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Florida to release mosquitoes

While you were worrying about murder hornets, Florida was busy with plans to release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys. No, it’s not a mad scientist’s attempt at a diabolical takeover, it’s a project designed to find a viable alternative to spraying insecticides that kill the Aedes aegypti — a species of mosquito that carries diseases like Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.

The mosquitoes have been altered to produce female offspring that die in the larval stage, before they can hatch and grow large enough to bite and spread diseases (only female mosquitoes bite for blood). They’re mosquitoes are scheduled to be released in the Florida Keys in 2021 and 2022.

The genetically modified organism is being developed by Oxitec. “This is an exciting development because it represents the ground-breaking work of hundreds of passionate people over more than a decade in multiple countries, all of whom want to protect communities from dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and other vector-borne diseases,” said Grey Frandsen, Oxitec CEO, in a statement back in May when the project was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The fight against dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases has been a long one in Florida. Although this new project was approved by the EPA, concerns still remain about the potential impact on the population, wildlife, and environment.

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German dog-walking law

When it comes to getting regular exercise, humans can be a lost cause. Given the trajectory of humanity right now, it’s probably better to put our faith in dogs anyway. That’s why Germany is introducing a new law requiring dog owners to walk their pets twice a day, for an hour each, to ensure they’re getting the exercise they need. The Dogs Act was conceived by agriculture minister Julia Klöckner, who based the new rules on scientific findings that show dogs require a certain level of activity and socialization.

According to Klöckner, “Dogs are not cuddly toys. They also have their own needs, which need to be taken into account.”

The law will be introduced next year and enforced by local authorities in each of Germany’s states. Since 19 percent of German households own dogs, however, the law may prove difficult to enforce.

The Dogs Act has already met with some opposition. Bärbel Kleid, a dog-owner in Berlin, told The Guardian, “I find it patronising to be told how long I should take my dog out for. And who is going to check up on me? Will the neighbor call the police if they suspect me of not taking Sam for long enough walks? He wouldn’t manage two hours a day anyway.”

Even members of Klöckner’s own party, like Saskia Ludwig, a CDU MP, think the law is too general and strict. “VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE,” she tweeted, “I will not be taking my Rhodesian Ridgeback for two rounds of walks in 32 degrees heat, rather we will jump in the river for a refreshing cool down instead.”

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Expert food and drink jobs

To become a master sommelier, wine professionals must take what’s been called the world’s toughest test. It’s the last in a series of four sommelier certifications administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers, an international organization established in 1977 to create a global standard for wine service in the hospitality industry. To be eligible for a master diploma, candidates must first pass the introductory, certified, and advanced sommelier exams. Few pass the final test. Fewer pass on their first try. To date, only around 270 people have earned the right to call themselves a Master Sommelier.

In recent years, various industries have co-opted the term sommelier. There are oysters somms, soft drink somms, and even a couple of hot sauce connoisseurs in Brooklyn who call themselves sommeliers. This has been controversial. Historically, the title has been reserved for wine experts alone, and some argue that the rigorous training and industry experience required to become a sommelier is unique to the wine industry, as the title should be.

Yet the fact remains that wine sommeliers are not the only experts in their field. They’re not even the only experts in the food and drink world. Some, like traditional tea masters, participate in traditions even older than wine. These are seven other industries with “sommeliers” of their own.

1. Water

Photo: sundaemorning/Shutterstock

In the mid-2010s, Martin Riese was the water sommelier. The Germany-born, LA-based mineral water expert rose to fame as the United States’ first certified water sommelier, a title he now shares with experts like Chicago native Jessica Altieri, who has made headlines as a dual sommelier in wine and water. Both Riese and Altieri were schooled in Germany: Riese got his Mineral Water Sommelier certification from the Mineral Water Trade Association in 2010, while Altieri attended the prestigious Doemens Academy in Graefelfing outside of Munich.

Outside of the US, Jason Kuok is making waves as the first certified water sommelier in Macau and Hong Kong. John Zhu launched his career as the master sommelier at Shanghai’s Park Hyatt hotel. And according to Ganesh Iyer, India’s first certified water sommelier, demand for the expertise is only growing. “Water is set to be the next big” in the culinary world, he told Hindu Business Line last year, “and water sommeliers some of the most sought after experts.”

Like Altieri, Kuok and Iyer are Doemens grads. Training programs outside of Germany include the Associazione Degustatori Acque Minerali in Milan, Italy, and the Korea International Sommelier Association in Seoul, South Korea. Zhu also founded the Purelogica Academy in China in 2016, and Riese runs a certification program online called the Fine Water Academy.

Once certified, a water sommelier might find work at a luxury hotel. Riese is one, and the director of food and beverage, at the Petit Ermitage hotel in Los Angeles, where he recently schooled actors Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick on pH balances, flavor profiles, and the truth behind purified water in an episode of Netflix’s Down to Earth with Zac Efron.

2. Mustard

France’s most iconic mustard brand has been making Dijon since before the French Revolution. In 1747, vinegar-maker Antoine Claude Maille opened a mustard shop in Paris, soon becoming King Louis XV’s official mustard supplier. In 2014, La Maison Maille opened its first American boutique in Manhattan and appointed New York City’s only mustard sommelier. The world’s only other mustard sommeliers work in Maille’s London and Paris showrooms.

According to Harry Lalousis, the brand’s London-based expert, his role as mustard sommelier is not just the work of Maille’s marketing team: It’s the revival of a tradition dating to the company’s early days in the 18th century. From the opening of the flagship store until 1873 when records of the job dried up, Maille hired experts to answer questions about its products and help shoppers with food and mustard pairings, much as they’re doing today.

3. Tea

Photo: hxdbzxy/Shutterstock

A quick Google search for the phrase tea sommelier yields pages of results for online courses and certification programs from China to Canada. Unlike the strict standards for wine sommeliers, these programs are vague and variable, not to mention costly. Yet the role of the tea expert is clearly defined throughout history, beginning in ancient China.

Legend has it that Emperor Shen Nung, a savvy herbalist, discovered tea by accident back in 2737 BCE. Tea-drinking flourished during the Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE) and spread to Japan, where ritual tea ceremonies were adopted by Zen Buddhist monks. A 16th-century man named Sen no Rikyū is credited with perfecting the art of chanoyu, or the Japanese tea ceremony. And according to one 17th-generation tea master, as of 2018, at least 200 Japanese schools are training new tea masters every year.

Highly skilled tea professionals are more in demand than ever, even outside of traditional tea houses. Luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants now have tea experts on staff. These jobs are particularly competitive in Japan and Hong Kong, though properties from New York City to Cape Town to London now run tea programs, tastings, high tea, and more.

4. Beer

Some beer professionals call themselves sommeliers, but certified experts go by their own title: cicerone. Chicago brewer and beer-lover Ray Daniels started the Cicerone Certification Program in 2007, around the time the US’ craft beer industry was really picking up steam.

Daniels was inspired to create a training program for industry workers after observing a frustrating lack of expertise in the beer world beyond brewers themselves. Interested professionals can choose between four levels of accreditation: Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone, Advanced Cicerone, and Master Cicerone. The two-day Master Cicerone final is administered once a year in Chicago and comprises written, oral, and tasting exams.

Once certified, beer-masters are considered experts in five main areas: beer storage and serving etiquette, different beer styles, flavor and evaluation, ingredients and brewing, and food pairings. To even be considered, aspiring Master Cicerones should already be well versed in all things sudsy, from troubleshooting draft systems to knowledge of the brewing process.

5. Coffee

Photo: Benedict Kraus/Shutterstock

The closest equivalent to a sommelier in the coffee industry is a Q Grader. Q Graders are certified as expert tasters, or cuppers, by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). The CQI offers two Q-level certifications: Arabica and Robusta. Q Arabica Graders are credentialed in arabica coffee in accordance with the quality standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). Q Robusta Graders are taught Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) standards. Both must pass 22 tests. Subjects include brewing, identifying roasts, and grading green coffee.

The term sommelier is becoming more popular in the coffee world. Erik Liedholm made headlines in 2015 after becoming Seattle’s first certified coffee sommelier, thanks to Nespresso. In 2009, the brand launched its Nespresso Coffee Sommelier Program, which offers a select number of professional wine sommeliers the chance to study coffee under industry leaders at the Nespresso headquarters and factory in Switzerland each year.

6. Honey

Chapter 13 of honey expert Carla Marina Marchese’s first book is titled “Honey Sommelier: The Tasting of Honey.” According to Marchesa’s website, that’s where the term was coined.

Honey sommelier may not be an official title, but in Marchese’s case, it was earned. In addition to founding Red Bee honey and getting published on the subject numerous times, the beekeeper studied honey in Italy, where there’s a national register of tasting experts. After becoming one of some 250 students to pass all three training levels, Marchese became the first US citizen on the Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey.

In 2013, Marchese brought this Italian schooling to an American audience, founding the American Honey Tasting Society, which offers both tasting courses and sensory training. The former overviews the practice of sensory analysis while the latter elevates it to an academic study, teaching students to identify honey by its floral source, understand its physical structure, prevent common defects, and learn to pair honey with wine, cheese, and other foods. Courses are taught by beekeepers who, like Marchese, all belong to Italy’s national register of experts.

7. Cannabis

Photo: Inigo Sarralde Fotografia/Shutterstock

As the legal cannabis industry grows, more cannabis experts have taken to calling themselves sommeliers. Some argue that the complexities of cannabis are as, if not more, extensive than those of wine, making the title of cannabis sommelier uniquely comparable.

While any budtender, grower, or industry player can be a self-proclaimed sommelier, cannabis expertise requires education, and a lot of it. Students of cannabis study many of the same concepts as students of wine, from tasting notes to terroir to growing the respective plants. The Trichome Institute in Denver, Colorado, launched the first and most-respected cannabis certification program in the US. In Canada, where recreational cannabis has been federally legal since 2018, so-called cannasseurs can enroll in the first Canadian sommelier certification program through Cannareps.

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The best ‘New Towns’ in Europe

There’s a common perception that a city’s historic center is the most authentic and aesthetically pleasing neighborhood, and therefore the best place for taking in a new culture. You’re not wrong. Old Towns are a history buff’s dream and an Instagram model’s paradise. Problem is, this illusion can be fleeting. Old Towns often fall victim to a commercialization that is far from quaint — kitschy souvenir shops line the sidewalks, hollering hat salesmen wait around every corner, competing hops hawk their authentic sweets, and crowds dilute the beauty of the historic aesthetic.

Staying in a city’s New Town can actually be a more relaxing, rewarding experience. Though often overlooked, New Towns can be just as pretty and culturally significant, and speak more accurately to the city’s contemporary character. The desirability of Old Towns means food and lodging are typically astronomical in price — New Towns are more affordable, with a greater diversity of food options and nightlife. Whether it’s the colorful faux baroque architecture of Kiev’s Vozdvyzhenka neighborhood or the trendy cocktail bars of Edinburgh’s famous New Town, these European neighborhoods might not be living museums, but they’re certainly worth a visit.

1. Vozdvyzhenka, Kiev

Photo: Olena Rublenko/Shutterstock

Kiev’s Vozdvyzhenka neighborhood wasn’t always a place worth visiting. Once an old craftsmen’s neighborhood, the area was rebuilt in 2000 with colorful faux-baroque townhouses. Many remained unsold and vacant for over a decade, but now Ukrranians are slowly giving new life to the area. Houses in Vozdvyzhenka are true works of art, designed quite deliberately and with great detail to fit the aesthetic of 19th-century architecture. The rows of houses are meant to resemble a bright rainbow, and while this effect is certainly accomplished, many do still remain abandoned due to their high prices.

While actually living there is an expensive proposition, the neighborhood has become popular among visitors. Its rainbow houses probably offer the best Instagram backdrop in Kiev, and its galleries and museums will give you a deeper-than-visual appreciation for the area’s culture and history.

There’s no doubt that the character of Vozdvyzhenka is more bizarre than most European neighborhoods, but its eccentric and colorful restoration make it all the more intriguing for travelers.

2. New Town, Edinburgh

Photo: Ulmus Media/Shutterstock

Edinburgh’s New Town might not look particularly new, but next to the city’s Old Town, it’s downright futuristic. Just a five minute walk from Old Town across Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh’s New Town was built between the 1760s and 1830s and is considered a masterpiece of British city planning. While the Old Town might be home to Edinburgh Castle, the cobbled Grassmarket, and picturesque alleyways, its New Town is a center of commerce, nightlife, and history. With an abundance of neoclassical and Georgian architecture, it doesn’t even sacrifice its historic aesthetic.

Old Town is certainly a vital part of any Edinburgh trip, but you could spend your entire Edinburgh visit in New Town and feel like you got a well-rounded experience. Get your dose of history by visiting the Sir Walter Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens — a towering cathedral-like monolith dedicated to the city’s most famous author. Just down the road you’ll find Calton Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that once served as the location for a prehistoric hillfort. From here, you have the best view in Edinburgh over Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, and Arthur’s Seat plateau in the distance. A short walk from here will bring you to the Royal Botanic Garden, which will make you feel like you just left the city and wandered into a flowering countryside estate.

New Town also has the best shopping, bars, and nightclubs in the city. Old Town certainly has no shortage of historic pubs, so if you want to spend a quiet night sipping whiskey and listening to Scottish music in a dim cellar-like bar, this area of the city has you covered. But if you’re looking for upscale restaurants, trendy cocktail bars, and a thriving nightlife scene, New Town is the place to be.

3. Nové Město, Prague

Photo: Ulmus Media/Shutterstock

Much like Edinburgh, Prague’s New Town isn’t as new as you might think. The Nové Město neighborhood was designed in 1348 by Charles IV to surround the medieval Staré Město neighborhood. In contrast to Staré Město, which is known for its Old Town Square, famous Astronomical Clock, and large crowds of tourists, Nové Město is more commercial in character. It does, however, have a unique architectural style, with a blend of Art Nouveau and contemporary buildings. Wenceslas Square, its most prominent plaza, was also the site of one of Czech Republic’s most historic events, the peaceful 1989 Velvet Revolution which ended Communist rule.

You might be a few blocks away from Prague’s medieval center, but there are still several historic and cultural sites located in Nové Město. Take note of the Mucha Museum, Museum of Communism, and National Museum, while those who like theater should set aside time to visit the State Opera and National Theatre.

For a bit of peace and quiet, there’s also Slovansky Island right on the Vltava river. The island is home to the neo Renaissance-style Zofin Palace, a large gazebo, and a park area for relaxation. There’s also the tranquil Franciscan Garden located in a courtyard between Jungmannovo and Wenceslas Square, a perfect escape from the city dating back to the 14th century.

4. Neustadt, Dresden

Photo: Shinedawn/Shutterstock

Dresden’s Neustadt stands in sharp contrast to the adjacent Old Town. A home to students and artists, the Neustadt represents the real heart of the city, while its residents often refer to Old Town as “Disneyland”.

Neustadt is composed of the Inner and Outer areas. The Inner town is known for its historic Palais Square, with its natural history museum and museum dedicated to Turkish artworks, and its relaxing promenade along the river. The area’s pedestrian avenues are full of one-of-a-kind boutiques and bordered by picturesque meadows. The Inner New Town is also home to some of Dresden’s best restaurants and breweries, like the decadent Palais Bistro and the Watzke microbrewery.

The Outer New Town juxtaposes Communist-era architecture with a vibrant nightlife scene. If you’re looking to party in Dresden, go to the Outer Neustadt, where you’ll find no shortage of bars, clubs, late-night eateries, and crowds trying to have a good time. And of course, there’s always The Colorful Republic of Dresden — the annual three-day cultural festival held in New Town to celebrate the attempt to establish a utopian society in the early 1990s. The social experiment itself failed, but each June the party rages on.

5. New Belgrade, Belgrade

Photo: Stefan foto video/Shutterstock

Just because walking through New Belgrade feels like walking through a dystopia doesn’t mean you should skip it. Underneath the gray asphalt and Soviet-era architecture are some truly unique sights that set this post-World War II neighborhood apart from many others in Europe.

The Western City Gate is located in New Belgrade and is perhaps one of the city’s most recognizable monuments. A mix of futurism and brutalism, the tower was designed to welcome visitors to Belgrade who arrived from the West. The gate looks more like a piece of alien architecture than anything else, but it’s certainly one of the most surreal monuments in Europe. New Belgrade is also home to the Museum of Contemporary Art if the City Gate inspired you to delve further into the Serbian art scene.

Although Belgrade doesn’t suffer from overtourism like other major European cities, commercialization in the Old Town (Stari Grad) has deprived the area — particularly its restaurant scene — of some of its local character. New Belgrade might not be as aesthetically pleasing as Stari Grad, but it should be the first stop on your quest for Serbian cuisine. Cosi is known for its sandwiches and flatbreads, and Durmitor has earned a local reputation for having the best veal and lamb in the city.

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Ryanair and easyJet cutting flights

Europeans are traveling around their continent more freely than Americans right now, but that doesn’t mean their airlines aren’t still reeling from the pandemic. Budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet just announced major cuts to their flight schedules, with Ryanair cutting its capacity by 20 percent in the next few months and easyJet closing three of its UK bases.

In a statement, a Ryanair spokesperson said, “These capacity cuts and frequency reductions for the months of September and October are necessary given the recent weakness in forward bookings due to COVID restrictions in a number of EU countries.”

The cutbacks will apply mostly to flight frequency, rather than eliminating routes entirely. Most of Ryanair’s reductions are taking place in France, Spain, and Sweden, where COVID-19 transmission rates are leading to stricter travel restrictions. Cuts are also being made in Ireland, where the airline is based, due to the country’s 14-day quarantine policy for incoming travelers.

Starting at the end of August, British-based easyJet will be closing its bases at London Stansted, London Southend, and Newcastle airports.

EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said in a press release, “We have had to take the very difficult decision to close three UK bases as a result of the unprecedented impact of the pandemic and related travel restrictions, compounded by quarantine measures in the UK which is impacting demand for travel.”

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New England fall foliage bus tours

Gazing at the yellows of quaking aspen or the deep reds of vine maples until your neck cringes is an autumn rite of passage in the Northeast. But before you hop in the car and head for the hills, remember one thing: It’s tough to enjoy the scenery when you’re the one stuck behind the wheel.

Fortunately, the close proximity of New York and New England’s population centers to its scenic areas, and to the nearby metropolises that feed into them, means that driving isn’t a necessary prerequisite to proper leaf-peeping. The below routes save you the hassle of driving and get you to the region’s leafiest, most colorful spots. All you have to do is sit back and take in the hues.

From Boston to the White Mountains

Photo: E.J.Johnson Photography/Shutterstock

Guided fall-foliage tours are aplenty from Boston, and some make it up to the White Mountains of New Hampshire and back in a single day — without sacrificing the photo stops of longer trips from Northeastern cities further afield.

Viator offers a guided tour from Boston along the scenic Kancamagus Highway through the White Mountains for $125 per person. You’ll stop at a few photo ops along the way to lunch in North Conway. The tour culminates at the legendary Mount Washington Hotel, a National Historic Landmark that’s hosted presidential getaways and the pen-hands of the most prominent Gilded Age writers. Be that as it may, the tour’s highlight remains the burgeoning bands of oranges, yellows, and bronzes that dot the hillsides.

From New York City to Watkins Glen State Park

Photo: Michael Shake/Shutterstock

Traveling from New York City to Ithaca, New York, via OurBus costs between $35 and $60 — depending on the day — and takes about 4.5 hours. Getting there from Boston is doable, too, but that still takes you through NYC.

You’ll depart in the morning and arrive in downtown Ithaca by early afternoon. Once there, your itinerary requires just one thing: Watkins Glen State Park. Hike the Gorge Trail and try not to get too distracted by the jaw-dropping scenery surrounding you — or else you might find yourself passed by groups of more focused hikers at best or at worst sliding down a muddy embankment.

If you still have energy left after hiking the trails and staring at the flora for an entire afternoon, the surrounding Finger Lakes region offers plenty of wine and farm-to-table food to please.

From New York City to Storm King Nature Center

Photo: Sangyeon Park/Shutterstock

Going all the way to Ithaca and actually enjoying the experience requires an overnight, but it’s certainly not the only leaf-peepin’ option from the Big Apple. CoachUSA sells round-trip bus tickets from New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal to the outdoor Storm King Art Center, about an hour-and-a-half from the city.

For $48, you’ll get there and back to experience the fall colors in and around the nature center. The foliage is accented by the outdoor art sculptures that line the park, meaning you can actually snap some unique photos that aren’t carbon copies of every fall foliage shot on Instagram. With about 5.5 hours on-site, you’ll be back in the city in time to still grab dinner afterward.

From Portland, Maine, to Acadia National Park

Photo: Eric Urquhart/Shutterstock

Acadia National Park is a microcosm of everything naturally awesome about New England. As such, the fall colors are striking — and easy to get to from just about anywhere in Maine. With the help of Rome2Rio, you can get from Portland, Maine, to Acadia National Park by bus in about 5.5 hours, and you’ll only have to shell out $30-50 for the journey each way.

Once there, Matador has you covered with everything you need to know about visiting Acadia National Park. The best spots to see the colors in Acadia are from its beaches, where you can stare at the rising hills and Cadillac Mountain at a safe distance from the single-occupancy vehicles clogging up the park’s main thoroughfare.

Multi-day tours across the Northeast

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Taking in the entire region requires more than one day. It also necessitates either a knack for trip-planning logistics (see Rome2Rio for help) or a decent budget.

If you have the latter, a number of companies offer eight-day guided excursions departing from cities across the region. Go Ahead Tours departs from Burlington, Vermont, in the direction of Massachusetts, stopping at six leaf-peeping spots along with visits to the Ben & Jerry’s Factory, a cheese factory, and a number of other interesting and delicious excursions. The tour costs about $2,400 per person, but it’s nearly all-inclusive — your hotel rooms, breakfasts, and some dinners (including libations) are covered.

Caravan Tours runs a similar trip departing from Boston, with the bonus of being far cheaper (about $1,400 per person for an eight-day trip). It takes you through all six New England states and even includes a quick jaunt over to Martha’s Vineyard to stare at trees that come with a wetter, better-known backdrop.

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Boston’s ‘Cheers’ bar to close

Boston’s iconic Cheers bar, located at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, is facing permanent closure after the business suffered immensely due to the pandemic. The bar is a replica of the set from the popular Cheers sitcom, which aired from 1982 to 1993, and was a staple of the Boston bar scene and a favorite among tourists. Now, after 20 years, the bar will close for good on August 30.

According to the bar’s CEO Marus Ripperger, the dire financial situation was not helped by the property’s landlord, who refused to offer rent forgiveness or assistance when the bar was forced to close in the middle of the pandemic.

“Cheers Replica Bar has had a wonderful 20 years in the iconic Faneuil Hall Marketplace, one of America’s most cherished historic landmarks,” The bar’s founder, Tom Kershaw, said in a press release. “I have faced, and pulled through, many kinds of downturns and upticks in the economy within the last 20 years Cheers Replica Bar at Faneuil Hall Marketplace has been in business. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with no assistance from our landlord (Ashkenazy Acquisition Group), has made this current challenge insurmountable.”

The bar’s original location on Beacon Street, which inspired the one on the show, will still remain open to the public.

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Pink castle for sale in Scotland

If you have $2 million burning a hole in your pocket and you’re looking for a new vacation home, check out this castle in Scotland. The historic property, located north of Cairngorms National Park in Aberdeenshire, dates back to the 16th century and is currently on the market for $1.98 million.

Photo: Knight Frank

Park Estate was originally part of the Royal Forest of Banff, and granted by King Alexander II to a Norman knight in 1242. It was transformed into a tower house in 1536 and further extensions and additions were made in the following centuries, including a gothic tower in 1829. It’s even said that Robert the Bruce, king of Scotland in the early 14th century, once stayed there. The purchase comes not only with the castle itself, but also 36 acres of land, a swimming pool, rose garden, an orchard, and croquet lawn.

Photo: Knight Frank

The four-floor castle has eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and six reception rooms. It includes a Great Hall with an open fireplace, a billiards room, barrel-vaulted dining room, and even a historic chapel.

Photo: Knight Frank

According to the listing on Knight Frank, “The grounds enjoy additional amenity and privacy with several blocks of mixed mature woodland including lime, oak, ash, house chestnut, beech, copper beech and sequoia. In addition, there are four fields of pasture which extend to 17 acres and are used to graze a small herd of Highland cattle.”

Recently the property has served as a venue for weddings and other functions. Now, it’s looking for a new Lord or Laird.

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Australians stranded abroad

Emptier-than-usual planes are a common sight these days, but on these flights to Australia you might feel like you’ve booked a private plane. To comply with the government’s international arrival restrictions, some planes flying into Australia are carrying as few as four passengers in economy, prioritizing business passenger bookings to capitalize on the higher ticket prices and remain profitable.

Under the government’s restrictions, some flights are limited to as few as 30 passengers. A representative for Qatar Airways — one of the very few airlines to still fly into Australia — told The Guardian, “In order to ensure the continued viability of our operations to Australia, [the] commercial value of tickets sold must also be taken into consideration to be able to operate each flight.”

This is the economy cabin on a recent Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Sydney pic.twitter.com/IpVR6YZHNN

— Elias Visontay (@EliasVisontay) August 18, 2020

That means airlines keep bumping economy passengers to later flights while knowing they may not actually be able to go anywhere unless they upgrade.

The result of limited flight capacities has left Australians stranded overseas, unable to secure a flight home unless they book a business-class seat. According to The Guardian, several Australians who traveled briefly overseas are now trapped away from home, unable to secure a seat in any flight.

Australia’s passenger limits were introduced in July, and are likely to continue until October 24. Sydney’s airport is limited to 350 international passenger arrivals per day, while Perth only allows 75 per day. Although there have been calls to lift the caps, and increase permitted traveler numbers, the government has thus far refused to do so in order to not add pressure on hotels hosting quarantined travelers coming from abroad.

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Amex travel and stress survey

The fact that global travel restrictions are stressing us out and making our lives a little darker seems obvious. But it doesn’t hurt to get statistical confirmation that everyone else is in the same boat. This conventional wisdom was recently confirmed by Amex Trendex, a report from American Express that surveyed 2,000 people nationwide with a household income of over $70,000. The poll found that 48 percent of respondents felt “anxious and stressed” about not being able to travel, and more than three in four (78 percent) claimed traveling is one of the activities they miss the most right now.

Photo: American Express

The survey also found that 50 percent of respondents would be willing to move elsewhere for an entire year if economic and health incentives aligned. That’s good news for Barbados and Georgia, since both nations recently announced they would welcome remote workers for extended periods of time as part of new visa programs.

Even when travel is really possible again, however, the poll found that 67 percent of respondents would still only travel with family or a quarantine pod for safety purposes. They would also largely prefer direct booking options so they can speak to a human being about safety protocols and any potential restrictions they may encounter.

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