AirPano VR (May 5, 2023) – Surrounded by ancient walls, the Old City of Jerusalem is home to holy sites such as the Western Wall, Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which dates to the 4th century.
Shops and markets selling prayer shawls, rosaries, and ceramics fill busy alleys, while food stalls serve falafel, pita, and fresh-squeezed juice. In a medieval citadel, the Tower of David museum chronicles the city’s history.
National Geographic Traveller Magazine (June 2023). The latest issue features Canada’s greatest outdoor adventures, summer guides to Oslo and Lisbon, the quetzals and rivers of Costa Rica, and explores the Silk Road route of Central Asia.
Óli and Brim the dog, on the coast close to Velbastaður.
On their farm in the Faroe Islands, where the sheep roam the hillsides and the chickens put themselves to bed, Óli and Anna Rubeksen dish up a feast of local ingredients ranging from rhubarb to lamb hearts.
Also inside this issue:
Oman: A rich history and striking landscapes, from the Arabian coast to the Hajar Mountains. Costa Rica: Explore Central America’s wildest corners, where quetzals hide and rivers lead to jungle lodges. Laos: In a corner of this Southeast Asian country, life is shaped by the flow of the Mekong River. Lisbon: Tram rides, street art and al fresco meals: Portugal’s lively capital is best explored outdoors. Oslo: Summer is the perfect time to discover Norway’s flourishing premier city. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Discover this Balkan country’s turbulent history, wild nature and surprising food scene. Barbados: Inventive food and drinks projects are redefining the Caribbean island’s culinary landscape. Paris: The French capital beckons with accommodation options to suit every pocket.
Plus, it’s the anniversary of Vienna’s World Fair; new exhibitions in London; a taste of Corfu; archaeology and Indiana Jones in Syracuse; Manila’s design-led hotels; family trips to the UK seaside; sand, sherry and Spanish history in Cádiz; a Cornish escape to Falmouth; great reads on British nature; and packing essentials.
Monocle Films (May 4, 2023) – Located in the north-western corner of the Scottish Highlands, Gairloch is a coastal village of about 700 people that known for its mountains, sea loch and rugged landscape.
Monocle paid a visit to Two Lochs, reportedly Britain’s smallest commercial radio station, which is nestled on Gairloch’s shores, run by a handful of volunteers and has built a loyal fan-base of global listeners.
Albanians refer to themselves as shqiptarë—often taken to mean “sons of eagles,” though it may well refer to “those associated with the shqip (i.e., Albanian) language”—and to their country as Shqipëria. They generally consider themselves to be descendants of the ancient Illyrians, who lived in central Europe and migrated southward to the territory of Albania at the beginning of the Bronze Age, about 2000 BCE. They have lived in relative isolation and obscurity through most of their difficult history, in part because of the rugged terrain of their mountainous land but also because of a complex of historical, cultural, and social factors.
Ryan Shirley Films (May 1, 2023) – Tanzania is one of the best countries to visit in Africa! From hiking to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, to the wildlife of The Serengeti, Tanzania will blow you away with its beauty and wonders. This is one of my favorite videos I’ve made and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Special thanks to Safari Goats for being our guide and showing us around Tanzania – https://safarigoats.com/
DW Travel (May 3, 2023) – Come with us to Cusco! The former capital of the Inca empire high up in the Peruvian Andes is steeped in history. This can still be seen in its Inca temples and many buildings constructed by Spanish colonialists.
From Cusco the journey continues to the world-famous ruined city of Machu Picchu, just 100 kilometers away. City guide Saul Palma, a Cusco local, shows us Cusco and Machu Picchu, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Aeon Video (May 2, 2023) – With a deep view of time, a regenerative forester extracts resources to cultivate growth in an ancient English rainforest.
Living and working in the woodlands of the Teign valley in Devon, England, the regenerative forester John Williamson has cultivated a deep connection to and unique understanding of this rare patch of English rainforest. This includes knowing that a healthy ecosystem means an eclectic variety of landscapes rather than perfect tree cover; that no parcel of land in Great Britain has gone untouched by humans; and that, while storms can mean devastation for people, for woodlands they’re simply another phase in an ancient cycle.
In this short documentary, Williamson explains how, through viewing these woodlands in terms of the deep past, present and future, he’s developed a sustainable method of extracting wood and creating charcoal that actually encourages biodiversity.
DW Documentary (May 1, 2023) – The Dead Sea, shared by Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians, is drying up. The salt lake, famous for its exceptional geographical location and its healing properties, is the deepest of its kind on earth.
The drying up of the Dead Sea is causing widespread damage, from huge sinkholes to abandoned beaches and collapsed roads. This is not an act of nature. It is the result of overconsumption and poor water management. If something is not done soon, very little of the Dead Sea will remain. In a region marked by ongoing conflict, natural resources are being depleted. To save the Dead Sea, surrounding countries must work together.
Three individuals — a Jordanian, an Israeli and a Palestinian — feel they can’t just sit idly by. They decide to draw the world’s attention to the problem with a heroic act. In an unprecedented and extremely dangerous undertaking, the three decide to swim across the Dead Sea, from Jordan to Israel, to highlight the plight of the dying waters.
One of the most significant features of the Kumana National Park is the ‘Kumana Villu’ – a 200 hectare natural swamp lake, fed by the ‘Kumbukkan Oya’ through a half mile long narrow channel. It is at this mangrove swamp that many water birds’ nest in May and June. Regular sightings include such species of bird as pelicans, painted storks, spoonbills, white ibis, herons, egrets and little cormorants.
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.
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.
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