In the lead up to the Eurozone Crisis, Portugal’s Economy was an outlier. Whilst many economies went on an incredible run, the Portuguese Economy did not have such a good time. Not only underperforming the average eurozone growth rate, but unemployment actually rose from 3.8% to 7.5% between the millennium and 2008. Compare this against the likes of Greece, Spain and Italy, all of which had seen significant declines in unemployment. Raising the question of why? Why had Portugal’s Economy stagnated in what were supposed to be the good times? What was the impact of its long history as a colonial power? And to what extent did a 19th Century letter from Pope Leo the 13th influence its wider economic approach?
Analysis: ‘Food Delivery Apps vs Restaurants’ (WSJ)
Demand for food delivery has soared amid the pandemic, but restaurants are struggling to survive. In a fiercely competitive industry, delivery services are fighting to gain market share while facing increased pressure to lower commission fees and provide more protection to their workers. Video/Photo: Jaden Urbi/WSJ
Safari Tours: ‘Kruger National Park & Game Reserve’ In South Africa
Where the lion sleeps tonight: Join head ranger Bonga Njajaula on safari in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. On account of the coronavirus pandemic, life in the reserve is pretty quiet. There are only a few vehicles still moving about, and lions can be spotted sleeping on the roads. Let’s take a look! Video: Adrian Kriesch.
Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa, is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Its high density of wild animals includes the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. Hundreds of other mammals make their home here, as do diverse bird species such as vultures, eagles and storks. Mountains, bush plains and tropical forests are all part of the landscape.
Aerial Views: ‘Montego Bay – Jamaica’ (4K Video)
Montego Bay, the capital of Saint James Parish on Jamaica’s north coast, is a major cruise ship port with numerous beach resorts and golf courses outside its commercial core. Popular beaches include Doctor’s Cave Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach, home to an amusement park. There’s also snorkelling and diving at coral reefs in the protected waters of Montego Bay Marine Park.
Home Design: The Art Of The ‘Minimal Kitchen’
Whether it’s a wall of stainless steel cabinets or a row of plywood units, there is something particularly satisfying about a thoughtfully designed, minimal kitchen.
The trick to clutter-free surfaces is to make sure that behind the clean-lined exterior, there is plenty of space to stash away kitchen paraphernalia. Here, we’re sharing our favourite example of minimal kitchen designs – from a monochrome kitchen in north London to a barely-there arrangement of white units in the Cotswolds.
Walks: ‘Tuileries Garden – Paris, France’ (4K Video)
The Tuileries Garden is a public garden located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. Created by Catherine de’ Medici as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was eventually opened to the public in 1667 and became a public park after the French Revolution.
Saturday Podcast: News From London (Feb 27)
A look at the weekend’s newspapers. Plus, what we learned this week, Monocle editor in chief Andrew Tuck’s weekend column and lessons in decluttering.
Lunar Events: ‘Snow Moon Rises in Bolton, England’
This year’s snow moon is shown in incredible photos rising behind Rivington Pike in Bolton.
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the full Moon itself.
The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie (Dakota), wrote that the name used for this period was the Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.”
Desert Views: ‘Death Valley National Park, California’ (4K Video)
Death Valley National Park straddles eastern California and Nevada. It’s known for Titus Canyon, with a ghost town and colorful rocks, and Badwater Basin’s salt flats, North America’s lowest point. Above, Telescope Peak Trail weaves past pine trees. North of the spiky salt mounds known as the Devil’s Golf Course, rattlesnakes live in Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
Views: ‘Owls’ (8K Video)
Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight.
Boomers Daily 