Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the northeast end of the Palace of Westminster. The nickname is frequently extended to refer also to the clock and to the entire clock tower.
In 2012, the official name of the tower was changed to “Elizabeth Tower” to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond (60th year as queen) Jubilee.
Istanbul is a major city in Turkey that straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. Its Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here. In the Sultanahmet district, the open-air, Roman-era Hippodrome was for centuries the site of chariot races, and Egyptian obelisks also remain. The iconic Byzantine Hagia Sophia features a soaring 6th-century dome and rare Christian mosaics.
Antalya is a Turkish resort city with a yacht-filled Old Harbor and beaches flanked by large hotels. It’s a gateway to Turkey’s southern Mediterranean region, known as the Turquoise Coast for its blue waters. Remnants remain from Antalya’s time as a major Roman port. These include Hadrian’s Gate, built to honor the Roman emperor’s visit in 130 A.D and 2nd-century Hidirlik Tower, with harbor views.
Filmed and edited by Gianni Filippini in October 2022.
Kashan is an ancient oasis city in Iran, famous for its architectural wonders and ancient sites from the dawn of civilization. Tepe Sialk is a large ancient archeological site in Kashan, Its first settlements are 8000 years old, and the Sialk ziggurat was built around 3000 BC.
Video timeline: 0:00 Agha Bozorg Mosque 0:45 Old Town 3:02 Borujerdi House 4:05 Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse 4:42 Tabatabaei House 5:20 Bazaar of Kashan 6:24 Tepe Sialk 7:32 Bagh-e Fin Garden
The Fin Garden (16 century) is one of the most beautiful historical gardens of the middle-east, together with other prominent Persian gardens it is on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (The Persian Garden). The Borujerdi house is well known for its unique architecture.
Recorded April 2022 in 4K Ultra HD
She is a very spacious hotel barge and the beautifully appointed saloon with its wooden beams, classic dining furniture and artwork, invokes the atmosphere of a classic French manor house. The comfortable leather sofas and hand-built bar where you can enjoy your pre-dinner aperitif, add to the feeling of onboard opulence. The ‘Renaissance mood’ extends to the four very generously sized twin- or double-bedded bedroom suites, (approx. average 250sq ft including en suite), each one fully air-conditioned and complemented by a large en suite shower room.
Outside, the large forward deck includes a covered roof extension with a circular table for alfresco dining, comfortable hardwood sun loungers and a heated spa pool. With her refined onboard ambience, Renaissance is the perfect vessel on which to cruise a historic canal and experience the splendour of landmarks en route, including Gustav’s Eiffels’s aqueduct across the mighty River Loire.
CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS:
Brno is a city in the Czech Republic. It’s known for its modernist buildings, like the restored Villa Tugendhat, completed in 1930 by architect Mies van der Rohe. The medieval Špilberk Castle houses a city museum, gardens and a former prison with vaulted tunnels. The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul has baroque altars, a 14th-century statue of the Madonna and Child, and city views from its steeple.
Filmed in November 2022.
Šibenik is a city on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. It’s known as a gateway to the Kornati Islands. The 15th-century stone Cathedral of St. James is decorated with 71 sculpted faces. Nearby, the Šibenik City Museum, in the 14th-century Prince’s Palace, has exhibits ranging from prehistory to the present. The white stone St. Michael’s Fortress has an open-air theater, with views of Šibenik Bay and neighboring islands.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Berlin 02:01 Saxon Dialect 03:02 Division Between East And West 04:25 A Brief History of Eastern Germany 04:55 Bauhaus & Architecture 06:05 Cultural offer 06:22 The Sorbs 08:22 Food 08:42 Natural Beauty Spots 09:21 Outro
The West Rhine Railway is one of the most beautiful and famous railway lines in Germany. It runs from Cologne via Bonn and Koblenz to Mainz. Its most recognisable part is from Koblenz to Bingen where the trains run directly along the Rhine and its numerous bends. This part of the valley even is part of the World Heritage. Famous trains as the Rhinegold used to run here, however since the high speed line between Cologne and Frankfurt is in operation the majority of long distance trains take this shorter and faster line instead. There are still many trains running on the Rhine Railway including hourly long distance trains.
Bukhara is an ancient city in the central Asian country of Uzbekistan. It was a prominent stop on the Silk Road trade route between the East and the West, and a major medieval center for Islamic theology and culture. It still contains hundreds of well-preserved mosques, madrassas, bazaars and caravanserais, dating largely from the 9th to the 17th centuries.
Throughout the Middle East, the versatile fruit has been revered since antiquity. How will it fare in a changing world?
To help boost its appeal to tourists, local residents are transforming their lakeside town into a living art installation
Boomers Daily 