Category Archives: Cities

Travel: Landscapes And Cities Of Bangladesh (4K)

Clairmont Films (June 24, 2023) – Bangladeshcountry of South Asia, located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges [Ganga]) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Bangladesh

The riverine country of Bangladesh (“Land of the Bengals”) is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, and its people are predominantly Muslim. As the eastern portion of the historical region of Bengal, the area once formed, along with what is now the Indian state of West Bengal, the province of Bengal in British India. With the partition of India in 1947, it became the Pakistani province of East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan), one of five provinces of Pakistan, separated from the other four by 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of Indian territory. In 1971 it became the independent country of Bangladesh, with its capital at Dhaka.

South America Travel: A Hike Up Mount Roraima

DW Travel (June 24, 2023) – Keen for some adventure on the shared border region of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana? Join DW’s Joel Dullroy on his seven-day hike up the fabled Mount Roraima.

Braving cold, cramps, and exhaustion, he’s rewarded with a breathtaking experience in the great outdoors, amidst an out-of-this-world landscape. Is It all worth it in the end? Take a look for yourself!

Mount Roraima is the highest of the Pakaraima chain of tepuis or plateaux in South America. It is located at the junction of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. A characteristic large flat-topped mountain surrounded by cliffs 400 to 1,000 meters high.

Travel: 7 Great ‘City Walks’

Zadar: A Loop Through History

An ancient cylindrical building of pale stone is surrounded by other ancient buildings, among them a very old, slender, five-story stone building with a tall, steep roof. A wall of stones extends halfway across this scene. Above, the blue sky is cloudless.

A nearly two-mile walk circumnavigating Zadar’s Old Town is a journey across a timeline that spans nearly every stage of Croatian history. And it’s a long history, dating back to the 9th century B.C., when the Liburnians first settled this peninsular spit of land on Croatia’s spectacular Dalmatian coast.

Dozens of people sit on the shallow, wide, pale stone steps that start at a plaza and go right into the lapping sea. In the background are trees and a vista of red-roofed, pale stone buildings of several stories.

Start your stroll on the northwest corner of the peninsula at the Morske Orgulje, or Sea Organ: a set of 35 pipes spread under a 230-foot section of the city’s seaside promenade, known as the Riva. Awarded the 2006 European Prize for Urban Public Space, the Morske Orgulje plays beautifully discordant melodies as the Adriatic laps the stone and pushes air through the pipes beneath — converting the walkway into an invisible, ethereal orchestra.

Marrakesh: A Spider Web of Passageways

A group of women in long, colorful, traditional Moroccan robes and head coverings, congregate in a plaza with a surface of geometrically arranged pale brown tiles. There are covered market stalls in the background, more people and various buildings.

The wail of snake charmers’ horns will lead you to your departure point: Jemaa El Fna. This carnivalesque, open-air market in the medina — the ancient neighborhood where Marrakesh was born — brims with juice stands, restaurants and souvenir shops, to say nothing of musicians and performers.

The double doors of two busy storefronts in an old orange-brown stucco building have been thrown open to shoppers. One displays posters of barely clothed, muscular men. The other is packed with shelves stacked with containers of colorful candy; bags of yellow, pink, black and white soccer balls in a big plastic bag; stacks of plastic bottles of water; and various snacks tended to by a young man wearing a circular cap, tan jeans and a yellow-and-white-striped T-shirt.

Before you embark on this meandering 2.2-mile walk, you should have water and sunscreen (summer temperatures can pass 100 degrees Fahrenheit in this Moroccan city); outfits that cover most of your skin (doubly useful in Islamic societies, which discourage revealing clothes); and a willingness to lose your bearings. Nearly twice the size of Central Park, the medina enfolds a vast spider web of passageways that seem designed to disorient outsiders.

Seoul: Following the Fortress Wall

People walk along two adjacent paths, divided by a long patch of lush grass in the daytime. Bordering the path on the right is a low fortress wall. Over the wall, houses can be seen in the distance below.

To walk along the Seoul City Wall is to walk in the footsteps of scholars of bygone centuries, trace scars of war and take in the modern behemoth of a city built around it all. Its history stretches back to 1396, to when present-day Seoul first became the capital of what was then a kingdom called Joseon.

Inwangsan, a mountain in central Seoul, offers sweeping downtown views.

Then, the wall encircled an area that’s but a small fraction of today’s sprawling city, incorporating the slopes of the four mountains that afforded natural fortification. Like Seoul itself, the wall has been destroyed and rebuilt several times — and after restorations in recent decades, it’s become a popular urban walk.

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Travel: A Guided Tour Of San Sebastian In Spain

DW Travel (June 17, 2023) – San Sebastián is a resort town on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque Country. It’s known for Playa de la Concha and Playa de Ondarreta, beaches framed by a picturesque bayfront promenade, and world-renowned restaurants helmed by innovative chefs.

DW’s Sebastian Heemann – the perfect name for this job – shows us around the city on Spain’s northern coast.

Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:29 Beaches: Zurriola and La Concha 00:52 Weather 01:14 Surfing 01:56 Art 02:35 Mobility: city bikes 03:08 Old town 03:35 Eating Pitxos in Bar Txepetxa with food journalist @MartiBuckleyLive 05:21 Monte Igueldo

In its cobblestoned old town (Parte Vieja), upscale shops neighbor vibrant pintxo bars pairing local wines with bite-size regional specialties.

Travel Guides: A Tour Of Geneva, Switzerland

Attaché Travel Films (June 12, 2023) – What a great time we had filming in Geneva, Switzerland. I’m joined by my dear friend Paul Papadimitriou, a native Genevan, as we explore everything Geneva has to offer.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Intro 00:59 – Transport 07:10 – Sponsor 08:09 – Food 16:40 – Money

Paul offers many insider tips for making the most of your time in this Swiss city, including all the delicious food offerings that Geneva has to offer; Swiss chocolate, fondue, and…bison?!

Travel: A Guided Tour Of Accra, Capital Of Ghana

DW Travel (June 10, 2023) – TV-host KMJ guides you through his city, Accra — from the old fishing district of Jamestown to the hip Osu Oxford Street. Of course, KMJ also shares tips on where to eat delicious food and shows you the best place in Accra for chilling by the sea.

Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:25 Labadi Beach Hotel 01:25 Legon Botanical Gardens 02:23 Azmera restaurant 03:50 Jamestown with the arts center 04:22 Osu Oxford Street

Accra is the capital of Ghana, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park honors Ghana’s first president, who helped lead the country to independence. The park contains Nkrumah’s mausoleum and a museum charting his life. Makola Market is the city’s vast, colorful bazaar. Popular seafront spots Labadi Beach and Kokrobite Beach offer golden sand and high-energy nightlife. 

Travel: An Aerial Tour Of Armenia In Western Asia

Clairmont Films (June 10, 2023) – Armenialandlocked country  of  Transcaucasia, lying just south of the great mountain range of the  Caucasus and fronting the northwestern extremity of Asia. To the north and east Armenia is bounded by  Georgia  and Azerbaijan, while its neighbours to the southeast and west are, respectively,  Iran and  TurkeyNaxçıvan, an exclave of Azerbaijan, borders Armenia to the southwest. The capital is Yerevan (Erevan).

Armenia

Modern Armenia  comprises only a small portion of ancient Armenia, one of the world’s oldest centres of civilization. At its height, Armenia extended from the south-central Black Sea coast to the Caspian Sea and from the  Mediterranean Sea to Lake Urmia in present-day Iran. Ancient Armenia was subjected to constant foreign incursions, finally losing its autonomy in the 14th century CE. The centuries-long rule of  Ottoman and  Persian  conquerors imperiled the very existence of the Armenian people. Eastern Armenia was annexed by Russia during the 19th century, while western Armenia remained under Ottoman rule, and in 1894–96 and 1915 the Ottoman government perpetrated systematic massacres and forced deportations of Armenians.

Travel Guide: What To See & Eat In Sintra, Portugal

ILLUSTRATION BY CLARE COLLINS

The Times and The Sunday Times (June 6, 2023) – Don’t be fooled by its modest size.

Sintra town square

For centuries Sintra was the favoured summer retreat and hunting ground of Portuguese nobles, and their legacy is a veritable jewel box of palaces, castles and candy-coloured mansions.

The traditional retreat of Portuguese nobility provides the perfect mix of palaces and pastries

The Unesco-listed cultural landscape of domes and turrets seems to be straight out of a fairytale — no wonder it has fired the imaginations of literary luminaries from Hans Christian Andersen to Byron. Deserving of far more than a day trip from Lisbon, 20 miles away, Sintra is even more magical at the day’s end. Once the coach parties have departed, the few who linger have the run of all those lofty viewpoints and quaint pestico bars.

Casa Piriquita

Casa Piriquita
There’s more to Portuguese pastry craft than pasteis de nata, as this traditional bakery that dates from 1862 proves. Treat yourself to a signature queijada, a type of cheesecake, or the sugar-dusted puff pastry “cushions” called travesseiros, which are filled with almond cream.

Incomum by Luis Santos
Incomum is one of Sintra’s smartest dinner spots, with a Mediterranean menu that ranges from carpaccio and truffle-laced risotto to Iberian pork filet mignon and lobster bisque — and a signature olive oil pudding to finish. Handily, there’s a wine bar next door for an aperitif or post-dinner glass of port.

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Travel: A Guided ‘Green City’ Tour Of Copenhagen

DW Travel (June 7, 2023) – Did you know that Copenhagen is one of the greenest cities in the world? Transport, urban planning, food – the Danish capital is committed to sustainability in all areas. DW’s Aisha Sharipzan shows how your next trip to Copenhagen can be sustainable AND tons of fun.

Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:40 Rent a bike 01:42 Public Transport 02:13 Free kajak tour at the harbour, collecting trash 04:19 Vesterbro and Nørrebro 04:48 BaneGaarden 05:40 Kødbyen 06:19 Harbour in Nordhavn 07:07 Danish Architecture Center 10:25 CopenHill 10:37 Park’N’Play 11:36 Reffen Street Food Market

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. It’s linked to Malmo in southern Sweden by the Öresund Bridge. Indre By, the city’s historic center, contains Frederiksstaden, an 18th-century rococo district, home to the royal family’s Amalienborg Palace. Nearby is Christiansborg Palace and the Renaissance-era Rosenborg Castle, surrounded by gardens and home to the crown jewels

#copenhagen #sustainabletravel #sustainability

Travel: A Tour Of Dali In Yunnan Province, China

Walk East Films (June 4, 2023) – Dali is a city in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, on the shores of Erhai Lake. Its history stretches back to the kingdom of Nanzhao (8th century). The walled old city, from the Ming dynasty, contains traditional homes and towers from the Bai ethnic minority.

Video timeline: 0:00 Intro 2:52 sunrise at Erhai Lake (Longkan Wharf) 20:20 Shuanglang Ancient Town 1:00:09 Old Town of Dali 1:49:14 Grand Theater of Yang Liping 1:55:53 Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple 2:06:50 Xizhou Ancient Town 2:42:15 Shaxi Ancient Town 3:15:18 Dali Santorini Sea View Villa Area 3:38:50 Erhai Lake Bike Tour 4:13:57 Downtown Area of Dali City 4:32:02 Shuanglang Ancient Town (2nd Version) 5:01:49 Morning Tour in Old Town of Dali 5:20:26 Mountain Top Park 5:24:34 Road trip to Shaxi Town

Beyond the old city rise the Three Pagodas of Chong Sheng Temple, dating to the 9th century.The walled old city, from the Ming dynasty, contains traditional homes and towers from the Bai ethnic minority. Beyond the old city rise the Three Pagodas of Chong Sheng Temple, dating to the 9th century.