Hmm… a bright red building decorated with golden popcorn kernels and topped with a bunch of massive eggs. Where on Earth could this be? And, what the hell is it?
If you think you know the answer to this week’s, Where on Earth, kindly respond in the comments section below. The correct answer will be revealed on Friday.
Good luck!
I’ve passed under this McDonald’s countless times throughout my life. More recently, on a trip to Tulsa (which is a surprisingly pleasant town, by the way), we stopped here to use the facilities and stretch our legs. On the way back, we actually stopped to eat — the first time I’d eaten a Big Mac since the last time I drove under this one — and let me tell you, this is one disgusting McDonald’s. The food was gross, the place was dirty. I should have expected it, I know, but I was taken back by how gross a restaurant could actually be. You’ve been warned
See you next week for Where on Earth.
We had a number of guesses for this week’s Where on Earth? Jake guessed the right country, but Buddha was more specific with his answer — the coastal sand dunes in Namibia — so the big gold coin goes to him. Snapped by gakout, this image reminds me of one of my worst mornings — and one of my best days. After about a year of service in the Peace Corps in Zambia, my friend Jesse, and I decided we needed a break, so we arranged a trip to Namibia. From where I was stationed, the 4-day trip to Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, required I ride:
It was quite a journey.
Shortly after arriving in Windhoek, we arranged for a trip through northern Namibia. We wanted to see the giant red sand dunes of Sossusvlei. The next day, we headed to Swakopmund, Namibia’s second largest city — and perhaps the weirdest place on earth. Here, at the end of a long, dusty, desert drive, is a coastal town that looks like Hansel and Gretel might stroll up at any moment.
With its rich Bavarian architecture, signs for strudels and sausages, and road names all ending in -Straße, it felt like we had left Africa and headed for Germany. In any event, we signed up to go sandboarding the following day. Excited about no longer being in Zambia; thrilled at the prospect of being in a clean, unusual place; and eager to get sandy the next morning, we began drinking.
And we drank.
And we kept drinking.
You can see where this is headed.
I drank Tafels and Windhoek lagers. I did shots of imported Gilbey’s gin. Ordinarily, I don’t drink that much, but I was delighted to be able to drink cold, draught beer. The beers I was used to in Zambia were always warm and in filthy bottles.
So I drank some more.
The next morning I was so hung over, I thought I wouldn’t be able to participate in the sandboarding; I could barely roll out of bed. Fortunately, Jesse made me go. On the bus ride to the dunes, no one would sit beside me, because I was ashen white, and I had to stop the bus several times to, um, to puke. I was disgusted with myself. Everyone else on the bus was disgusted with myself, too. Jesse thought it was hilarious.
When we got to the dunes, I looked at how high we’d have to trudge, and I refused to go. “Just go once. If it takes all morning, then you don’t have to go back,” Jesse encouraged. I agreed. Amazingly, lumbering up the dunes was just what I needed: the fresh air, the clear skies, and the anticipation of zooming down the hills made me perk up immediately. I was cured!
For the next few hours, we raced up the hills and flew back down. We were told we could reach speeds up to 35 miles per hour on the waxed plywood boards on which we rode. Laying on my stomach, with my nose 6 inches from the sand that was rushing past, it felt like 350 miles per hour. Quite honestly, sandboarding in Namibia is one of the most fun thing I’ve ever done.
Plus, at the end of the day, they fed us lunch. I hadn’t had a ham sandwich in almost year. I was in heaven.
Believe it or not, I think I felt like having a beer to celebrate.
Where on earth could this shot have been taken? Hint: it’s one of the greatest hangover cures on the planet. Trust me.
Guesses are welcome in the comments. Answer revealed on Friday. Ridiculous drunk story to follow.