🥵🥶 Hot, Cold, and More in Pipeaway Newsletter #131

Pipeaway travel newsletter #131; AI image by Ivan Kralj / DALL-E/Adobe.

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Hi from Klein Matterhorn!

I dropped by for a day at the highest cable car station in Europe where, at 3,883 meters, a ski season never ends.

You might know Matterhorn from your Toblerone chocolate treat, which cannot be labeled as Swiss chocolate since last year, as both its ingredients and processing are not based in Switzerland anymore.

Well, Klein Matterhorn is where Matterhorn Glacier Paradise invites you inside the thick ice, 15 meters below the surface, with tunnels filled with ice sculptures.

In the past decade, Swiss glaciers have shrunk by a third of their volume. Ice is melting faster than Toblerone. Just last week, a new study of the tree rings confirmed that the summer of 2023 was the hottest in the past 2,000 years.

So when, on the top of the Swiss mountain, I saw this ridiculously scantily-clad woman posing for photos at minus 8 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit), maybe it wasn’t one of those “influencers in the wild”. Maybe she was just a visionary who adapted more quickly to global warming.

Find this in today’s newsletter:

  • Words: Wild countdown, foodie news, and some cheeky art.
  • Images: Middle fingers and other worlds.
  • Numbers: Surviving mountains, deer collisions, and climate change.
  • P.S.: May the discounts be with you.

Have a cool week!

Ivan Kralj        
Pipeaway.com

Silly Side: Why did the snowman book a tropical vacation? To avoid a meltdown. Enjoy our selection of the hottest stories – click on the ones that warmed you up! That helps us stay cool ;)

 FEATURE SPOTLIGHT 

Nemo in a pink tutu, representing the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, surrounded by golden starfish representing the European flag, and sharks in the background - Europe, not united by music; AI image by Ivan Kralj / Dall-e/Adobe

Eurovision – Harmony or Discord?

The Eurovision of 2024 was a place where music, politics, and controversies collided. With intense reactions, protests, and disqualifications, it was the most debated song competition in the history of the European Broadcasting Union. What is the future of Eurovision, and can it survive under the command that made many broadcasters demand explanations? Read about Eurosong’s biggest incidents, and join the conversation.


 WORDS 

 

DISAPPEARING CHORUS

It was an Endangered Species Day on Friday. Learn more about the world’s most endangered animals in 2024, and check out some of the rarest creatures, from Puerto Rico whistling frogs to New Guinea singing dogs. While we’re at the topic, it’s a great excuse to highlight the touching photographs of the last northern white rhinos by Matjaž Krivic.

SNACKTACULAR

The Italian pizza guide has announced the 50 best pizzas in Europe, with England, Spain, and France dominating the list. From Latin America arrives the news of the first Mexican taco stand receiving a Michelin star. I also loved the story of Philadelphia pioneering a cheese vending machine. If your stomach is still rumbling, join the #Top4Snacks Twitter challenge.

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Remember that portal connecting the two sides of the Atlantic we chatted about last week? Well, it didn’t take long for the art installation to attract inappropriate behavior in both Dublin and New York, forcing the organizers to shut it down on Monday. Showing your cheeky side or even flashing swastikas across the pond is not tolerated as freedom of artistic expression. But on Sunday, a new update: with supposedly some new technical solutions, the hole reopened again!


 IMAGES 

 

🌍

From the melting glaciers of Switzerland to trash-hungry elephants in Sri Lanka, 30 photographers shortlisted for London’s Earth Photo exhibition tell compelling stories about life on our planet.

🧊

Feel like exploring Antarctica? Meet Edmund Stump, the man who spent 40 years photographing and mapping the Transantarctic Mountains. More (literally) cool photos from the land of endless winter are available in Stump’s book “Otherworldly Antarctica”.

🖕

Still not on the path of becoming an Olympic sport, finger wrestling or Fingerhakeln is an ultimate Bavarian showdown. Hundreds of men dressed in lederhosen and fueled by beer gather to pull their middle fingers.


 NUMBERS 

 

29

The number of times Kami Rita Sherpa has ascended Mt. Everest. The 54-year-old Nepalese has decades of experience in climbing mountains above 8,000 meters.

700

The number of people injured or killed per year by deer-vehicle collisions on the UK roads. The United States sees 2.1 million collisions per year which cause 59,000 human injuries and 440 deaths. In Hokkaido, deer account for 10 crashes a day. For a survivable encounter with these beautiful animals in Japan, visit Nara Deer Park.

96%

The reduction in carbon emissions if you take a train between London and Paris (2.4 kg) instead of a plane (66 kg). Eurostar trains should be powered entirely with renewable energy by 2030. Until then, follow these simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint when traveling.


 PARTNER SPOTLIGHT 
Klook logo.

 

May Adventures – Explore More, Spend Less

Klook booking platform lets you experience both popular attractions and hidden gems. In May, they are running some hot deals. With discounts of up to 30%, you can opt for the Niagara Falls Day Tour from New York, the Best of Paris Guided Tour with 15 Attractions, the Harry Potter Self-Guided Walking Tour in London, the Krka Waterfalls Tour with Boat Cruise, Wine and Olive Oil Tasting in Croatia, and many more. No secret codes or magic spells needed. Find your perfect adventure now!


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This is the archived version of our free weekly newsletter. To start receiving it in your mailbox on the send-out day, join the newsletter list!

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Ivan Kralj

Editor

Award-winning journalist and editor from Croatia

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