Because you just never know when you’re going to need this knowledge. Trust.
For all the awesomeness, subscribe to my YouTube channel, HERE!
Tag Archives: weird
WATCH: The Hunt for the Louisiana Swamp Monsters
According to Cajun legend, deep in the Louisiana Swamp is the Rougarou — a large, werewolf-like half-man, half-beast creature who preys on people who venture too far into its terrain.
Photo (modified) by Angie Garrett/Flickr. Design by Lauren DeLuca for Yahoo Travel.
Regarding this legendary beast, History.com says, “The Cajun legend of the Rougarou can take on multiple forms. Originally derived from French stories of the ‘loup-garu,’ or ‘wolf man,’ the monster is most commonly described as a bayou-dwelling werewolf with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. The beast is usually said to be a cursed man who must shed another’s blood in order to break its spell and reassume human form, but the tale varies according to the teller. In some versions, the Rougarou can turn its victims just by locking eyes with them; in others, it takes the form of a dog or pig rather than a wolf. Still others paint it as a shape shifter that can assume different human and animal forms at will. Because it can switch its appearance so easily, some even conflate the creature with the legendary Skunk Ape of southeastern U.S. swamp lore. In most Louisiana parishes, the Rougarou myth is employed as a kind of cautionary tale. Children are told that the fiend will come for them if they don’t behave, and Catholics are warned that it hunts down those who break Lent.”
A rougarou on display at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. (Photo: praline3001/Flickr)
Since I was in that neck of the woods, I decided to try and see it for myself and check out another supposedly tall tale — the ginormous DinoGator, an alligator that measures up to 50 feet long. Think Lake Placid on steroids.
Related: Inside the Cage of Death With Australia’s Monster Crocs
Ready for my monsters.
Raging Out in Sidney Which Got Wild And Weird for Vivid (not the Porn Company)
For two and a half weeks in late spring every year, Sydney takes over the mantle of City of Light (sorry, Paris). The city-wide Vivid Light festival transforms Sydney “into a wonderland of ‘light art’ sculptures, innovative light installations, and grand-scale projections for all to enjoy — for free,” promises the website. “It is a magical celebration of light-design excellence and the world’s largest outdoor ‘art-gallery’: a unique Vivid Sydney experience.”
And it is wild. The facades of public buildings appear to come alive — taken over by (video) vines and (projections of) the ocean. Forests of fluorescent trees sprout up by the waterfront and musical steps that rival that famous scene in the movie Big are everywhere.
It is magical, transformative, and fun. If you’ve ever wanted to go to Australia, book your ticket for the end of May so you can check out Vivid. It is worth every free penny.
An Homage to the Shining: It Got Weird during Snowmaggeddon 2015 in Greenland
As anyone living on the East Coast can tell you: This past winter was rough. I thought I’d seen it all — snow for days, snowdrifts several feet high, icy sidewalks — you name it. But apparently, in the Arctic Circle, what we call Snowmageddon is just another Tuesday in April. Or May. Or, you know, whenever. And when you’re in the Arctic Circle, all plans are speculative.
I went to Greenland in April, with dreams of dog mushing, ice fishing, Northern Lights viewing, and hanging with polar bears and Inuit, possibly in an igloo. I was supposed to fly into the capital city of Nuuk (population 17,000) for a few days before heading north to Illulisat and my adventures. Little did I know a blizzard was on the way. And by blizzard, I mean a snow dump that lasted three and a half days — as in, it didn’t stop snowing for one hot second for three and half days. All flights were canceled and my A Broad Abroad crew and I were stranded — granted, we were stranded at the lovely Hans Egede Hotel, but when the power goes out intermittently for three and a half days, all hallways, no matter how nice, get real creepy, real fast.
Now, I don’t know if you know this, but there’s not much to do in a town of 17,000 people — especially when you can’t walk anywhere due to low visibility and spotty electricity. But, just in case you are ever in the same situation, I have made a handy-dandy list of things to do when snowed in — and, even better, I captured all the randomness on video. So, watch the video and read the list.
1. Make new friends. Or try to…
Just so you know, there are three — count ’em, three — guys on Tinder in Nuuk. And not one of them wanted to hang with me … possibly because in my not-so-subtle message I asked for an interview instead of a date, typing, “Hey! Just in town for a hot second with a film crew — want to be on camera and talk about how to date in Greenland???”
Related: How to Dress for the Arctic in 13 Easy Steps
2. Ask for suggestions of what to do on Twitter and Facebook
Which leads to things like making snow angels (and getting snow down your pants), building snow caves (and getting snow down your pants), snowball fights with strangers (fun fact: Locals in Greenland are much, much better at snowball fighting than anyone from 49 out of 50 United States — funny, that), and karaoke/sing-alongs with the guy playing piano at the hotel bar. A lot of karaoke and sing-alongs.
3. Have a drink. Or five.
Speaking of hotel bars, when the sun is blocked out for days on end and every hour bleeds into the next, there’s not much else to do but drink. Thankfully, Greenland has a lively craft brewery scene, and the beer is not only delicious but locally made (unlike everything else in the country, which is imported), so it isn’t insanely expensive.
4. Just give in to cabin fever — start talking to yourself and filming homages to The Shining
All work and no play makes Paula a dull girl.
Icelanders are the Honey Badgers of Europe
As I’ve already noted, Iceland is a conundrum.
It’s probably the only country on earth where people think it’s totally cool to leave their babies in their strollers outside of a cafe while they eat and drink inside, child-free.
It is called ICEland, but it is way more green than icy.
Every two feet is a different landscape … Iceland physically doesn’t make sense.
And, as I’ve reported before, people believe in elves. And trolls. And “hidden people.”
Related: Iceland, The Most Magical Layover Ever.
This Viking sees elves. And we love him for it. (Photo: Ricky Montalvo)
As locals will tell you, there’s a lot more awesome weirdness that goes on.
And as we at Yahoo Travel always say: Know (the local customs) before you go. You will have a better time and make more friends — which, in a country like Iceland, is easy to do. Trust.
Watch this video, learn the country’s customs and revel in their oddness. They’re fascinating!
For more Iceland Awesomeness, check out Meet the Elf Whisperer of Iceland. Yes, She Sees Elves. Yes, She’s For Real:
Avalanches, Death Threats, and No Lifts. Welcome to the World’s Craziest Ski Race
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyAsqKdV6Mg
When one thinks of Afghanistan, one usually does not think of skiing.
There are several reasons for this.
-
Afghanistan has been war-ravaged for decades.
- Afghanistan,” “leisure sports,” and “fun, relaxing time” are not things ever associated with one another in many peoples’ minds.
- There are no ski lifts in Afghanistan.
-
There are people in Afghanistan, right this very second,actively trying to kill/maim/torture anyone with a Western passport. To make it worse, those very same people really don’t like people who have the audacity to have been born with female genitalia.
-
The country doesn’t exactly scream, “Hey, people, come hang out and spend some of those lucrative tourist dollars!
-
The altitude up there can exceed 11,000 feet, making it very hard to breathe properly when there is not a lot of oxygen floating around. Not ideal when you have to scale a mountain on foot with skis strapped to your back in order to shuss down it.
- There are no ski shops within 5,000 miles. Not super convenient if you forgot your long underwear.
- There are no female ski instructors (there are a few men who have been trained), and women are not allowed to be alone with men in any situation.
I could go on, but you get the gist.
Trekking up the mountain range. (Photo: Paula Froelich)
I Finally Learned How To Put On a Decent Skeleton Face
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk19KRj_AA8
I went to Oaxaca for the Day of the Dead celebration this year because why the hell not, eh? And because it was super cool and rocked the house. And because I wanted to do it right, I went full Catarina Dead Lady… For those of you who have never seen a Tim Burton movie or have lived in a shoe box, the Day of the Dead is, according to Frances Ann Day in “Latina and Latino Voices in Literature”:
“On October 31, All Hallows Eve, the children make a children’s altar to invite the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to come back for a visit. November 1 is All Saints Day, and the adult spirits will come to visit. November 2 is All Souls Day, when families go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and tombs of their relatives.”
Aaaaand they dress up just like Halloween. PS: DO YOU KNOW HOW FRICKING HARD IT IS TO TAKE THAT SHELLACK OFF? REALLY HARD! After the jump Check out more pics Continue reading
More Fun Facts I Learned While Traversing The World (Part 2)
Proof that I really am a unicorn, as, let’s be honest, only unicorns have rainbows emanating from their asses. (Truth number 1: It is really hard to get proof of unicornness. It can really only be done in Iguazu Falls, Brazil).
More Truths From Around The World, courtesy of yours truly. The Unicorn of Truth Tellers. Heh.
- In Mali, a muslim country, a woman can bathe by the side of the road in the river topless, but will NEVER show her legs above the ankle. It’s just not done.
- Communists have a seriously underdeveloped sense of humor. At least in public.
- For women: If you are looking for a hunky, manly man the place to go is BIAP (Baghdad International Airport), which is full of horny, female-starved Western contractors in the best physical condition of their life. And they will buy coffee.
- Do NOT go to Africa if you are an albino. You will be sacrificed and possibly eaten.
- The only times I’ve ever had food poisoning in a third world country was when I ate at five star hotels. Street meat = A ok in my book.
- Be Careful of the chili in Cincinnati, Ohio. Your stomach may not be able to handle it.
- What happens when you out-karaoke a North Korean? I did it once – not pretty! It’s best not to do it Especially if you are in North Korea.
- Communist regimes – or any dictatorial regime feeling threatened – do not like Facebook or Twitter. So much so, it is almost impossible to log in to those, or any other widely used social site, while in the confines of their borders. Just in case, you know, someone wants to start a revolution.
- The Mandarin word for “shoe” is the same for “vagina” – so be careful when you say you want to go shoe shopping.
-
In India, if two dudes are walking down the street holding hands, it means they’re friends NOT lovers.
-
In Japan, women let men get in the elevator first. I KNOW! SO ANNOYING!
-
Despite immense dental care advances throughout the world, the English still have really bad teeth, hence the “British Book Of Smiles”.
-
In England, a “fag” is a cigarette, not a nasty term for a homosexual.
- Despite any and all stereotypes, most people in every country I have ever been to are really, really lovely. If just give them the chance.
- NEVER shake hands with your left hand, pretty much anywhere. Especially in India. If someone offers to shake your hand with their left, they are insulting you.
What are some truths you’ve learned? I’d love to add them to my list… and put them in a large soon to be downloadable Book Of Truths (with illustrations!)
The Night of The Tortured Turtles (Or: How To Make Organic Viagra)
The final concoction: Blood (red) and Bile (green) mixed with 120 proof liquor.
During my trip to Hanoi, I got along so well with my guide Lan and my driver Thang that they invited me to Thang’s anniversary – and I (obviously) said HELL YES! I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Okay, these are the guys who took me to a brothel and introduced me to the hangover cure, so maybe I had a small clue, but damn, was I not ready for this mixology lesson.
The party was at a multi-floor restaurant 20 minutes away from my Hotel. It was the same crowd as the day before – except this time everyone brought their wives and children. The main entertainment was the torture of the turtles. Two restaurant employees brought out a bucket of the doomed reptiles. While one held the wriggling body, the other employee took out a sharp menacing knife, grabbed the turtles’ heads and slit their necks – collecting the blood in a large glass while the dying turtle gave me the hairy eye ball [ed note: can’t say I blame him, but what was I gonna do?]. Minutes later a waitress took a hypodermic needle and extracted all the green bile-y goodness from the dying reptiles’ gall bladders. It was like watching the Coconut Tree Prison display come to life, with reptile stand ins for the mannequins.