Looking back on 140 years of the Orient Express
If you're a fan of mystery novels, luxury travel, or European history, you've probably heard of the Orient Express. This legendary train made its first run over 140 years ago, connecting Paris to Istanbul and many other destinations along the way. But how much do you really know about it? The Orient Express was a stage for singers, a chariot for royals, and an office on rails for various writers, all while witnessing many historical events, such as the assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia in 1934, the outbreak of World Wars I and II, and the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. It was also a movie star itself! In celebration of its inaugural journey, we’re sharing curious and unknown facts about this iconic train that will make you want to hop on board and experience it for yourself. Click on for more.
2023-10-04T06:07:47Z
The 30 freest countries on our planet
One of the benchmarks of human progress is measured in the amount of freedom people experience in a given country. However, it's something that's not easy to determine objectively. The Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. and the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, Canada, co-publish the annual Human Freedom Index Report, which observes the relationship between freedom and other social and economic phenomena. Personal freedom might be described as our ability to voice our opinion, equality experienced before the courts, and the ease of travel to/from a country. Economic freedom is the ability of people in that country to do well, without the need for government assistance or an economic authority. To calculate the final Human Freedom score, personal freedom and economic freedom are measured and combined, then compared to the scores of other countries. Curious to know if your country made the top 30? Click on to find out!
2024-03-20T09:01:19Z