Monocle’s July/August issue marks the return of our annual Quality of Life special edition that is guaranteed to get you in the mood for the sunnier months. Review our index of the world’s 20 most liveable cities, our choices for your perfect summer playlist and an eagerly anticipated visit to the Venice Architecture Biennale. After a challenging year, it’s time to get excited for summer again.
Category Archives: Culture
Travel & Culture: Paris And ‘Les Parisiens’ (Video)
#Paris has been a source of fascination for centuries and the #French capital is one of the most visited cities in the world. By day or by night, it’s a beautiful city packed with towering #monuments, inspiring #museums and romantic cafés and yet, #tourists often say Paris would be so nice if it weren’t for the Parisians. So where does this bad reputation come from? In this episode of French Connections Plus, Florence Villeminot and Genie Gordula turn the spotlight on the City of Lights and its peculiar inhabitants: les Parisiens.
Views: The Horseback Fisherwomen Of Belgium
The tradition of horseback fishing for fish and shrimp goes back to the 16th century. Large Belgian Draft horses trawl across the beach with fishing nets attached to their saddles. In Oostduinkerke, at the Belgian coast, this 500-year-old shrimping tradition has remained unchanged, except in 2015, when a small but significant change occurred: for the first time ever, 2 women joined the ranks of what was long considered a “man’s job”. We met up with the women who brave the waves on Belgians weighing up to 1 ton every day.
French Views: Lavender Fields Of Provence (Video)
The #lavender fields of the #Valensole Plateau, in France’s southern #Provence region, are an ocean of purple-blue. This is where much of the plant’s global production is grown. Many families in the region have been working with lavender for several generations. There are those who continue their activity in the traditional way and those who have opted for a more industrial method. Either way, these beautiful landscapes attract thousands of tourists from around the world.
Books On Italy: ‘Tuscany Marvel’ (May 2021)
The Italian region of Tuscany is a feast for all senses. A creative incubator that has cultivated art and architecture for eras including Etruscan, Roman, Renaissance and modern times. Timeworn churches, once stops on nineteenth-century Grand Tours, stand tall in the towns’ piazzas. Rolling hills of wheat and colorful olive groves, that inspire authentic Tuscan cuisine, are dotted with villas built by the prestigious Medici family.
The Tyrrhenian Sea extends off its coast, lapping the shore of Elba, the island where the emperor Napoleon was exiled. Quaint villages, historic towns and bustling cities are scattered across its landscape, which is almost as varied as the communities themselves. From annual horse races at Piazza del Campo, and the centuries-old winemaking traditions of the Chianti region to the city of Pisa, an ancient Maritime Republic known for the youthful spirit of its Scuola Normale Superiore and Leaning Tower alike, Tuscany is the place of dreams, where thousands come to relive its history and take in the beauty of a region.
In the fashion world, Ferragamo, Gucci and Pucci all have ties to Florence and its endless inspiration. However, what truly defines Tuscany is its timelessness. Masterpieces from centuries past still lure immense crowds. Brunelleschi’s dome in Florence never fails to strike onlookers with awe.
Views: Stern Sculling On French Island Of Groix
The French island of Groix, off the coast of Brittany, is the land of stern sculling, a single-oar technique used for centuries by fishermen. Although traditional fishing has disappeared today, the island continues to keep the tradition alive by organising a world stern sculling championship each year. Islanders of all generations take part and competition is fierce. We went to check it out.
Mediterranean Views: The Island Of Rhodes (Video)
Rhodes, the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands, is known for its beach resorts, ancient ruins and remnants of its occupation by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades. The city of Rhodes has an Old Town featuring the medieval Street of the Knights and the castlelike Palace of the Grand Masters. Captured by the Ottomans and then held by the Italians, the palace is now a history museum.
Julia arrives in the Dodecanese, a far-flung group of islands at the gateway between Europe and the East where she visits the medieval capital of Rhodes.
Island Views: Skiathos & Skopelos – Greece (Video)
Skiathos, a Greek island in the northwest Aegean Sea, is part of the Sporades archipelago. It’s best known for its beaches and buzzing, youth-driven nightlife scene. The action centers around Skiathos Town, where bars and restaurants spill onto sidewalks along the old harbor and Papadiamanti street, the main pedestrian thoroughfare. Between town and the airport are many open-air, waterfront clubs.
Skopelos is a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group, which lies east of the Pelion peninsula on the mainland and north of the island of Euboea. It is part of the Thessaly region.
Views: Ancient Mongolian Fishing Technique At Lake Chagan, China (Video)
In the northeast province of Jilin, China, local fishermen rely on an ancient Mongolian technique to fish in the frozen waters of Lake Chagan. And despite temperatures reaching minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, all they need are a net, two horses, and a spindle.
Nicknames: Story Of New York City’s “The Big Apple”
A lot of American cities have great nicknames. But it was 100 years ago when the nation’s biggest city got its most famous one. Michelle Miller has the details on how “The Big Apple” came to signify New York.
Boomers Daily 