Allison Anderson Films (November 15, 2023) – A three-week cruise aboard the Seabourn Venture from Greenland, through the Canadian Arctic to Nome, Alaska.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:28 What is the Northwest Passage? 01:17 Ilulissat, Greenland 02:16 Karrat Fjord, Greenland 03:00 The View of a Lifetime 03:45 What are Expedition Voyages? 04:20 Walruses 04:49 Polar Bears 06:32 Arctic History and Culture 07:13 Seasonal Changes 07:43 Life Onboard the Seabourn Venture 08:18 The Northern Lights and Nome, Alaska 09:07 My Thoughts on the Northwest Passage
For centuries the search for the Northwest Passage lured the most intrepid explorers, but it wasn’t until 1906 that Roald Amundsen finally completed the first sea voyage across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
The châteaux of the Loire Valley number over three hundred, including Chenonceau, Chissay and Chambord, that range from practical fortifiedcastles from the 10th century to splendid residences built half a millennium later. When the French kings began constructing their huge châteaux in the Loire Valley, the nobility, drawn to the seat of power, followed suit, attracting the finest architects and landscape designers.
The châteaux and their surrounding gardens are cultural monuments which embody the ideals of the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Many of the châteaux were built on hilltops, such as the Château d’Amboise, while the only one built in the riverbed is the Château de Montsoreau. Many had exquisite churches on the grounds or within the château.
In the mad, masochistic world of ultra-marathons, one bizarre event stands above all others. The Barkley Marathons in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee, was established in 1986 but to date only 17 people have successfully finished the 100-mile course. Peculiarities include the fact that, rather than using a starting pistol, the race begins when its director lights a cigarette. Participants must collect a page from a book at each checkpoint, and the application process includes writing an essay about why they should be allowed to take part. Panhuysen, who has competed several times (always unsuccessfully) gives an entertaining portrait of a cult competition.
This entertaining memoir recounts Wheeler’s career as a travel writer, swimming against the tide of her largely upper-class male contemporaries. Despite the dangers and misogyny endured on journeys from Antarctica to Zanzibar, she admits her main fear is the mundane: “The John Lewis curtain department terrifies me most.”
A Brief Atlas of the Lighthouses at the End of the World
by González Macías (Picador)
For Spanish writer, graphic designer and committed landlubber Macías, remote lighthouses seem to have the appeal of endangered animals. “There is something beautiful and wild in these impossible architectures,” he writes. “Perhaps because we sense these creatures are dying. Their lights are going out, their bodies crumbling . . . ships no longer need to be under their romantic guardianship.” His fascination propels this survey of 34 lighthouses from Cornwall to China, an exploration of the buildings’ histories and particularities and a study of human solitude and survival in the loneliest surroundings.
Black Ghosts: A Journey into the lives of Africans in China
by Noo Saro-Wiwa (Canongate)
For a follow-up to the award-winning Looking for Transwonderland, the Anglo-Nigerian journalist travels to China and sets out to explore through the eyes of immigrant Africans who can travel and trade easily in the country, unlike in many European and western countries. It’s an impressionistic but revealing account of a journey through “a separate and nebulous universe”.
The Granite Kingdom: A Cornish Journey
by Tim Hannigan (Head of Zeus/Apollo)
Cornwall is among England’s most popular tourist destinations and yet remains mysterious, mythologised and misunderstood. It is, according to historian Bernard Deacon, “a kind of halfway house between English county and Celtic nation”. Hannigan attempts to untangle the region’s history, identity and culture — from King Arthur to Poldark — as he hikes from the River Tamar in the east to his family home near Land’s End.
FRANCE 24 Films (November 13, 2023) – Nestled at an altitude of 400 metres in the heart of the Alps, France’s Lake Annecy is considered the purest lake in Europe. On its shores, the medieval old town of Annecy is nicknamed the “Venice of the Alps” for its picturesque canals.
Out on the lake, fishermen catch féra, a delicate fish that Michelin-starred chef Jean Sulpice is particularly fond of working with. The forests that surround the lake are also a source of inspiration for the chef, who never misses an opportunity to stroll through them in search of new flavours.
CBS Sunday Morning (November 12, 2023) – Sunday Morning” takes us deep into the autumn colors at Itasca State Park in northern Minnesota.
Established in 1891, Itasca is Minnesota’s oldest State Park. In this 32,000 acre sanctuary, the mighty Mississippi River begins its 2,552 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Points of interest include old growth pine at Preacher’s Grove, Peace Pipe Vista, bison kill site and over 100 lakes.
DW Travel (November 12, 2023) – The harbor city of Bergen is also known as “the heart of the fjords.”
Video timeline:00:00 Intro 00:30 Bryggen 01:37 Mini-cruise along the Osterfjord 06:30 Fisketorget food hall
From Norway’s second largest seaport, you can go on a boat tour along the Osterfjord – as our reporter Aisha Sharipzhan did. Let her take you right into the stunning landscape of Norway’s fjords!
Assouline Publishing (November 2023) – Experience the Dolce Vita lifestyle – a blend of beauty, style, and charm, inspired by Federico Fellini’s iconic 1960 film. This Italian way of life transcends time and still graces Italy today. Immerse yourself in its irresistible allure, captured by renowned photographers Ferdinando Scianna and Bruno Barbey, from Emilia-Romagna to Sicily.
Meet unforgettable figures like Maria Callas, Sophia Loren, and Marcello Mastroianni. With an enchanting introduction by Cesare Cunaccia and a curated collection of images, this book takes you on a journey through Italy, unveiling the origins of Dolce Vita.
Drone Snap Films (November 10, 2023) – The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City across the East River connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Delancey Street with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn at Broadway near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (Interstate 278). Completed in 1903, it was the longest suspension bridge span in the world until 1924.
Amazing Places on Our Planet (November 10, 2023) –Besseggen Ridge is considered one of the best hikes in Scandinavia. It is situated in the Jotunheimen National Park in Norway. This epic trail runs between lakes of different colors and heights above sea level. It takes 6-8 hours to complete this challenging hike.
The Besseggen mountain ridge is forged by Thor, and one of the most known places in “The Home of the Giants” and Jotunheimen National Park. The unique aspects of this hike is the view across the ridge. The spectacular view is made from the two lakes the Gjende lake with the distinct green color, one the one side of the ridge and 400 meter above on the other side we find Bessvatnet with its blue color typical of other lakes.
The colors from Gjende is a result from glacier runoff containing clay and rock flour. Looking down towards Memurubu one can see the nearby river Muru coloring the water with a light colored runoff.
DISCOVER BRITAIN MAGAZINE (OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2023 – The latest issue features Eastern delights – From punting in Cambridge to crabbing in Norfolk; Bloody Mary – Where England’s first Queen was proclaimed; London pubs – Perfectly pulled pints; Holkham Hall – Behind the scenes on the vast estate, and more…
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious
Harry Mateman
Financial Times (November 12, 2023) – The 
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DW Travel
Drone Snap
Boomers Daily 