Monocle’s editorial director Tyler Brûlé and panellists Aleksandra Tirziu and Chandra Kurt cover the weekend’s biggest news. Plus: we check in with our friends and contributors in London, Helsinki and Hong Kong.
Monthly Archives: May 2022
Front Page View: The New York Times – May 15, 2022

How America Lost One Million People
Understanding the death toll — who makes up the one million and how the country failed them — is essential as the pandemic continues.
International
- For Putin, a Nordic Nightmare Is Springing to LifeBy MARC SANTORA and NATALIE KITROEFFPage A4
- To Survive, Some Afghans Sift Through Deadly Remnants of Old WarsBy THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF, SAFIULLAH PADSHAH and KIANA HAYERIPage A6
- Mohammed bin Zayed, an Ambitious U.S. Partner, Rises to Lead the U.A.E.By BEN HUBBARDPage A8
- North Korea Says Its Covid Outbreak Is Spreading FastBy CHOE SANG-HUN
Locals Guide: Tips For Amsterdam, Netherlands
Food from the vending machine – doesn’t really sound like a good travel tip? We asked some Amsterdam locals for their tips on what to do in the Dutch capital. Some tips took some getting used to. Have you ever been to Amsterdam?
Timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Spiegelgracht 01:05 Vondelpark 01:45 Westerkeerk 02:41 FEBO Vending Machine
Walking Tour: Amman – Capital Of Jordan (4K)
Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a modern city with numerous ancient ruins. Atop Jabal al-Qala’a hill, the historic Citadel includes the pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules and the 8th-century Umayyad Palace complex, known for its grand dome. Built into a different downtown hillside, the Roman Theater is a 6,000-capacity, 2nd-century stone amphitheater offering occasional events.
Top USA Road Trips: The Washington DC Region
Country Life Magazine, May 14, 2022 – The area around Washington DC isn’t the obvious choice for holidaymakers crossing the Atlantic, but as Sophia Constant discovered it offers a huge range of wonderful options — particularly if you pencil it in now for the autumn.
Start in Winchester, Virginia, the oldest city west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which famously changed hands between Unionists and Confederates 72 times during the Civil War. Over 15 million Americans can trace an ancestor that travelled through Winchester on the wagon-way trail from Philadelphia to the American West. Take the Taste Winchester History tour through the historic downtown’s restaurants and bars. Explore The Mall, where original buildings and classic facades have been restored to look exactly as in the 1800’s. Don’t miss the Beaux Arts Library, Post Office, Union Bank, Court House, Clock Tower, and The Museum of The Shenandoah Valley’s 200-year old house, museum and gardens.

Winchester in Fall. The American one, not the Hampshire one. Credit: Capital Region USA

Havre de Grace, Maryland. Credit: Capital Region USA
The Shenandoah Valley’s winding country roads pass colonial-style houses, vast orchards, farms and picket fences. Enjoy gorgeous hills and forests via hiking trails, including Sky Meadows and Eagle Rock. Gastronomy is a major part of the experience. Tour Winchester Ciderworks to taste experimental blends: blackcurrant and ginger, or even turmeric chai anti-inflammatory cider. For homemade pies and cakes, head to The Homestead Farm at Fruit Hill Orchard, a fourth generation farming family’s store, set in an old carriage barn. Their BBQ and Bluegrass Night is an authentic experience, where local musicians jam on the porch and anyone’s welcome to join. The drive through Middletown is particularly striking; a half-pipe valley with mountains rising up on either side. Time this over lunch at Shaffer’s BBQ, a dilapidated gas station transformed into a restaurant serving delectable on-the-go southern cuisine. Shaffer’s sits on a Civil War battle site, Cedar Creek (1864), where annual re-enactments take place, including 3000 people, cavalry and heavy artillery
Cinematic Travel: The Beauty Of Budapest (4K)
Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.
Lake Views: Oeschinensee, Kandersteg, Switzerland
Lake Oeschinen, which lies above Kandersteg, Switzerland, is a pristine mountain lake, fed by the glacial brooks of the three-thousand-meter peaks of Blüemlisalp, Oeschinenhorn, Fründenhorn and Doldenhorn. People who love to swim, nature lovers and hikers can really enjoy themselves here.
Cover Preview: Barron’s Magazine – May 16, 2022
Barron’s Magazine, May 16, 2022 – How Workers Gained Leverage, and Why They Won’t Lose It Soon
Employees in many industries have seized on the pandemic’s upheaval to score higher pay, better benefits, flexible schedules, and more. While some gains will fade, a number of economic and demographic forces suggest workers have the edge.
Walking Tours: Amiens In Northern France (4K)
Amiens is a city in northern France, divided by the Somme river. It’s known for the Gothic Amiens Cathedral and nearby medieval belfry. Shops and cafes line the Quartier St.-Leu’s narrow streets. Floating market gardens (“hortillonnages”) dot the city’s canals. The Musée de Picardie shows art and antiquities spanning centuries. Nearby, the Maison de Jules Verne is a museum where the science fiction author once lived.
Saturday Morning: News And Stories From London
Georgina Godwin on the weekend’s biggest discussion topics; Charles Hecker reviews the papers; and Monocle’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco gives his prediction of who will win the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’ final in Turin.