Tag Archives: Travel

Art

Illustrator Demonstrates Ireland’s Linguistic Decline

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JG O’Donoghue imagines a ‘versus’ scenario to demonstrate the struggle of ‘languages at risk’

There is a mass decline in linguistic diversity happening all over the planet and in places geographically far apart and I think that if things don’t change, the loss of language diversity will be immense.

In the book, Irish in the global context,  Suzanne Romaine mentions that linguists believe, that 50 to 90 % of the world’s estimated 6,900 languages will simply vanish over next 100 years.

At this moment in time, 85% of the world’s languages have fewer than 100,000 speakers and over half of the world’s remaining languages are spoken by just .2 % of the world’s population. These facts have informed my work and have become the wider subject of my illustrations, specifically the linguistic decline of the Irish language.

In some ways the battle between the Irish and the English languages is one of the defining features in modern Irish culture, but it is Irish which defines this island more, and the Irish language tells the entire history of Ireland in its influences and in its form.

Ruairí Ó hUiginn said in his book  The Irish language: you have influences of Latin from the Christianization of Ireland in ecclesiastical words, influences from Viking invasions in words for “seafaring, fishing and trade”, influences from the militaristic Normans [ French CP] in words for “architecture, administration and warfare”, and from English colonialism you get English in every day words.

“To create my intended mood, the english words are given a general typography while the Irish words are given a distinctive script reminiscent of Geoffrey Keating’s book Foras Feasa ar Eirinn”

Each influence shows an aspect of Irish culture. What people forget to realize is that a language is much more than something spoken to express oneself. Ancient peoples created language in an attempt to describe the world around them and the world within them, in other words their worldview.

An example in Irish is- you don’t say ‘I’m angry’, you say ‘tá fearg orm’, which means ‘I have an anger on me’.

Nevertheless, Irish is important internationally too, and Irish is the third oldest written language in Europe, after Latin and Greek, and as a spoken language it may even be older than both.

How should an artist illustrate a language? And more specifically the struggle of one language with another? I choose nature as my metaphor, from the ancient forests of Ireland, mostly gone now, to Islands which stand for thousands of years but are slowly worn away by the tide. The words that make up these landscapes are either ‘for’ or ‘against’.

My illustrations therefore visualize the real life drama of ancient language versus modern language.

I imagine a “versus” scenario. On the “against” side I chose English words plucked from peoples statements in online forums and in letters to newspapers. On the “for” side I chose Irish words, and they were chosen from recent investigations into the creation of the ancient Irish language. Irish words in my illustrations such as “dúchas (heritage), tír (country), litríocht(literature), and stair(history)” reflect the Irish language’s cultural importance, while “Todhchaí(future), féinmhuinín(self-confidence), beatha(life), and anam(soul)” reflect its importance in a metaphysical way to Ireland.

The Irish language forest- An Coill Teanga Gaeilge

The english ‘against’ words can range from the practical benefits of english within subjects such as “tourism, movies, business, and comics,” to words that reflect the interaction of English speakers with Irish. To illustrate the concept, I chose words like “conform, bend, harass, and adapt”.

To create my intended mood, the english words are given a general indistinctive typography reflecting uniform mono-linguilism, while the Irish words are given a distinctive Irish manuscript/Gaelic script reminiscent of Geoffrey Keating’s 17th century book- Foras Feasa ar Éirinn/History of Ireland.

The core message in my illustrations is a positive one, the sun is rising for a new day as the Irish language holds on, like a lot of minority languages. It is diminished but not beyond hope. I believe it can make a comeback, and this is exactly what is happening all over this country today, because of the work of people far more dedicated than myself. I hope my work can help reinforce linguistic diversity as well as all forms of heritage. I have the will to preserve these for future generations, so they too can live in a world full of diversity spending their lives discovering and exploring it in all its beautiful variety.

For the Silo, JG O’Donoghue.

 

Culture

The 1% Lifestyle That 99% Of Us Can Afford

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Screenshot from waaaay back in 2010 and from an Ontario Lottery Gaming commercial. The premise? You’re stuck in a desert in a stalled car with a giant robot attacking. But then you remember what’s in the glove compartment…watch the video below and realize that counting on a lottery win is not the best way to financial security.

Maybe you’ve seen the ad, or one like it? For example-an Ontario Lottery Gaming commercial that depicts an attractive woman climbing out of bed, enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee before climbing into the cockpit of a sailboat, the implication being that if one wins a multi-million dollar jackpot, one can have the “yachty” lifestyle.

As I write this, I am sitting in the cockpit of my sailboat sipping a cup of coffee while enjoying the morning sun, and I have never won the lottery. In fact, I will be going to work at my average-guy, average-wage job shortly. Then, at the end of the workday, I will be returning to my sailboat, to enjoy the sunset.

For several years my wife, and I, and our dog, have spent the spring, summer and fall aboard our small sailboat. We return to our “dirt-home” only occasionally, to do laundry, mow the lawn so the neighbours don’t complain, collect mail and make sure the place hasn’t burned down.

This is the view that Bryan enjoys along with his ‘dock coffee’ at the Port Dover Harbour Marina. photo: B. Jones

After all, we need some place to live when the water is too hard and too cold to float a sailboat.

When new acquaintances find out that we are sailors and dock-rats, we often hear, “Oh, I have always wanted to sail!” or “I have always wanted to live on a boat!” What follows is often an enjoyable conversation about how to make it happen, how to “live the dream.”

I will confess, though, when hearing “Oh, I have always wanted to…” that the curmudgeonly little voice in the back of my head wants to retort, “No, you haven’t. If you really did, you would be doing it.”

Because it ain’t that hard to do.

We’re not rich. As I mentioned, my wife and I are pretty average people. Average age, average income, average credit scores, average sized mortgage, kids in college… look up “average” in the dictionary, and you don’t see our picture, because there are millions of folks just like us, and somebody way up the line got the honour.

We made a choice. We chose to buy a good, old boat for a mid-four- figure sum, invest a few hundred bucks a year on maintenance and a few hundred more on a slip to dock it in.

Our boat cost less than the annual membership at many golf clubs, and our slip fee for 6 months is less than a two week cottage rental in Turkey Point.

Bryan’s solution to beating the heat is to leave the dock and sail into the wind.

(Okay, before you start pelting me with hate mail, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with golf or vacationing in Turkey Point. Really. Except the clothes. KIDDING!)

It isn’t all fun and games and Jimmy Buffett tunes though.

Before you dash out and buy an old boat, here’s ten things my wife and I have learned over the past few seasons:

1. The stuff that bothers each of you about each other in 2000 sq ft on land does not magically go away in less than 200 sq ft on water. Learn to communicate, consider and compromise.
2. If you take it out, put it away. Now.
3. Each new item onboard means an old item has to leave.
4. Its okay to not talk.
5. One cooks, one does dishes. Helping doesn’t help.
6. When the dog needs shore patrol, the dog. Needs. Shore. Patrol. Now.
7. Find your own quiet spot, whether it is the v-berth, quarter berth, foredeck or cockpit.
8. You don’t have to get there today. You don’t even have to get there tomorrow.
9. When docking, mooring, anchoring, tacking or damn near anything goes awry, talk it out, and then hug it out.
10. There is a difference between being heard, and yelling.

We live in a slip on a dock with no services. No electricity and no water (aside from that which the boat floats in, smart-alecks,) means we have to refill our onboard water tank from 6 gallon water jugs hauled up the dock a couple of times a week, heat water on our alcohol stove to wash dishes, use solar panels to keep our batteries topped up and we don’t have air conditioning, or a microwave, or a big flat screen TV. A shower is a 10 minute dinghy ride or 15 minute walk away.

And we’re cool with that. We have become better, more creative cooks, we read more, we talk more, and the sunsets here and the characters we share them with more than compensate. We have talked more, laughed more and shared more with our dock-side neighbors than we ever have with our neighbors “on the dirt.” Our house is a house, but this is our home. For the Silo, Brian Jones. 

Culture

Landmarks of Ancient Yemen added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List

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Paris, January, 2023 – The World Heritage Committee meeting in an extraordinary session on Thursday inscribed the Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib (Yemen) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.


The Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib, is a serial property comprising seven archaeological sites that bear witness to the rich Kingdom of Saba and its architectural, aesthetic and technological achievements from the 1st millennium BCE to the arrival of Islam around 630 CE.

Yemen’s recorded history started when it was known as Saba/Sheba three thousand years ago, on the main spice route from the east to Europe, and was rich and powerful. The Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Solomon appears in both the Bible and the Koran.


They bear witness to the complex centralized administration of the Kingdom when it controlled much of the incense route across the Arabian Peninsula, playing a key role in the wider network of cultural exchange fostered by trade with the Mediterranean and East Africa.


Located in a semi-arid landscape of valleys, mountains and deserts, the property encompasses the remains of large urban settlements with monumental temples, ramparts and other buildings.

The irrigation system of ancient Ma’rib reflects technological prowess in hydrological engineering and agriculture on a scale unparalleled in ancient South Arabia, resulting in the creation of the largest ancient man-made oasis.

Marib Dam photos before and after the destruction. photo: German Archaeological Institute/Burkhard Vogt


The World Heritage Committee used an emergency procedure to inscribe this site on the List of World Heritage in Danger, due to threats of destruction from the ongoing conflict.


The List of World Heritage in Danger provides access to enhanced international assistance, both technical and financial, and helps mobilize the entire international community for the protection of sites.

Travel

Helsinki’s Growing Reputation As World Class Food City

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For many people, the first things that come to mind when asked about Helsinki are its northern location, the happiest people in the world, and functional design.

The Finnish capital’s high-quality and unique food culture, on the other hand, has remained a well-kept secret and often pleasantly surprises visitors to the city. In Helsinki, one can find numerous innovative restaurants, the oldest market halls in the Nordic region, the Teurastamo centre of urban and culinary culture, distilleries, microbreweries and other craft companies, such as bakeries and chocolate producers.

“The strengths of Helsinki’s food culture are its versatility, personality and a certain kind of uniqueness that combines local flavours and cultural influences from both East and West with a bold and innovative approach. The level of Helsinki’s top restaurants is illustrated by the fact that one restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars and five with one Michelin star,” says Nina Vesterinen, Tourism Director at the City of Helsinki.

Helsinki wants to focus even more strongly on food tourism

Helsinki is currently implementing its Helsinki Tourism and Events Programme 2022–2026. The programme highlights the city’s vibrant urban culture with its events, visitors and restaurants as a key strategic priority for promoting the city’s vitality and wellbeing. Internationally, food has become an important appeal factor for tourism in recent years.

Restaurants play a key role in the vitality of cities. The restaurants in Helsinki have enormous and partly untapped potential, which can be used together with partners to develop the city as an attractive destination providing wonderful experiences for visitors. Helsinki will highlight the best aspects of the city as a food travel destination at the Matka Nordic Travel Fair this month by setting up Helsinki Food Court in cooperation with Food Camp Finland and Messukeskus.

The Matka Nordic Travel Fair in Helsinki is the largest tourism industry event in Northern Europe. In connection with the travel fair, Helsinki will also launch its own food culture strategy work. The aim is to make Helsinki a world-class food city of interest.

Finnjävel brings traditional Finnish dishes into the 21st century and to London               

One of the advocates of Helsinki’s developing restaurant and food culture is Timo Linnamäki, restaurateur and Chairman of the Board of Muru Dining, which operates several restaurants in Helsinki. Representing Muru Group at the travel fair will be the restaurant Pastis, which focuses on rustic French cuisine and a casual atmosphere, as well as attentive and individual service.

“So much is happening in Helsinki’s restaurant scene at the moment, the range of offerings continues to expand, and there are real gems offering unique experiences throughout the city. Muru Group’s restaurants are a good example of their versatility – our taste worlds vary from the French cuisine at Pastis and the fish and seafood dishes at Sue Ellen to the Italian cuisine at Fiasco and the pure Finnish flavours at Finnjävel.”

Restaurant food Michelin star

Photo: Finnjävel

Finnjävel originally began as a temporary pop-up restaurant but has since established its operations and gained its first Michelin star in 2021. In the same year, Finnjävel received the acclaimed Service Award for the best service in the Nordic countries.

“The concept of the restaurant is to serve the best Nordic flavours and to bring traditional Finnish dishes that are reminiscent of your grandma’s cooking into the 2020s with a new, innovative approach. We strongly believe in Helsinki’s potential as a restaurant city at the international level, and we will be promoting this message by opening Finnjäveli’s pop-up restaurant at COMO The Halkin Hotel in the Belgravia district of London from 21 March to 1 April 2023. The pop-up will also present the Helsinki Distilling Company and Finnish Gin. Our aim is to offer a unique food experience that attracts international interest in Finnish food culture, producers and ingredients and inspires people to travel to the source to experience more,” says Timo Linnamäki. For the Silo, Leena Karppinen.

Featured image: Tuukka Koski/ Koski Syväri, MyHelsinki Material Bank

Sci-Tech

Canada Space Agency -How Space Affects Our Body

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Living in space has significant effects on the human body. As we prepare for journeys to more distant destinations like Mars, humankind must tackle these risks to ensure safe travel for our astronauts.

Have a look at this nifty infographic from the CSA.

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Canada Space Agency PSA space info

Gaming

Some Monitors Are Actually Designed For Specific Video Games

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IRVINE, Calif. – Waaaay back in Summer 2011, BenQ America Corp. announced that as the official gaming monitor sponsor of Major League Gaming (MLG), the world’s largest competitive video game league, it would be supplying monitors for the then upcoming 2012 MLG Pro Circuit Summer Championship that were held in Raleigh, North Carolina. At the tournament, hundreds of the top gamers from around the world competed using BenQ’s RL2450HT and GL2450HM monitors, designed specifically for professional gaming and engineered to meet the specific needs of eSports athletes. The GL2450HM was also featured in the Virtua Fighter(TM) 5 and Skullgirls(TM) Exhibition Tournaments, alongside the Pro Circuit competition.

At the 2012 MLG Pro Circuit Summer Championship, gamers — including BenQ-sponsored Team Dynamic and Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen — competed for their share of nearly $215,000 in prizes playing the real-time strategy (RTS) games StarCraft(R) II: Wings of Liberty and League of Legends(R) on PC, and fighting games Mortal Kombat(TM) and SoulCalibur(R) V on the PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(TM)).

[Then] 26 year old Dutch professional videogamer Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen and friend Cassandra. How good is he? Check out- http://www.sk-gaming.com/player/90-Grubby image:courtesy MechWarrior online
Thousands of spectators watched the tournament at the Raleigh Convention Center, and hundreds of thousands of fans watched the action online at www.majorleaguegaming.com/live.

For those retro system fans, there was even a Summer Championship that let fans get in on the action with Virtua Fighter 5 and Skullgirls Exhibition Tournaments, played on the good old PS3.

Anyone with a Raleigh Spectator or Competitor Pass could participate in these tournaments, which were sponsored by PlayStation. Winners of the best-of-three matches held the station until defeated and could re-enter as many times as they wished. The two players for each game with the longest winning streaks battled it out for $2,000 per tournament in the Finals on the
Fighting Games Main Stage.

Crowd shot from the MLG #gamerompfest

“The Summer Championship in Raleigh [was] sure to provide an exciting culmination to an amazing summer season, and we [were] honored to have our RL2450HT and GL2450HM in the middle of the action,” said Bob Wudeck, Director of Retail and e-Commerce at BenQ America Corp. “The fast response times of BenQ’s monitors result in high-action competition, while features such as the RL2450HT’s Black eQualizer help eSports athletes not just play the game, but conquer it. In addition, the incredibly low lag of the GL2450HM provides perfect timing in fighting and shooting games.”

Delivering a supreme RTS gaming experience, the RL2450HT was used for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and League of Legends PC games tournaments at the Summer Championship. The RL2450HT was engineered with input from the world-class StarCraft II professional gaming team, STARTALE, which is sponsored by BenQ. For top-level RTS gamers, the monitor features a 60-Hz refresh rate for smooth movement, an LED light engine for great color and low power consumption, and a 2-ms GtG response time with 12 million to 1 contrast ratio.

The RL Series RTS Mode maximizes StarCraft II visibility and optimizes color, while its Black eQualizer enables total visibility by allowing gamers to adjust the screen brightness without over-exposing white levels — revealing critical combat details with improved visibility in darkened areas. The RL Series Display Mode allows gamers to interchange between monitor screen sizes, while the Smart Scaling feature gives them the freedom to scale the screen manually to any custom size — from 17 to 24 inches — depending on their preferences. In addition, the unit’s adjustable height stand allows for optimal screen positioning.

The 24-inch-wide GL2450HM monitor is an ideal choice for console gaming platforms, featuring brilliant LED backlighting, a dynamic contrast ratio of 12 million to 1, and a 2-ms GtG response time that yields high dynamic videos without ghosting or other artifacts.

At a later MLG Summer Championship, console games Mortal Kombat and SoulCalibur V were played on the GL2450HM, in addition to Virtua Fighter 5 and Skullgirls in the Exhibition Tournaments sponsored by PlayStation.

Supporting competitive and competitive retro gaming, BenQ offered the monitors used in the tournament at special discount pricing available to all MLG tournament fans.

Culture

Children Of India – Travel Excerpts

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Excerpts from my Journal-Kolkata, India

My head hits the pillow with little regard for the color of the sheets and the stains on the walls. Outside I can hear the bustling streets of Kolkata come to a standstill and in the far off distance I can make out the explosion of more fireworks, another festival. The mind turns to the weeks passed and again I can feel the slow process of realization and change occurring. Guilt is an awful feeling and more so when you are unable to identify that which you have done wrong.

The voices of those in the streets plague me as much as the faces and bare feet of their owners. “Please sir, no money, just milk for my baby.” I ignored the advances of another pleading mother. Why? Do I fear the scam of it? Not believe the legitimacy of such a plea? Not care that in her arms there lay a starving child screaming out from the pains of hunger? Or is it I am too overwhelmed to believe I am capable of doing anything in a country this size with a people this poor?

I lay for a long while as the moonlight casts its shadows upon my wall, not quite awake not quite asleep.

I see their waste high faces peering up at me, with no formal education, selling to me, begging me, joking with me. Those who I do speak with paint only the beginning of a picture; a life which I cannot ever fully understand, a life of struggle and hardship which exists to me only in the media and one they only know.

I see them playing cricket in the streets and asking me to join, happy to have a street to play in and a foreigner to practice English with. The simplicity in this humbles me.  As a child I remember hearing bed time stories of men on their travels. Now I am a man on his travels imagining the stories of these children. For the Silo, Joshua Winter.

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes

Vintage

Mission Possible: Find Classic Unrestored Cars In Tennessee Fields

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19 (!) 1957 Chevy cars in a Tennesee field

Once again I find myself Down in the Southern U.S checking out beautiful un-restored classic cars in their usual (usual here) worn out aged condition. With very little rust. It never ceases to amaze me the sheer quantity of classics down here. I look at such a wide array of any make or model. (people actually think that they have all been picked already!). One short cruise down one back-road down here and I guarantee that you will spot at least an old Chevy truck parked out back behind a house, in a barn, or just barely sticking out of an old garage that is coming down around it.

As an extreme car enthusiast, all I can say is that it is unreal.

This, not planned, but longer than expected trip to Georgia, brought me to see a sweet 1968 el Camino SS, with a 383 stroker engine and nice black interior. I almost got to look at an original, untouched 1963 split window Corvette, parked in a carport for like 20 years. Apparently under a couple inch thick layer of dust. Go figure it was gone before I even got there.

A teaser sneak-peek at the back end and side of the 1968 ElCamino. Complete with black interior and a 383 Stroker engine. 

A couple of the more odd-ball cars I looked at were a 1985 Corvette on 20inch 140spoke knock-off rims ( I don’t understand this one!), and a metallic orange 85 Monte Carlo SS jacked up about 14 inches sitting on 24’s, and featuring real bullet holes that it received in a police shootout (the guy who had it, bought it from a police auction). Neat looking car.

I also met a man down here who had to have had about 6 or 7, 58-60 Corvettes in different stages of repair. With one I believe, 1959 Corvette completely restored, in a high-gloss black, with a mint convertible top, and factory 4speed standard (manual to our UK and European friends) transmission. He also had one 1958, close to finished. They were both sweet cars. I must also add that the other 4 or 5 were scattered around his property among scrap, building supplies, and bushes. It was quite a sight.

These very rare cars in abundance on this property.

I walked out behind his shop and he had a 1957 Chevy 210 Station Wagon with no engine, but complete interior down to the factory radio! This car just parked, with bushes and weeds growing around it. (I think I am going to buy this one to build with my son and daughter and keep as the Sunday cruiser). I’m thinking a nice, loud, built small block, flat-black paint, and white wall tires on gloss-red rallys. I love these cars!

You probably noticed the first photo in this post right? Well, on a previous trip down here about two years ago I caught wind of a guy in Tennessee who apparently had 19, (that’s right!!! 19!) 1957 Chevy cars.

I couldn’t believe it when I got there and I don’t think too many people can say that they’ve seen nineteen 1957 Chevys all in one spot. It was incredible.

This guy had acres and acres of farm with cars tucked away everywhere you looked. 1951 Fords, A 59 Chrysler, 38 Chevy coupe, 59 International pickup, a 1929 Chevy Hot-rod, an I think 1930 Nash, all kinds of cars and trucks that you never see. In nearly original condition. My actual favorite here though, was his personal “parts getter” 1929 Chevy Truck Rat-rod, it was clever right down to the piston rad cap that stuck out of the hood. I really liked this one. The cool thing about finding all these cars is meeting their owners and hearing all of their stories. Car people are usually fun to hang out with, especially in the south.

1929 Chevy Truck “Rat Rod”.

I’m coming back with a friend who bought a 1966 Big back window, Chevy custom-10 short-box. Its not a half bad truck. He’s gonna fix it up. Maybe add a small block V-8. We’ll see. I’m heading back to Canada tomorrow. Goodbye t-shirt days in January, goodbye five dollar all-you- can eat buffets, goodbye three dollar smokes and goodbye constant, rare car sightings. Oh well, I always know that there will be future adventures in the deep south. Checking out sweet old cars for people, and telling them where they’re at. It’s always cool to have someone ask if I know of an old car they have been looking for and can’t find, and I can tell them “I can give you the phone number of a guy who’s got one of those”. It’s always very cool to have someone bring you a new project. So many possibilities with every car that rolls in…

For the Silo, Robb Price. Photos via the author. Check out Robb’s auto biz on Facebook.

Culture

Day Of The Dead Is Unique Ecuador Halloween

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Thinking about celebrating Day of the Dead in a unique way? How about Quito, Ecuador.

The capital, also known as the Middle of the World, not only has the largest and best preserved historic center in America, but it also has one of the richest cultures in the continent and Day of the Dead or Dia de los Difuntos is no exception.

day of the dead quito ecuadorEvery November 2, cemeteries are decorated with flowers, freshly painted crosses, pictures and cards to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Quito.

Early in the morning, thousands of Ecuadorians remember their family members and friends who’ve passed away with prayers, vigils and songs. This popular holiday merges hundreds of years of traditions in a fusion of Catholic and indigenous rites, where faith and religion come to life in an act of profound significance.

The oldest towns in Ecuador have been celebrating the dead since before the arrival of the Spaniards, but with Christianity, the tradition was adapted to the Catholic calendar. Today, the streets near the cemeteries fill with locals selling flowers and prayer cards and food trucks providing typical cuisine such as colada morada and guaguas de pan, which represent the religious syncretism and culinary fusion of the holiday. At the Calderon Cemetery, about 30 minutes from Quito, indigenous communities visit the graves of their loved ones and share the favorite food of the person who passed away as a way to honor them and communicate with them, with the belief that the deceased live a similar life than the one they lived while alive.

colada morada blackberries-and-sweet-bread-guagua-de-panThe preparation of these dishes also serve as a reason for the entire family to get together. Colada morada, one of the typical beverages for the Day of the Dead, is a drink of indigenous origin and one of the most traditional delicacies of Quito’s cuisine. Prepared with a base of black corn, blueberries, blackberries, pineapple, orange and other fruits and herbs, colada morada is accompanied by the traditional guagua de pan, sweet breads shaped into baby-like figures made with wheat flour and, in some places, with cornmeal from grains from the Ecuadorian Andes.

The guaguas de pan are reminiscent of the dead, especially children (hence the name guagua, which means child in Quechua). Its origin dates back to the nineteenth century and today are normally filled with guava, figs, chocolate, raisins and custard or tree tomato.  For the Silo, Luciana Soula.

Travel

How I Met My Wife Halfway In Zhengzhou China

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Zhengzhou- "Once into the downtown, the pace slows somewhat."
Zhengzhou- “Once into the downtown, the pace slows somewhat.”

How I met my wife halfway…Elegant Confusion………Being delivered by car (my wife’s friend and a co-worker) to the Hotel in the downtown area of Zhengzhou, bursting along the byways and expressways from the Airport, cars around us dancing across the indistinct markings of the lanes in what could be described as a level of a video game in progress, I had no idea ( a horn honks and a bus switches lanes in front of us ‘sans’ signal..) that the “Art” of driving could manifest itself in such a reckless song trying so very hard to be a “ballet”.

My first impressions were to be made, however innocent, a misplaced fantasy.. As we made our way across the edge of this city of 8 1/2 million souls.., it was plain that this was far different than the large, ‘controlled’ infrastructures of North America.. A place where those, who in the faltering of the majority of their lives, seeking to maintain “control” of most aspects of their lives, would be shattered as if a piece of glass  hitting the concrete of this sudden reality. I believe that all this time seeking that ‘control’, having it slip through the grasps of their expectations, is the cause of so much anger, disappointment, and frustration in North Americans’ lives..

There is no “Road Rage” here.

If this is how you imagined driving in one of China's cities would look like you're mistaken. So says writer, farmer and traveler Bill Stewart.
If this is how you imagined driving in one of China’s cities would look like you’re mistaken.

Once into the downtown, the pace slows somewhat, taking time to congeal into something even more unexpected.. Now there are people, thousands of them,.. mixed with electric bikes, bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians, carts of vegetables and fruit perched high on platforms innovatively connected to motorcycles, wagons of produce drawn by donkeys and cars.. All are dancing in and out of lanes of traffic, up onto sidewalks, threading the pedestrians walking different directions, the buses and taxis faster than the rest..

Cars and motorbikes making U-turns anywhere without notice.., a car honks, someone concedes the space, and life goes on.

The remarkable impression to be made here for a Caucasian in ‘Neverland’,… is that, there are no egos here to set off a clash of emotional diatribes leading to certain physical, or vocal, outbursts.. Just ‘focus’ of purpose.. There is only the destination to be sought.., nothing more matters.. It is not a matter of forgiveness, on the part of the conceded ,.. just a plain sense of infective respect.. An old woman, peddling a bicycle, weaves suddenly directly across the lanes of traffic.. I look away, fearing the sounds and images of her death.. A few impatient honks from the cars,.. all traffic stops.. as she slowly winds her way to the sidewalk on the other side of the street.., the motorbikes weaving around her, pacing in and out of the stopped buses, cars and taxis.. A woman on a motorbike with a child in front, one in back of her seat, sails by me on the sidewalk…It is ‘Elegance in Confusion’ at it’s finest.. For the Silo, Bill Stewart.

Here's what some folk are saying about the video above.
Here’s what some folk are saying about the video above.

Travel

Top Reasons Why So Many Tourists Visit Jamaica

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As the cold weather and winter arrives back to North America and Covid is (hopefully) finally behind us, it’s time to start setting travel records again.  For example, 2017 saw a record number of tourist arrivals in Jamaica, with 4.3 million vacationers. That was a huge 21.1% increase from the previous year and that trend continued for 2018 and 2019. It seems safe to expect the same pattern to start up again in 2022 and beyond and visitors won’t just be staying in hotel rooms but also opting to stay in luxury villa rentals.

So why the expected increased interest in Jamaica again as a travel destination?

Part of the reason is that the movies tend to portray Jamaicans as fun-loving people. But the real truth is that it’s always been a popular country, and also because the trend for “authentic experiences” in tourism has enticed more travelers to visit the country without going to a hotel.

Frankfort Ocho Rios Jamaica

If you’re still thinking about visiting the country, take note of the following reasons why you really should drop by for a visit:

  1. Gorgeous beaches. Many of the most impressive beaches in the whole Caribbean are in Jamaica. The sands along the beach are spectacularly white and pristine, the waters are crystal blue, and the sunrises and sunsets are utterly dramatic. You can relax in the famed Seven Miles Beach, or perhaps indulge your need to explore by visiting the rocky coast of Cosmos Beach. Just about every city along the coast will provide you with a fantastic beach to relax in.

  2. Water sports. When there are beaches, water sports are also part of the fun. It’s virtually axiomatic. Here in Jamaica, that kind of fun includes scuba diving and snorkeling, along with surfing as well. You can rent jet skis too.

  3. Exotic wildlife. You really need to bring a good digital camera, as your smartphone may not be enough to capture the real beauty of the local plants and bird species. But you really must see them for yourself. You ought to try scuba diving as well, so that you can be mesmerized by the creatures and plants under the sea.

  4. Tropical climate. Just how cold is it where you are right now? If it’s still winter, then it’s time to head on out to warm Jamaica where you can swim in a flimsy bathing suit even while it’s snowy back where you live.

    In some places, it’s also not too warm at all, so you can feel pleasantly cool.

  5. Golf. Are you a links fanatic? If so, you will definitely love the luxury golf courses on the island. You can drive and put amidst the fantastic landscapes and enjoy the beautiful gardens. It’s in Jamaica where you will find Half Moon, which is widely considered as the best golf course in the whole Caribbean region.

  6. Friendly people. Haven’t you noticed how in the movies Jamaicans are stereotypically portrayed as fun-loving friendly folks? That’s because the people here are just that way. They tend to regard tourists as personal friends, so it’s like every day there’s a party here to celebrate meeting new people.

  7. Local cuisine. The food items here are mostly locally grown, so you tend to enjoy fresh meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. You really need to try the jerk-seasoned dishes, this jerk and curry seasoning can expand your horizons when it comes to chicken and pork dishes. But that’s not the national dish. It’s ackee and saltfish, with just caught seafood along with the ackee fruit that’s been sautéed and served with salt cod, tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

Visit here even once, and you’ll certainly want to come back time and again. In fact, it’s always hard to leave. It’s always a fun time here, and that’s what makes for a great vacation.

Earth

How Cell Phone Behavioral Data Can Help Save Our Planet

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Zurich, Switzerland- A report from a few years ago deserves a second look. That study demonstrated how leveraging mobile network data can estimate levels of carbon emissions and air pollution in cities, an approach that could substantially reduce the cost of implementing the Paris Agreement.

  • The study analyses mobility patterns derived from mobile network data to estimate the usage of different transport modes within a city and derive conclusions about the respective pollution they cause.

  • This innovative methodology allowed scientists to estimate the concentration of air pollutants in urban areas with up to 77% accuracy.

  • The method could provide a scale-able and cost effective way to help understand and combat greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in cities worldwide.

Big data analytics company and ETH Zurich spin-off Teralytics, Telefónica NEXT and sustainability solution provider South Pole Group conducted the  study in Nuremberg, Germany and revealed the analysis of mobile network data is an effective way to estimate CO2 and NOX emissions in urban areas at very low cost. To achieve this, Teralytics examined aggregated and anonymized data, which is generated when mobile devices communicate with Telefónica’s mobile communication cells during user calls, text messages or while using phones to browse the internet. Teralytics was able to refine this raw data into human mobility patterns to understand how the different modes of transport, for instance trains or cars, are frequented. Combining this information with data on the emissions of the different transport modes, the three entities were able to estimate air pollution and GHG emissions in the city.

As each form of transportation produces a unique amount of CO2 and NOX emissions, understanding urban mobility patterns is vital to understand the source of emissions. The study in Nuremberg used this information to estimate with up to 77 per cent accuracy the concentration of air pollutants in the city. These findings encourage further exploration of how big data can be used to understand and ultimately solve environmental issues such as air pollution in cities across the world. This is particularly interesting with regards to the lower cost of analyzing and interpreting data compared to the higher cost of production and maintenance of elaborate measuring stations. The novel approach could thus allow an ongoing analysis on a nationwide scale.

George Polzer

“While our contemporary urban lifestyles result in the generation of harmful greenhouse gasses, it also generates large amounts of behavioural data. Our mission at Teralytics is to use this data for the benefit of society,” says Georg Polzer, CEO of Teralytics. “Our findings from Nuremberg showed that this data can be used to give city planners insights into how human mobility contributes to pollution. This is a vital part to efficiently design and implement clean air and low carbon strategies. We are looking forward to further exploring this opportunity.”

Using a three-level process, the fully anonymized and aggregated data was first transformed into movement flows by the data scientists at Teralytics, identifying over 1.2 million transportation routes during the analyzed time period, as depicted in Figure 2. The sustainability solution expert South Pole Group then used an atmospheric model to estimate air pollution levels caused by the usage of the different modes of transportation, taking into account meteorological data and information on the respective traffic carriers’ emission levels from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUB). In the third step, the accuracy of the method was examined by comparing the findings with existing data from air pollution measuring stations. The values measured at these stations were found to correlate up to 77 per cent with those from the Teralytics’ calculations.

The results of this pilot study in Nuremberg constitute a sound basis to further develop the methodology.

Following its success, the consortium was able to secure financial support from Climate KIC’s Low Carbon City Lab (LoCaL), an initiative that brings together cities, business, academia and NGO’s to deliver high environmental and societal impact. With this backing, the research partnership will expand and improve the methodology, focusing on short travel routes and taking into account local emission factors like airports, large-scale events, and types of vehicles on the road (i.e. electric cars and SUVs). Moreover, the influence of factors such as traffic jams and red lights will be taken into account in order to make even more accurate estimations of the air pollution levels in a city.

“The results from this pilot study exceed our expectations,” says Maximilian Groth, responsible for Business Development & Partnerships at Teralytics. “We are confident that we will soon be able to scale this product to cities worldwide to support urban planners in making our air cleaner and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement at the lowest possible cost.”

This research follows other successful studies on usage of mobile network data, including a smart data analysis for transport in Stuttgart by Teralytics, Telefónica Germany, and Fraunhofer IAO.

Renat Heuberger

“Approximately 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are generated in cities, meaning that they play a key role in climate protection. We see great potential in the use of continuously generated data, such as mobile network data, to measure and reduce pollution levels in cities.” States Renat Heuberger, CEO of South Pole Group.

Florian Marquart

Florian Marquart, Managing Director of Telefónica NEXT for Advanced Data Analytics: “The pilot project in Nuremberg has clearly shown the specific added value of anonymised mobile network data for the environment. This is data from people for people. We see great potential in the results and will start the next phase of our research. The goal is to develop a product that German cities, German states and the German federal government can use to better face the challenges of emissions pollution”.  For the Silo, Ricky Sutton.

About Teralytics

Teralytics is the trusted data analytics partner for some of the largest telecom operators in North America, Europe and Asia. Using technology built for operators by data scientists, they have perfected the ingestion, modelling and transformation of raw signals from subscriber actions and movements on operator networks to deliver meaningful and actionable insights, that delivers new value to our mobile operator partners. By unlocking and processing a massive scale of device movement and consumer intelligence data from location and behavioral signals, they can analyze people, places and things and offer actual insights to help city planners, venue owners, retailers, NGOs and media companies make informed decisions, optimize operations and maximize ROI. Headquartered in Zurich, Teralytics has offices in New York, and Singapore.

Travel

Why Utah’s Five National Parks Are On Many Bucket Lists

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Canada has some world leading parks but our neighbours to the South sure have their fair sure as well.

Utah’s five National Parks featured on Utah.com offer adventure travelers and families a unique blend of accessibility and grandeur that have put these beauties on bucket lists since their birth a hundred years ago. Utah’s magnificence extends far beyond the borders of its national parks, as travelers logging on to Utah.com will discover. While visiting Arches you can explore mountain bike slickrock trails in Moab; stop by Coral Pink Sand Dunes on your way to Zion; ski the slopes of Brian Head after you hike Navajo Loop in Bryce Canyon; swim in Calf Creek Falls while exploring Capitol Reef country; and rock climb in famous Indian Creek on your way out of Canyonlands.

Utah's Five National ParksValley

Utah.com’s local expert team recently spent three days in Zion National Park where they browsed the area’s best rock shops, interviewed the park’s Director of Wildlife and went hiking with the locals.

They know where to take a six-year-old hiking; divulge the best spots to paddle a brand new kayak; and they’re keen to tell you which local bed and breakfast has the friendliest hosts and coziest fireplaces—and you can book all these experiences on the spot right on the site.

UtahNationalParkWeatheredSandstoneTravelers looking for meaningful and inspiring experiences in Utah can find itineraries about small towns like Kanab that are perfect for family excursions to national parks and other unexplored areas.

Utah.com also gives travelers practical hiking and biking trail information with difficulty ratings, photos, and waypoints. Adventurers can learn about places that locals have been quietly exploring for generations, and find the best base camps to maximize their limited time in the world’s top destination. For travelers on a budget, there are always tips about free admission days and where to take your kids when the weather rains on the outdoor parade.

And for the digitally dependent family member who longs to get off the grid? Utah.com’s off-season tips and information prove that Utah is a year-round wilderness of glorious solitude where Wi-Fi isn’t even a temptation.

Utah National Park Milky Way Galaxy

Utah.com helps travelers discover, plan and book intergenerational traditions. They’ll want to take their children to Bryce Canyon National Park and pontificate about geological uplift, erosion and the Paunsaugunt Plateau after days of wandering through hoodoos—humanoid sandstone pillars. Eyes may roll, but those littles will find themselves giving the same speech to their kids decades later–in the exact same spot. Utah.com will lead them to national parks and awe-inspiring places they’ll never forget and will always preserve.   For the Silo, Victoria George.

Travel

Bieber’s Hawaii Vacation Hangout Going To Auction

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One of Hawaii’s most photographed and celebrity-popular homes with postcard views of a 240-foot natural waterfall, a sports stadium with seating for 450 people, a nine-tee golf course, an aquatic center, a two-story water slide, and some of Hawaii’s best ocean views is going to auction. Read more about this stunning slice of Hawaii. Shout out to our friends at TopTenRealestateDeals.com for this feature.

With a secluded location on the Big Island’s northeastern shore, Waterfalling Estate made gossip-mag headlines in 2016 when Canada’s own- Justin Bieber rented the home for two weeks at $10,000 USD / $12,875 CAD per night for his entourage, which included six skimpy-bikini-wearing models.

Located a few miles north of Hilo on eight acres overlooking where the jungle meets the ocean and the Hamakua coastline, the home has five bedrooms, ten bathrooms and two third-floor master suites with lanai. The main living area, including chef’s kitchen and dining has spectacular waterfall and ocean views. On the aquatic level are two guest suites, a game room, media area, two whirlpools, sauna, shower, outdoor kitchen and dining area. There is a one-bedroom guest house, four-car garage, helipad, plus an outdoor bar.

The Big Island offers a big number of activities and entertainment from stunning beaches such as Laupāhoehoe, Waikiki, and Waipi’o, hiking in the Hilo Forest Preserves or Akaka Falls State Park, zip lining over KoleKole Falls, Volcano National Park, whale watching, jungle jaunts, farmer’s markets, world-class fishing, and unforgettable sunsets.

Laupāhoehoe Beach

Even more adventure is just a 50-minute plane trip away to Honolulu for less than $100 USD/ $129 CAD.

Taking the plane from Honolulu to Waterfalling Estate.

Currently listed for $9.95 million USD / $12.82 million CAD, the property will be going to auction August 15th with a $5.99 million USD/ $7.6 million CAD reserve.

Travel

“Kardashian Penthouse” Hilton-Bentley Miami Available For Stays

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Patio View Hilton Miami

The AAA 4 Diamond award winning Hilton Bentley South Beach recently debuted a newly renovated 3000 sq. feet penthouse suite with gorgeous wrap around views overlooking the ocean and the beautiful southern tip of South Beach, where the ocean meets the bay at South Pointe Park. This two story suite is complete with two master bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. Now one of the most sumptuous of suites available on the beach, the suite was once home to sisters Kim, Kloe, Kourtney when the Kardashians filmed the first season of their reality show in Miami.

Kardashian Sisters In MiamiFollowing a multimillion dollar renovation a few years ago, the penthouse boasts a private rooftop pool, a Jacuzzi, spacious deck and two private terraces for relaxing or entertaining.

With a full stainless steel kitchen, a personal wine chiller, elegant dining room, living room with oversized retractable LED television, marble bathrooms, and immaculately decorated, the Hilton Bentley Penthouse is perfect for romantic getaways, family vacations, or as the ultimate bridal suite.

The suite is an iso technologically advanced with an all encompassing Dolby surround sound system, electric privacy shades and climate controls all accessed through the touch of the in suite iPad, or from the guest’s own iPhone.

Night rates for the penthouse range from $2,500 USD / $3,212 CAD – $7500 USD/ $9,638 CAD.

ABOUT HILTON BENTLEY:

The Hilton brand’s South Beach outpost, Hilton Bentley offers travelers a luxurious beachfront oasis situated at the southernmost tip of Ocean Drive in the exclusive “South of Fifth” enclave. Guests are footsteps away from Miami’s most sought after restaurants and nightlife. For visitors looking to vacation within the hotel, the amenity rich Hilton Bentley is a one stop shop for entertainment including celebrity chef Douglas Rodriguez’s restaurant DeRodriguez Cuba on Ocean, Myles Chefetz’s Prime Italian, the indulgent Bentley Beach Club, and the zen sanctuary Spa 101. Designed by the famed Architectonica and appointed with handcrafted European furnishings, this all suite property is the definition of opulence with modern upscale services.

Interior Miami HiltonInsuite Bar Miami HiltonInterior2 Miami HiltonMain Pool for Kardashian Penthouse Miami Hilton

Sci-Tech

2022 And NOT Another Year Closer To Private company Asteroid Mining

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It’s been eight years since an historic landing took place between an European Space Agency drone and a comet.(which looked suspiciously a lot like an asteroid to us!)

At that time a report from Deep Space Industries laid out their business plans up to 2020 and what they had committed to  sounded more like science fiction than fact.

But it wasn’t and they’d already secured investors.

A 2019 announcement from NASA stating that it would be the National Space Administration in the lead instead ( NASA will soon begin hunting a nickel laden asteroid ) spoke volumes about not only the possibility of asteroid prospecting- but also to its inevitability in the private sector.

DSI concept of “coming soon” asteroid mining.

And yet, things have changed…..again.

In early 2020 Deep Space Industries (along with the only other asteroid mining company, Planetary Resources) were purchased by Bradford Space Group and ConsenSys Group respectively and all plans for private asteroid mining were shelved indefinitely. Deep Space Industries is now focused on developing space propulsion systems and ConsenSys is now focused on developing blockchain  security applications for space technology. 

What could have been- Deep Space Industries ambitious plan before the take over

Their plan was to send an entire fleet of prospector spaceships to Near-Earth asteroids in order to harvest them for precious metals and other undisclosed resources. (space rubies anyone?). Starting in 2015, Deep Space Industries were to begin their operation by sending three small spacecraft called FireFlies to selected asteroids near earth for sample taking and photo reconnaissance. One year later, bigger craft called DragonFlies were to leave on four year missions to retrieve asteroid samples and bring them back to Earth. An ambitious project to be sure and not surprisingly, the timeline had been regularly pushed back.

dsi timeline mission planning

This press release from DSI said a precursor mission was scheduled to launch in 2017: “Recently, Deep Space Industries and its partner, the government of Luxembourg, announced plans to build and fly Prospector-X™, an experimental mission to low-Earth orbit that will test key technologies needed for low-cost exploration spacecraft. This precursor mission is scheduled to launch in 2017. Then, before the end of this decade, Prospector-1 will travel beyond Earth’s orbit to begin the first space mining exploration mission.”

daniel faber ceo deep space industries

Valuable materials exist in abundance in space and have strong economic potential. Using their tested indicators as investment attractors, Deep Space will move towards securing a commercial space operation and start into the next phase of its business plan. This involves concentrating firstly on processing rocket fuel from asteroid-harvested water.

This fuel, harvested and processed in space will save millions of dollars, since existing communications satellites will no longer be ‘thrown away’ when their fuel supply has been used up. (Satellites that can longer ‘move’ and stay in orbit by using their rocket engines are left to slowly fall towards earth and burn up in the atmosphere ).

Deep Space Industries past-CEO David Gump estimated that a satellite ‘refueled’ and saved from burn up is worth up to $8,000,000 per month. Those figures start to add up when you factor in the number of satellites in use and being launched every year. Another plan during this phase of their business operations is to return precious group metals such as platinum and gold back to earth.

After all, if you’re splitting up asteroids and discover metal commodities, why not bring it back down to earth?

Deep Space believed that other metals harvested from asteroids also have an in-orbit value. They are developing the Microgravity Foundry- a type of 3D printer that will be used to fabricate and machine metal parts in space from pure asteroid metal such as high strength nickel parts.

Deep Space cgi mockup of their planned 3D space printer.
Deep Space cgi mockup of their planned 3D space printer.

Since this factory will operate in space and in zero gravity and produce parts in space, the idea of permanent space development and human habitation is economically feasible. Stephen Covey co-founder of Deep Space Industries and inventor of the Microgravity Foundry process: “What’s cool about the [3D] printer is that it can take its own parts, grind them up, and recycle them into new parts.”

Stephen Covey- inventor of the Microgravity Foundry process
Stephen Covey- inventor of the Microgravity Foundry process

Deep Space Industries past-CEO David Gump: “Using resources harvested in space is the only way to afford permanent space development. More than 900 new asteroids that pass near Earth are discovered every year. They can be like the Iron Range of Minnesota was for the Detroit car industry last century- a key resource located near where it is needed. In this case, metals and fuel from asteroids can expand the in-space industries of this century. That is our strategy.” Company estimates place a value of 1 ton of raw asteroid material at a worth of $1,000,000 [usd] in orbit.

Buy outs over the last few years have all but ended the dream and it will be the various space agencies such as NASA and ESA that will fulfill Deep Space Industries abandoned plan. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Supplemental: http://www.businessinsider.com/deep-space-industries-asteroid-mining-plans-2013-1#ixzz2Io8Qg8uc

Updates: Deep Space Industries aligns with Luxembourg Government, applauds space commercialization policy.

Mexican commercial space company MXSpace partners with Deep Space Industries.

NASA hunting nickel 16 Psyche asteroid worth quadrillions of dollars.

Reviews

This Kick Scooter Converts From Backpack To Longboard

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OLAF kick scooter workshop

Kick scooter, pronounced ‘geek scooter.’

Kick scooters are gaining popularity in many populous urban and suburban areas worldwide. As Europe leans toward sustainable mobility, more and more creative ideas are addressing the issue of daily commuting. Designed and engineered in a home garage in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the OLAF Kick Scooter is one such attempt to alleviate the ‘last-mile’ problem.

Engineer Bostjan Zagar and his father developed an open platform kick scooter, OLAF Urban, that can carry any bag or backpack.

A unique feature is that if used with the provided OLAF backpack, the scooter itself is a backpack, and if the handle is folded, also a longboard.

Jure Lozic, designer of Musguard – rollable bike fender, calls the  folding mechanism “an engineering marvel, simple and effective”. Bostjan owns a patent and hopes it will take him from A to B, where B is mass production. Slovenia has ample production capabilities, so an eventual goal would be global manufacture.

After almost three years of research and development, Zagar was confident enough to start crowd funding at Kickstarter.

To broaden the odds of success, he implemented the same folding mechanism to an existing concept of carry-on kick scooter, OLAF Business. Now you really can cross the Atlantic with a kick scooter. “It’s the coolest carry-on!”

Travel

Travel To Sustainability Pioneer Tongsai Bay

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On a regular basis The Silo informs you about companies who do their part in changing our world to a better place.

Green Pearls® Unique Places is dedicated to the Tongsai Bay in Thailand and recognizes the amazing work that created a sustainable tourism industry there nearly four decades ago.

How it all began

In 1986, Khun Akorn Hoontrakul was on a boat trip with his twelve year old son Thanakorn and they spotted the bay from the sea. Khun Akorn immediately felt passionate about it – something Thanakorn did not understand back then. “My 12 year old mind didn’t really appreciate its beauty at that time. The sand was coarse and the water was dark blue because of its depth. It was my Dad who saw the potential and later said to me: ‘It was love at first sight'”, recounts Thanakorn.

Sleeping under the stars

Within one week Khun Akorn bought the land and started building the hotel. At a time when nobody thought about sustainable tourism, he believed in the responsibility to protect nature. To ensure that no tree was felled and the impact on nature was kept as low as possible, he slept at the beach for three months.

Setting a good example

Today, the hotel is led by Thanakorn and his wife Saisiri. They share the same passion about sustainable tourism believing that everyone is responsible for the protection of the environment. Their deep belief is that every little step makes a difference. They set a good example for everybody in their private and professional life: “It’s a way of life, to not destroy the environment. It’s a constant thought to make sure habits don’t contribute to waste. If we forget our water bottle, we won’t drink, as we do not drink from plastic”.

Acting sustainable is a holistic approach

Leading the hotel in a sustainable way does not only mean to take green aspects into account. Furthermore it involves a holistic approach, taking into account environmental as well as social aspects, like fair salary, staff training and education. Just as in their private life they focus on waste prevention: kitchen waste for example is composted and reused as fertilizer in the own garden.


Open for everyone: the organic garden

The hotel’s own horticulturist and gardeners are responsible for the organic garden which provides the vegetables and herbs for the kitchen. They developed a fermenting process from oranges and limes using different kinds of micro organisms for an efficient cleaning process. The garden and its plants are open for guests, who can use for example the aloe vera to treat sun burned skin. Additionally there is natural mosquito repellent made by locals, glass cleaner made out of pineapples as well as natural toothpaste.

What has changed since the opening (or in a good way not changed)

Many trees have been planted along the walkway leading to the Cottages providing more shade and in the space of ten+ years there will be a tree tunnel with shade all day long which makes walking much easier in the heat. This is to say that Tongsai is even greener than it used to be. There are 66 kinds of birds spotted in Tongsai in the past 12 years. The star resident bird is the colorful Pink-Necked Pigeon, and even a slow Loris had been spotted near NangGong Villa by Gob and Goya back in 2002. There is still a lot of natural space left in the territory but instead of building more man-made structures the business is not being expanded and natural areas are left untouched.

Pink-Necked Pigeon

The German Green Pearls GmbH ( based in Darmstadt, Germany ) unifies international tourism companies that support environmental protection and demonstrate social commitment. Thereby, Green Pearls is the first holding company worldwide that consolidates sustainable hotels, destinations and restaurants in a global data source.

Among the criteria of admission to Green Pearls® Unique Places, are a sustainability plan on management level, sustainable architecture, comprehensive water, energy saving and waste recovery measures, the use of seasonal and regional ingredients in the kitchen, as well as a large commitment for the social balance in each of the vacation regions.

Reviews

Noteworthy Gifts And Gadgets To Improve Your Summer And Beyond

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With upcoming summer temperatures in North America forecast as  “lingering on the high end of the spectrum”, many are still out and about enjoying the longer days and extra leisure time. Of course, during the summer our desire for gadgets and gear that eases our travels, enhances our self-care regime, and just makes life more enjoyable is always in high demand. With that in mind, I’ve found some noteworthy gifts and gets sure to improve the rest of your season and far beyond.

myFlipShade (www.MyFlipShade.com) – $9.99 usd

Maybe the best accessory for smartphones since the PopSocket is myFlipShade—a newly launched item that provides a pop-up shield that prevents glare and other weather conditions from affecting your ability to see your screen.

It attaches to the back of your phone using an adhesive strip and flips around to not only prevent annoying glare, but also serve as a privacy shield to block peeping eyes from reading your screen. It also functions as a horizontal and vertical smartphone stand. Even though the shade is an all-in-one phone accessory, it can still be used with other accessories like credit card holders and stands. myFlipShade is compatible with iPhone 6 and up, including Plus models, and comes in several fun colors and patterns to match various mood or personalities: black, pineapple, summer print and marble white.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: myFlipShade

Skinit, MacBook Skins, iPhone Cases (www.Skinit.com) – $29.99-$45.99 usd

Speaking of stylish phone accessories, you can express your unique style with Skinit’s authentic case collections and premium vinyl decal skins featuring your favorite iconic brands, characters, and professional sports team…or you can custom-create your own! Skinit collaborates with Marvel, DC Comics, Looney Tunes and Hello Kitty to offer you official and original artwork, so you can let your inner character shine and express yourself with killer pop-culture brands and characters. Skinit is also an official licensor of the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS so you can show off your team pride and let your team passion be known. Skinit iPhone Cases can also be fully customized, including personal photos, and also provide maximum protection from damaging falls. Featuring a dual-layer case construction, the Skinit Pro Case will provide maximum style and solid protection for any iPhone model. No matter what device you have or who your all-time favorite character is, Skinit will likely have you covered.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: Skinit

i-Top (www.GoliathGames.us) – $16.99 usd

Leave your cellphones behind, disconnect from the world, and embrace quality family time this summer—and as often as you can, really! Goliath Games has introduced a new generation of spinning top toys called i-Top. Using smart technology, this high-tech top keeps track of the number of spins while LEDs light up the display. Spin your way to the top score by competing in multiple challenges. Unlock hidden features by spinning the top an exact number of spins to show special animations, or you can challenge your friends and family to a high score. With over ten different ways to play and tons of animations, the fun with i-Top can be non-stop. Have a friendly family competition to see who can spin the highest score and unlock the most hidden challenges and determine who’s the ultimate i-Top master? Also super portable and travel-friendly, the i-Top—available in Mega Gear Blue, Infinite Purple and Vortex Red—has a spinner that folds down so it easily fits in a pocket or bag. Keep it handy for hours of fun and laughter. Kudos to Goliath, which celebrates and facilitates quality family time and bringing people together.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: Goliath Games

RCA Sound Soother (www.RCAAudioVideo.com) – 29.99 usd

There’s no better time than summer to catch up on your sleep and with RCA’s Sound Soother device you can relax and get a good night’s slumber (or daytime nap) while listening to your favorite of 10 pre-loaded sounds. You can also use it block out ambient noise, so it’s great for hotel use and while studying among other scenarios. Users can choose from white noise, waves, rain, brown noise, pink noise, campfire, Canon in D, Clair De Lune, Gymnopedie No. 1 or Greensleeves. Set your sleep timer for 30, 60 or 90 minutes or keep it on constantly to keep you sleeping soundly through the night. AC powered with included adapter or use anywhere with 3 AAA batteries and of course adjustable volume controls. You can also enjoy your own music from your smartphone through the aux input—making this a totally customizable product for your preferences.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: VOXX International Corporation

Minetan (www.MineTanBodySkin.com) – $34.95 usd

During the summer months there’s nothing better than having that perfect, sun kissed glow.

So it’s great news that Aussie self-tanning powerhouse Minetan has landed in the U.S. This one-hour self-tanner contains skin loving, PETA-approved ingredients that truly benefit skin, including moisturizing antioxidants and oils like argan oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, coconut water, shea butter and more. Every product is free of parabens, contains 100% natural DHA, and is even vegan friendly—all quite unique for a tanning brand. You can achieve a streak-free, bronzed babe look in just one hour, or leave it on longer for a darker result. Minetan has an inclusive color range, challenging the industry-wide standard of three size-fits-all (light, medium, dark) approach to tanners, by exploring the nuances of undertone. Offering a comprehensive range of highly advanced tanning products, Minetan’s one-hour tan is just one of their many world-first, skin-friendly formulas that’s been introduced to North American customers—both online and in Ulta Beauty stores. Other notable groundbreakers include a range of nourishing coconut-water based tans, a fitness tan, and a personal spray tan kit. With all of their one-hour tans, you choose your preferred custom color depth skin finish by deciding when you shower after application. You wash off for 45 seconds and you are good to go, with a personalized tan that looks and feels great and is actually good for your skin.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: Minetan

Luster Pro Light Dental Whitening System (www.LusterPremiumWhite.com) – $43.99 usd

Want dramatically whiter, brighter teeth without a trip to the dentist, without messy strips and trays, and without sensitivity?

No problem! Luster Premium White offers just that with its Pro Light Dental Whitening System. Developed by dentists and clinically proven to deliver results, this trusted brand lets consumers enjoy peace-of-mind and professional-grade teeth whitening right at home…quickly, safely, conveniently and comfortably. Luster Pro Light Dental Whitening System is unique among teeth whitening brands in that it uses a patented Dual Power Xenon Whitening Light and Stain Lifting Serum to whiten teeth up to 6 shades in 30 minutes! It gently whitens without sulfates (SLS) and is enamel-safe. The system includes everything needed to deliver amazing results: Dual-Energy Whitening Light, Accelerinse, Stain Lifting Serum, Power White Pro Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste in Mint. The Pro Light Whitening System can be purchased online as well as neighborhood retailers such as Walmart and Walgreens.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: Luster Premium White

OMM Collection Haircare & Skincare (www.OMMCollection.com) – prices vary

The OMM Collection was inspired by the provincial South of France approach to “naturalism” and the company’s natural “farm to beauty” concept.

Indeed, OMM Unique hair formulas are blended with revolutionary Green Apple Stem Cell and Clover Flower Seed Extract to stimulate natural growth, strengthen hair follicles and deliver nourishment and thickening. The Shampoo is formulated with this Apple Stem Cell Extract with natural oils of Marula, Moringa, Amla and Prickly Pear. It’s a gentle concentrated light wash without sulfates. The Serum is a powerful infusion of hair treatment with Apple Stem Cell Extract and Capixyl, which preserves the hair follicle, providing thicker, healthier hair. The company’s Hair Mask is a rich, deep conditioning, weightless leave in treatment to rejuvenate, strengthen the overall health of hair. The Body Butter Soufflé is a rich, velvety and ultra-hydrating body butter containing natural ingredients that moisturizes the skin and locks in hydration. In addition, their Hand and Body Milk Crème is a rich, non-greasy, hydrating body cream enriched with Shea and Cocoa butter to help nourish, protect skin. The company also offers OMM signature fragrance essential oils of White Tea Jasmine and Dark Chocolate that were custom-developed with exclusivity and excellence in mind by a globally recognized international fragrance house.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: OMM Collections

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier (www.Liquid-IV.com) – $24.99 usd – 16 pack

Liquid I.V.’s Hydration Multiplier is a great-tasting, Non-GMO electrolyte drink mix that utilizes the breakthrough science of Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) to deliver hydration to your bloodstream faster and more efficiently than water alone. So effective, Liquid I.V. can provide the same hydration as drinking 2 to 3 bottles of water! Just add the electrolyte powder to your water and let CTT do the rest. Proper hydration allows your body to perform at the highest level, increase calorie burn, helps you stay mentally alert and energized, and even reduces signs of aging. Liquid I.V. is available in three flavors: Lemon Lime, Acai Berry, and Passion Fruit. I also love that Liquid I.V. is committed to defeating dehydration at a global level. With every order received, they donate one serving of Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier electrolyte drink mix to someone in need around the world. This includes the poorest regions of countries like Haiti and refugees in Uganda to helping those in need during emergency and disaster situations such as Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, and the Southern California wildfires.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: Liquid I.V.

Empower Cosmopolitan Martini (www.EmpowerCocktails.com) – $21.99 usd

For refreshment of a different sort, try the Empower Cosmopolitan Martini for happy hour, while lounging by the pool or whenever you’re in the mood for a tasty spirit.

While the distilled beverage market is a booming industry, it’s one that continually targets men while often leaving women out as an afterthought. But Empower Cocktails seeks to change all of that. This new disruptor puts celebrating and empowering women at the forefront of its mission, while dazzling and delighting with its ready-to-pour line of delicious cocktail drinks. They recently launched their first cocktail, the refreshing but not too sweet Empower Cosmopolitan Martini. The beverage contains Sweet Potato Vodka that’s locally-sourced from a family-owned farm in Northern California, as well as triple sec, cooling white cranberry and zesty lime. It is best-served refrigerated; all you need to enjoy it is a martini glass and—if you so desire—your favorite garnish. The drink is 25 proof and contains only 80 calories per three ounces. Also cause-conscious, Empower Cocktails partners with several non-profits that champion women’s initiatives including the Voss Foundation, Dress for Success Boston, Kicked it in Heels and the Metro-Manhattan Community Foundation to name a few.

Photo Ownership/Copyright: Empower Cocktails 


For the Silo, Merilee Kern. As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List,” Merilee Kern is an internationally-regarded consumer product trends expert and hospitality industry voice of authority—a travel, dining, leisure and lifestyle expert who spotlights noteworthy marketplace innovations, change makers, movers and shakers. She reports on exemplary travel destinations and experiences, extraordinary events and newsworthy products and services across all categories. Reach her online at www.TheLuxeList.com, on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/LuxeListEditor, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList and on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReviews.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided at no cost or sponsored to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***

 

Travel

Navigating The Treacherous Khyber Pass In My Citroën 2CV4

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It’s June 1976- I just crossed the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Because the Khyber Pass is on the Pakistani side I have to change driving from right to left in my Citroën 2CV4. As being a Dutchman, I only have a mirror on the left side of my car. That shows to be far from useful in Pakistan!

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It’s not easy to master the Khyber Pass all by myself. The bad road is snaky and sometimes the side of the abyss is very near. I have to avoid using my brakes because then I will slip away on the gravel and will certainly end somewhere in the far deep.

May be an image of nature, tree and mountain

After a couple of hours while doing my best to avoid collisions with big trucks coming towards me, I get a beautiful view on the Indus Valley. Later on I will cross this famous river.

Landi Kotal, the first settlement in Pakistan, looks like a town in a Western movie.

Wooden houses with balconies, horses and carts in the streets and everywhere there are guns for sale. I am invited by a local craftsman to have a look at his rifles and he offers me a handmade kalashnikov for not more than 100 dollars. I tell him that I prefer to spend that amount of money on petrol to drive around in his country. Although he is quite persistent in selling while shooting in the air many times, I leave him in peace without any hole in my car.

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It’s not a friendly welcome in Pakistan.

Most travellers by car cross the country as quick as possible while looking for the much more “peaceful” country of India. But I was told that northern Pakistan should be one of the most beautiful parts of the Lower Himalayas. In this region there are two small rivers coming down from the snow capped mountains following their own valley, the Swat in the Swat Valley and the Kunhar in the Kaghan Valley.

May be an image of 3 people and nature

The first should be rather touristic, the other one hardly visited. Heading for the last one I have to drive to Islamabad/Rawalpindi first. From there I find the turn off while following the climbing road to Murree. Although it’s summertime there are not many owners of all those beautiful summer bungalows at home.

Fortunately there is a shop to buy some simple food. I pass the two little towns of Abottabad and Mansehra,

I fill up with petrol and head for Naran in the Hazara Province. While following the steep road up I notice that it’s cooling off. I close the canvas rooftop of my 2CV4 to keep the heat in. Although the sun is shining, snow capped mountains are coming near. It’s beautiful where ever I look but the road is getting worse. It looks like snow and ice have ruined the tarmac since last year. I wonder for how long I will be able to follow the river upstream. Hopefully I will reach Naran and may be a beautiful lake further on.

May be an image of 1 person and nature

I am used to park my car somewhere in free nature to spend the night but I find a small rest house in the neighbourhood of Naran where I am welcomed to park my car to sleep in while using the amenities of this simple wooden building. Just by coincidence I notice a funny car on the small parking lot nearby. It’s a Citroën 2CV4 Break. The number plate shows me the origin. The car belongs to a young Swiss couple. It’s unbelievable to see two simple Citroën cars parked next to each other in the Kaghan Valley in northern Pakistan in 1976!

We meet in harmony and they tell me special celebrations will be held in Hemis Gumpa in Leh/Ladakh in India. This celebration will be open to tourists this year for the first time but they themselves have no time left to join the festivities. When it will happen they cannot tell me but it will be somewhere in July. Then suddenly I realize that I had a talk with some friends of friends of mine in Holland about half a year before I started my trip in my “Ugly Ducky” while telling me that they are going to visit an exceptional festival far away from the well known tourist trail in a group of selected people from Holland. I did not have a clue at that time what they were talking about.

When I started my trip in my Citroën in April 1976 I had in mind to spend some time at the south coast of France, not knowing to be in Pakistan some months later. It certainly will be a miracle to meet those Dutch in Leh.

I still have a month to go so I decide to stay here for a couple of days. The Swiss are very friendly and one day we decide to follow the road leading out of Naran into the mountains. They as well were told about a beautiful lake so we leave our cosy place. The first stretch is not easy. It looks as no traffic has left Naran for quite a while.

The road is getting quite dangerous.

Not only because of steep cliffs but also the surface is rather bad and very stony. There is snow everywhere as well. We both have simple 2 wheel drive cars with just a handful of horsepower so we cannot cross the huge landslide in front of us which blocks the road completely. That is a great pity because we are eager to see the lake.

We park our cars and collect some food and water in our small backpacks. We will give it a try to reach the lake by foot. The road is completely gone by snow but some locals have made a track from branches and stones to cross. It takes us about an hour to the moment we see the lake called Saif ul Maluk (or Saiful Muluk) which is glistering in the sun although there are some clouds. It’s like a fata morgana to find this beautiful lake with snow capped mountains around it. The temperature is fine but the water of the lake will be much too cold to take a bath.

While getting nearer to the lake we find the rest of the road in rather good condition because the lake is situated in a valley. We follow this track all the way to the end of the lake. We tease each other while throwing snow balls and we enjoy the complete serenity of the nature around us. There is no people, no animals, even no birds to spot. We all wonder how this beautiful place will look like in summer time. For the next two months some snow will melt but we are not sure if cars ever can reach the lake and even beyond during July and August. After that it will start snowing again.

We walk back to our cars and in the late afternoon and we park both our “mini vans” near the rest house. The owner welcomes us with a cup of tea. With some proud I tell everybody that tomorrow it will be my 26th birthday and I like to celebrate it but I actually do not know in what way. There are no alcoholic drinks for sale, there will be no fresh fruits or vegetables, no salted peanuts or French cheese with toast, neither potatoes nor spaghetti and the owner of the house does not sell any sort of meat.

The landlord approaches me. He offers me the possibility to “catch” my own meal to please myself and the Swiss on my birthday. Tomorrow I can give it a try. If I fail, he guarantees me at least six fish, the daily maximum. I wonder where he is talking about. On my birthday I borrow on his advice a rod with some spinners from him. Unfortunately I lose all spinners and I have to pay him some money as compensation. That was the deal we agreed before.

But now it’s his turn. Within half an hour he catches 6 beautiful rainbow trout from the Kunhar river.

I get all fish for free as being a birthday present. Unfortunately I do not have a decent kitchen to fry them. For a handful of Pakistani Rupees the landlady offers us to prepare a great meal. He and his wife reject my invitation to join the three of us.

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That evening I enjoy one of the best meals I ever had. Both Swiss as well. Together with the trout we get French fries and even a nice salad with onions and tomatoes. A copious and super tasty birthday meal! The only thing we miss is a glass of chilled white wine.

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It is a pity that the Swiss cannot stay much longer. They are heading west, back home to Switzerland. I am heading east in search for some Dutch at a festival in Leh/Ladakh (India) next month. For the Silo, Frank van den Berge.

No photo description available.
The Author- stay tuned for a new book about Frank’s automotive travels.
Travel

Top 10 European Ski Destinations

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Fancy staying on a home exchange this wintry Spring and stretching your skiing budget?

Here are the top 10 European ski destinations chosen by HomeExchange Members. Stay near or in a resort, borrow ski accessories for kids and save on accommodation costs. There’s really something for everyone, from Jacuzzis to sledges and beautiful views to hundreds of mountain chalets and apartments.

Val d’Isere, France

val-disere-franceThere’s a reason why Val d’Isere, at 1,850 meters, continues to be the top choice of European skiers each winter. It offers the perfect blend of challenging ski terrain for advanced skiers and learner-friendly beginners zones for those new to the snow. The resort center is lined with high-end shops, lively après-ski bars and fantastic restaurants, all housed within beautiful, stone-clad buildings.

Chamonix Les Houches, France

chamonix-les-houches-franceThe diversity on offer in Chamonix these days makes it impossible to review the whole resort as one destination. At 950 meters, Les Houches is one of the closest resorts to Geneva Airport and offers kilometer after kilometer of tree-lined skiing, making it the perfect destination for families and beginners. The resort center has a village feel and is an outstanding spot from which to take in the incredible views.

Cosy chalet near Mont Blanc, Les Houches – 10 minutes from Chamonix

Klosters, Switzerland

klosters-switzerlandWhile the ski area between Klosters (at 1,179 meters) and Davos offers lots to explore, Klosters is without doubt the more attractive base for your ski holiday. The village center is charming and affluent, but with a relaxed vibe, while the trails are popular with advanced skiers enjoying an abundance of easily accessible off-piste in the area.

Cosy chalet just 10 minutes from the ski lifts at Klosters

Les Gets, France

les-gets-franceA resort that’s been quietly minding its own business for years, Les Gets, at 1,200 meters, is now developing into a chic, family-orientated resort that offers quick and easy access to the 650-kilometer Portes du Soleil ski area. Several piste-side restaurants offer views of Mont Blanc so it’s easy to find a sunny spot on which to enjoy an après tipple or two.

Luxury mountain ski chalet – Exceptional view

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

crans-montana-swizterlandThere’s one thing that makes these two interconnected resorts stand out, and it may not be for everyone. Crans, at 1,500 meters, and its neighbour Montana are not villages; although right on the edge of a great ski area, they’re most definitely towns with a very urban feel. This is a very sunny spot in which to base yourself and there’s varied terrain to suit all ability levels.

Farm with beautiful views 10 minutes from Crans Montana

La Rosière, France

la-rosiere-franceWe love La Rosière, at 1,850 meters, not just because of its high elevation and snow certainty. The ski area offers two great experiences for the price of one when you cross over the Petit St Bernard pass into Italy. Wide pistes descend for kilometers into La Thuile over the border and getting back is no hassle at all. The main village is quiet but well stocked, and the views are exceptional.

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy

madonna-di-campiglio-italyItalian ski resorts are always authentic, traditional and charming, and Campiglio, at 1,550 meters, is no different. The car-free resort huddles on the valley floor and the center is stylish with several chic shops. The ski area spreads over 150 kilometers, and there have been several lift upgrades over recent years, making it quick and easy for you to cover a considerable distance on skis each day.

Luxurious apartment 5 minutes from ski lifts with fantastic view over the Dolomites

Courchevel Moriond 1650, France

courchevel-moriond-1650-franceRebranded back in 2011 to recognise the differences between its more blingy neighbour higher up the valley, Courchevel 1650 is now an attractive, unpretentious resort with a stack of new facilities, including Aquamotion, a huge center for water sports that opened in December 2015. And let’s not forget: On your doorstep you’ll find the largest linked ski area in the world. The 600 kilometers of the 3 Valleys network never disappoint.

Selva, Val Gardena, Italy

selva-val-gardena-italySeasoned skiers, this one’s for you. At 1,563 meters, Selva serves up challenging ski terrain on both sides of a valley, accessed by both gondolas and quick chair lifts. The village center is packed with charm and character and there’s also a collection of well-maintained beginner slopes and progressive tree-lined runs enjoyed by families.

Geilo, Norway

geilo-norwayNo list of top 10 ski resorts is complete without mentioning Norway and the town of Geilo, at 800 meters. It is one of the country’s most popular resorts. It’s a small, well-equipped town that’s currently investing heavily in new runs, new lifts and new facilities. Between January and April you can also ski until 8pm on flood-lit slopes. Photo Credit: Geilo, Norway

For the Silo and HomeExchange, Alexandra Origet du Cluzeau.

About HomeExchange

Founded by Ed Kushins, a pioneer of the “collaborative consumption” movement, HomeExchange has facilitated over one million home swaps since 1992. It was featured in 2006 in the cult movie “The Holiday” starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jude Law. In 2015, 65,000 HomeExchange members made 130,000 home swaps across 150 countries. The revolutionary Passport™ program now makes home swapping even easier. Members earn a ‘balloon’ by hosting another Member and redeem their ‘balloon’ for a one-way stay anywhere in the world. HomeExchange makes it easy to plan and enjoy a home exchange vacation and offers a memorable, authentic experience while giving travel real meaning. It was voted “Best Site for Booking Your Stay 2016” by readers of USA TODAY and 10Best.

Vintage

An Evolution Of Canadian Shopping Consumers Distributing Style

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As a technology writer for the Silo, I am always focusing and thinking about the evolution of technology. I write about how computers and video games have changed over the years, but of course, many other things change around us and the one I have been thinking about a lot lately is shopping. ( Consumers Distributing may be back,  the relaunch namesake follows us on Twitter  )

CD had some serious PPMP’s (Portable Personal Music Players)- notice how the colour and graphic schemes are totally late 80’s/early 90’s?

When I was a kid, I remember getting the Consumers Distributing catalog and taking it into my room to read thoroughly. Of course, I tended to go directly to the toys section and more specifically I looked at the video games and computers. I dreamed about the day I would own some of these items, and I patiently saved my pennies from my job as a paper route carrier. Life can be tough when you are 12.

Started in 1957, Consumers Distributing tried to save costs for consumers by creating a warehouse like environment that allowed them to operate in smaller locations.

Customers would typically shop through a catalog (which they could take home or use in-store) and fill out a request form. This form was taken to the counter where a customer service representative would go fetch your item(s) and ring up the sale.

At its peak the chain would grow to 243 outlets in Canada and 217 in the United States. By 1996, however, the customers were fading as frustration grew with items being out of stock (or, more accurately, the customer perception was that items were always out of stock). In 2006, the company appeared to emerge from bankruptcy protection but little has been done to revive the stores to the way they once were.

Nothing says vintage or captures the ‘aura’ of shopping in a Consumers Distributing store quite like a polaroid.

Even though the end of the chain could be considered a failure, the evolution of the concept continues to this day. Stores like Home Depot and Costco operate in a warehouse-like environment, there are just no catalogs.

Canadian retail giant Hudson’s Bay Company also thought it was a pretty good idea since they purchased and ran a competitive chain of stores called “Shop-Rite” that were open from 1972 to 1982.

.At its peak, Shop-Rite had 65 stores in Ontario before conceding defeat to Consumers. It wasn’t the competition that was really the problem, it was the concept.

With the recent closing of the retail operations of Blockbuster and Rogers Video, we are seeing another step in the evolutionary process. Decades from now, people will probably think it was quite strange to obtain our movies from a retail store because everything will be digitally beamed into our homes and the physical disks and tapes we use now will be completely gone.

My friend Dave Thielking is a lot like me and he remembers the days when we were kids flipping through those catalogs.

So when he obtained some old catalogs I knew we could work together to put them online and share with our other friends who remember the old days of shopping and the great toys and items we wanted to save our pennies for. The result is a new website called the Consumers Distributing Archive and you can find it at http://www.cdarchive.ca.

We are never going to be able to stop evolution – of any kind – but it doesn’t mean we have to like it, or that we can’t go back to the way things were even just for an afternoon or two. For the Silo, Syd Bolton.

Reviews

Finest Coffee And Coconut Oil From Dominican Republic

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Everyone already knows Kimera Koffee’s for its finest ground coffee, highest quality beans, and some of the best flavors on the market. Now Kimera Koffee is growing the family with its limited edition Phase 1 Peaberry Whole Bean Koffee and Kimera Koconut Oil.

The Kimera Koffee Pase 1 Peaberry Whole Bean Koffee is grown in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. Using some of the finest beans, this blend uses the plants’ yield of 3%-5% peaberry beans, each hand selected and sorted. Peaberry beans are unique in that they are the only bean in the cherry (rather than two), therefore receiving all of the plant’s nutrients in a concentrated dose.

Peaberry beans roast differently partly because they have a single coffee bean within a single coffee cherry (fruit), instead of the usual two half-beans per cherry.

Peaberry beans are regarded as naturally sweeter, more aromatic, and more pleasant in taste than regular coffee beans.

This limited edition flavor packs a punch to your morning routine with some of the freshest, most potent whole beans you can find.

Kimera’s other new addition is the Kimera Koconut Oil. This handcrafted, pure coconut oil is sure to pack a delicious punch with any drink or cooking need. Kimera’s Koconut Oil is extra virgin and cold pressed, giving you the finest, most high quality oil on the market. The oil is non-GMO and unrefined for the best flavor and potency money can buy.

As well as Kimera Koffee’s dedication to proving the high quality products on the market, they are aslo are proud supporters of the Belarminio Ramirez Foundation, which uses their donations to provide school materials, clothes, food, and basic household appliances to communities in the Dominican Republic’s farming towns. Every Kimera Koffee purchase helps aid this fight for a better future. Featured image- cronkite.asu.edu   For the Silo, Katie Lapinski.

Kimera Koffee can be purchased online through their website at kimerakoffee.com or Amazon, as well as at select retailers in the USA, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Supplemental- The many great health benefits, both physical and mental, of MCT Oil vs Coconut Oil.

Gourmet Coffee Lovers: What is a peaberry?

Earth

North America’s Great Lakes Are A World Class Destination

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During my recent tenure as Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, I researched the status of our Great Lakes building on work I was involved in 20 years ago when I was then also Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministry of Natural Resources. At that time, much of the ministry’s work and direction was based on the results of the extensive Lands for Life consultation, which culminated in the Ontario Living Legacy Land Use Strategy.

A major project for me was continuing the good work done with respect to one of Ontario’s 10 Signature Sites – the Great Lakes Heritage Coast.

I feel we can learn from, and adapt in other areas, some of these successful initiatives to help protect and promote all of North America’s Great Lakes. For example, last year I traveled part of the beautifully-developed he North Shore Scenic Drive on the Minnesota shore of Lake Superior – part of the U.S. National Scenic Byways program. And of course Ontario’s Great Lakes Heritage Coast, the tourism and environmental planning initiative based on the province’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy, stretching from Lake Superior’s U.S. border with Minnesota east and south through Manitoulin Island, and Georgian Bay down to the Severn River.

As with Lake Superior’s north shore, North America’s Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin has undeveloped tourism potential, and has the natural environment and the ability to compete with top destinations on the planet. More than 30 million people and over 3,500 species of plants and animals inhabit our Great Lakes basin. But natural ecosystems and local economies around the lakes have deteriorated in the past, there is tremendous potential for both ecosystems and economies to be restored. North America’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin comprise Superior, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Erie-the largest body of fresh water on Earth.

The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River Basin are shared by Ontario and Quebec in Canada and the U.S. states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont. The State of Michigan alone touches four of five Great Lakes and possesses the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. North America’s Great Lakes showcase dramatic land forms and vistas, unique and sensitive coastal wetlands, rock shorelines, natural inlets, deltas, islands, beaches, wilderness rivers and waterfalls.

Lake Michigan Lookout- Arcadia, Michigan

The offerings are endless – trails, scenic lookouts, safe harbors, access points, roads, marinas, campsites and a wide range of tourism and recreation activities like camping, angling, hunting, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, power-boating, cruising, hiking, snowmobile, ATVs, mountain biking, wildlife viewing and nature appreciation, ice and rock climbing, golf, cross-country skiing, . . . A rich and diverse cultural and economic heritage is also associated with our Great Lakes.

Trading posts, logging camps, ghost towns, old docking areas, shipwrecks and lighthouses abound.

There are beautiful parks and protected areas. Attractions range from the mystical to the spectacular with Aboriginal spiritual sites; marine museums; working marine industrial ; and the lure of such cities such as Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland and Thunder Bay. Enhancing tourism and the area’s natural attributes can further protect and promote our Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Basin communities where economic stability and growth have all too often passed them by. For the Silo, Toby Barrett MPP Haldimand-Norfolk.

Featured image- Hollow Rock,Lake Superior,Ontario – hollowrockresort.com

Earth

M5 Electric Scooter Is Foldable Fun

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Imagine spending pennies on electricity instead of hundreds of dollars on gas during the busiest travel season.

On the new, fully-electric M5 E-Scooter from EcoReco, a mere one dollar will power the scooter for approximately 500 miles.

The M5 is perfect for short-distances and last-mile commutes. They also work well on corporate campuses, and for casual rides around town.

M5E Scooter

The M5 has many of the same great features from its previous M3 model, but also has a rear-suspension system, which gives you a much smoother ride. Also new is the option to have a front pneumatic tire, which are available for purchase.

The M5’s quiet, electromagnetic motor gives off no CO2 emissions, making it environmentally safe. The M5 can reach a top speed of 20 mph and travel up to 20 miles per charge on flat ground. It also comes with a smart charger that can quickly charge the battery from zero to 85 percent in just 2.5 hours. The M5 features a direct-drive, brushless hub motor and high-capacity Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery.

The M5 model is foldable and has a lightweight design, which makes the scooter can easily be stored for public transportation rides or on longer commutes.

The patented M5 E-Scooter from EcoReco is now available  for $1,250 (USD). Contact marketingdirector@thesilo.ca for ordering information and further product information.

Travel

NightSwapping Is New Euro Model of Sustainable Tourism

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In a time when the sharing economy is generalizing eco-friendly solutions for a sustainable development, a European startup has brought up to date one of the oldest tourism ideas in the world to lower the carbon footprint on your next vacation. It’s called swapping or more precisely, NightSwapping.

A simple idea that is enjoyed for its human dimension, authenticity and the absence of money between members.

NightSwapping1

It is therefore with the utmost respect for traditional cultures, local territory and people that NightSwapping represents a new model for a sustainable tourism.

Has it not become common for travelers to stay at a local’s rather than hotels or resorts?

NightSwapping2

These new behaviors seem motivated by the desire to draw closer to local cultures and pass down certain values to our young ones…

Within this changing industry, a European concept has found a way to challenge the giants from the Silicon Valley. NightSwapping  is the Sharing Economy at its core: no money exchanged, just sharing and authentic experiences.

NightSwapping3

A promising idea that continues to convince travelers around the world. For the Silo,  Quentin Mittelett.  

NightSwapping4

Have you tried this? Would you try this? Let us know in the comments below.