is one of those places that inspires wanderlust, and it also has several spots to get close to the EDGE.

Photo: Andrew Stawarz

HOLIDAY MARKETS, early nightfalls, and sparkling lights are all part of winter in England. If walking around in the wind and drizzle has got you yearning for a little glide-one-two-three, check out the various outdoor ice skating options as reported by Europe Up Close.

Five outdoor rinks are profiled, including Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Skating@Life, outside of its Science Centre, where you can also visit a planetarium to see films projected onto the domed ceiling.

The Eden Project, known for its biomes which feature plants of the month (January’s include the tropical pandanus and the arum lily), also has an outdoor ice skating rink and playtimes for under-fives (without skates).

Photo: daveograve@

Architecture lovers will want to visit the rink outside Winchester Cathedral, in Hampshire York, Yorkshire, where wheelchair users are also able to take to the ice (accompanied by a skater).

Another option for simultaneous gliding and architecture peeping is Ice Factor, (open only until early January), at the eye of York, which is set among the 13th-century Clifford’s Tower, the Law Courts, and the Castle Museum. Due to noise ordinances, the courts are threatening to shut Ice Factor down permanently, though there’s a petition in the works to save it for next year.

London has the Hampton Court ice rink at the Hampton Court Palace, right on the banks of the Thames, but unfortunately this one shut down on January 10. Oh well, next year.

And Beyond

In case you won’t be making it to England this winter, unique skating experiences can be found anywhere, it seems. Check out this video from The Guardian, taken on a frozen lake in Houhai, Beijing, where pole-powered skate chairs and pedalable-skatemobiles share space with hockey players and photo-oppers.

Community Connection

Trips reports on How to Enjoy London on $100 a day and points you to another place you might go ice skating this winter in Brooklyn for Beginners, Six Neighborhoods Worth Seeing.

Photo: Alberto..

TOTAL GAUCHE travelers may not know Mendoza is the destination for affordable wine tourism.

But gauche or not, most backpackers passing through this western Argentine provincial capital of 110,000 end up hopping on a bike to tour the wineries and bodegas just south of town, in the suburb of Maipú.

This full-on collision of budget travel and established, upper-crust tradition is fun to partake in, but there are lots of ways to do it wrong. Here’s how to do it right.

Getting to Maipú

Maipú is about 15km southeast of central Mendoza. Taxis and remises can take you, but by far the cheapest transport (unless you’ve got a big group) is the city bus. Unlike the buses in Buenos Aires, Mendoza’s run on a card system. They accept coins too, but do NOT give change.

Photo: longhorndave

Rechargeable tarjetas Mendobus can be purchased at most kiosks in town, with a 3-peso deposit — a good investment if you’re staying in Mendoza a few days. The fare to Maipú is 4 pesos one way.

The bus you want is #10, sub-route 171, 172, or 173, which stops on Rioja just south of Catamarca. The intersection is five blocks east of the main plaza, and the trip takes 30+ minutes.

If you’re unsure where to get off, just tell the driver “camino de vino.” The main street is Urquiza, and you’ll see the dedicated bike path at the side of the road before you need to hop off.

Finding a Bike

It’s best to have a bikeshop picked out beforehand so the driver can let you off at the proper stop — they’re not all right next to each other.

The most popular are Coco Bikes (Lonely Planet’s pick), BikesAndWines, and Mr. Hugo, spaced out at various points towards the northern end of Urquiza.

Photo: A6U571N

Coco Bikes is pretty cheap (20 pesos per bike per day) and, according to LP, will shuttle you down to the end of the road so you only have to bike back up (I was never able to confirm this).

I can’t recommend BikesAndWines. I talked with a guy whose plastic handlebar had melted off after he left the bike in the sun for a while. He rented from BikesAndWine.

Mr. Hugo appears to have something of a racket going, with flyers in all the Mendoza hostels. My bus driver nodded in satisfaction when I told him that’s where I was headed. The bike was good quality, but the 30 pesos was an overcharge. Try to talk him down to 25.

Each outfitter should provide a crude map of the route and the different bodegas, along with info on how much tours cost at each and how late they’re open.

Basically you’ll be cycling south down Urquiza, with most of the stops off little side roads. Tourist police patrol the area, but if you stray beyond the final bodega on any given road, you’re on your own (there are signs warning you to turn back).

Where to Tour, Where to Eat, Where to Buy

Note: The following recommendations are listed from north to south:

1. On Montecaseros, the large-scale, old-school winery at La Rural has an interesting museum. Admission includes a tasting of one less-than-stellar wine, but it’s free.

2. A bit farther down Montecaseros, A la Antigua is my pick in the liqueur/chocolatier category. It’s a small operation run out of a residence, producing olive oils, liqueurs, hard liquors (including absinthe), and various sweet and savory spreads. The 10-peso tour fee lets you taste pretty much whatever (and however much) you want.

Photo: ricardo.martins

3. Even if this is your first day in Argentina, you may have heard of Trapiche’s wines — they export widely. Impress friends back home by touring the modern facility, which is on Nueva Mayorga, east of Urquiza. Cost: 25 pesos.

4. Farther south, on Perito Moreno, is another modern operation, Tempus Alba. Admission is a bit steep at 20 pesos, but the grounds are nice, and they offer a tasty lunch menu.

5. By far my favorite was Familia Di Tomaso, right on Urquiza. This is one of the oldest bodegas in the entire region. The 10-peso tour is great value and includes tasting of 6 wines. I also picked up 3 bottles of their 2004 Malbec reserve for just 95 pesos (~$25US) each. Delicious. And their restaurant’s outdoor seating is quite atmospheric on a sunny day. They’ve got the whole package.

6. I didn’t make it down to Carinae, the last winery on the route, but I heard good reports.

More Tips

Caveat: Don’t expect a tranquil Sunday ride. Likewise, this might not be the best outing for a first-time cyclist. The dedicated bike path you see from the bus lasts only until the first roundabout (maybe a third of the 12km route). From there, you’re teetering on the edge of a fairly busy, narrow road.

Photo: Author

Helmets are a good idea, if your bikeshop provides them. But mainly, if you go in anticipating something different, you’ll likely be disappointed. Browse blogs posts from Maipú to see what I mean.

Check the weather. On sunny days, sunscreen and ample water are needed, whereas for cold and rain (less common) you’ll want waterproof layers.

Packing tip: Make sure your purchases are well-padded and securely closed before putting them in your backpack or bike basket. I opened my pack at the end of the day to find the lid to a bottle of chili sauce had come open, painting everything a nice bright red.

And finally, if you’re just passing through Mendoza and don’t have time for the bike tour, stop by Sastre Burgos, a vinoteca four blocks north of the main plaza on Avenida Mitre. Their wines are delicious and the 15-peso tour includes a tasting of 15 of them.

Community Connection

For broader treatment of the region’s grape offerings, check out Trips’ Escape To Argentina Wine Country. Then, move on to these other Matador wine titles:

How To Drink Wine Like A Pro

Castles, Wine, and History on The Cathar Trail

10 Ways to Reuse Wine Bottles

Photo: Wonderlane

1. Don’t… assume Tibet is only Lhasa and the TAR

The Tibet on maps doesn’t match up with ethnic Tibet. The Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) is highly controlled and expensive, and much of the money you spend goes back into enforcing Chinese rule over Tibetans.

Spend your money wisely.

Photo: Author

Do… get outside the TAR and explore more of Tibet

Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces have considerable Tibetan populations.

Areas outside of the TAR tend to be less controlled too, so you’re more likely to be able to move freely and make lasting connections with people.

2. Don’t…
take a group tour

Not that you would, but don’t. Chinese tour groups are notorious for rushing you from one photo op to the next, never leaving you enough time to linger and feel the place. In Tibet, that’s a cardinal sin.

Often, too, tour guides are Chinese migrants from eastern cities who simply repeat official government propaganda, while Tibetans are relegated to unemployed observers in their own land.

If you do go on a tour, ask around and hire a local Tibetan; you’ll most likely be rewarded by being taken to his family’s village and meeting locals. Check out these guys too — they employ only Tibetans.

Do… hire a driver to go beyond Lhasa, Xining, and Shigatse

It can be a bit expensive, but with the wide-open plateau beckoning it’s worth it.

Photo: Author

Imagine driving across the open wilderness of Montana, and then add in nomads and their black tents and you have Tibetan picturesque.

If you venture outside the city you’ll see a truer Tibet, but it’s not always what we hope. Besides the nomads and amazing open country, you’ll encounter concrete block villages that house resettled nomads.

Why, you ask, should I want to see this? The answer is that it will utterly change the way you see and imagine Tibet, and the way you understand every future article about Chinese oppression or ‘Free Tibet’ demonstrations. Consider it an education.

3. Don’t… zealously raise the Tibetan flag or shout ‘Free Tibet!’

You won’t last long if you do, and you won’t be helping the Tibetans either.

Do… sit and listen to Tibetans’ stories over a cup of butter tea

If you want to make a difference, give an ear to the oppressed stories of Tibetans.

Many Tibetans lack an outlet to talk about their lives and will jump at the opportunity to tell you about their families and land.

Just be careful of asking too much — some are too fearful and better left alone.

4. Don’t… expect to get anywhere quickly

Once, on consecutive days, I took two buses a total of 36 hours to travel approximately 250km. The entire time I was squeezed between sweaty nomads who’d never even considered a bath and had to breathe in either frigid air from an open window or clouds of cigarette smoke.

Despite all of that, I look back on the trip with the pleasure of survival. The roads and buses in Tibet are always in disrepair, so you should always expect a longer trip than they tell you.

Do… take your time and go with the flow

It’ll help your sanity, and you’ll actually get to see Tibet in its everyday normalcy.

Photo: reurinkjan

5. Don’t… sell Tibetans short as ‘noble savages’

They are a deep and mindful people.

Do… bask in the slow pace and long conversations

I can remember lying around in a nomad family’s tent all afternoon sipping appalling amounts of milk tea while discussing the pro’s and con’s of the upcoming Olympics with ‘uneducated’ nomads.

It was enlightening and challenging to my assumptions.

6. Don’t… stay in Chinese-run hotels/hostels if possible

The tenderness of Tibet is easily accessible through the people, and the workers at Tibetan guesthouses are all too ready to befriend you.

Often, Chinese hotels underpay their Tibetan workers and lock them into long-term ‘contracts’ that are one-sided.

Do… stay local to help locals

You’ll likely be invited to sit around and spend your evening with the family running the guesthouse, or to grab a drink with the staff.

It’s well worth the slightly dingy rooms, and you’re helping stimulate their local economy, too.

7. Don’t… take altitude sickness lightly

Take your time gaining elevation.

Photo: stevehicks

This is especially important to note if you plan on taking long-distance buses into Tibetan areas from Chengdu, Kunming, or Xining, as the elevation steadily rises without you realizing it.

Remember, it’s the healthiest and fittest who usually suffer the worst. Just remember to go slow and take time to enjoy stops along the way.

Do… take your own food to remote areas

Tibetans live on a diet of mostly barley and meat. Vegetables are hard to grow at high elevation and too expensive and perishable to transport in, so they’re hard to come by.

If you love your veggies, pack them in. You’ll be glad you did. A week of meat momos and tsampa can wear on even ironclad stomachs. I know this all too well.

8. Don’t… wander around villages and nomad camps alone

Tibetans are proud of their guard dogs, and often leave them free to wander. These dogs back up their bark with vicious bites. I know an American woman whose forearm was crushed by a dog bite.

Be careful, and if you walk around alone carry some stones to throw at vicious dogs — seriously. I once survived a rush by a pack of dogs by pelting them with stones until my guide and I could get across a river.

Do… take a hike

Hiking in Tibet is not easy, given the issues of accessibility and altitude, but it’s well worth it. Even a jaunt into the hills around Lhasa or Xining will repay you with distant horizons or at least a breeze that seems to carry the world away.

Check out the book Trekking in Tibet: A Traveler’s Guide for some trails.

Community Connection

More Matador titles on Tibet:

Interview: The Fate Of Tibet According To Rinchen Khando Choegyal

50 Year Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Sparks Protests, Bombs

Volunteering Opportunities in the Tibetan Community of McLeod Ganj, India

How To Free Tibet? Lhasang Tsering Has A Plan

Photo: yummiec00kies

IT’S HARD TO BE a serious surfer without also being a serious traveler. As fun as it is to surf your local beach, it’s the chance that perfect waves are just around the next corner — or around the world — that keeps us on the road.

[Editor's note: Once you're finished checking out the spots below, make sure to visit Matador's surfing resources page].

Peniche, Portugal

Each year Rip Curl holds its premier WCT surf contest, The Search, at a different break around the world. Past locations have included Bali, Mexico, and Chile. In 2009 it was Peniche, a quaint fishing town about 1.5 hours north of Lisbon.

If the experience of past destinations are anything to go by, Peniche is likely to see an influx of traveling surfers keen to score the same waves they watched the world’s best compete in.

Peniche once had the distinction of being one of the smelliest surfing spots in the world due to local fish processing plants. Thankfully the factories have been cleaned up, but the world-class waves remain, the result of an undersea ledge that consistently produces hollow waves in clean swells.

Best time to go: Anytime. Portugal is temperate year round and has non-stop waves.

Photo: SR Eyes

Bali, Indonesia

Expect the rediscovery of Bali as a surf destination to continue in 2010.

It’s been almost mandatory for the surf magazines to run Bali features for the past couple of years, filled with photos of the likes of Jamie O’Brien and Makila Jones, who camp out there for months during the Hawaiian off-season. Big names like Rob Machado and Taj Burrow have even relocated there permanently.

And what’s not to like? Bali still offers long, tubing lefts (Uluwatu), fun river mouth rights (Keramas), and a variety of beach breaks (Dreamland, Canggu) against a backdrop of cheap and delicious food, warm weather, and some of the friendliest people in the world.

Best time to go: January to March to avoid the crowds, May to September for the best swells.

Sri Lanka

For years, the fighting between the Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan army made visiting parts of Sri Lanka a risky proposition. But the end of hostilities in early 2009 has, at the time of writing, improved the security situation.

The coastal areas are also getting back on their feet after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, meaning there’s no better time to experience the range of fun waves Sri Lanka’s southern region has to offer.

Unfortunately, lots of people have the same idea, so don’t expect to have it to yourself. Arugam Bay and Hikkaduwa are the main surf zones; avoid these hot spots to find some solitude.

Best time to go: November to March (west coast), May to September (east coast).

Photo: Mark Cummins

Bournemouth, UK

The UK’s first artificial reef opened in November 2009 at Boscombe (just upshore from Bournemouth), on England’s south coast. Early reports describe it as a short, intense peak that suits surfers ranging from intermediate to experienced.

The $4.8 million reef has spurred on the redevelopment of the once-run-down Boscombe seafront, which now has new bars, a boutique hotel, and colourful beach pods — a modern take on the quaint English bathing box.

Unfortunately, the new reef doesn’t guarantee good waves on this notoriously fickle British coastline, so time your visit accordingly.

Best time to go: October for a combination of warmer water and a better chance of getting a good swell.

Kirra, Australia

Could 2010 be the year Kirra finally regains its former glory?

This sand-bottomed point break in Queensland offered one of the longest tubes in the world through the 1970s and ’80s. But a sand replenishment scheme that created perfect waves at the Superbank around the corner turned Kirra into a close out.

Many believe a big storm — and this stretch of coastline sees several cyclones each year — will be enough to clear out the excess sand and bring Kirra back.

Mind you, even if Kirra doesn’t turn on, there are still half a dozen world-class waves in the area, including Burleigh Point, Duranbah Beach, and Snapper Rocks.

And the nightlife? Very healthy. Surfers Paradise to the north offers everything from beach bars to upmarket nightclubs.

Best time to go: February to April to have the best chance of scoring a big cyclone swell.

Photo: dalli58

Iceland

Iceland’s a bit cheaper these days, so more folks are braving the icy conditions to find uncrowded surf. Most of the waves are concentrated around the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest, a 30-mile drive from Reykjavik.

On offer is a variety of reefs, point breaks, and a couple of beachbreaks. It’s also uncrowded — just a few dozen regulars call Iceland home.

The downside is that it’s cold. Very cold. A 5mm wetsuit with thick gloves, booties, and hood is mandatory.

Best time to go: October and November, after the busy summer high season but before it gets frigid!

Kovalam, India

India could be the next big thing if a proposed artificial reef comes about. The company behind the Boscombe reef has announced plans to construct a similar one at Kovalam, on India’s southwest coast.

Costing around $1.5 million and due to be finished in the first half of 2010 (although these reefs are notorious for demolishing timetables), the design should create left and right breaking waves, as well as supposedly protect the beach from erosion during monsoon season.

India’s beaches have been steadily gaining exposure anyway, with Aussie freesurfer David Rastovich visiting recently to film for Taylor Steele’s big-budget Castles in the Sky.

Best time to go: May through September, although be prepared to get wet during monsoon from June.

Community Connection

Surfers and travelers alike should enjoy the Matador team’s GETSOME List: Our Wishlist Destinations for 2010.

Photo: Kıvanç Niş

THE START OF a new year (and a new decade, nonetheless) brings out all kinds of “top destination” lists on the travel webs.

We’re taking a slightly different tack. Click over to today’s post, Matador’s GETSOME List: Our Wishlist Destinations for 2010, to find out where the members of the Matador team are dying to get to in the new year.

Now it’s your turn. Check out the 5 hot, talked-up destinations below, and then scroll down to cast your vote on where you’d like to be found in 2010.

Photo: Frames-of-Mind

1. South Africa

With the epic four-year showdown of the world’s most popular game set to go off in June, South Africa is topping all kinds of “must-see” lists. But of course there’s more than the World Cup to recommend this destination.

You can dive with great white sharks, peep penguins, and take a sunset cruise at the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The cost of visiting is also relatively low, which helped South Africa make Lonely Planet’s Best-value destinations for 2010 (although, as they point out, don’t expect deals this summer).

If South Africa gets your vote, hit up Matador’s destination expert with your pre-trip questions.

2. Iceland

Iceland is still the big story in travel-slanted economic news. Its 2008 bankruptcy shocked travelers as well as economists and led plenty of sites to advise you to Plan Your Budget Vacation to… Iceland?

Of course, everything’s relative, so for folks heading that way, Trips’ Budget Travel Guide to the country is still a good companion. On top of that, don’t miss our Photo Essay: Iceland’s Fire and Ice or tips on How to Drink on the Reykjavik Rúntur.

You’re in good company if you give Iceland your click: BootsnAll, Gadling, and Lonely Planet agree with you.

3. Panama

Underdog? Yeah, probably. Lonely Planet grabs El Salvador as their Central American representative, applying the “overlooked, under-appreciated” label. But Panama has that too. It’s also home to one of the 20 Craziest Party Hostels Around the World.

Off Track Planet selects Panama for their list in the “best beaches” category. Specifically, those of the San Blas Islands, which are reachable from Cartagena, Colombia, and where

women dress in handmade molas (beautifully colored fabrics), everyone has a natural sun glow tan and fresh fish is caught daily by locals in handmade kayak boats.

Matador’s expert on Panama, Spencer Klein, is also taken with the country, adding

Panama has perhaps the richest culture in the region; with a wide diversity of people and a strong sense of tradition, there is quite a lot to experience.

Whether you’re going or not, make sure to check out his When Maximo was our Captain: Surfing Bocas.

Photo: kkcondon

4. Nepal

From underdog to overdog — Nepal gets plenty of shout-outs. Both Lonely Planet and Gadling kept with tradition this year.

There’s a lot to big up about Nepal. Trekking, in particular — getting high in the Himalaya.

If you need more background info before casting a vote, check out A Traveler’s Guide to Culture in Nepal and a sweet travel vid, 28 days through India and Nepal, on MatadorTV.

Matador’s Nepal expert is another good resource.

5. Turkey

Another unlikely, Turkey made a short list over at dailycandy.com for its extra-euro (and hence good-value?) economy. Also, Istanbul is one of the EU’s European Capitals of Culture for 2010.

I’m including it here because I’ve been a fan ever since sourcing a photo of the Cappadocia region for a photo essay on 12 Lesser-Known Ruins of the World. Allison Grossman’s Images from Istanbul had the same effect.

Travelers looking for opportunities for long-term stays will appreciate Istanbul’s spot on our 18 Most Scenic Places For Teaching English Overseas.

VOTE NOW!

Community Connection

For more ideas on where to go in 2010, there’s The Best and Worst Destinations, According to National Geographic and 2010’s Most Endangered Cultural Sites.

Photo: NeilsPhotography

1. Ericeira: Portugal’s Surf Mecca

“The Portuguese fishing village of Ericeira harbours a secret, or — depending on how fussy you are — about 11 world-class secrets.”

2. Trekking Central Laos

“The 2-day trek through the rugged limestone mountains of Khammuan Province features magnificent scenery, lovely villages, and lots of refreshing swimming holes.”

3. Bolivia’s Southwest Circuit. Backwards.

“Colored lakes, hot springs, flamingo flocks, geysers, crazy rock formations, painted volcanoes. This and more awaits you in Bolivia’s wild southwest.”

4. Trans Siberian Sidetrips: How to Break Your Train Ride

“OK. You’ve decided you want to take the world’s longest and most famous train ride. But aside from playing cards, drinking tea (ahem, vodka), and eating noodles on the train, what are you going to do? Unless you really have to be somewhere, I highly recommend at least a few stops along the journey.”

5. Detroit Is for Lovers

“Detroit gets a lot of negative press, but despite its bad rap, the city has a lot to offer. Give it some love and it’ll love you back.”

6. Discover Your Own Machu Picchu: Choquequirao, Peru

“Did you visit Machu Picchu thinking you’d arrived 50 years too late? Wish you could’ve seen it before the tourist hordes and luxury hotel moved in? Then Choquequirao might be for you.”

Photo: Sotti

7. How to Travel to Socotra Island, Yemen

“Somewhere between 189 and 217 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen (depending on your source of information), like a tiny, glittering tongue-stud in the gaping maw of the Gulf of Aden, lies the legendary island of Socotra (Suquṭra), ancient source of ambergris, dragon’s blood, frankincense, and myrrh.”

8. The Great Ocean Walk: Victoria’s Coastal Hike

“Yes, driving the Great Ocean Road is nice. But walking the coastline is a much deeper experience.”

9. Guide to the Redwood Groves: Where to Find the Tallest Trees on Earth

“Taller than a football field. Older than Jesus. There are only a handful of places on Earth where living things fit these descriptions.”

10. In Jordan, Forget Lonely Planet. Bring a Bible.

“If you’re interested in traveling to the Middle East but aren’t sure where to begin, be like the Pope: kick-start your trip through the holy land in Jordan. With its welcoming people, small size, and manageable number of sacred sites, Jordan is the place to go biblical.”

Community Connection

When you need the lowdown on a destination, check in with Matador’s team of destination experts.

Photos courtesy of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

In the middle of Sydney Harbour is a tiny piece of rock called Cockatoo Island. There are none of these vociferous birds around today, but before 1788 they frequented the red gum trees that inhabited the island.

A couple of months ago I met with Liz from the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, a federal government initiative set up to protect many of Sydney Harbour’s historic and natural sites. The Trust was kind enough to offer me a night on the island this New Year’s Eve to watch the world-famous Sydney fireworks. This trip was a recon mission.

Some history

The island was nothing like I imagined. I pictured green rolling hills and forest; something wild. It’s not. As we approached it on the Sydney ferry, I was surprised to see old industrial-looking buildings to my left. The rest of it was obscured by a big cliff facing us (the island was expanded from 13 to 18 hectares with the blasted rock).

This was my first glance at the island’s history. It was originally used as a prison and then as a reform school. A ship docked there was used to train wayward and orphaned boys, and eventually the shipyard expanded. In the early 1900s, Cockatoo Island became the Commonwealth Naval Dockyard and was the major shipbuilding and dockyard facility for the Southwest Pacific in WWII.

The structures — the old prisons, solitary confinement cells, warehouses, cranes, and homes — still stand and some are being restored to be used as accommodation. A 26-stop self-guided audio walking tour is available explaining in detail the island’s fascinating history of convicts, warships, and aboriginal occupation.

Modern Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island was only opened to the public recently. In fact, many Sydney residents won’t even have heard of it.

It’s been host to some pretty big events lately. Aside from the New Year’s Eve Fireworks (for which last year was the first time hosting guests for the event), the island was host to the Sydney Festival — 24 bands/4 stages, headlined by Nick Cave — in 2008.

Also in 2008, the island was one of the venues for the huge art exhibit, Biennale, which also used the vacuous, vacant buildings as backdrops. Biennale is set to return in 2010 from May to August.

And if all that isn’t cool enough, part of the Hugh Jackman movie, Wolverine, was filmed on location. Bits of the set still stand in one of the big warehouses. See if you can tell where the set ends and where the real building begins.

Staying on the island

These days most visitors are day-trippers, taking one of the regular ferries from Circular Quay in the morning and leaving in the afternoon. But one of the best things about the island is that it offers an urban camping option, right on the water.

At AUD $45/night you can pitch a tent and have sweeping views of the harbour at your doorstep. $75 will get you a camping package — no need to haul in your own gear. It includes a large tent, two sleeping mats, two chairs, and a lantern.

If you’re part of a large group of up to 10 people, you can rent out one of the renovated luxury heritage homes. The price per night ranges from AUD $300 to $450, depending on the season. Weekends are slightly more, but between 10 people that’s not too shabby a deal.

New Year’s Eve

Unfortunately, tickets for this year’s event on Cockatoo Island are all sold out. They close the island to the public on New Year’s Eve and allow a limited number of campers.

You’re not allowed to bring your own booze onto the island, but they are licensed so it can be bought there. The last of the barges to launch fireworks floats right near the island. Unobstructed, close-up views and a limited number of spectators is a good combination.

Pencil it in your calendar for next year. Tix go on sale around beginning of September.

But you don’t need a special reason to visit the island at any time of the year. If you’re in Sydney, pop over on the ferry and have a walk ’round. It’s a surprisingly fascinating and unique place.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

How are you going to be ringing in the new decade? Share below!

Photo: Libertinus

1. Don’t… think Montevideo will be Buenos Aires

Much like Santiago de Chile, Uruguay’s capital city is close to Buenos Aires (actually much closer at 145 miles) but is also worlds apart.

Buenos Aires has been called South America’s Paris, but Montevideo doesn’t approach that scene…nor want to.

Do… enjoy the capital’s tranquilidad

You might first notice it when a car stops to let you cross the street.

Ask any Montevideo local to describe their city, and you’ll get the standard: “tranquilo.” Anthony Bourdain said it the best:

Montevideo is like BA…without the LA.

2. Don’t… stick with coffee

There are restaurants and bars serving quality coffee in Montevideo — even the McDonald’s has a separate café inside its Ciudad Vieja (Old City) location.

But if you don’t explore beyond the Western Hemisphere’s hot beverage of choice, you’re going to miss out on something special.

Do… drink mate

Tasting like a super-strong green tea, mate in Uruguay is more than a drink. It’s a way of life. People commonly walk the streets of Uruguay with a thermos full of hot water, sipping from their gourd.

Sharing mate is a ritual that can last hours and provides an excellent opportunity to get in with the local culture at ground level.

Warning: Although in other countries it might be tolerated, DO NOT move around the bombilla (metal straw) while drinking.

3. Don’t… expect diversified cuisine

Uruguayans are a conservative people who don’t seek out change. They stick to tradition and to what they know — and that holds true when it comes to food.

Photo above and feature: Vince Alongi

Do… feast at an asado

As with many events in Uruguay, asados (barbeques) are a prolonged production. But the rewards are great: relaxed times with friends, slowly (very slowly) cooked meat impossible to stop eating, and another view into Uruguay’s traditions and culture.

Don’t plan on stopping by an asado for an hour — it requires at least four. Send out an email to the very active Couchsurfing Uruguay group to see if they can organize one for your visit.

Other recommendations: empanadas and beef, of course. And don’t pass over chivitos — essentially a steak burger garnished (somewhat) creatively at times. Ask for the chivito canadiense, which comes with onions, egg, olives, pickles, and sometimes bacon.

4. Don’t… be satisfied with Punta del Este

This is Uruguay’s most famous beach town, catering to the rich, the famous, the tourist, and the backpacker at the same time. It’s rowdy during summertime when it fills with Argentines and Brazilians.

Clubs, beaches (including stretches with names like Bikini Beach), and overflowing restaurants make the months between December and March una locura.

Photo: Vince Alongi

Do… check out Uruguay’s other beaches

Keep traveling east and check out Punta del Diablo for a small fishing village environment with a few surfing beaches thrown in.

Again, be prepared for the crowds in summer, but with more of a backpacker vibe.

5. Don’t… go to Uruguay to save money

Compared to the States, Uruguay is still a bargain. But matched with other South American countries that doesn’t hold. You’re better off saving the dough traveling around places like Peru or Bolivia.

Do… feel safe

Barely trailing Asunción (Paraguay) and Santiago (Chile), Montevideo was recently ranked the third-safest city on the continent by the Mercer consulting firm.

6. Don’t… go looking for modern music

Again, in many ways, Uruguay can seem to exist in a time warp. This goes for the majority of the music you’ll hear throughout the country, whether on the radio in a cab or on the dance floor (indeed, it seems to be a regional phenomenon).

Do… prepare for your 80s fix

No joke — Uruguay is infatuated with the past. Take a Montevideo bus ride and you might hear a Peter Frampton tune followed by a Billy Ocean gem.

They even devote a night — La Noche de la Nostalgia (The Night of Nostalgia ) — to music of bygone years on August 24th each year.

Photo: Vince Alongi

7. Don’t… expect the mountains of Argentina and Chile

Um, because there aren’t any mountains in all of Uruguay. The highest elevation in this Missouri-sized country is about 500 meters (1,500 feet).

Do… explore the coast

In as little as a 30-minute drive outside of the capital, a chain of welcoming beaches begins — some surrounded by small cities or towns, some completely untouched by civilization.

These beach getaways are well worth the drive or easy bus ride.

8. Don’t… give money to Montevidean street kids

This reads harsh, but there’s good reason. Touristy sections of Montevideo are home to the planchas, a community of young people hooked on the drug pasta base and looking to do nothing else than buy more.

It’s an impure cocaine sulfate that takes a heavy toll on the body — one sign is teeth being eaten away.

Do… give food and time

They’d rather splurge on the next hit, but what they really need is food. Buy a couple empanadas and sit down with them; listen if they want to talk.

Warning: If it’s nighttime and you’re alone, it’s best to move on without engaging.

Community Connection

Now that Argentina’s decided to charge a $131 reciprocity fee for Americans arriving in Buenos Aires by air, Uruguay is looking even sweeter. Hit up Dominic with your questions before you go.

Photo: Landii

Getting There

Getting to Plitvice (pronounced plit-veet-seh) is pretty easy. Just jump into a car and follow the road signs. The other option is to take the bus. However, the lakes are in the middle of the run, so while the bus will drop you off, full buses won’t always stop on the way back.

Photo: arny978

Tip: Rentals are available at local airports. Hit the tourist office for more information on tourist taxis and tour buses.

Tickets and Routes

There are two entry points to the park. Both come with parking facilities, a money exchange center, and a ticketing office. High season tickets are priced at 110 Kuna (15 Euros) for adults and 55 Kuna (7.5 Euros) for kids.

The park also offers a number of hiking routes: the shortest one runs through the park within ninety minutes while the longest takes about 6-8 hours.

The Regenerating Karstic Basin

Plitvice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its unique features — the natural barriers, pools, cascades, caves, and crags — are a result of thousands of years of interaction between water and the dolomite rock and limestone that form the lake’s continuously evolving Karstic basin; come back in a few hundred years and chances are you won’t recognize the place.

The Upper & Lower Lakes

The Upper Lakes are formed on a lush dolomite valley. They’re surrounded by dense forests, and trails run through giant fir, beech, and spruce trees. A system of wooden walkways, stairways, and dirt trails lead you along the water, past waterfalls and cascades.

Photo: 29cm

Expect to see all different shades of blue and green; the position of the sun dictates the ever-changing hues.

The Lower Lakes are shallower and are formed on limestone beds. Along the edges, white limestone walls rise up; red smoke bush grows along the stone in patches and caves break through at regular intervals.

From the wooden walkways, you can stare right down at the lake’s floor, tracking every pebble and fish. At times they’ll stare back at you.

Tip: Many people toss coins into the water for luck. Don’t — it disrupts the ecosystem.

Local Wildlife

The Plitvice Lakes are home to many rare and endangered animals and plant life, from unusual flowers and butterflies to rare birds and small cats. It’s said the endangered European brown bear is a resident too.

Photo: arny978

That said, the closest I’ve come to seeing a mid-sized animal here was a giant Labrador, on a leash, pouncing at a duck floating a little too close to the trail (the duck got away — the dog got drenched).

Rest Up and Have a Picnic

A large picnic area is spread out along the edge of Lake Kozjak, the big lake separating the two parts of the park.

The break is perfectly timed too; it shows up just as hikers are beginning to tire and complain.

Okay, that’s just me. But the spread — grilled sausages, burgers, fries, homemade bread — helps power the remainder of the hike.

Hotels and Camps

If you want spend a few days here, there are hotels within the park limits and camping grounds beyond.

Photo: Darij & Ana

You can’t tell now but during the Balkan conflict of the early ’90s these facilities were used as barracks.

The entire region suffered great damage. A major clean-up operation and stringent environmental laws since the war have allowed the park and park facilities to return to their former glory.

Tip: Rooms for rent open up during the summer in the surrounding villages.

Last on the itinerary, stop at one of the wooden strukli (strudel) stalls at the park entrance on the way back. Take a minute to reflect over a slice (apple, cheese, and something red, either berries or plum) before hitting the road.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

What can I say? We obviously like lakes and national parks. Check ‘em out:

Introducing Lake Tourism

From Packed to Deserted: U.S. National Parks by Visitor Numbers

Seven Best National Parks for Visiting Old Growth Forests

[Editor's note: This piece is sponsored by our friends at the State of Montana.]

LONG BEFORE the hot springs of Montana were ‘discovered,’ Native Americans were using them for the healing powers of their “smoking waters.” Later, settlers realized the growing popularity and commercial value of the springs. The evolution of the Montana resort was underway.

Once you’ve decided to come to Montana, the decision about which of the many springs to visit might be the hardest part of your stay. Here are a few of our favorite spots. We strongly recommend you utilize our Montana Resource page along with this guide to help plan your winter Montana itinerary.

Spa at Whitefish Lake

The Spa at Whitefish Lake is your gateway to several winter activities in the area. There’s easy access from your lodge to Glacier National Park — where you can enjoy cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife spotting — the slopes of Whitefish Mountain Resort, or the more local Blacktail Mountain Ski Area. Even closer is ice fishing, dog sledding, and ice skating.

Back at the lodge, the spa has one of the largest selections in the state including aromatherapy, massages, facials, in-room treatments, plus nail and body treatments. There is both an outdoor pool and hot tub, along with the Boat Club Restaurant and Coffee Dock Café.

Lodging options range from single-bed to two-bedroom suites, starting around $155. Also available are lakeside condominiums around $200+; they come with fireplaces, decks, kitchens, and in-suite baths.

The Resort at Paws Up

This ranch, which ties back in to the history of Lewis and Clark and the later mining booms, is 30 miles northeast of Missoula in the peaceful Blackfoot River Valley town of Greenough. It has become the epitome of luxury, standing out from all other resorts in the Rocky Mountain West.

You may have already guessed the signature winter activity at Paws Up is dog sledding, with over 100 miles of trails for exploring the Garnet Mountain backcountry. There are snowmobile as well as cross country and snowsheing options, or you could go for a sleigh ride or ‘cowboy up’ on a winter horseback ride with their world-class saddle club.

No corners were cut as far as the dining and spa go, either. Their master chefs prepare five-star cuisine, focusing on local ingredients often harvested from their own property or along the seven miles of Blackfoot River running through the resort.

You may want to opt for the in-house spa options this time of year, for ‘Spa Town’ is usually set up in a meadow during the summer. Vacation homes and buildings of varying sizes provide the secluded and rustic lodging. Two bedroom meadow homes include all you need, along with a personal golf cart, for a winter rate of $665 per night.

The Ranch at Rock Creek

The Ranch at Rock Creek is a new, upscale resort less than two hours southeast of Missoula. It has 6,600 acres, comprehensive outdoor adventure options, and high-end amenities.

The 50+ miles of logging roads on the property give you access to cross country skiing and snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Downhill skiing is nearby at Discovery Basin and Snowbowl Ski Area.

The ranch is also equipped for sleigh rides, skeet shooting, ice skating, and offers gourmet cocoa making classes with their executive chef.

The Granite Lodge has fine dining, with the Silver Dollar Saloon as a good after-dinner option for bowling, music, and drinks. Lodging rates include nearly everything you could do, drink, or eat at the ranch. Prices start at $800 per night for double occupancy, going up to six-person guest lodges at $6,200.

Chico Hot Springs

Thirty miles north of Yellowstone Park in the Absaroka Mountain range is the historic natural spring-fed resort of Chico Hot Springs. The resort is a hybrid of luxury and family-style.

In 1865, a miner by the name of John S. Hackney penned the first written record of what is now Chico. In 1900, the main lodge opened, offering hot mineral water baths in wooden tubs. The complex has improved since then, adding a near Olympic-sized swimming pool and a 103F covered soaking pool.

There are two main restaurants: The Dining Room at Chico and a more casual option, the Poolside Grill. The Saloon features performances by local musicians.

A full-service day spa with massages, treatments, and individual packages is open daily. Other activities, including an on-site horse barn and nearby dog sled tours, can also be arranged. There is plenty of accommodation, starting with rooms in the main lodge between $49-$89, and up to $169-$345 for private mountainside cabins or chalets.

Fairmont Hot Springs

Fairmont Hot Springs is a full service, four season resort 15 miles west of Butte, in the shadow of the Continental Divide. There is an 18-hole golf course for summer recreation, as well a 350-foot waterslide into two Olympic-sized pools and soaking tubs.

In winter you can ice fish at Georgetown Lake Recreation Area, snowshoe, and cross country the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. There is also trout fishing in the Big Hole River.

An on-site massage studio can work out the kinks of an earlier tennis match, or you can soak away before visiting one of four restaurants and snack bars. Lodging options start at $149 per night, and there are discounted winter rates from January through May.

Triple Creek Ranch

Triple Creek Ranch is located in the Bitterroot Mountains, about 60 miles south of Missoula. Designed more as an adult resort, it has 23 luxurious cabins, ponds, and pools in the property below Trapper Peak.

The ranch offers a multitude of winter activities including horseback riding, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. Helicopter rides are available leaving from the resort’s own helipad. They also offer many wine tastings, as well as cooking and nature classes, and a limited spa menu.

Dining is focused on gourmet world cuisine from traditional French dishes, Southwestern, West Indies, to Central American. There is also a state-of-the-art, award-winning wine cellar and showroom found as you enter the rooftop lounge.

The cabins at the Triple Creek Ranch vary in size, but all include a fireplace, fully stocked wet bar, and nearby hot tub. Rates start at $650 per night, including all meals, beverages, and most on-ranch activities.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’re going to Montana, make sure to visit out Montana Focus page for more tips, ideas, and inspiration.

Photos: Mongolia-Web

It’s wicked cold for sure, and yes, there’s some snow, but Mongolia has never been associated with alpine skiing. Things change.

This November marked the grand opening of the country’s first downhill ski mountain, “Sky Resort,” situated on the outskirts of the capital, Ulan Bator.

If you’re in the mood for a review smacking of privileged condescension, head over to the post on The New York Time’s In Transit blog.

Otherwise, read on to see what Matador member akmonki, who visited the mountain in its second week, thought of Sky Resort. Akmonki is currently a youth development volunteer with the Peace Corps in the small city of Baganuur.

For a window into life in the world’s most sparsely populated country, I highly recommend following her Matador blog.

While you had to keep in mind that this was still Mongolia and there were only 3 main runs (one blue square, one green circle, and one bunny hill), it was deee-luxe. The rows of shiny ski/snowboard equipment, snow-making machines, and spacious facility made a pretty convincing case for a legitimate ‘resort’, comparable to something back in America.

And the prices were hard to beat. A half-day ski pass plus equipment rental cost only 19,000 tugriks (equivalent to about $14 USD). It was most likely over our PC-issued leisure allowance, but well worth the few extra tugriks.

Riding an unhurried chairlift up to the blue square run, I noticed that we were the only people on the lift—turned out that most Mongolians are still taking baby-steps in the world of skiing.

Most of the time we spent teaching and coaxing another volunteer friend who had never been on skis before, and therefore only managed to cruise a couple of runs. But the speed and chilly rush of those few minutes got my endorphins pumping enough to reawaken the skier in me.

*excerpt from the Matador blog post In the Big City

For more info, including a trail map, check out Ski Season in Mongolia begins this weekend at Mongolia-Web. Below is a short video from YouTube showing some of the terrain.

Community Connection

Have you added your voice to the Matador community? If not, join up, get in touch with fellow travelers, and share your thoughts and experiences in your own Matador blog.

And, for other winter-themed travel videos (and a whole lot more), pop some popcorn and head over to MatadorTV, your source for the best travel video on the web.

Photo: Celso Flores

Moulay Idriss

Its tumble of white buildings gleams like something pure against dark mountains. Its steep, narrow lanes are lined with cool painted rock, and filled with the movement of donkeys, bread carts, boys playing ball, and schoolgirls that grin shyly before booking it away from you in a bobble of pink backpacks.

Moulay Idriss is one of Morocco’s holiest places — non-Muslims were banned from the small town until the mid-20th century. Tourism has been slow to take off due to this pious reputation and the town’s proximity to the bigger draws of Meknes and Fez.

Photo: zongo69

That’s not to say it’s unmolested by tourism — a small number of touts hang around the medina entrance, and a colorful array of guesthouse signs describe modern comforts.

But in Moulay Idriss, the “bonjour”s you get on the street are less likely to be from a shopkeeper or “new friend,” but rather a smiling passerby.

The surrounding green mountains are great for rural hikes, and any guesthouse will arrange for a guide. Bonus: the vast and under-visited Roman ruins of Volubilis are a 45-minute walk from town.

Frequent grand taxis to Moulay Idriss leave from central Meknes, opposite the Institut Francais. You can book a room ahead at backpacker-friendly Buttons Inn, but if you arrive early in the day, arranging a stay at a family-run guesthouse is easy.

Mirleft

While the plush tour buses pull in to ex-hippie-hangout Essauoira, the rattling, once-an-hour public bus takes you down the Atlantic coast to tiny Mirleft. Less than an hour from Tiznit, Mirleft is set in the pebbly red earth just off the coast and has five undeveloped beaches within walking distance.

There’s one bank, one internet café, and not a whole lot to do other than relax.

Photo: Author

While wealthy Marrakeshis vacation in beachside landscaped homes, travelers, artists, and everyone else hang around the town’s dirt-road center — when they’re not out sunbathing.

Hotel Atlas is the best bet for backpackers, while touts will offer you plenty of private house rentals.

There are lots of other beaches around Mirleft. Legzira Plage is only a 20-minute bus ride down the road to Sidi Ifni. Females traveling solo especially will appreciate the opportunity to wave-hop and walk amid the sandstone arches in peace.

To reach Mirleft from Tiznit, take either a grand taxi from the medina or a local bus from the main bus station.

Casablanca

You won’t hear much good about Casablanca, either from travelers or other Moroccans. Too Western, too big-city, too modern, too poverty-ridden — the sour rep deters most from anything more than short layovers. Which is what makes Casablanca such a hassle-free destination.

Sure, its wide streets and gleaming new construction don’t lend much historical ambiance, but Casablanca is perhaps the best place to experience modern Morocco.

Sharp-cheeked immigrants shine the shoes of French businessmen, beggars hold out gnarled palms, girls wear tank tops and skinny jeans, and cars honk and careen and somehow don’t collide. Men and women chat over tea and cigarettes at café tables.

Photo: P.J.P.

The medina lacks touts, shopkeepers ignore you, and no one offers to help when you’re “lost, my friend?”

And then there’s the art galleries, restaurants and, yes, bars. Casablanca may not fulfill any exotic visions, but it does prove that Morocco continues to be a place at the crossroads.

Morocco’s biggest airport is in Casablanca, so there’s a good chance you’ll pass through whether you want to or not. One of Morocco’s few HI youth hostels is located just inside the Old Medina. Eerily empty, it has the cheapest beds in town.

Erg Chigaga/Zagora

Entering dusty Zagora, you pass a sign along its main street that reads, “Tombouctou 52 Jours”: “52 Days to Timbuktu.”

Riding a camel into the Sahara is top on most Morocco hit-lists. Convenience sends most tourists to desert Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, but those with a little more time, money, and tolerance for camel saddles head to the sand-swept trading post of Zagora.

Desert caravans have been riding into and out of Zagora for centuries, but these days travelers can arrange Sahara expeditions that aren’t 52 days long.

Photo: wonker

Numerous outfitters do 4WD and camel expeditions to the isolated, sky-scraper-high dunes of Erg Chigaga.

Avoid the street touts and book with reputable companies like Caravane Desert et Montagne. You’ll get the bonus of staying with nomadic and Berber families during your expedition.

In town, Auberge Restaurant Chez Ali (website in French) offers affordable rooms and meals, as well as overnight trips.

Visiting the nearby villages and exploring the Draa Valley is a major plus of basing yourself in Zagora. If you’ve got wheels, check out the organic co-op Hart Chaou community garden project in Agdz, the ancient rock carvings of Timiderte, the jewelers of Amerzou’s old Jewish Kasbah, or the pottery collective of holy village Tamegroute. You can also arrange for day trips to and tours of these destinations with Zagora outfitters.

First-class bus company CTM operates routes to Zagora from Casablanca via Marrakesh and Ouarzazate, the nearest major city. Smaller bus companies run infrequently to nearby towns; grand taxis are available as well.

Tafraoute/Ameln Valley

A lion watches over the sleepy town of Tafraoute.

Or at least that’s what the villagers will tell you, gesturing at one of the distinct rock formations just outside of town that resembles a lion’s face. Another apparently looks like Napoleon’s hat.

Carved into the hills, Tafraoute is an a trekker’s dream. Uber-fit hikers and cyclers are about the only other travelers you’ll see here, largely due to the infrequency of bus service through the Anti-Atlas mountains.

Photo: Martin and Kathy Dady

The main attraction of Tafraoute is its immediate access to undeveloped wilderness dotted with Berber and Chlueh tribe villages.

Mountain biking and trekking expeditions take you through the Ameln Valley, up peak Jebel Lekst (2359m), or through the green gorges of Ait Mansour.

For trips closer to town, you can rent a bike from Hotel Salama (also your best bet for lodging), or grab a local trail map from Au Coin des Nomades. Those with bigger budgets might enjoy a 4WD Jeep with driver, which can be arranged by Tafraoute Adventure.

Make sure not to miss the prehistoric rock engravings near neighboring towns Tazekka and Tirnmatmat. Any aches and pains can be sweated away in a local hammam.

Small bus companies operate from Agadir via Tiznit, and there’s limited service to Casablanca and Marrakesh.

Community Connection

If you’re planning a trip to Morocco, make sure to check out the Matador’s destination resources on the country.

You also don’t want to skip Paul Sullivan’s Photo Essay: Exploring Morocco’s Pink City and Beyond.

Photo: Capitan Giona

Trips likes to bring you ideas for enjoying notoriously wallet-crushing destinations at little or no cost. Here’s a quick sampling of budget travel guides we’ve published in the past:

A Budget Travel Guide to Iceland
How to Enjoy Paris for Free
Sightseeing in Venice for (Almost) Free
Budget Guide to New York City
Seattle on the Cheap: 7 Tips to Save Cash in the Emerald City

Scandinavia is always way up there on the list of travel-savings destroyers, so we thought it might be handy to point out these two resources we found on About.com’s Scandinavia Travel blog:

10 Free Things in Oslo
10 Free Things to Do in Helsinki

Norway’s capital is the occasional ruler of the world’s most expensive cities ranking, and Helsinki certainly isn’t cheap, but both put on several cost-free annual events. Visiting the cities’ churches and museums can be free as well.

Photo: sidewalk flying

These pages also have links to free city maps and language resources, in addition to weather info.

Winter might not seem like the most obvious season for a Scandinavian trip, but December is actually one of its most popular travel months. There’s free ice skating in Oslo and plenty of Christmas markets to choose from throughout the region. Sightings of the Northern Lights are also common.

If your budget is less of a concern, make sure to check out the ice hotels: Norway’s got one, as does Sweden.

And finally, before you go, hit up Matador’s destination experts with your logistical questions:

Oslo - SophieR
Sweden - Anna Brones

Community Connection

For more Scandinavian fun, check out In Search of the Swedish Companion – Tunnbröd‏, a photo essay by Lola Akinmade, who happens to be another expert on Stockholm in addition to being editor of Matador Goods.

Photo: (-(-Tchi Tcha -)-)

1. Don’t… assume people speak English

As an overseas French department, Guadeloupe’s official language is French, but don’t think this makes visiting the island like traveling in Europe.

Although it’s a common stereotype that the French resist speaking English, getting by in Paris without too much of a grasp of French is definitely doable. On Guadeloupe, English is much harder to find.

Do… learn some key French phrases before you go

The locals will give you a genuine smile if you make an effort to speak French. With a simple “bonjour,” “merci,” some survival phrases like “how much does this cost?” and the obligatory traveler’s hand gestures, you’ll do just fine.

Photo: rayced

2. Don’t… book a flight to surrounding islands

Although Caribbean islands are in close geographic proximity, traveling between them isn’t always cheap.

Do… go by boat

You can easily get to Dominica, St. Lucia, and Martinique on a quick boat ride. Plus you’ll get to spend your time on Caribbean waters, an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

3. Don’t… go food shopping at major grocery stores

Although Guadeloupe is home to plentiful bananas, pineapples, melons, and other tropical delights, large grocery stores often carry imported goods, meaning your avocados just might be from Spain.

Do… browse the Pointe-à-Pitre market

The market in Guadeloupe’s largest city is where it’s at. You’ll find fresh-picked fruits and tons of seafood straight from the surrounding waters.

Expect a lot of market women trying to attract you towards their stalls with their warmhearted “Venez voir ici cheri!” — “Come look over here dear!”

Photo: rachel_thecat

4. Don’t… stick to tourist-filled beaches

Guadeloupe is small and its beautiful beaches fill up fast. The shores of the southern Grande Terre (near Pointe-à-Pitre) are packed with resorts and all-inclusive hotels, and therefore the beaches are dirty, teem with tourists, and feature overpriced, generic restaurants.

Do… spend time on Basse Terre

Basse Terre is the large southern island of Guadeloupe, and although slightly less popular with tourists than Grande Terre, it’s got pristine beaches, excellent hikes, and moments of solitude.

For some quality beach time, check out la Grande Anse de Deshaies. For trekking, be sure to try one of the numerous hikes that explore local waterfalls. And if you’re big on marine life, go for the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve.

5. Don’t… expect “Paris with beaches”

A lot of tourists that visit Guadeloupe expect it to be a slightly warmer version of France. Yes there are boulangeries and excellent baguettes, but much of what gives Guadeloupe its charm is the Caribbean and Creole side of its culture.

Do… enjoy the afternoon tradition of drinking a Ti-Punch

Like many other islands of the Caribbean, Guadeloupe has several rum distilleries and the local drink of choice is Ti-Punch (short for “petit punch”), a blend of simple syrup, lime juice, and rum.

6. Don’t… depend on public transportation

Buses in Guadeloupe run on their own schedule, which is fine if you’re feeling adventurous. If you have a jam-packed schedule, on the other hand, consider renting a car for a few days to do some island exploring.

Do… make your way to the tip of Basse Terre and hike up the volcano

La Soufrière is located at the southern tip of Basse Terre.

Photo: Author

Although it’s a drive to get there, the hike is steep, it’s usually raining, and the view from the top is rarely clear, the mere experience of hiking up a volcano is definitely worth the effort.

If you have any French friends, you’ll get mad respect when you tell them you made the summit. Not to mention the altitude-cooled temperature at the top is a great way to escape the Caribbean heat.

7. Don’t… forget that Guadeloupe uses the euro

Because it’s a French overseas department, Guadeloupe uses European currency, and that means all prices are in euros. Also, much of what’s sold in Guadeloupe is imported from France, so prices are more European than Caribbean. Plan accordingly.

Do… shop at weekly markets, visit hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and chat with fisherman

Spend your time visiting the places frequented by locals. You’ll come across good food, generous people, and get a true taste of the island’s culture. You’ll probably even walk away from the experience knowing some Creole phrases.

Community Connection

Anna is also Matador’s destination expert on Sweden. Check out her community profile page to learn more. Not only that, but she recently launched her own social media start-up.

Photo: Diego_3336

After a couple of false starts this year, Argentina is officially set on December 20 to implement a reciprocity fee for visitors who come through its main point of entry: Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport.

The fees are equal to what Argentines have to pay to get visas to those countries (hence the term “reciprocity”), are payable in Argentine pesos, dollars, travelers check, or by credit card, and last for the life of the passport in the case of Australians and Americans (per entry for Canadians — sorry guys).

Here’s the fine print from the Argentine Department of Immigration.

Of course, Argentina isn’t the first to charge American tourists. It joins Chile ($131 for entry by air), Bolivia ($135 visa fee), Paraguay ($65 visa fee), and Brazil ($150 visa fee), leaving Lima and Montevideo the only fee-free major points of entry for visitors looking to hit the southern cone.

Photo: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

To learn more, visit the U.S. State Department’s website for country-specific information, or check out this article on visa and reciprocity fees in South America to round out your knowledge.

If recent years’ visitor tallies hold, Argentina stands to gain some $52 million from its 400,000 annual American visitors, and the nearly 40,000 unofficial American residents who come and go.

It’ll be interesting to see if Montevideo, which is only a short Buquebus ferry ride away from BsAs, tries to increase tourism by advertising the use of Uruguay as a starting point for an Argentina vacation.

Not surprisingly, expat and travel message boards have lit up with the news, the response being overwhelmingly negative. While no one wants to part with an extra $131 on their travels, Americans should keep perspective.

The fee gets you an automatic tourist entry into Argentina for the life of your passport. All it gets an Argentine is a chance to wait up to 45 days for an interview with a passport official who may or may not grant the visa.

Community Connection

Will the reciprocity news bring Matador to disown our Favorite Spots in Buenos Aires, Argentina? Don’t count on it.

Photo: Bitterroot

[Editor's note: This post is sponsored by our friends and partners at VisitMT.com, the State of Montana's official travel site.]

Starter tips:

• Rent a car from an airport vendor.
• Lodging and activities described are frequently offered in time- and money-saving packages. Check out the links for current deals.
• Always make reservations where possible.

Day 1

Fly into Bozeman and plan to spend the night. Unique lodging suggestions:

• The Gallatin Gateway Inn: Built in the 1920s, this hotel was the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul railroads’ luxury stopover in the Rocky Mountain West. Accommodations include three resident ghosts — the most renowned being the “bridegroom,” who is known to firmly grasp the waist of brides descending the curved staircase into the great room. Rooms start at $135.


Photo: laurascudder

• Howlers Inn Bed and Breakfast: Set on 42 acres in Bridger Canyon, this B&B doubles as a wolf sanctuary. Mountain and wolf views. Rooms start at $105.

If you have time before nightfall:

• Soak or get the full spa treatment at Bozeman Hot Springs. Access to the nine pools is $8.50 for adults, kids range $4-$7.50.
• Go for a cross-country ski or snowshoe in Hyalite Canyon. Rent your gear and get the scoop on conditions at Chalet Sports, 108 W. Main St.
• Visit the Museum of the Rockies and find out whose footsteps you followed to Montana at the dinosaur exhibit. Admission: Adults $10, children $7.

Dinner:

• Finer dining or stellar inland sushi — check out Looie’s Down Under.
• Lighter, more casual fare, with lots of fun flavor — try Over the Tapas.
• Locally focused eats in a historic setting with great wine — that’s Plonk.
• The Bacchus Pub has tasty Irish fare and a lively atmosphere (complete with hand-carved Gods of Merriment staring at you from all directions).

Day 2

Get up and have breakfast at the Nova Café, a local favorite with awesome omelets, pancakes, and artwork.

Photo: exquisitur

Drive to Yellowstone National Park via Livingston and Gardiner. Watch weather surge and shift over the Absaroka Mountains along the way. Once arrived:

• Take a snow coach interpretive tour through the park, and witness one of the most intense struggles for survival anywhere on the planet–bison wintering in Yellowstone
• Get dropped off at one of many groomed cross-country ski trails (or grab a guide).
• Stay cozy in the snow coach and cross deep snowfields, where no cars can travel. Watch Old Faithful spew — a totally different experience in winter.

Numerous tours depart from Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, starting at $55 for adults, $27.50 for children.

Recap your adventures while soaking in the Boiling River, where thermally heated water pours over black slick rock and hits the Gardiner River.

When hungry: the Mammoth Hotel Dining Room, located at former Fort Yellowstone, overlooks the other-worldliness of limestone terraces and caldera steam. Meals range from $10-$30. Reservations required.

Spend the night at: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, where lodging starts at $85.

Or make the short drive to your next destination: Chico Hot Springs Resort and Spa, with numerous lodging options to accommodate a quiet couple or rowdy family, starting at $49.

Individual cabins sit on the edge of the property with unobstructed views of wide meadows and big mountains. For proximity to the food and the soak, stay in the main lodge, where floorboards creek and a fire burns steadily in the soapstone fireplace.

Photo: exquisitur

Day 3

Traverse the landscape with the dogs of Absaroka Dog Sled Treks, starting at $110 per person, depending on length and intensity.

Take the full day Denali trek and you’ll find yourself deep in the mountains with spectacular views of Paradise Valley.

Return to Chico for a good long soak, then a well-earned meal in their rustic dining room.

Day 4

Hit the breakfast buffet on your way out. Drive back through Bozeman and south to Big Sky.

Allow two hours for the trip, as the latter half will be spent traveling through Gallatin Canyon along the Gallatin River.

Take your time. Road conditions are unpredictable.

Just before turning onto the access road to Big Sky, pick up some sandwiches to go from Bugaboo Café. Then:

• Take a cross-country ski or snowshoe on Lone Mountain Ranch’s 85km trail system ($15-$20).
• Spend a half-day skiing ($69) at Big Sky Resort on 11,166ft Lone Mountain.

Both options provide sweet views and good options for all skill levels.

For an exceptional meal on your last night in Montana:

• The sleigh ride dinner at Lone Mountain Ranch; guests pile into a horse-drawn sleigh and are shuttled to the North Fork cabin for a dinner cooked on a wood-fired stove, and entertainment provided by local musicians ($85).
• The Montana Dinner Yurt; guests are transported to a remote yurt on the flanks of Lone Mountain — via snowcat — for sledding and a bonfire preceding a gourmet meal ($79).

Photo: travelinknu

Lodging:

Big Sky has plenty of accommodations. Prices vary and lodging/ski packages are common.

Lone Mountain Ranch and The Huntley Lodge (at the ski resort) are convenient options, depending on your preference.

Day 5

Depending on where you crashed, there are various breakfast options — these three cafes are recommended: Sun Dog (in Mountain Village), Huckleberry (in the meadow), and Bugaboo (in the canyon). After eating:

• If it’s a sunny day, take a ride to the summit of Lone Mountain in the tram for a view clear to the Grand Tetons.
• Get a ticket for the Zip line, for one last big chill before you head home.
• If you’re feeling especially mellow, watch skiers and boarders in the terrain park, or take a stroll through the mountain mall.

It’s a short drive back to Bozeman and home…though we won’t blame you for lingering.

Community Connection

Check out all of Matador’s resources on the Big Sky State at our Montana Focus page.

Photo: Rob Hogeslag

In the 1990s, the Balkans were rife with ethnic conflict, but the days of Milosevic are done and the new republics are quickly moving forward, with lesser-known sites ready to take on Dubrovnik’s Old Town and Slovenia’s Lake Bled.

Sarajevo

In case you weren’t clear, the war’s over. Travelers are now trickling back into one of Europe’s most unique cities.

With a history of occupation by the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, Sarajevo is a mix of Islamic and Central European culture. It conjures two cities — Istanbul and Vienna — sitting side by side. Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish places of worship share a single city block.

Photo: mblomqvist

You don’t need to visit a museum to get a sense of the recent war’s impact. Buildings and sidewalks are still blemished with bullet wounds.

Concrete indentations filled with red wax — known as Sarajevo Roses — signify that someone was killed there and are not to be stepped on.

Remnants of the former National Library still stand, boarded up and closed off to visitors. Plaques and bouquets memorializing victims are prominently displayed in places like the infamous Markale Market, the bombing of which led to the NATO intervention.

Even the bright yellow Holiday Inn holds significance. Originally built for the 1984 Winter Olympics, it was the home base of journalists covering the war, and some battles were even fought inside the building.

Sarajevo is also the site of an older tragic event — the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which triggered World War I. The spot where Gavrilo Princip fired the fateful shots is marked by a plaque next to the Latin Bridge.

Mostar

Like Sarajevo, this city was heavily hit by the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1995. Its most famous landmark is Stari Most (Old Bridge) linking the city’s two ethnic communities: Bosnian Muslims and Catholic Croats.

Originally built by the Ottoman Turks in 1566, the bridge was destroyed in ‘93 despite efforts by residents to save it. A new bridge was constructed with international aid in 2004 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Photo: Rob Hogeslag

During the spring and summer, you might catch members of the Mostar Diving Club jumping from the bridge into the Neretva River below.

Spend some time wandering the Ottoman Quarter of Kujundziluk, named for the craft of copper smithing. As you walk past the artist studios, cafes, and shops, you may hear copper smiths hard at work.

Along the eastern side are mosques and Turkish houses dating to the 16th and 17th centuries. The city’s most famous is the Karadzozbegova Mosque, designed in 1557 by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. It has been rebuilt since the war. For a view of the city, climb up the minaret of the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque.

* Tip: Travelers should take note that the train service from Sarajevo to Mostar is infrequent and runs at inconvenient times.

Belgrade

For the most part, Belgrade is not very attractive, but give them a break; the city has endured 44 razings by invaders. They deserve a little leeway.

Start with a visit to the Kalemegdan Fortress, located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers. 115 battles have been fought at this site in its 2,300-year history. The Upper Citadel now serves as a park, where locals like to relax and enjoy lunch.

Shopping, strolling, or people watching can be enjoyed on the pedestrian promenade Knez Mihajlova while you sip a coffee.

For lunch, head to the ? restaurant, named as a result of a dispute between a previous owner and the clergy of the nearby Orthodox Cathedral.

The Nikola Tesla Museum is dedicated to the discoverer of alternating current and contains Tesla’s personal effects and models of his inventions. Engineering students from the University of Belgrade are on hand to demonstrate the inventions.

The bohemian quarter, known as Skadarlija, is good for dinner, with restaurants serving Serbian and Italian food. If you’re lucky you might get some live Serbian music. This neighborhood of cobblestone streets, shops, and art galleries was home to many writers and actors in the early 20th century.

* Tip: It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet before arriving. While guidebooks and tourist maps list all street names in Latin letters, the streets themselves are usually marked in Cyrillic script — although this may soon change.

Novi Sad

If you can’t make it to Belgrade, Novi Sad is a sedate alternative to the capital.

Photo: headsclouds

Serbia’s second-largest city and the one-time home of Albert Einstein was the target of NATO bombs in ‘99. Remains of bridges destroyed in the campaign still sit in the Danube river.

The Petrovaradin Fortress, which has never been taken by an enemy, sits on the eastern bank of the Danube. You can walk along its walls for a view of the river and the town, and the former stables now serve as local artist studios.

The EXIT music festival in July takes place at Petrovaradin, featuring international performers in rock, blues, heavy metal, reggae, hip hop, and techno.

Budva

As the world’s newest nation, gaining independence from Serbia in 2006, Montenegro almost feels like virgin travel territory.

Budva, one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic, is the country’s top destination, with beaches and a small old town with cafes, shops, and churches. The nightlife along the promenade bumps into the morning.

The old-town area is Venetian in style, a result of Venetian rule from the 1400s to 1700s. The town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1979, but rebuilding was completed in 1987.

Kotor

A 30-minute drive from Budva is Kotor, with another medieval old town, this one alongside Europe’s southernmost fjord. Like Budva, the town is full of churches, restaurants, clubs, and bars, making for a lively and noisy nightlife, but with less of the feel of a resort town.

* Tip: Prepare yourself for huge crowds if you go in summer — more than 30,000 people come for the Bokeljska Noć, or Summer Carnival.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Heading to Europe? Don’t hesitant to pose your logistical questions to our destination experts on the continent.

Photo: garryknight / All other photos by author

1. Lisbon Lounge Hostel, Lisbon

A consistent #1 Hostel In The World winner, Lisbon Lounge is just about as perfect as everyone says it is. It’s the backpacker equivalent of a prom queen in a stripper outfit, with everything that every traveler dreams about down below.

Lisbon Lounge decadence

The building looks like it was designed by Ian Schrager. The common spaces are just plain decadent. The rooms are big, with plenty of room to spread out.

The designers took great care to use old parts of the building in the modern design — big, empty fireplaces still remain in rooms and give them a “homey” feel.

You might pooh-pooh the pretentious aspects at first, but I highly recommend you give in to them. For the extra money you’re spending, let yourself enjoy the DJ playing chillout music and the mojito bar in the corner. Go on, you slept in that shady place with ants last night. Tonight, you’re a queen.

I paid: €17

2. Goodnight Hostel, Lisbon

The most whispered-about hostel in Portugal, this is a traveler’s favorite. Perfectly located in Baixa Chiado, the Goodnight Hostel is several floors of adorable design and friendly faces.

The main room is the kind of place that people love to congregate in, and yes, the party can go late.

The owner is a 30-year old with loads of travel under his belt, and it shows. He’s thought about the annoyances that some hostels can bring and avoided them.

Forgot your towel at the last place? Two euros will pick you up a brand new one.

The fridge is stashed with all kinds of drinks, with juice and tea set out for guests all day. The DVD room is so stocked that it made me want to move in for a week and do nothing but watch films.

Oh, and the first beer is on the house, always.

I paid: €14

3. Nice Way Hostel, Sintra

Open just one month, this place will be heaving by next summer. The two-floor hostel is a real charmer, with wooden floors and a fantastic communal room upstairs. It might also be the only hostel located on the premises of what used to be a daycare.

The owner (Pedro) is one of those guys who makes it all simple. He’s got a non-wiseass answer for everything and is eager to help. You get the feeling that it’s genuine and not a put-on for some early Hostelworld ratings.

Too many people come to Sintra for a day trip from Lisbon and hopefully the opening of this hostel will push more to spend the night.

I paid: €17

4. Peniche Hostel, Peniche

This surfer’s hangout is located on the second floor of a downtown building. Boards lie out on empty bunks and wetsuits hang in the garden.

Not quite couch surfing

Most rooms are deserted when the breaks are strong, then crammed with half-naked bodies when everyone is back from the surf.

The Peniche Hostel is small — my guess about 20 beds — and feels more like a house because of this. The party moves to the small living room each night.

Elbows bump as everyone tries to cook in the equally small kitchen. Nobody cares — it makes friends of people who might never have even met, which is one of the great intangibles in good hostel travel.

I paid: €18

5. Yes! Hostel, Lisbon

Surprising value for such a cheap bed! Big rooms with lots of bathroom space, fluffy mattresses and a happy, positive staff. The three large Macs are the nicest hostel computers I’ve seen — ever.

The common area is where most people hang out. Beer is 3 for 2 after 22:00 and many people take advantage of this while big-screen movies roll. The € 8 dinner is usually delicious and comes with three free glasses of *hiccup* wine.

I paid: €13

6. The Yellow House, Porto

This happy and hip hostel is owned by Saul Williams, guitarist for Britpop favorites James.

As promised, old dude

It sits discreetly on a side street and inside it has the look and feel of a small mansion.

The winding staircase leads to two floors of rooms, most with six bunks. The hardwood floors and high ceilings pack on the charm, as do the living room’s chandelier and the kitchen’s massive painting of some old dude.

Word is that this place is overflowing in the summer, with the back garden filling up with visitors looking to chill out and drink lots of wine. Ask Bruno nicely and he may make you some risotto.

I paid: €16

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Check out these articles for more pearls of wisdom on hostel dwelling:

How to Eat for Free at Hostels

The 20 Craziest Party Hostels Around the World

Hostel Sex: A Practical Guide for Backpackers

Hostel Love: Why Relationships on the Road Never Last

Do You Know What’s Crawling in Your Hostel Shower?

How to Make Your Hostel Less Hostile

Photo: timkelley

1. Don’t… ride a camel at the Pyramids

Those gaudy pompoms and tassels look rather fetching on the camel, and you couldn’t ask for a more magnificent backdrop for your showoff photos than the Pyramids. The owner will even tell you his camel is free to get on.

It is. It’s just getting off that’ll cost you whatever cash you’ve got. Leaping off an eight-foot-tall camel is no easy feat, and sand ain’t so soft when you land nose first.

Do… ride a camel into the desert behind the Pyramids

There are loads of stables near the Sphinx that arrange trips into the desert. Shop around — prices and the condition of the animals vary greatly.

The best time to go is for sunset. You get a wonderful view of the Pyramids, combined with the mournful call to prayer that echoes through the desert from mosques all over Cairo.

Word of warning: For every leg-splayed hour astride a camel, you’ll spend a day walking like John Wayne.

2. Don’t… take a guided tour of the West Bank of Luxor

There’s a good chance you’ll spend more time touring the alabaster factories than the sights. And even some of the best guides will bludgeon you into indifference with an endless succession of pharaonic “facts.”

Also, don’t bother paying extra to enter Tutankhamen’s tomb at the Valley of the Kings. It’s tiny, incomplete, and entirely underwhelming.

Sure, you can see his shriveled head and feet poking out each end of a grotty blanket. But the portion covering his body is suspiciously flat.

Photo: Mossaiq

Do… hire bicycles and go your own way

Ride through dusty villages and bright fields of sugarcane, visiting the sights you want, at the pace you want.

At the Valley of the Kings, visit the tomb of Ramesses V instead of King Tut. Tremendous colours in there.

3. Don’t… climb Mount Sinai for sunrise

Everybody does this, but it turns what should be a pleasant ascent into a nightmare. You have to get up before you’ve even gone to bed and stumble up a bumpy track in the pitch black while trying to dodge pilgrims and camel farts.

By the time you reach the top, in desperate need of some sort of salvation, there probably won’t be any room for you.

Do… climb for sunset instead

That way you can avoid the crowds and enjoy views of a desolate landscape.

If you arrange it in advance, you can have the local Bedouin cook you dinner and spend the night on the mountain. You’ll wake up refreshed and in prime position to watch sunrise from the smug comfort of your own blanket.

4. Don’t… visit Philae Temple by day

This temple is on an island south of Aswan, and is far too hot and exposed to visit comfortably during the day.

More importantly, flooding caused by the building of the Aswan Dam and the High Dam has washed all the colours away. It’s hard to pick out any details in the harsh sunlight.

Fun fact: After the High Dam was built, Philae Temple was completely submerged. While still under water, it was chopped up and moved to another island.

Do… visit at night for the sound and light show

See the temple blaze against the ink-black sky. The melodramatic story is narrated by “ancient gods and goddesses,” and is simultaneously fascinating, inspiring, and unintentionally hilarious.

Photo: prilfish

5. Don’t… tell your cab driver you’re an atheist

He won’t understand how that’s possible.

There’s a time and a place for enlightened religious discussion, but it’s not when you’re jammed into a Cairo taxi, sweating fumes, and battered by car horns.

You’re already in Hell.

Do… tell him you’re a Christian/Muslim/Jew

It just makes life easier. Anything else will open up a can of holy worms.

When giving directions, end each sentence with “insha’Allah” (God willing). As in, “Turn left, insha’Allah.” You’ll get an automatic 2 LE reduction on your fare.

6. Don’t… smoke Cleopatra cigarettes

There’s a reason why these sexy-sounding little sticks cost only 50 cents a pack. And it’s not, as some would have you believe, because they’re fortified with Vitamin C.

Photo: DavidDennisPhotos.com

Do… mellow out with a shisha pipe

These water-pipes are used to smoke a sticky, fragrant tobacco that comes in loads of different flavours. Apple is a classic. Unflavoured maasel will blow your head off.

Shisha pipes are best enjoyed in a local coffeeshop over a game of backgammon and a cup of grainy Turkish coffee.

Stroking your beard while exhaling a cloud of smoke makes you look philosophical. Gesticulating wildly with the hose makes you look like a prick.

7. Don’t… try molokhiya (Jew’s mallow)

Unless you really like slurping on a gelatinous green soup the consistency of snot mixed with semen. With added stringy bits.

No, really.

Do… try koshary

This is a carbohydrate bomb made out of pasta, rice, lentils, chickpeas, fried onions, and tomato salsa, topped off with a potent chili sauce. Sounds gross; tastes great; costs next to nothing.

Also try pigeon, although with extreme caution. Not only is it booby-trapped with hundreds of fine bones, the Egyptian word for pigeon is very similar to that for toilet.

8. Don’t… buy the tourist tat from Khan al-Khalili

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Galabayas embroidered with pictures of Egyptian gods and goddesses.
• Genuine fake papyrus.
• Those offensively cheesy t-shirts which say something like, “A camel can go for 14 days without a drink; I can’t!”

Photo: Andrew Currie

And just for the record, if a vendor wants 140 LE for an “onyx” cat statue, and you pay 120 LE, it doesn’t mean you got a good deal. Or even haggled.

Do… seek out genuine, practical souvenirs

You can pick up decent, wearable galabayas at any local market, and good quality shisha pipes from just north of Khan al-Khalili.

Spices, scarves, perfume, and silver are all good buys (though the silver isn’t that pure).

If you must buy pharaonic kitsch, go for a sandstorm-in-a-pyramid paperweight. Now that’s a classy souvenir!

Community Connection

Photo: Giustino

The Swahili Coast is an ancient place where cultures have met and blended during ten centuries of trade. Lamu Town, on Lamu Island off the north Kenya coast, is the purest expression of Swahili culture remaining.

Getting there

Lamu Island is one of the larger islands of the archipelago by the same name that lie scattered along the Kenyan coast just south of the border with Somalia.

The easiest and safest way to reach Lamu is by air, since the roads are poor and sometimes impassable, and the infamous Somali pirates operate offshore. Several of Kenya’s reliable small airline companies fly daily from Nairobi to Lamu, including Air Kenya and Safarilink (out of Wilson Airport), and Fly 540 (from Jomo Kenyatta International).

Photo: Cessna 206

Be prepared for sticker shock — a roundtrip is over $300 per person.

The flight carries you out to the rustic landing strip on nearby Manda Island in about two hours. Collect your bag, walk down to the new jetty, and board a dhow to cross the channel to Lamu Town, visible in the distance. It’s only a 15-minute boat ride.

Shortly after taking to the water, Lamu Town will come into focus. Sure, modern amenities like satellite dishes and telephone poles are present, but overall the town retains the image of an old Swahili port with mosques overlooking the dockside go-downs and tall houses of once-wealthy merchants.

The waterfront is full of fishmongers and wholesalers, idlers and laborers, men in kanzu and kofia (caftan and traditional embroidered cap), women shrouded in black bui bui, and uncountable donkeys, dogs, cats, chickens, and children taking it easy.

Getting around

The narrow alleyways of the old town hardly permit the passage of two people side-by-side. There’s only one automobile on the island, and almost everyone gets around on foot, or on donkey-back.

Photo: Sand Paper

Water taxis are available for a few hundred bob (local slang for Kenyan shillings). Bargain hard. The price will come down.

Even on the hottest days of the year, the alleyways of Lamu Town are cool and shady. Bougainvillea and frangipani line the walls and the passages are animated by the billowing veils of Muslim women in their bui bui.

With more than 30 mosques and a population of just over 5,000, Islam is ever-present, beginning with the first call to prayer before sunrise.

Harambee Avenue, the main street parallel to the wharf just 50 meters from the waterfront, is good for a wander. Other than the occasional tourist and a few modern boutiques, there’s little to indicate the town has changed much in the last few decades.

Lamu Fort Square / Photo: Author

Locals will ignore you as they go about their business or chat in the doorways of the many little dukas that line the street.

In the town square in front of the old Fort, built by the Omani Arabs in 1808, an ancient almond tree with broad, dark green leaves creates an atmosphere of calm and a shady place for people to gather.

The fort is interesting to explore, and the National Museum nearby is supposed to be one of the best in Kenya.

Where to eat

It’s easy to eat well for very little in Lamu. Whispers Cafe on Harambee, behind the old waterfront mosque (now abandoned), has a cool courtyard filled with palms and flowering vines.

Shela Village / Photo: Author

A couple miles east along the waterfront is Shela Village, where you’ll find the Peponi Hotel.

A local institution since the 1960s, and still operated by the founding family, the hotel is worth a visit, and the restaurant is excellent.

If nothing else, try a dawa (a popular Kenyan drink made of limes, honey, and vodka) on the veranda, where you can sit and watch the boats sail by.

Where to stay

Near the Peponi in Shela Village is Kijani House, a complex of a dozen rooms built around a labyrinth of little gardens with small dipping pools for cooling down on a hot day. Rates are very reasonable.

There are other small boutique hotels in Shela, and many hotels and rooming houses in Lamu Town. If you prefer peace and quiet, and easy access to a wonderful beach, Shela is the better option. The southern shore of Lamu Island has a 13km sandy beach, and you’ll rarely see 10 people at a time on it.

Manda Beach / Photo: un punto in movimento

You can also hire a dhow to take you to Manda Island to walk the beach opposite Shela.

There are B&Bs and a bar there, and at the eastern end, just before you reach the wild and rocky Indian Ocean coastline at Ras Kitau, there’s a camping area for backpackers.

Ras Kitau seems to go on forever, with craggy promontories, wide sandy beaches, and big tidal pools — the Swahili Coast as the Portuguese saw it in the 16th century.

Community Connection

Matador’s got you covered if you’re heading over to Africa’s west coast as well. Check out Five Reasons to Go to Angola in 2009 (And Beyond).

A los capos les gusta Matador. / Photo: ‘J’

Tom Gates, Matador Nights

Arguably the best Japanese food in Buenos Aires is at Comedor Nikkai, which is, not surprisingly, located in the Japanese Cultural Center (Av. Independencia 732, San Telmo).

The spinach appetizer still makes me drool while daydreaming. Sushi plates are fresh and generous. The chirashi is among the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve housed a lot of raw fish. Great sake and a very friendly staff. Rivals the best sushi I’ve had in New York or Japan.

Photo: Tokyo Tanenhaus

Another favorite: the Federal Police Museum. Strange and borderline terrifying.

I’ve gone twice and have never witnessed another customer, which wouldn’t be a big deal were the place not filled with creepy mannequins that could come to life at any moment.

The drug section is bizarre, especially the heroin display with a needle sticking out of a fake arm. It’s all here — re-creations of exhumed bodies, the bones of a police dog, and even confiscated gambling equipment.

An absolute must if you’re a little freaky. I wrote a post about it (with photos) called Creeped Out at Museo de la Policia Federal, Buenos Aires.

Adam Roy, Matador Sports

I’d have to go with one of three things:

* Cafe San Bernardo — a neighborhood dive in Villa Crespo, got character comin’ out the ears, complete with poem dedicated to the cafe posted on the wall, a giant, yellowing picture of Carlitos hanging above the bar, and about 20 pool tables. Also, open 24-7 (Avenida Corrientes 5434).

* El Ateneo — the friggin’ gigantic bookstore in an old theater (Avenida Santa Fe 1860).

* Bendita/Maldita Milonga — crazy, semi-spooky milonga in San Telmo, right next to Club Museum.

David Miller, Matador Senior Editor

Note: originally published as a Matador blog, 8/10/07

Street scene, San Telmo/Photo: saumilshah

Lau’s dad, Adalberto, came over yesterday and we had lunch in San Telmo, a great place called territorio at the corner of Estados Unidos and Bolivar.

Dark, high-ceilinged, and with several cervezas artesanales or microbrews on tap, it felt almost like an Irish pub except for the Brazilian breakbeats and other electronic music playing on the stereo.

Both Adalberto and I had guiso surreño, a classic meat stew, topped with rosemary potatoes, and cerveza rubio, or pilsner. Lau had an omelet with basil, tomato, and cheese that looked wonderful.

The place had an immaculate bathroom, which, as Anthony Bourdain points out, is a pretty solid indicator of how a restaurant keeps their kitchen. I also noted a special paragraph on the menu stating that territorio doesn’t serve cokes or soft drinks as the hyper-sweetened beverages take away from the food. I couldn’t agree more.

After lunch we had pear tarts and apple crumbles for dessert, plus tea and espressos. This would’ve been a $60 lunch back in the U.S. but with the exchange rate being more than 3 pesos to a dollar, it ended up costing less than twenty bucks.

A highly recommendable spot for lunch or dinner