Virtual post card: Monaco

Dearest pigeon friends,

Today we have located in the small country of Monaco located on the French Riviera in Western Europe. As one of the most wealthy countries in the world, Monaco boasts many casinos for gambling and poker. Monte Carlo Casino is one of the most well known casinos in Monaco. Located at Monte Carlo, this casino has had a colourful history. First opened in 1863, the casino was the proposed idea of the ruling family, due to their financial problems. Although the casino started making a profit in 1859, it was not formally opened until François Blanc took over in 1863. This point of interest piqued our interest, however, since we are not of age, we were not allowed into the casino.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_Casino#/media/File:Le_casino_de_Monte-Carlo.JPG

-H.D :D

Journal entry: Belgium

Upon arrival at Zaventem Airport in Belgium, we were both fascinated by what we were greeted with an overwhelming amount of things: the many cultures, the people, the architecture, the language. Sadly, we have only just enough time to explore a small part -- the government, the holidays, and the food-- of this diverse country. First off, we started by visiting the Belgian Federal Government. Belgium is a Federal Parliamentary Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy. The Federal Government of Belgium, led by the Prime Minister of Belgium consists of ministers appointed by the king and secretaries of state.

As the clock struck twelve, ADs stomach grumbled as we realised that it was time for lunch. Strolling around the city, we were introduced to Belgian cuisine. It slightly reflected the cuisine of France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Worldwide, Belgium is best known for its beer and its chocolate. However, Belgium offers a variety of food, including mussels, stew, waffles, and fries. Mussels, or Moules-frites, are mussels cooked with celery and onions and served with fries. These can often cost around 24 to 25 euros. Waterzooi is a stew originating from Flanders with soup based on egg yolk and cream with vegetables such as carrots, onions, leeks and potatoes inside. However, the most well well known of Belgian cuisine is chocolate. Godiva, Neuhaus, Guylian...you name it, these are all well known Belgian chocolate brands. From pralines to chocolate bars , these brands guarantee you the taste of Belgium

July 21 is the national holiday celebrated annually. Independence Day celebrates the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands in 1831, and the establishment of the Kingdom of Belgium. Belgium has been part of the Netherlands since 1815, but since most of the population were Roman Catholic, while the Dutch were protestants, the ruling king would favour the northern protestants. Riots in 1830 led to the beginning of Belgiums independence. Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg swore allegiance to the constitution on July 21, which then became the national holiday

-H.D

Iceland News :)

Iceland introduces world first bill to mandate equal pay for women 
On April 4, Tuesday, Iceland decided to present a bill that requires companies that have more than 25 employees to pay all their workers the same, women or men. "The bill entails that companies and institutions of a certain size, 25 or more employees, undertake a certification of their equal-pay programmes," said Thorsteinn Viglundsson, Minister of Social Affairs and Equality. They want to close the seven percent pay gap between the genders.


Buses Collide in Northeast Iceland
In Northeast Iceland, two buses crashed into each other while a third fell off the streets. No casualties were found. Due to poor weather conditions, with a storm passing and the winds about 28m/s, it was bound to happen. Snow and strong wind caused poor visibility and the drivers to crash because they weren't able to see the road.

A man stabbed in a fast food restaurant in Kópavogur, Iceland
Metro, a fast food restaurant, has some drama coming its way. On April 3rd, a man was stabbed in the stomach by an identified criminal. He was sent immediately to the hospital and is now currently in care. The attacker seemed not to have any connection to the victim.

Journal Entry 4: Monaco

We’ve learned so much about Monaco visiting its schools. Apparently state education is completely free here. Our tour guide told us that there are six state run primary schools. Because this place is known for tourists, H.D and I were pushed around so much that we decided to back out. We returned to our hotel room and being the lame people we are, we did some research on Monaco and its economics. I found that income taxes don’t exist here, which was a plus if I ever want to consider moving here. The GDP here was about $6.036 billion.

Walking around Monaco gave me a sense of outdatedness. I felt as though my Ironman hoodie was extremely paling in comparison to what the people on the streets were wearing. Many were walking around with intricate black or white lace dresses or suits you would find in a dancing performance. It made me wonder if it was their all day attire or just something else. Monaco is an interesting country, I’ll give you that.

-A.D :)