Issues

Train times

Michael Peter is a man on the move. The CEO of Siemens Mobility was recently in Cairo to discuss a three-line rail deal to connect the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and Alexandria. Peter, based in Berlin, says that developing more high-speed train connections is key to cutting down climate-damaging emissions – but he also envisions seamless door-to-door options in cities. And if there’s one positive from the pandemic, it’s that government support has shifted towards backing major high-speed rail projects. Peter spoke to Monocle’s editorial director Tyler Brûlé about the future of train travel.

Do you have the easiest job in the world at the moment? It seems as though everyone loves trains and that planes are now the bad guys.
I have the most fun job. Much of the rail industry hasn’t been innovating for 30 years and now it’s like we’re jumping from rotary phones to Voice Over Internet Protocol [voip] in one step. The efficiency gains and opportunities to travel differently in the next 10 years will be huge.

You now face pressure from governments and consumers for innovative environmental solutions. Conversations about the benefits of train travel must be easier…
Ten years ago we were talking about smog, and cities were competing as good locations for companies. But the element of fighting global warming and considering how we will move around in the future was not there. With coronavirus, if you look at where government stimulus money is going, there are usually two requirements: it should be intelligent infrastructure that creates good job opportunities and it should bring us closer to co2-reduction targets. These stimulus packages are bringing a new dynamic to our market.

Modern rail projects weren’t always conceived with all aspects of travel in mind. If I’m a transport minister coming to Siemens, what does your whole programme look like?
We’re one of probably only two companies in the world that can provide a turnkey system from beginning to end. We’re one of the world’s biggest software providers for applications where you can book an intermodal trip on your phone, so that the train isn’t an isolated piece of transportation. In the future your trip might include a driverless shuttle. The train station – we call it a digital station – should also be a hub for people. The train itself is also changing as people want to spend more time on them and travel longer distances.

Even in Japan with its sophisticated rail culture, you often have to buy multiple tickets from different providers. Is it easier to sell your software services in central Europe, where rail travel is more integrated?
This is a question of political will. The easiest city is Singapore, where the metro system is fully integrated with all other modes of transportation. In Europe, unfortunately, we have a lot of operators who consider their sales channel to be of value and don’t want to cross-sell tickets. Politicians need to settle this when they give concessions to different operators, because it doesn’t provide a positive train experience.

Everything digital has pitfalls; the cacophony that technology can create in the confined environment of a carriage can make travelling rather annoying.
The requirements for communication are increasing all the time – wi-fi on trains is a must nowadays – but noise pollution is an issue. If you look at the future of train interiors, we’re moving away from huge common-seating areas to different compartments for different types of travel. Some people want to work in the train and be alone, others want entertainment; the restaurants become more important and there are play areas for children.

You can’t go to a dining car when you’re flying. Is rail travel returning to its roots?
The biggest difference between a car and a train is that you have your hands free. The biggest difference between a plane and a train is that you can move around. We have to leverage that. Trains still need to be efficient but what you can do while you’re on a train is an important part of that.

Is it most profitable to develop lines where there is an appropriate level of sophistication and adoption already? Does it really make sense to, for example, build a new line between Toronto and New York?
These are distances where a high-speed train can easily beat an aeroplane, so it makes complete sense to connect these cities. The real question is more about usage. [Before the pandemic] many European cities only saw 20 per cent rider usage on average and trains were 50 per cent subsidised. If you could double usage, they would be profitable. For that, we need to better plan our trips. This is also related to learning from coronavirus: maybe we don’t need overcrowded rush hours to be productive.

Train travel in Europe tends to be more functional; in Japan you can have a different experience in First Class, with reclining seats and dimming lights that allow for a proper sleep. The revival of night trains in Europe is a positive development; does this herald a move towards more high-end offerings?
It’s a question of what the operator wants. In Europe, in general, there are still a few very big operators; you’ll see different concepts popping up as we see more liberalisation of rail lines. The night trains will have First Class suites that offer a large bed, a couch and a private bathroom. That’s a whole different level of comfort.

Do you foresee night-time rail ever becoming part of the daily rhythm of leisure or business travel?
Night trains are a fascinating part of rail transport; the experience of landing an hour outside the city and fighting your way to a taxi is just not comparable with that feeling of arriving in a city. But the backbone of this [shift] is still going to be high-speed rail. If you think about it, two hours at high speed in the morning transports you 500km. On a night train, it’s not really about the distance but the timing; even if it’s just a 400km trip you want to arrive at 07.00. So night trains are only a part of this; the big part we need to resolve is high-speed connections between cities.

Where should we expect to see new high-speed lines?
It will happen everywhere. In Europe, operators are thinking about how to satisfy demands from governments for twice as much high-speed rail in the next nine years. There will definitely be projects in the US: Los Angeles to Las Vegas is being discussed. You will also be seeing them in Asia and the Middle East. In Cairo the government is discussing three new high-speed lines totalling 1,820km.

There has been much talk during the pandemic of the hollowed-out city. What could this mean for commuter rail and trams?
The real excitement about the future of trains comes from cities. Urbanisation is still accelerating and not only in Asia, South America or the Middle East. Also, transportation is responsible for 25 per cent of global co2 emissions; trains can be 100 per cent clean if you use renewable energy. There will be clean and efficient transportation in future, which will free up more space for living and strolling around cities as a tourist or for going to the office. This is what I most want to see happening in my lifetime.

Investing in rail

The pandemic and climate change have put the spotlight on trains, with governments putting money behind rail upgrades and new high-speed lines. Here are some of the bigger plans.

1.
USA

Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan includes $85bn (€70bn) to boost public transit and $80bn (€66bn) for train operator Amtrak to upgrade existing lines and build new ones. Projects include a line from Las Vegas to Los Angeles; connecting Jacksonville with Miami and Tampa; and linking Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio.

2.
Europe

The EU has a goal of doubling high-speed connections by 2030 and tripling them by 2050 as part of the Green New Deal to reduce climate emissions. A down-payment of €1.6bn was included in the EU’s stimulus package this year for new cross-border lines, including Rail Baltica linking Baltic nations with the rest of the EU and a new connection between Dresden and Prague.

3.
Egypt

Egypt has signed a deal with Siemens Mobility for its first high-speed rail lines. The reported $23bn (€19bn) two-year project will extend 1,000km and connect the planned New Administrative Capital with the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

4.
China

China has quietly built up the world’s most expansive high-speed rail network with 38,000km of track. With most major cities now connected, the government is working on additional lines to more remote areas, where profitability is a bigger concern. Some of these lines have gone into review over debt concerns in the aftermath of the pandemic.

5.
India

India’s government laid out an ambitious plan to upgrade its rail network by 2030 in this year’s budget and is making headway on its first high-speed rail corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The line is part of a co-operation deal with Japan, which has provided loans and technology to get the project underway. It is due to be completed in 2023, though land-acquisition challenges could yet derail the timeline.

Taking flight

In the almost 20 years of exclusively subsonic commercial flight that have followed the demise of Concorde, the return of supersonic air travel – flying faster than the speed of sound – has often been promised but never delivered. Now, however, things might be about to change. And few would have thought that the company to bring things back up to speed could be a small start-up in Colorado.

Boom Supersonic is based at a small airport in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in the city of Centennial, south of Denver. The company is aiming to test-fly its demonstrator aircraft XB-1 either later this year or in 2022. The test plane is a third of the size of the planned final product, Overture, which will be able to take up to 88 passengers. Boom intends to sell its creation to commercial airlines. Assuming that the technology works, we could see supersonic flight make its triumphant return towards the end of this decade.

Rolland Vincent, a Texas-based industry analyst and founder of aviation research service Jetnet IQ, says that although there is a lot of hype, there is also genuine reason to be excited. “There is some frothiness but there is reality as well,” he says. “Speed is the most exciting factor in our industry today and there’s tremendous interest in how to make it sustainable. It’s challenging but we will see a supersonic, 50- to 100-passenger airplane in the future.”

While Boom is not alone in chasing the supersonic dream, it is the only firm to have reached these advanced development stages in the commercial jet market. And that is getting backers excited. Boom has airline order commitments and options totalling $6bn (€5bn) from the likes of the Virgin Group and Japan Airlines; the latter has pre-ordered 20 aircraft. In April the company received a €37m funding injection from technology investor Prime Movers Lab, bringing total investments to $270m (€225m). Boom was valued at close to €1bn at the end of last year.

Another key player, Florida’s Aerion, which is focusing on the executive-jet market, has equally flush coffers. Its funding numbers aren’t public but Boeing is a high-profile investor and the company has already spent an estimated €4.1bn developing its first plane, the as2, and the engine to go with it. The as2 is priced at $120m (€100m) and already has an order backlog worth more than $11bn (€9bn), most recently boosted by an order from Netjets. The plan is to build 300 over the first 10 years of the programme. Most significantly, Aerion has been making a name for itself by pushing the limits of speed even further: one day it hopes to venture into the world of near-hypersonic flight which would mean reaching speeds of 4,800km/h. Whether that’s achievable is another question.

Also hoping for a piece of the action is Boston’s Spike Aerospace, which is working on a business jet that will cut flight times in half. It has assembled a roster of top aerospace executives and engineers to try and make this a reality, and operates under the slogan: “Fly Faster. Do More.” Just like Boom, both Aerion and Spike promise to be flying their final products by the end of the decade. There are other potential entrants too, such as Virgin Galactic’s recently unveiled Mach 3 jet which promises to fly from New York to London in 90 minutes.

But there are serious challenges ahead. For now, all of these projects are paper planes: none have yet flown or proved that they can be safe and efficient enough to actually gain traction among customers. But optimism has reached a peak of late and confidence is high. If Boom does manage a successful flight of the XB-1 demonstrator in the coming months, it will no doubt raise the volume on the supersonic chatter considerably.

Jetnet IQ’s Vincent thinks that Aerion will lead the way, citing its partnerships, its collected experience and the 20 years of development it has under its belt – plus the fact that a business jet is going to be initially easier to market to customers with deep pockets, compared to commercial transportation. “We’re confident that Aerion is going to have an aeroplane certified and ramping up towards the end of this decade,” he says. “It has always been a question of aligning the market with the regulatory world. Once that path is paved, others will follow.” Vincent’s point about regulation is important. The noise produced by these aircraft (most notoriously the so-called “sonic boom”) affects people on the ground as well as those living near airports. Without regulation amendments, none of this brave new world of supersonic flight will be possible.

For Boom founder and CEO Blake Scholl, supersonic flight also represents an opportunity to rescue commercial aerospace development from the doldrums. Scholl started his career as a software engineer at Amazon and held various roles in technology before starting Boom in 2014. “In 1969 we put a man on the moon and flew the Concorde for the first time,” he says. “But fast-forward more than 50 years and, if you want a supersonic airliner or a lunar lander, you don’t look up to the skies – you go to a museum.”

“Imagine yourself in 2050 looking backwards,” he adds. “Do you really want humanity to have decided, ‘Well there are some challenges with sustainability, so we just decided to hang it up and do more video calls’? Or do you want us to have shown up to those challenges, innovated, made breakthroughs and found a way to do more of the things that make life on Earth great, while continuing to take even better care of the planet?”

The environmental question is crucial. And Boom, alongside Aerion, is promising to be carbon neutral. A big part of this is being able to run entirely on alternative, synthetic fuels. It also relies on engines being capable of taking aircraft to supersonic speeds much more efficiently than before. Aerion promises that its first product, the as2, will run on jet fuel created by pulling co2 out of the air.

The reality is that the technological breakthroughs needed to make supersonic flight work are still significant. The Concorde was a marvel of engineering until it was grounded by a number of factors, including the infamous Air France crash after takeoff from Paris Charles de Gaulle in 2000 and surging oil prices. But it was cramped inside and expensive, making it mainly the domain of high-level banking executives and celebrities. The leadership at Boom promises that its product will be nothing like that. As well as it being fuel-efficient and losing the smoky, rumbling afterburners that the Concorde needed to reach supersonic speeds (where hot air from the engine exhaust was reignited to increase thrust), renderings of the cabin portray an oasis of calm with seating in pairs and solo seats, with plenty of space, big windows and a cabin fitted with soft, earth-toned materials. At this point, though, it’s pure PR.

Boom’s Overture is being pitched as the polar opposite of a niche, speciality aircraft and, instead, a craft with the revolutionary aim of redefining the sector. “A true disruptive innovation means that once you do it, it changes the experience forever,” says president and chief commercial officer Kathy Savitt. “And if you can travel somewhere in half the time in a truly sustainable way, why would you go back? The mission is to make the world dramatically more accessible. Boom has the opportunity to be a generational company and I feel that it is truly going to be one of the iconic concepts of the next generation.”

Over in Melbourne, Florida – along what’s known as the Space Coast due to the presence of Nasa and, more recently, Elon Musk’s SpaceX just up the road – Aerion’s chairman, president and CEO Tom Vice is equally eager to talk about the industry’s potential. In a signal of optimism, Aerion is in the midst of building a massive new $300m (€249m) manufacturing facility. “In a market in which customers buy specifically to save time, the core product – the aeroplane – has only increased in speed by about 10 per cent in more than 50 years,” he says. “It is time to change that.”

Have we finally reached the moment when technology has caught up to our collective dream to travel faster than sound? Boom vice-president of engineering and Overture chief engineer Troy Follak doesn’t deny the design challenges but he says that improvements across aerospace engineering – from composite materials to fine-tuned aerodynamics – make the supersonic project viable. “We’re leveraging all the improvements that have been made in technology since the Concorde, across aerodynamics, materials and propulsion,” he says. “We’re trying to bypass the legacy [manufacturer] thinking, to be able to give a better offer to the passengers and the airlines. Since the Concorde, there have been advancements in aerodynamics. They did very few iterations because it was all done by hand. Today we have computer-aided design, we have computational fluid dynamics. Afterburners are no longer needed to get to supersonic flight.”

At Aerion, the thinking is that between all of these maturing technologies and the innovations it is pursuing in the engineering department, it can make eco-friendly, supersonic travel increasingly mainstream. “The bigger target is to see some of the technologies that we pioneer in this new era of supersonic flight make their way into widespread adoption,” says Vice. “We think that this is essential for the future of the aviation industry. As a relative start-up, we have the advantage of starting with a blank sheet, where we can question everything and look at our effect on the environment holistically – not just with regards to the fuel source.”

Boom’s attempt to make a more mass-market plane might sound like a riskier prospect than marketing an executive supersonic aircraft to customers who are perhaps more willing to pay for the speed. According to its CEO Scholl, however, speed can bring added benefits to the balance sheet once you get the airframe and engines to an efficient point. He talks of a dividend where, as you go faster, some costs actually drop. “The core energy efficiency of the aircraft is the thing you have to work on,” he says. “However, the faster you go, the more flights you can do with the same plane, with the same crew. You don’t even have to spend as much on food.”

Boom has said that it expects ticket costs to be similar to current Business Class fares on subsonic aircraft, at about €4,100 return. That would be significantly cheaper than the Concorde and would open up the plane to many more potential passengers. “My aspiration is to make the fastest flight also the most affordable,” says Scholl. “And ultimately reach a place where you can travel to anywhere in the world in four hours for 100 bucks. You have to work at it incrementally but you don’t have to break the laws of physics to do it – it’s all possible.”

But assuming supersonic transport is now viable technologically – and if it is something the flying public really wants – why aren’t most of the big players working on a supersonic plane as well? ubs put out a report late last year estimating that the supersonic industry will be worth $340bn (€283bn) by 2040. Boom cites a study stating that 80 per cent of current Business Class passengers would be ready to buy a supersonic ticket at a 60 per cent premium if the option existed. With that in mind, Boeing and Airbus are notably absent from this race; as is Elon Musk, who usually seems prepared to pour money into anything he thinks he can successfully disrupt. Scholl has the answer. “Put yourself in the shoes of the Boeing CEO for a moment,” he says. “You build one new, clean-sheet airplane about every 10 to 15 years. If you go to your board and say, ‘I want to do supersonic,’ you’re not the CEO for very long. Large companies have to go after the biggest opportunity with the least risk. And because of that dilemma, supersonic is something that has to come from a new entrant.”

And it’s those new entrants that are in a race to become the first to crack ultra-high-speed plane travel for the 21st century. The timelines might slip further into the future and one or more companies may end up being acquired by a larger firm, or simply fail to produce a viable airplane altogether. But this feels like a pivotal moment in aviation: the cusp of a supersonic renaissance.

Flicking the switch on electric flight

If supersonic development continues, it’s possible that 15 years from now, air transport will split into three distinct sectors. There’ll be the conventional planes running on jet fuel for longer routes and a small but growing offering of transoceanic, premium flights at supersonic speeds. Finally, look out for the following electric aeroplanes running regional connector services on short hops.

1.
Heart Aerospace ES-19

A handsome 19-seater Swedish propeller aircraft that’s aimed at domestic routes with a range of 400km. Air Greenland is in talks about potentially using the ES-19 as a replacement for its hardy Dash-8s, which fly in and out of remote communities. The firm says that it anticipates first delivery in 2026.
heartaerospace.com

2.
Tecnam P-Volt

Another small regional airliner that might prove to be the perfect electric plane for short hops. Norway’s Widerøe is signed on to introduce the plane on its domestic routes from 2026. Based on Tecnam’s popular p2012 model, the P-Volt is expected to seat nine passengers, though a range hasn’t been released yet.
tecnam.com

3.
Pipistrel Miniliner

The Slovenian company has had early success producing all-electric light aircraft and its Miniliner concept will cater to the commercial market. It will have 19 seats, a range of up to 1,000km, the ability to serve short, remote airstrips and will be propelled by liquid hydrogen. Proposed entry is between 2028 and 2030.
pipistrel-aircraft.com

Cities Briefing

Q&A

Sophie Haestorp Andersen
Lord mayoral candidate, Copenhagen

Sophie Haestorp Andersen has a clear vision for Copenhagen’s future. When the city’s former Social Democratic lord mayor, Frank Jensen, stepped down in October 2020, Haestorp Andersen promptly launched her own campaign. Having spent seven years at the helm of Copenhagen’s regional council, the 46-year-old Social Democrat and former MP is leading in the latest polls and is poised to become the city’s second-ever female leader following the election in November. She tells Monocle about her plans for strong communities and ensuring that Copenhagen’s enviable quality of life is accessible to all.

What led you to run for mayor?
I grew up on Copenhagen’s outskirts and have lived in the city for half my life. I studied here, had children and spent my summers swimming in the harbour. I love this place. I’ve spent the past years thinking about the many ways in which Copenhagen can be improved. I see a great city with a lot of students who want to be at the forefront of the green transition. I want to develop that.

What’s the most pressing issue facing the city right now?
Housing. Copenhagen has grown exponentially in recent years and we have a lot of people moving here who struggle to find an affordable home. So far we’ve avoided turning into London or Stockholm, where lower-income people [find it difficult to] live in the city. I want Copenhagen to grow as an affordable and liveable city for all by ensuring that at least a quarter of all new dwellings are social housing.

How would you make sure that the quality of life remains high for everyone as the city expands?
Supporting and building communities is something that we have to strive for. I’m thinking of local music venues, parks, cafés – places that bring a neighbourhood together. Copenhageners shouldn’t have to travel to the inner city to enjoy such places.

How can Copenhagen bounce back after months of lockdown?
I have a responsibility towards the younger and older members of our society; the two groups that have suffered most during the past year. I know how lonely many of them have been in the past months. I’m thinking of handing young people some extra money to encourage them to enjoy all that the city has to offer. And I will expand existing parks and add new recreational areas where people can meet.

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Live wire
Mexico City – Transport

Until early this year, commuters travelling into downtown Mexico City from peripheral hillside neighbourhoods such as Tlalpexco would start with a 70-minute minibus ride through steep, gridlocked streets to metro stations. Now, thanks to the construction of the city’s first cable car, journey times have halved.

“In Mexico City, most of the [public] transportation options are located in the centre,” says under-secretary of mobility Rodrigo Díaz. “This is a way to change that.” Extending to the edge of its municipal boundary, the seven-stop 9.2km line can carry up to 200,000 passengers a day. And, importantly, it will begin to connect the central city with some of the 10 million people living on and just beyond its borders. 

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Other side of the track
South Korea — Urbanism

The Haeundae Blueline is a linear park by Milanese firm Migliore 1 Servetto Architects built along 5km of an old railway on the eastern coast of Busan, connecting Haeundae to Songjeong. Visitors can stroll through arches that recall the railway and a tunnel has become an art installation that doubles as a concert and event venue. The park gives access to a lost part of the coast and is part of a global push to find better uses for former industrial sites.

Images: JaeYoung Park

Defence

No shore thing
France — Maritime

It is known by the unromantic acronym Pang (Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération). This is the French navy’s planned aircraft carrier, further details of which have now been revealed. Pang will be an impressive craft: 70,000 tonnes, carrying 1,100 crew, able to launch 60 fighter sorties a day. However, it will not succeed France’s only current carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, until 2038. By then, the technologies already threatening aircraft carriers – drones and hypersonic ship-busting missiles – will have had another 17 years to develop.

“Carriers are still valuable,” says Patrick Chevallereau, a fellow at Rusi and former vice-admiral in the French navy. “Naval power matters in a globalised world.” France is not alone in believing so. China, Italy, India, Brazil, South Korea and Turkey are among the countries planning to build or buy new carriers. This to say nothing of the US’s imminent introduction of their Gerald R Ford-class carriers, 10 monstrous ships that will carry up to 90 aircraft each. “The carrier is a very flexible tool,” says Chevallereau. “You don’t need third-country authorisation to move your air power.”

But a carrier is also a large and prestigious target. A new generation of hypersonic missiles seems literally aimed at them. Estimates of the price of Pang run to about €7bn. The USS Gerald R Ford alone cost circa $13bn (€10.8bn). Could they become too expensive to risk? “There is the story of the shield and the sword,” says Chevallereau. “You can say the same about a static airfield; that’s a much more vulnerable target than one you can move – and even hide.” 

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In the basket

Who’s buying and who’s selling? We keep you abreast of significant defence deals.

In the basket: Five Lockheed Martin c-130 Hercules transport aircraft
Who’s buying: Poland
Who’s selling: The US
Price: $14.3m (€11.9m)
Delivery date: From late 2021
A batch of second-hand Hercules aircraft will – obviously – not fundamentally alter power balances in the European arena but it serves as a reminder of an astonishingly durable design. The jets entered United States Air Force service in 1956. These five 1980s-vintage surplus aircraft, which were rescued from a base in Arizona, are slated for the 33rd Transport Aviation Base in Powidz, potentially doubling the Polish Air Force’s fleet of c-130s – some of which are more than 50 years old. 

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Images: Shutterstock, VBS/DDPS, Alex Kuehni
Illustrator: Tobatron

Diplomacy

Rally cat
Taiwan — politics

Hsiao Bi-khim likes to use her beloved pet cats as a metaphor for her role as Taiwan’s representative to the US. She calls her style of working “cat warrior diplomacy”, which is a tongue-in-cheek response to China’s “wolf warrior diplomacy”, a term that refers to the country’s increasingly aggressive approach to statecraft. “Cats can survive in harsh environments,” says Hsiao. “They are very nimble, flexible, pragmatic and they survive in small spaces. And they are able to survive in very challenging circumstances. That’s the story of Taiwan – we have to find some international space for us.”

For decades, Taiwan has been fighting for global recognition as a sovereign nation but has seen its list of formal allies dwindle due to mounting pressure from China. Currently, only 15 nations recognise Taiwan as a country; the US, while friendly, isn’t one. “Taiwan has been marginalised and bullied very much by the People’s Republic of China,” she says. “Exclusion of Taiwan is a loss for the world.” The island has also increasingly found itself in the crosshairs of the heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington. As Taiwan’s envoy to the US, Hsiao (pictured) has a front-row seat to the diplomatic action. “The main difference between my own role and that of some other diplomatic representatives here in Washington is that for Taiwan our relationship with the US is a matter of survival for our democracy,” she says.

Born to an American mother and a Taiwanese father, Hsiao is in many ways a natural fit for her role. She once held dual nationalities in both the US and Taiwan, until she gave up her American passport in 2002 to become a legislator in Taiwan. Appointed to her current role 18 years later, she has already hit a couple of milestones: she’s the first female Taiwanese envoy to the US and the first representative from Taiwan to be invited to the inauguration of an American president since 1979. But her priority isn’t so much breaking barriers as it is securing defence and trade deals with the US. “This isn’t just a job for us,” she says. “It’s a mission; it’s survival.”

That mission certainly isn’t easy. But she’s cautiously optimistic, noting that Taiwan has strong, bipartisan support in the US. “Cats are certainly much more lovable than wolves,” she says. “Yet we have a mind of our own and we will not be coerced.”

Enemies closer
Egypt & Turkey — Diplomacy

Turkey and Egypt have been scowling across the eastern Mediterranean for some time. They fell out in 2013 over the military coup in which Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, seized power from the Muslim Brotherhood, long supported by Turkey. Since then, the two countries have been on opposite sides of the war in Libya.

However, representatives met in Cairo in May to begin mending the relationship. There is mutual recognition that the grudge is doing neither side much good and that they should concentrate on common ground, even if that is tanking economies and authoritarian leaderships. As a depressing gesture of goodwill, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan shut down media operated by the Muslim Brotherhood exiles he once welcomed.

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Diplomatic spat of the moment
Paying the penalty

We take a closer look at a case of diplomacy gone wrong.

Who vs who: Germany vs Hungary

What it’s about: The sacking of a goalkeeping coach. Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin fired former Hungarian international footballer Zsolt Petry after he gave an interview to a Hungarian newspaper, in which he made remarks about immigration and gay marriage. Hungary’s foreign ministry summoned Germany’s chargé d’affaires to receive an official wigging, and a spokesperson for Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán suggested that Germany was regressing to totalitarianism.

What it’s really about: Orbán doing what works for him: baiting European liberals while playing to the imaginary grievances of his nationalist voters.

Likely resolution: Germany sighs, rubs its temples. Orbán awaits another opportunity to depict himself as a guardian of traditional values. Petry gets a gig with Spartak Moscow. 

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Blue wave, red tape
Global — Politics

The election of Joe Biden has, in theory, ushered in a radically different approach to immigration than that of his predecessor. However, several months into Biden’s administration, the majority of visas are still not being approved. The reason? More than 75 per cent of US consulates worldwide are closed or partially closed, creating a huge backlog of unprocessed visas. Critics say that the closures have created a de facto ban on immigration. The consulates were closed at the beginning of the pandemic out of safety concerns but now that the world and its economies are opening again, the ongoing closures are causing real-world headaches for everyone from prospective tourists, international students and business travellers.

Old friends
UK — Allies

The Group of Seven (G7) nations’ relative economic might may be dwindling with emerging powers like China on the rise but the bloc still comprises nearly a third of the world’s GDP. So it shouldn’t be surprising that, post-Brexit, Boris Johnson (pictured) is keen to prove his diplomatic chops at a summit of G7 leaders in Cornwall in June.

It’s part of a big year of diplomacy for the UK culminating in the cop26 climate summit in Glasgow in November.

Images: Shutterstock, VBS/DDPS, Alex Kuehni 

Missing links

The way that we think about mobility might have changed since early 2020 but the infrastructure that’s needed to realise our dreams of swifter, cleaner transit has plenty of catching up to do. That’s why, as the world continues to open up and movement within cities, across borders and over oceans increases, we have found ourselves wondering why certain projects don’t yet exist.

The good news is that governments are more motivated than ever to invest in sweeping and large-scale transport developments, says Elliot Fishman, director for transport innovation at the Institute for Sensible Transport in Melbourne. It’s not only about securing a legacy, although that’s definitely part of it. It’s also about recognising the many benefits that such projects offer. Governments are increasingly aware, he says, “that if you spend a certain amount of money on infrastructure, you create jobs and innovation”. The more money that’s spent, the more employment and imaginative ideas will result.

So we’ve compiled a list of 10 grand projects, from railways to roads, tunnels to trams, that we would like to see in place around the world. They just need the infrastructure to go with them. So let’s get moving.

1.
City-centre tunnel
Helsinki

Although Helsinki is a progressive urban capital with great public-transport links and a functional cycling infrastructure, it still suffers from traffic congestion. Many of the city’s main thoroughfares, including Pohjoisesplanadi, Lönnrotinkatu and Mannerheimintie, cut right through parks, shopping districts and historic neighbourhoods. Although proposals have been made over the years to move much of that traffic into a tunnel underneath the centre, they have always been voted down by the city council for being too costly (some calculations have priced the project at €1.4bn).

Yet the benefits to Helsinki would be worth the investment. A four-lane tunnel such as the one presented in a 2019 feasibility study would not only ease congestion and cut emissions by taking 40,000 cars off the streets every day, it would make the city centre more liveable. It would also make it possible to convert more streets into pedestrian-only zones, something that Helsinki has been slow to do. Parking spaces could be converted into areas for outdoor cafés and terraces, and there would be more room for bike lanes.

The centre of Helsinki is small enough for such a project to work. For example, the tunnel would only have to be 3km long to cover the entire width of the peninsula on which Helsinki’s downtown is built. There are already similar tunnels in cities such as Madrid and Seattle, which have both reaped the benefits.

2.
High-speed corridor
Vancouver to Portland

A high-speed ground link through the Pacific Northwest, linking the cities of Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, has been explored in earnest since 2017. And the idea appears to be gaining momentum, particularly as Joe Biden pushes his landmark $2.3trn (€1.9trn) infrastructure spending plan, which could help its case.

The latest report on the viability of the route was published in December, co-sponsored by the US state governments of Washington and Oregon, the Canadian province of British Columbia and Microsoft (which is headquartered in Washington). The new link, according to the report, would cut travel times between Portland and Seattle to one hour, while the journey from Seattle to Vancouver would take another hour on top of that. The precise form of the link is still being explored – from high-speed rail to a hyperloop – but the construction cost is estimated at between $24bn and $42bn (€20bn to €35bn) which, current projections claim, will be recouped by 2055.

Although Biden’s American Jobs Plan focuses on investments in bridges and roads, high-speed rail should play a key role in the overhaul of US transport infrastructure, particularly if his equally ambitious climate targets are going to be met, given the zero-emissions potential of current high-speed rail technology.

Recent criticism of the plan, which cites the pandemic-induced drop in existing rail travel in the US, is short-sighted. US rail operator Amtrak’s ridership was at an all-time high before the pandemic and there is no evidence to suggest that the appetite for rail travel has waned. A well-designed, quick and environmentally conscious mode of travel could be just the spur to boost the region’s economy.

3.
Cable cars
Lima

In Latin America, cable cars have been used as a means of urban transport since the first was installed in Medellín, Colombia, in 2004. From Rio de Janeiro to Mexico City, residents in poor neighbourhoods are ferried up and down hillsides for less than a euro. It’s a proven way to connect marginalised communities with the centre.

Other cities could benefit from cable-car projects, not least Lima. The Peruvian capital, with a population of 10.8 million, is plagued by gridlock and pollution, and surrounded by remote hilly settlements. A comprehensive cable-car system, with multiple lines criss-crossing the capital, would offer Lima an efficient and affordable way to get residents moving around the city safely and quickly.

4.
Tramlines
Dallas

In the early 20th century, Dallas was home to 300 trams that trundled along 20 routes.But by 1956 the system had been removed, with commuter rail and the car becoming the transit modes of choice. The result? A metropolis lacking appealing inner-city transit options. However, a move in 2015 to reinstate a tramline has bucked this trend and provided some encouragement for the city to restore more of the system. Initial passenger uptake has been slow but more routes are needed to make this a truly appealing proposition for locals. It’s good for investment and development along its tracks too. Such a move would be a boon both for those nipping between neighbourhoods and for a sprawling city looking to increase its density.

5.
Undersea tunnel
Tangier to Tarifa

From Tangier in Morocco, if the visibility is good, it’s possible to see Tarifa, 30km across the sea in Spain. For 150 years, talk about connecting the cities (and their respective continents) has spawned many proposals for bridges and tunnels. The UK government is pitching a link via its overseas territory of Gibraltar but a 2018 study for a 38km-long tunnel from Tangier to Tarifa seems like a better fit. Backed by Zürich’s eth and tunnelling firm Herrenknecht, the €8bn connector would accommodate road and rail, slashing journey times for freight traffic between the continents. It would open up industrial co-production and allow travellers to enjoy an afternoon sangria in Madrid before hopping on a train for a dinner reservation in Marrakech. Santé!

6.
Electric ferries
Greek Islands

Scandinavia has led the mini-revolution in short-haul sea journeys by introducing electric and hybrid passenger ferries. Norway’s first e-ferry, the Ampere, began operating in 2015. Compared with fossil-fuel vessels, it reduces emissions by 95 per cent and costs by 80 per cent. Another electric ferry, able to carry 600 passengers, hit Norwegian waters this March.

But further south there’s an even more pressing need for electric ferries. Every summer nearly 17 million passengers board ferries in Greek ports, making it one of Europe’s busiest countries for such traffic. Emissions and pollution are big problems – anyone who has island-hopped in the Aegean or Adriatic will be familiar with the black plumes billowing from boats.

Yet imagine spending balmy evenings on deck with no dirty fumes, blissfully quiet rides and, at voyage’s end, island ports with far less air pollution. Journeys might have to be broken into shorter sections so that the boats can be charged – the long distances are one reason why much of Greece’s maritime traffic has been slow to convert to electric – but who minds adding an extra island to the itinerary? And diesel vessels always need refuelling too.

Retrofitting existing ferries for electric or hybrid power is one solution – Siemens has been doing that in North America. Greek ferry operators such as Blue Star Ferries or Minoan Liners could follow this lead. But they could also take cues from Norwegian boat designers Brødrene Aa, whose carbon-fibre ferries are sleek and fast, by adding attractive, efficient vessels to their fleets. Promisingly, Greece’s first electric ferry was unveiled in late 2019 to ultimately run in the Gulf of Corinth. There are many nautical miles to cover in the future.

7.
Canal ferries
Bangkok

If Bangkok were a homeowner, then over the years it would appear to have taken the decision to gradually fill in its swimming pool to make way for a garage. The Thai capital sits on land criss-crossed by natural water courses, prompting 19th-century city-makers to dig canals (known as khlongs) for transit and trade, with boats becoming the city’s de facto means of movement. However, in the ensuing years, a desire to embrace Western transport habits has resulted in an increasing number of roads, with many khlongs paved over to provide more space for cars.

Despite this, the network that remains – 1,682 canals totalling 2,604km in length – is extensive. Yet only three khlongs in central Bangkok are currently served by public ferries. And with about 60,000 people riding them every day, they only make up a tiny portion of the city’s total transit share. It’s a missed opportunity for a fast and effective means of transit, and is why Bangkok should look to grow its ferry presence on the khlongs.

On canals, travel speeds are rapid and unimpeded, as boats don’t have to compete with the buses and cars on Bangkok’s notoriously congested streets. On top of this, an expansion of the network would do justice to the city’s former nickname, “Venice of the East”. Zipping along a khlong allows passengers to become immersed in a landscape of temples, shophouses and grand civic buildings, which is an outlook that’s not possible when riding the metro.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has made efforts in recent years to expand the network but it’s certainly not cracking on with it at pace, which it could and should. The required investment is small – all that’s required is a floating pontoon and fleet of boats. The low cost of infrastructure and sheer number of canals means that an expansive programme could be rolled out quickly. There’s also a bonus for commuters, who will get more of a buzz from wind whipping through their hair at the front of a ferry than they ever could from their double espresso.

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So what’s next for travel?

At the time of sending this issue to press (mid-May) the world has shifted from news devoted to vaccination rates to seemingly hourly updates about who’s throwing open their doors to visitors and kicking the global economy into gear (writes Tyler Brûlé). After a year that’s seen trains slumbering in railyards or airliners enjoying a year under the Jordanian sun (there was decent business to be done in storing thousands of parked aircraft in dry, warm climates), cabin crews are being called back to work and hiring freezes lifted for pilots. So, what’s the short to mid-term outlook for the travel industry? And more importantly, what are the opportunities?

The Grand Tour is back:
Business owners and managers need to get back out in the world to see their teams in São Paulo and Naples, Osaka and Sacramento. One of the most efficient ways to do this will be to plot an itinerary and go out on the road for two to three weeks – most likely from the end of August onwards. Expect a very busy autumn, more luggage in the hold than usual and a much-needed jolt for business and first-class bookings.

At your service:
If the future of the automobile is going to be battery powered then watch for the reinvention of the service station. With charging taking considerably longer than filling up the tank, you can expect the existing players to take some cues from Japanese retail rest-stops and transform their forecourts into set-ups that feel more akin to airport retail. A Louis Vuitton on the interstate between Vegas and Los Angeles? Why not?

Winners show up:
Video conferencing might be a cost saver but it’s very difficult to cut through the competition when everyone is on the same platform, with the same blurred backgrounds, pitching for the same business. Clever companies will re-adjust their budgets and get their sharpest people out on the road to bolster business and establish fresh relationships.

Fly now, fly better:
Airlines will be on a charm offensive to coax passengers back into the air. This will mean better aircraft serving many routes. Tired workhorses are being retired and long-haul planes are being deployed on short-haul routes to keep pilots certified, give passengers comfier seats and generally remind people that flying can be a civilised experience.

Faster, higher, pricier:
Supersonic commercial air travel looks set for a comeback (see page 67) but in the meantime private aviation is due for a sunny stretch as the pandemic has left many gaps in flight networks, reduced frequencies and generally less flexibility on offer. Whether you like a pc-12 for short hops or feel the company needs Dassault’s new Falcon 6X or a trusty Gulfstream to cover greater distances, private air travel is going to boom (literally) across both business and leisure.

On your bike:
With bikes in short supply and parts suppliers working round the clock, we’re wondering where the global bike brand is that has outlets on the main shopping streets, good service and a clever e-commerce platform selling all the most appealing and necessary accessories. Can Germany’s Schindelhauer or Finland’s Pelago become that business?

It’s OK to compartmentalise:
The CEO of Siemens’ rail business (see page 74) told us that we can expect a reconfiguration of the classic rail carriage. This means more segmentation – silent carriages free of people yacking on their phones, zones for napping, zones for work and much more. While we don’t want to get overly romantic just yet, this can only be good news as too many rail operators have been trying to ape air travel on rails.

Swipe to go:
The Swiss mobility app championed by sbb, the state rail operator, that allows users to swipe onto pretty much any mode of transport (save for air) to start their journey, connect multiples times on various other networks and then swipe off when the trip is complete is going to gain ground everywhere. For markets such as Japan, where there’s very little connectivity between operators, such a system is long overdue.

Bridging the Gulf:
Don’t expect all of the mega Gulf carriers to pull through the next few years fully intact. Some have already shrunk and it might only take one or two mid-sized political flare-ups in the region to see at least one airline cease operations or downsize to sit as a regional player.

Open invitation

The garden of Baghdad’s Five Flowers restaurant and café overlooks the Al-Shaheed Monument, the city’s stunning Iran-Iraq war memorial. Over brunch, young Iraqis gossip as waiters zip by with plates of food. One waiter, Mortada Jellal, speaks to Monocle in perfect English. “You might be surprised to hear this but you’re the first person I’ve ever spoken to in English in real life,” the 21-year-old says with a mischievous smile. “We don’t see a lot of foreigners in Iraq, not many tourists.” He hopes that will soon change.

In early March, in the wake of Pope Francis’s successful tour, Iraq’s prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, announced that the country would immediately begin issuing two-month tourist and business visas, on arrival at the airport, to citizens of nearly 40 countries, including the UK, EU member states, the US and China. The idea, according to a government statement, is to “encourage investment and support job creation”. They are clearly hoping that this move will persuade more people to visit. With the exception of Shia holy sites in the south, Iraq’s tourism industry has scarcely existed for decades. Foreign investment in the country has revolved primarily around war and oil. After nearly 20 years of conflict, Iraq’s government is betting that now is the time to open up again.

Whether the rest of the world will be interested is yet to be discovered. Most European and North American embassies still advise against visiting Iraq, which might make finding travel insurance difficult. The UK’s ambassador in Baghdad, Stephen Hickey, says that he hopes this will change – but he thinks that it will take time. “Iraq’s cultural history is absolutely incredible and the world could learn so much more about that,” he tells Monocle, when we meet at the British Embassy in the capital. “And I’m sure in 10, 20, 30 years’ time, there will be huge amounts of cultural tourism coming to Iraq. There is huge potential there for Iraq and the region.”

The reality on the ground is that much has changed in Baghdad in recent years. One of the most visible transformations is the improved security situation, which reveals itself in the diminished number of roadblocks and checkpoints. There has been a sharp reduction in the number of terror attacks in the city since Isis was defeated in the territory in 2017, although a market bombing in January this year demonstrated that the threat remains. Also, anti-government protests have been mostly peaceful since 2020. That the streets can now be walked relatively safely gives an opportunity to appreciate some of Baghdad’s greatest assets: green parks and its spectacular monumental sculptures, such as those of classical literary figures Scheherazade and Shahryar, which have been cast in bronze and erected in a small, lush square that overlooks the Tigris river.

Not far from here, tucked away down an alley, is Darbunah (The Alley), a turquoise-daubed restaurant that has made its name as the place to go for traditional dishes in a tasteful setting. This is where locals and a handful of foreign visitors enjoy dolma (vegetables and onion skins stuffed with a mixture of meat and rice), or quzi, another national dish that consists of lamb shanks, falling off the bone, served on a mountain of delicately spiced rice and nuts. “The Iraqi people are very friendly,” says Darbunah’s general manager Hashem Jawad Atallah. “They like foreigners a lot and they like to show off their rich culture.” Atallah hopes that the new visa plan will translate to more business for the restaurant and the city’s slowly growing hospitality industry. Dozens of new restaurants and cafés have opened in recent years. “Tourists will love it,” he adds.

Accommodation that’s secure and comfortable is still relatively scarce but the Babylon Rotana on the banks of the Tigris fits the bill. The building’s intriguing design of intricately tiled brick in the form of a ziggurat – a Mesopotamian terraced step-pyramid – makes it one of the most interesting shapes on Baghdad’s skyline. Rooms start from $225 (€187) a night, the lush garden gives a welcome break from the heat and the basement still houses elements of the casino where Saddam Hussein once entertained, including secret passages that lead to the road so that he and his guests could enter and exit unseen. Built in 1982, the hotel caters for those who typically come to Baghdad for work: a mixture of besuited NGO-types, slackening their ties in the midday heat; scruffy foreign correspondents in need of caffeine; and wealthy Gulfis, dressed to the nines. Soon, though, they might be welcoming adventure tourists as well.

British entrepreneur Russell Bennett, the hotel’s security director, has run a visa-logistics company for the past decade. He hopes to grow the business into a full travel-services company with his Iraqi partner Sarah. They’ll offer all-inclusive tours taking in Baghdad and the site of ancient Babylon to the south of the capital, as well as other heritage sites in the area. He hopes that, once some visitors come, word will spread. “The new visa-on-arrival offers an easy, affordable way to access a country that has previously been considered unattainable,” says Bennett, his pitch already well-honed. “Based on the traveller’s risk acceptance and budget, there are many styles of travel to protect or secure their movements.”

A private bodyguard is not advised for tourists in Iraq: this would attract far more unwelcome attention and greatly increase the risk of moving about freely. Instead, suggested safety measures include seeking permission from local leaders and security forces to move through their districts, assessing recent risk reports in the area immediately before travelling, and considering armoured vehicles and convoy movement where appropriate. “The risk is always there,” says Bennett. “But that kind of environment – the intent to do it – isn’t there right now.”

While few predict an immediate increase in tourism, many Iraqis are hoping that the new visa rules will have an effect in other ways, namely that of foreign investment. Aymen Salman is the communication and fundraising officer at The Station, a modern structure of brick, wood, steel and glass. Built to resemble a pile of shipping crates, the building, in Baghdad’s cosmopolitan Karrada neighbourhood, is the city’s first co-working space, opened in 2018. Entrepreneurial young Iraqis work on laptops here or visit the coffee bar.

The space is home to 37 start-ups; a concept which had only recently taken root here in 2018. It also contains multiple social spaces, and a “Made in Iraq” mini-showroom for local industries to display their work. The goods on offer in the showroom include handmade notebooks, Kurdish textiles and Armenian-inspired jewellery. The Station is also due to launch a new extension called The Creative Space, which will showcase work by Iraqi artists. Salman hopes that the new visa rules will bring much-needed foreign investment and job opportunities. “Unemployment is one of Iraq’s biggest dilemmas,” says 27-year-old Salman. “We have huge gaps in expertise, knowledge and investment opportunities. The previous visa system blocked us from a lot of opportunities outside Iraq, which are the ones we need the most.”

He does acknowledge that even though it has improved, security in Baghdad remains an issue and adds that, in light of the ongoing pandemic, now might not be the ideal time to invite the world in. But, he says, Iraq has to start somewhere. “It’s better late than never,” says Salman. “The country may not be fully ready to be opened right now but we had to do it at some point.”

Sheep up

Denmark’s self-governing Faroe Islands are home to a population of 70,000 sheep that outnumbers its 50,000 humans. When helicopter captain Hans Erik Jakobsen isn’t busy lowering a sling to retrieve errant livestock, he spends his days flying passengers to the most remote corners of the territory and leading life-saving expeditions.

This is part and parcel of managing a duo of two Italian-manufactured Leonardo aw139 choppers (owned by national carrier Atlantic Airways) and heading a team of seven pilots, who undergo special training to weather the the region’s tempestuous conditions. “It’s about as extreme as it gets here,” says Jakobsen.

Supported by 11 heliports, the Faroe Islands helicopters hop between the isolated spots that aren’t yet linked by the under-sea tunnels that connect the island group’s main land masses. The commuter rides are backed by generous government subsidies and are designed to serve even the smallest of settlements, some of which are inhabited by as few as five people.

But it is the airline’s search-and-rescue services that give Jakobsen a real sense of purpose. “It’s the best part of my job,” he says. The crew includes rescue swimmers who are experienced sea divers and respond to more than 100 calls every year. They offer help to sailors in distress, rescue injured hikers and transport sick patients to the nearest hospital.

Jakobsen is proud of a 30-year career spent preserving communities and saving lives. “It’s an extremely challenging job,” says Jakobsen. “But that’s what I love about it.”

The Cabinet
(From left to right)

Hans Erik Jakobsen
Flight Operations Manager

A native Faroe Islander, Jakobsen has operated offshore and inland helicopter services across the globe, from Greenland to Iran and Qatar. He’s been looking after Atlantic Airways’ helicopter division for the past 30 years and has personally recruited every pilot and rescuer on his current staff.

Hallur Jensen
Captain: “Dreamed of becoming a pilot since childhood.”

Óli Reynskor
Chief pilot: “Used to fly in Yemen; one of the last to leave before things turned nasty.”

Oben Poulsen
Handling & rescuer: “Has saved pilots a number of times when the weather is harsh.”

Kjeld Nattestad
Handling & rescuer: “When not saving lives, busy raising dogs for sheep herding.”

David Sand Davidsen
Engineer & rescuer: “Also a licensed engineer, looking after the firm’s Airbus jets.”

Bjørn Sjúrður Patursson
Engineer: “Doing a four-year apprenticeship.”

Hans Niclasen
Engineer: “Carries out major helicopter maintenance.”

Marita Niclasen
Customer service agent: “Like family; her father takes care of security.”

Thora Holm
Customer service agent: “Takes care of check-in and cargo on passenger routes.”

Taís Araújo

In Brazil, the only available source of information and entertainment for a great many people is television, says actress Taís Araújo. That’s why telenovelas – the Latin American soap operas popular for plots that twist and turn, and which air six days a week – have such an influence on the nation’s values and beliefs. “A telenovela can change our mores and progress social causes,” says Araújo.

As a major Brazilian telenovela star, she has seen the genre’s impact first-hand. After she appeared in the 2012 soap opera Cheias de Charme, Araújo says that its themes concerning the lives of housemaids encouraged the national congress to pass a bill securing better rights for domestic workers.

This is just one of the many social struggles that Araújo’s roles have cast light on during her 25-year career. In the controversial 1996 show Xica da Silva, she rose to fame, at just 17, for her outstanding performance as a slave who becomes a queen in colonial Brazil. The drama gained international attention and made Araújo’s name.

But it wasn’t until she starred in Da Cor do Pecado in 2004 that the actress generated the headlines that she’s best known for: Araújo was the first black person in a leading telenovela role for Globo, which was (and still is, by some way) the nation’s biggest broadcaster. “In a country with a non-white majority, we didn’t have black leads in these shows,” she says. “This first step was really important.”

Since then, others, including her husband, the actor and director Lázaro Ramos, have further changed the offering on Brazilian TV. A power couple in the country’s show business, the duo have worked together on the 2015 television series Mister Brau and, more recently, on Ramos’s first feature Medida Provisória (Executive Order). The dystopian drama is due to be released this summer and has been well-received at film festivals such as South by Southwest. However, although they have achieved a great deal, the couple agree that more work needs to be done. “We need to expand the list and have more names out there for black leading roles,” says Araújo. “It can’t just be me and my husband.”

Araújo hosts a show called Superbonita in which she brings beauty tips to her adoring fans. She is also performing in Aruanas, a drama that follows a group of four intelligent and – this being Brazil – good-looking women fighting environmental crimes as members of an NGO. The show’s first series was licensed to an impressive 50 countries in 2019 and the second series sees Araújo return as hotshot lawyer Verônica, alongside her three fellow activists. “It’s good to combine entertainment with a message,” she says.

And ultimately, that’s what Brazil’s telenovelas are all about for Araújo: observing a society and putting it on screen in a way that challenges and appeals to its audience. Once you add this to the natural warmth of the country’s production style, a healthy dose of drama and the sheer popularity of the shows, you can see why the genre has formed the backbone of her career.

High tides

I didn’t expect to have a view of ski slopes during my first foray into surfing. But somehow I find myself in a wetsuit, neoprene gloves and booties clinging onto my surfboard before wiping out and lying face up, peering at the jagged edges of the Swiss Alps. Not far from the Matterhorn is the new year-round surf spot Alaïa Bay. Open to the public from May, it is the first commercial surf park in mainland Europe and joins an emerging industry of inland centres catering to the sport’s boom in popularity.

Alaïa Bay’s pool is bigger than a football pitch at 8,300 sq m and an hour-long session costs about chf150 (€136), depending on equipment and the season. I’m taking part in a beginners’ class, which includes a 30-minute introduction on dry land, where I learn how to paddle and pop up onto my feet. It seems so simple. That is, until water is introduced.

Every wave is perfectly programmed, making it hard for me to blame my wobbly feet on the water conditions. The surf generator is created by Wavegarden, a market leader in artificial-wave technology, and uses a series of motorised panels to push the water in such a way as to produce swells, breakers and barrels tall enough for surfers to ride inside.

Or should I say, experienced surfers. We can safely count 25-year-old Adam Bonvin, the surf park’s creator, in this crowd. In fact, it was his frustration at not being able to hone his skills in the landlocked nation that led him to conceive of Alaïa Bay five years ago. “Why not try to bring the waves to where I live,” he says. Bonvin – who has created other action-sports facilities previously, including the nearby sports facility Alaïa Chalet – is not surprised by the high level of interest. “Switzerland’s population is really active,” he says. “They are raised on skis, snowboards and skateboards.” Plus, the ability to make quick progress and avoid hours of paddling (not to mention sharks and salty water) means that the pool also appeals to beginners – of whom there are many. The International Surfing Association estimated in 2019 that there were some 35 million surfers worldwide and predicted that this number would rise to 50 million in 2020.

Bonvin puts the surge in interest in the activity down to its image change in recent years, from being an extreme sport to being something for everyone. He also notes that the community around surfing helps to draw people in. “It’s more than just a sport,” he says. “It’s a lifestyle.”

But he is loath to say that it’s only the fresh-faced boarders who will be visiting, stressing that the guaranteed quality of the waves has garnered interest from top-tier professionals. Switzerland’s Surfing Association has designated Alaïa Bay as an official training site, ahead of surfing’s debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games this year. And the facility has received similar requests from neighbouring France and Germany.

In the next 20 years, Bonvin believes that pools like his will become the norm as they pop up all over the world. After all, Alaïa Bay is just one of 53 surf parks (both finished and in development) that Wavegarden is involved in. “We will never replace the ocean,” says Bonvin. “But it is perfect for practice.” Driving home, exhausted but buzzing, I feel inclined to agree. Though it might still be a while until I make it to the sea, I’m optimistic that one day I too will graduate from the training ground.