Category Archives: Cities

Travel: A Tour Of Gdańsk In Northern Poland (4K)

Travel HDefinition (May 8, 2023) – Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic coast of northern Poland. It is Poland’s principal seaport and the country’s fourth-largest metropolitan area. The city has a complex history, having had periods of Polish, German and self rule.

Video timeline: 0:00 Skwer 0:11 Main Town Hall & Długa 0:39 Wyspa Spichrzów 1:35 Streets of Gdansk 2:27 The Great Armoury (Wielka Zbrojownia) 2:36 Złota/Długouliczna Brama 2:48 Streets of Gdansk 3:58 St. Catherine’s Church 4:24 Marina/Port 5:32 Gdansk by night 6:08 Gdańsk Neon Sign 6:23 Footbridge to Ołowianka 7:40 Marina 8:03 Main streets of Gdansk

From 1920 to 1939, Gdańsk lay in the disputed so-called Polish Corridor; its ambiguous political status created tensions that culminated in the German invasion of Poland and the first clash of the Second World War at nearby Westerplatte. Gdańsk is home to the University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk University of Technology, the National Museum, the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre, the Museum of the Second World War, the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, the Polish Space Agency and the European Solidarity Centre.

Among Gdańsk’s most notable historical landmarks are the Town Hall, the Green Gate, Artus Court, Neptune’s Fountain, and St. Mary’s Church, one of the largest brick churches in the world. Gdańsk is among the most visited cities in Poland.

Touring Japan: A ‘Kyoto + Osaka Weekend’ (2023)

Brandon Li Unscripted (May 7, 2023) – Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It’s famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It’s also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha, female entertainers often found in the Gion district. 

Osaka is a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu. It’s known for its modern architecture, nightlife and hearty street food. The 16th-century shogunate Osaka Castle, which has undergone several restorations, is its main historical landmark. It’s surrounded by a moat and park with plum, peach and cherry-blossom trees. Sumiyoshi-taisha is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.

Syria Views: A Tour Of The Old Markets In Damascus

Safartas Videos (May 2, 2023) – A walking tour in the old markets of Damascus, Syria, starting from Bab Al-Jabieh Gate ( باب الجابية ) all the way to Umayyad mosque.

Video timeline: 00:00 Bab Al-Jabieh (باب الجابيه) 00:15 Al-Niswan Market (سوق النسوان) 02:00 Al-Deraa Market (سوق الدراع) 03:50 Madhat Basha Market (مدحت باشا) 08:44 Khayateen Market (سوق الخياطين) 11:35 Nur Al-Din Madrasa (المدرسة النورية) 14:16 Buzureih Market (سوق البزورية) 18:50 Umayyad mosque (الجامع الأموي)

Damascus is the capital of Syria, the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth holiest city in Islam. Known colloquially in Syria as aš-Šām and dubbed, poetically, the “City of Jasmine”, Damascus is a major cultural center of the Levant and the Arab world.

Norway: A Guided Tour Of Nordnes, Bergen (APR 2023)

The Hidden North Travel Guides (April 30, 2023) – This walk goes through the neighbourhood of Nordnes, Norway, a peninsula built out into the Bergen harbour. Along the way, I discuss the history of the region and pass by some of the best-preserved wooden houses in Bergen city centre.

Vågen, Byfjorden, and Puddefjorden surround the peninsula. The Bergen Aquarium is located at the tip of the peninsula. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and Fredriksberg Fortress are also located on Nordnes. 

The walk includes historic information and images about Nordnes, as well as practical information about what you can do for your visit.

Filmed on April 12, 2023

Earthquake Engineering: The Golden Gate Bridge Is Preparing For ‘The Big One’

The B1M (April 26, 2023) – The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is getting a huge earthquake upgrade.

IT’S the world’s most recognisable bridge and an icon of America. Defying incredible odds during its four years of construction, the Golden Gate has stood for over 80 years, and remains a critical piece of infrastructure — not just a pretty sight.

Today, it’s almost impossible to imagine San Francisco without this engineering marvel on its skyline. But that is now a very real possibility thanks to a threat that has loomed large over California for decades — a massive earthquake known as ‘The Big One’.

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge may not survive this unless it’s given some serious upgrades. Fortunately, that’s just what it’s getting with a huge seismic retrofit project that should see it stand for many more decades to come.

“It’s vitally important that we protect this icon, not just so people can come and take photos, but so our region can continue to function after a major seismic event,” Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, director of public affairs for The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, said.

Island Views: Hvar Town In Dalmatia Region, Croatia

Massimo Nalli (April 23, 2023) – Hvar is a town and port on the island of Hvar in Dalmatia. The town of Hvar has a long and distinguished history as center for trade and culture in the Adriatic.

A commune, part of the Venetian Empire during the 13th to 18th centuries, it was an important naval base with a strong fortress above, encircling the town walls and protecting the port. Cultural life thrived as prosperity grew, and Hvar is the site of one of the oldest surviving theatres in Europe, opened in 1612. The seven-hundred-year-old walls still survive, as do many of the noble houses and public buildings from 15th – 17th centuries.

The port of Hvar, set in a picturesque natural bay, is a safe haven for boats year round. Hvar Town is encircled on its land-side by protective walls, and overlooked by two massive fortresses set on the hills above. The fortifications were commissioned by the Venetians in 1278, to create a haven for their fleet, and have been expanded in the centuries since.

Travel: Petaling Street Market, Kuala Lumpur (4K)

Wind Walk Travel Videos (April 22, 2023) – Exploring Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. Petaling Street Market (Jalan Petaling) is a covered market street, known as the shopping district and food market in Kuala Lumpur City Malaysia.

Filmed in March 2023

Architecture: A Walking Tour Of New Orleans

Architectural Digest (April 20, 2033): Today on AD, architect Robby Cangelosi leads us on an insightful walking tour of New Orleans, exploring the fascinating history of its neighborhoods and buildings from its origins to the present day.

Travel: A Walking Tour Of Verona In Northern Italy

Tourister (April 20, 2023) – The historic city of Verona was founded in the 1st century B.C. It particularly flourished under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries. Verona has preserved a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the medieval and Renaissance periods, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold.

Travel Tour: Pula, On The Istrian Peninsula, Croatia

Massimo Nalli (Uploaded April 18, 2023) – Pula is situated at the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula in Croatia. The city is best known for its many surviving ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is its 1st-century amphitheatre, which is among the six largest surviving Roman arenas in the world, and locally known as the Arena.

Video timeline:00:00 – VIEW OF THE PULA FROM ABOVE – 00:13 – TWIN GATE AND CITYT WALLS – 00:55 – TRIUMPHAL ARC OF THE SERGI – 02:04 – FORUM SQUARE – 04:07 – TEMPLE OF AUGUSTUS – 05:03 – ST.FRANCIS CHURCH – 06:55 – CATHEDRAL – 09:55 – ADMIRALTY BUILDING – 11:31 – CASTLE – 13:37 – CHURCH OF ST.MARY FORMOSA – 14:46 – AMPHITHEATER

During the World War II Italian fascist administration, there were attempts to dismantle the arena and move it to mainland Italy, which were quickly abandoned due to the costs involved. Two other notable and well-preserved ancient Roman structures are the 1st-century AD triumphal arch, the Arch of the Sergii and the co-eval Temple of Augustus, built in the 1st century AD built on the forum during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus.

The Twin Gates (Porta Gemina) is one of the few remaining gates after the city walls were pulled down at the beginning of the 19th century. It dates from the mid-2nd century, replacing an earlier gate. It consists of two arches, columns, a plain architrave, and a decorated frieze. Close by are a few remains of the old city wall.