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Justine Shapiro takes an exhilarating journey around the heartland of the United States, from skyscrapers, hip hop and gangsters in the city, to breathtaking scenery, old , Chicagotraditions and adventure in the countryside.
Traveller Justine Shapiro explores what is arguably the world's most stunning city, Venice. Situated in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea off mainland Italy, this city built on water is a maze of over 100 tiny islands linked together by a network of bridges.
The way to explore Venice is either by boat or on foot - there are no cars in the city. Justine hops aboard a public waterbus, or vaporetto, that takes her along the Grand Canal to her evening's accommodation, an elegant palazzo with amazing views over the city.
Justine begins her sight-seeing at the epicentre of Venice, St. Mark's Square. Napoleon described it as the 'the finest drawing room in Europe' but Justine finds it full of tourists and pigeons today. She marvels at the basilica, and its ornate mosaics that tell of how daring Venetians stole St. Mark's body from the Orient and brought it to the city for prestige and honour. As Justine leaves the main sights behind and explores Venice's backstreets she finds that it's all too easy to become lost in the labyrinthine alleyways, although she also discovers this is a perfect way to stumble upon hidden treasures.
No visit to Venice would be complete without a ride in a gondola; Justine gets a romantic ride and a cheeky insider's view on the city from pin-up gondolier Gianbattista.
Justine takes a ten-minute boat ride from Venice across the lagoon to the island of The Lido for some glamour. It is the setting for the annual Venice Film Festival and she lines up with other tourists along the red carpet hoping for a glimpse and a chat with some of Hollywood's hottest stars.
Next stop is Burano, a complete contrast to The Lido. This sleepy fishing village is famous for its brightly coloured houses and lace-making. Justine tries her hand at the intricate needlework with the help of an octogenarian islander.
Back in Venice, Justine mingles with young Venetians at a popular bar and tries the local seafood tapas before taking an unusual night tour w
Megan McCormick takes a trip to the South East States of America. A place where tobacco farms and cotton fields populate the countryside, and breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains provide a backdrop for the colonial houses of the cities.
Ian's adventures begin at the ancient port of Malacca (known locally as "Melaka"), birthplace of Malaysia and one of the region's top cultural heritage sites. Its rich and varied architecture bears witness to its former rulers - from crumbling old colonial mansions, beautiful Chinese shophouses, and the windmill on Dutch Square, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and English colonists have all left their mark here. Ian decides to soak up the local culture with a trip around town in a trishaw, with its garish décor and cowboy driver, it’s loud, cheap and extremely cheerful! But don't get stuck there during bank holiday because you can't get any money and have to live like Flowers In The Attic for 4 days with nothing more than a Liverpool game to keep you amused.
Malacca also happens to be the arm wrestling capital of Malaysia and Ian simply can't resist signing himself up for the annual Arm Wrestling Championship. Naturally, he can’t say no when asked to challenge the reigning champion, a former Mr. Asia! Watch the show to find out who wins...
The Indian Ocean Islands, off the east coast of Africa, are a paradise on earth. With superb resorts, sun-kissed beaches, and sparkling turquoise seas - countless Africans, Indians, Europeans, and even pirates, have all settled in this timeless, tropical location.
From horse racing to hedgehog hunting and swimming with whale sharks, to the sheer indulgence of 6-star luxury hotels, traveller Ian Wright samples slow-paced island life at its best with a whole lot of action thrown in!
Ian starts his trip in the Republic of Mauritius and the capital city Port-Louis, where he samples some delicious local fare at a street market and learns all about the Dodo in the place where these now extinct, flightless birds once made their home. Then it’s off to the Champ de Mars, the second oldest racecourse in the world, for 'a flutter' on the horses.
Next stop is the Flacq region, where Ian stops off at the 6-star Touessrok Hotel to enjoy his racecourse winnings and indulge in a spot of pampering at one of the most luxurious hotels in the whole of the Indian Ocean. Never one to miss a trend, Ian discovers a lot of couples get married in Mauritius, and… just happens to bump into a couple who not only plan to hold their wedding ceremony 20 feet under the sea, but also invite Ian to be their best man!
Leaving the underwater world behind, and the newly-weds to enjoy their honeymoon, Ian decides to get back to nature and go in for a spot of hedgehog hunting. He gets to tuck into his first tasty mouthful of a local delicacy called ‘tang’, otherwise known as hedgehog meat. He also makes the acquaintance of a 90-year old giant tortoise, not to mention a whole bunch of hungry crocodiles. And, as if that wasn’t adventurous enough, he heads to Reunion, the ‘Island of Adventure’ and takes to the hills to try his hand at canyoneering - an extreme adventure sport which involves abseiling, sliding, jumping, swimming and climbing down waterfalls and steep canyons. Then it
The motivations of those who left China and the impact they've had on their new homes are explored.
Filmed in June 2006, 2 weeks before the latest outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, Megan McCormick travels to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. It is a city with a long history of political and social unrest, but retains an atmosphere of optimism and hope for the future.
