No comments about Vista Point AMMAN Jordan.

No comments about Complete Yukon.

No comments about Global Treasures JERASH Jordan.

3 comments about Bike-O-Vision Cycling DVD #6 Death Valley & Southern Nevada.

1. What a great way to see Death Valley without actually having to pass out and fall off your bike! ;) Anyone who's ever driven through this beautiful landscape knows that it would be nearly impossible to bike through that heat, so this video was a fun way to pretend. Nice work!



2. I'm an avid cyclist and I've recommended this series to my cycling friends and they love the series too. The scenic rides are spectacular and not what I expected at first. It's a great compliment to indoor workouts. The "forward-motion" views you get keep you wanting to push ahead and workout. I ended up getting all their dvds and use them regularly and it's the best investment I've made other than my stationary bike. There are lots of scenic rides so I don't anticipate that I'll ever get bored again. I also appreciate the lack of distracting commentary, not having other cyclists on the screen in front of the scenery, and graphics found in similar DVDs I've tried.



3. Yikes, where do I start. There is so much to not like about these videos (I bought 4 of them with great anticipation). I didn't realize that most of the positive comments throughout these Amazon reviews were posted by ONE GUY. What's up with that!?! That surely skewed the many 4-5 star ratings. If you are a intermediate to advanced cyclist interesting in making your training more entertaining or productive, these DVDs are not for you. The biggest problem is that you don't feel like you are cycling at all. This is shot at "car speed", not biking speed, so it just doesn't feel right. Secondly, the music is either classical or the royalty free stuff that you hear in elevators - not something that is going to get my up and out of the saddle. Finally, the editing is simply strange - it doesn't cut to what you would see if you are riding, it cuts to stuff you'd see in a magazine or book about that area. It's just weird. I did give it one star though. If you can't afford the time or money to go and see some of these places, by all means invest in these videos. They are fairly nice travel logs without the narration (so do yourself a favor and mute the sound). Outside of watching it from the couch, save your money; there are many other good cycling training DVDs on the net.

3 comments about Washington the Beautiful.

1. My wife and I visited Washington in 2000 on a whim. We were absolutely blown away. Washington State is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. This video really recaptured that trip for us. Absolutely stunning. If you don't watch this video......go to Seattle/Cascade Mountains/Olympia NP/San Juan Islands. You'll be glad you did.



2. I was born in, and still live in, Washington state. I also own the three main "Washington-from-the-air" documentaries -- Washington the Beautiful, Over Washington, and Washington State: A Scenic Tour. I am fond of all three, but I have to say that Washington the Beautiful's my favorite. The aerial photography is stunning; of the caliber you'd find in National Geographic if stills were made of the video. The poetic descriptions of the various places in the state by the narrator are perfect and eloquent, and are well-suited to a dream-like soaring tour over the state and its beauty. I watched this video often (along with the other two) during the few years I lived in Germany, whenver I felt homesick and wanted to indulge in my home state. Heck--it still makes me homesick when I watch it, and I'm already back home in Washington again! I've even bought a second copy to send to a friend of mine in Bulgaria, in the hopes that it will latch in and create an irresistable urge to come visit my home state :) I highly, highly recommend it to anyone interested in Washington, either as a resident or as a visitor.



3. I lived in Seattle for five years total, and I can never begin to describe to people how beautiful the state is.
   
   Then I saw this on PBS one evening and just had to get it... because it really captured the essence of the state in all its glory. The video footage just takes your breath away, and when accompanied by awe inspiring score, it just makes you want to go there and never leave.
   
   When I miss Washington, I need only to pop in this video and marvel again at the wonders of the state from afar.

No comments about Globe Trekker: New England USA.

2 comments about Waterfalls of Kauai.

1. I am a long time visitor to Kauai and consider my visits explorations rather than vacation trips. I expected a lot more from this release. The video and audio editing between the waterfall scenes is not very smooth and I wanted to hear the natural sounds of each falls. Some have cheesy music only. Too bad the production crew did not record and use the sound of each of their subjects. Do not expect a PBS documentary here, just some stunning natural beauty of one of the world's most scenic islands.



2. The selection and photography of approximately fifteen Kauai waterfalls is generally well-done, though at times over-bright, and the footage of the monk seals is charming. The main detraction from this DVD is the music soundtrack: the New-Age type music is pleasant but completely eclipses the sound of the waterfalls. Viewers should have been given the additional option of a soundtrack that features only the waterfalls themselves.

No comments about Natural Wonders Season 1 - Secrets of Zion & Bryce.

No comments about Manzanillo, Mexico & The Costa Alegre.

3 comments about Rudy Maxa: Europe To the Max - Return Trip.

1. As far as I know of, the two main travel-guide videos are Rick Steves's and Rudy Maxa's. Rick Steves seems to be the more popular of the two since his shows are more frequently shown on the PBS channels (at least in the DC area). But in my opinion, Rudy Maxa's videos are much better. First, although both are very informative, Maxa's writing and dialog seems to be better and more eloquently presented...he's almost poetic. His narratives are clear, substantive, and colorful--like how it should be. His portrayals also include splashes of historical facts or cultural trivia that not only make vacation spots more intriguing, they also provide the viewer with a better understanding of the people and their customs. Second, Rudy Maxa's videos seem to be more vibrant and richer in color than Rick Steves's--blues skies are bluer and green pastures are greener. I'm not sure if there is a varying type of filming quality, but for some reason, Rick Steves's DVDs have a dullish hue to them, even when he films under the sunniest conditions. Third, it seems that Rudy Maxa's videos were made with a larger budget than Rick Steves's. From what I can remember, all of Maxa's videos were always filmed on sunny days--displaying vacation spots at their best-conditioned visuals. For some reason, I remember seeing Rick Steves visiting the Swiss Alps in rainy weather--absolutely not optimal for such magnificent panoramic views. Also, Rick Steves filmed Austria's Hallstatt--probably the most scenic Alpine town--in cloudy weather. Finally and perhaps most importantly, Rudy Maxa's videos use "proper" soundtracks to complement his visual displays. If you have ever done theater or film production, you know that the sound is almost just as important as the visual. Maxa's use of classical music or traditional cultural music from the visited country creates an effect that unites your visual and auditory senses and produces a mood that carries you as if you were there. Rick Steves uses some classical music, but more often utilizes...I'm not sure how to depict it, but I'll describe it as "elevator" or "cheesy" music that when you see and hear it together, you say to yourself "hmmm...something's not right." It's even evident in his opening credits. Again, it seems that Rudy Maxa's budget was higher and his producers seemed to have strived for perfection to showcase vacation spots at their best rather than filming with a limited budget in mind.
   
   If you are planning to travel, I recommend viewing both Rick Steves's videos and Rudy Maxa's videos--both will provide you with very good information and great ideas of what to do. But, whereas Rick Steve's videos will make you say "That would be nice to see", Rudy Maxa's will make you exclaim... "I have to go there!"
   
   Regarding this box set, this series and Rudy Maxa's other box set--"Europe to the Max with Rudy Maxa"--are sensational. From what I can tell, the shows are exactly the same as his "Smart Travel" series. Each box has 6 DVDs and each DVD contains 4 or 5 "half-hour" shows, plus other extras such as "Rudy's Travel Tips".
   
   This box set has the following DVDs and their descriptions are as follows (I'm copying verbatim from his website):
   
   Disc 1: Treasures Outside London
   Discover history around every corner of Dublin. Shop for Irish crystal in Galway and attend a medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle. Experience Georgian loveliness in Bath, and hear legends of Camelot in Glastonbury. Climb the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle, and tee up at the world's most famous gold course, St. Andrews.
   Extras: Rudy's Travel tips, Fascinating Side Trips
   
   Shows:
   * Dublin and Beyond
   * Ireland's West Coast
   * Bath and Wales
   * Edinburgh and Scotland
   
   
   Disc 2: Splendors of France
   Join Rudy in a toast of champagne producers both large and small in wine country. In Normandy, honor World War II's D-Day landing. Take in the castles and peaks of Carcasonne and the Pyrenees, and cruise the lovely Dordogne and Lot rivers. Just for fun, Rudy shares his picks for a variety of entertaining and exhilarating European adventures.
   Extras: Rudy's Travel tips, Fascinating Side Trips
   
   Shows:
   * Champagne Region
   * Normandy
   * Carcassonne and the Pyrenees
   * Bordeaux and Dordogne
   * Europe Just for Fun
   
   
   Disc 3: Mysteries of Greece and Rome
   Following a tour of Athens's historic sites, take a pilgrimage to the famed oracle of Delphi, and visit a beautiful medieval monastery. After island hopping on the sun-drenched Aegean, explore the environs of Rome by way of the Appian Way. Experience favorite classical sites around the Mediterranean.
   Extras: Rudy's Travel tips, Fascinating Side Trips
   
   Shows:
   * Athens and Delphi
   * Greek Islands
   * Out of Rome
   * Classical Europe
   
   
   Disc 4: Great Cities of Europe
   Savor a feast of Barcelona's delights. Madrid offers grand plazas, sparkling fountains and world-famous museums. Rudy is your guide to high tea in London, modern art in Paris, traditional cuisine in Amsterdam, and Brussels's beautiful town square. Embark on a whirlwind tour of Copenhagen, Berlin, Munich, and Rome.
   Extras: Rudy's Travel tips, Fascinating Side Trips
   
   Shows:
   * Madrid
   * Barcelona and Costa Brava
   * Four Great Cities of Europe
   * Four Great Cities of Europe II
   
   
   Disc 5: Romantic Germany and Beyond
   Follow Germany's Romantic road through some of Germany's most picturesque countryside. Take a scenic cruise down Germany's Rhine and Mosel rivers. Marvel at Prague's beautiful Old Town, and discover Croatia's dazzling Croatian coast. Also of note are Rudy's favorite musical moments in Italy, Ireland, Norway and other destinations worth a special trip.
   Extras: Rudy's Travel tips, Fascinating Side Trips
   
   Shows:
   * Germany's Romantic Road
   * Germany's Rhine and Mosel
   * Prague and Budapest
   * Croatia's Dalmatian Coast
   * A Music Lover's Europe
   
   
   Disc 6: Alpine Secrets
   Rudy samples the diverse and delicious flavors of Bologna and Emilio-Romagna and heads for the hills and dramatic peaks and meadows of the Dolomite Mountains. Thrill to a heart-stopping gondola ride to alpine heights in the spectacular Lauterbrunnen Valley, and celebrate the joys of a Switzerland Christmas, where Christmas markets and toasty ski lodges offer good cheer.
   Extras: Rudy's Travel Tips, Fascinating Side Trips
   
   Shows:
   * Bologna and Emilio-Romagna
   * Italy's Veneto and Dolomites
   * Switzerland and the Alps
   * Christmas in Switzerland



2. Great set of CDs on numerous places to visit in Europe. We feel Rudy Maxa takes you to some of the best places so you can plan your on tour of Europe. The CDs are are very good quality with many in HD. We would order again.These programs used to be shown on VOOM Netword under the Equator channel. Dish took VOOM off the air a few weeks ago. While we not able to watch all the previous segments on TV, that doen't matter since we can watch what we want when we want to.Rudy presents his travels in an interestign format, not too much history and not too much tourist stuff--just good information.



3. I gave my husband this dvd set for Father's Day. He's thoroughly enjoying them. We're going to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in October of 2008 and Spain in May of 2009. These dvds have a lot of very useful tips. They show almost all of the cities we'll be visiting.