5 comments about Globe Trekker - Brazil.

1. This Globe Trekker (formerly Lonely Planet) DVD covers traveler Ian Wright's travels to Rio de Janeiro and the NorthEastern part of Brazil. Ian is a amiable and entertaining narrator who always manages to provide good travel info with a dash of humour. The primary cities covered in the DVD are Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza and Belem. Ian also detours off the tourist track into the interior of NorthEast Brazil but just for a bit. I love this DVD! It gives a very fine overview of the cities mentioned, though I wished they had spent more time on Recife and Fortaleza. Brazil is a wonderful place to visit with warm people and great food. This Globe Trekker presentation gives the viewer a small but delicious taste of what it would be like to travel to the NorthEastern part of the country and the marvelous city of Rio de Janeiro. Take it from one who has been to Brasil several times, any of the cities covered in this DVD would be worth visiting and viewing this video tour will only spark your desire to head to the land of Samba and Carnival!



2. The Globe Trekker DVD has the most annoying host ever imaginable. In addition to his 8th grade attitude he pronounces every Brazilian word incorrectly. Having spent several years of my life in Brazil, I found this DVD full of inconsistencies and errors.



3. Ian missed the best spots in Rio (Botanical Garden, Imperial Palace, Marina da Glória, Municipal Theather...) and also has a biased view on Brazil. How come someone come to a country and can't speak some of the local language? British attitud about the world? The few words his says in Portuguese are completly wrong. Terrible biased view of Rio and Brazil (Ian Brazil is Brazil not CUBA). The DVD is too old!!!! Was made in the early 90s and Brazil since then changed very much...Very disapointed as a Brazilian!!!!



4. This video totally sucks. The host is one of the most obnoxious people I have ever had to tolerate. You learn a couple of things, but its not worth it having to sit thru his blaringly obnoxious personality.
   
   As a side note, he must be gay or something, because not only does he go to the transvestite carnival, but he also goes to some sort of transvestite after party. Still, even if you are gay, this is not the film to learn about brazil. All movies by this globe trekker company suck big time.



5. I really enjoy travel videos. This one was a good one. It is divided into two sections. The Rio section focuses on Rio De Janeiro, and the Northeast section focuses on smaller towns and rural areas north of Rio.
   
   The host is fine. His method is to visit cheap places to stay, and downtrodden areas. That's fine with me. It shows where the real people live. I'd much rather see that than see five star hotels and tourist traps. You can get tourist traps anywhere. Though they make a great vacation spot, tourist traps aren't as interesting for a video. I'd rather see how the people live.
   
   If I was going to Brazil, I wouldn't go where this video takes us. I'd go to something safer and catering more to Americans who want to have a nice time. But for a video, I'll take this one.
   
   This video is very sexy. The Brazilian women are so scantily dressed and the cameraman had us pointed in the right direction.
   
   One reviewer said that the host must be gay, and that the host was terrible. What a stupid child. First of all, I didn't see any reason to think the host was gay. Second, so what if he was. There's no excuse for bigotry. You are no better than a gay person. People are people. And no, I'm not gay. I am completely out of patience with bigots.

No comments about Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Season 2 - Episode 8: Indonesia.

No comments about Transatlantic with Street.

3 comments about World Class Trains: The Venice Simplon Orient Express.

1. This one was done right. This series is a bit inconsistent (the polar express is really bland) and others are good but the production was a bit hasty and seemed not so well planned.
   
   However this London to Venice video was very well done. The scenery was solid. The train interior and the shots of the cities travelled to were good. And the clips of Venice were overwhelmingly beautiful, a few were better than I'd even seen in non-train films. This one is a must have for train buffs.
   
   Because people don't know of this series, it gets short shrift. The competitor "Travel The World By Train" series is way more consistent and better organized on average, but the price of the other series is way, way higher. In this series, even if one gets an average or not-so-hot one, it's only a few bucks. The other series is prohibitively expensive and sometimes not always available.
   
   This video was one of the best values in train-oriented multimedia I've yet encountered.



2. Fantastic camera shots and narration; it certainly makes you want to take this trip! Clearly shows how trains are truly the best and most relaxing way to travel.



3. The title - taken literally - fails the Trades Descriptions' Act (or whatever the US equicvalent is), for this journey by train from London to Venice makes use of the Brenner Pass between Innsbruck in Austria and Verona rather than the Simplon Tunnel from Switzerland down to Milan. I have made the trip on the latter stretch on the Paris to Venice sleeper. Even at first-class, it was cheaper and certainly much quicker than the train featured on this DVD, but I am the first to admit that my journey was not conducted in as great a style of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.
   
   And this takes us to the heart of this DVD, for its focus is not really on the journey itself, the landscapes viewed and the towns, villages, fields and woods passed through. No, the focus instead is on the style of the train itself, its décor, its ornament, the richness of the food served, and the richness of the history of the carriages.
   
   Interviews with passengers and staff often give the flavour of a blatant advertisement. I did not succumb, for there is something in my nature that somehow sees the offer of travelling in the style of a millionaire at prices that even I can afford a little demeaning of the very concept that the railway is trying to promote. Believing myself to be the modern man, I'd rather travel high-speed direct from London to Paris, than chug along the by-lines of Sussex and catch a ferry to France, no matter how luxurious my immediate surroundings.
   
   Having said all this, the DVD is of some interest for the general viewer as well as for the rail anoraks. There are long vistas of the train ploughing through the European countryside; there are interesting features on the train and the organisation behind it; and of course there is a short vignette of the sites of Venice at the end of the long journey. It is professionally produced, well filmed, and well narrated. At 55 minutes long, though, you'll have to work out yourself whether the price per minute is worth the price of your ticket!

2 comments about Cruise Hawaii & Tahiti.

1. Despite the title "Cruise Hawaii & Tahiti", the DVD actually tells you nothing about cruising the islands. For me, that was OK because I didn't care about that; if you do, you will be disappointed.
   However, if you are looking for a comprehensive description of sights worth seeing, this is a good DVD.
   I have only previously traveled to The Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai. For each of those islands, the DVD did a great job of covering all the highlights I had seen, and some besides.
   The DVD also covers Lanai, Molokai, and Maui in the Hawaiian chain.
   It covers Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea (and quick mention of Tahaa), and Bora Bora from the Society Island chain of French Polynesia, and Rangiroa in the Tuamotus.
   Since I haven't been to any of those yet (I'll have done that after this Fall), I can't vouch for how thorough they were covered, but based on the three islands that I can compare to, I think they've done a good job.
   The DVD does not cover practical travel tips, such as transportation, hotels, dining, currency, and such. If you want one of those, go check out the Globe Trekker series.
   ---- UPDATE ----
   Have returned from my trip to Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Maupiti, and Rangiroa.
   Looked at this DVD again after returning home, and can confirm that it does a pretty good job of covering the sights in the Society Islands and Rangiroa (but, as stated before, no practical traveler info).



2. This is a fair DVD travel video that looks at Hawaii and Tahiti. It spends about 10 minutes on each island giving a quick overview.
   
   It seems that this product falls short in both video quality and what they highlight.
   
   The quality is at time 'good' and at others to be rather 'poor', washed out and muted. I checked various shots from the DVD aginst other material and found dramatic differences in the richness and color. Having lived in or vistited all of the Hawaiian Islands, I noticed this problem the first time I watched the DVD.
   
   Their choice of what they covered is also aimed at a 65+ viewer, lots of glass bottom boats, churches, and 'educational' tours. Light on the beaches, surfing, adventure, and FUN!
   
   On Hawaii (the Big Island), they never show you any of the great Kohola beaches and resorts! Not Hapuna beach, Mona Kea beach, or A-beach, all great beaches! This is what most visitors spend much of their time at, not the Painted Church or the Jager reserch center.
   
   The half of the DVD dealing with Tahiti has better video quality and seems more helpfull.
   
   
   Overall score: C
   Video quality: D-/C+ Sound/Music: C- Enjoyment: C
   Commintary: C- Knowlege of Subject: C- (Hawaii)/ B (Tahiti)
   
   .

No comments about The American Orient Express.

2 comments about The Sanguinaires.

1. This film which was an Official Cannes Film Festival Selction, is the story of a group that retreats to a small Island to escape the celebration of the New Millenium. Francoise, is the "Lead Scout", he finds the location, plans the trip and makes the rules. No TV, no radios, no party. The group of about 15 is game at first, but many tire of the rules and want to do their own thing. Francoise shows us that there is no escape from the our self, from out own mind. Those things which cause his petulence and sulkiness come from within and will be with him wherever he goes. The Director, Laurent Cantent, also shows us that one can't escape from the crowds if one brings a crowd along, i.e. if you are a control freak, vacation by your self. This short (68 minute) film saves the drama for the end so don't give up during the early doldrums of the plot. The film presents a fine portrayal of Francoise's conflicts over control, escape and criticism but one comes away feeling that one just ate a Chinese Dinner. An hour later one is hungry for a French film with a little more substance.



2. François (Frédéric Pierrot) is stressed and he wants to get away from the hectic life in Paris. This leads to François planning a new years celebration trip away from the stressfulness of technology, time, and countdowns. The trip takes François's family and his friends to the island of Sanguinaires off the French coast in the Mediterranean Sea. The arrival to the island is a rough start as the caretaker is late, which serves as a negative omen for the film as it unfolds. Sanguinaires is a small film where the story dissects group interactions between sub-groups, individuals, and their notions. Cantet's vision of this dissection offers an excellent cinematic experience as the cast provides great support to a story of a Millennium celebration that goes astray.

2 comments about 60º North At 500 Feet: A Bush Pilot's View of Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories and British Columbia.

1. I attended the EAA "AirVenture" in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this past summer. While I was there, I saw posters advertising this movie. I didn't get to see one of the showings, and so didn't know what I was missing.
   
   And then, on one of my walkabouts through the convention grounds, I spotted a blue Beaver aircraft. Next to it was a person selling DVDs, t-shirts, etc. Turned out to be Mike Lunenschloss, the guy who made the movie. We talked for awhile, and I ended up buying not only the DVD, but a t-shirt as well (I couldn't help but support a wonderful guy and an imaginative entrepreneur!).
   
   Watched the movie when I got home and was pleasantly surprised. Not a super-big production - just a guy, a dog and an airplane flying low and slow over Canada and Alaska. Just the kind of journey I would love to take. Stopping in at various locations, talking to interesting people, then taking off for the next place.
   
   Too many times we zoom over our beautiful country at 40,000 feet, munching on some snack and peering out over a un-interesting landscape. Mike gets right down there, producing some truly spectacular images.
   
   What a fun movie!



2. This DVD is an hour+ of pure relaxation, flying low and slow over Alaska and northern Canada with pilot Mike Lunenschloss and his dog (and narrator----very well spoken!) SciFi. There is very little narration and that which is there is unobtrusive. We see Mother Nature in all her glory, scenery that from the jetliner at 35,000' is just a blur, but from 500' is pretty darned magnificent. There are a few short interviews with northernmost citizens that seem interesting enough that I would like to learn more about them. My recommendation is pop the DVD in your player, darken the room, and let yourself be enveloped by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

1 comments about Scandinavia by Train.

1. Taking on all of Scandinavia in one video is a bit presumptious, but this one manages with a combination of "must see" and "seldom seen" scenes. It is a welcome relief from the usual "look at me in Scandinavia" approach. Very useful train travel information is sprinkled throughout, and especially in the introduction and epilogue

4 comments about Video Visits: Discovering England.

1. This is an excellent value for those looking for a visual overview of England. The scope is amazingly broad, covering almost every region From Cornwall to Hadrian's Wall. Unlike many travel videos, there is very little "filler" material here (no chintzy theatricals or human interest fluff), leaving much more room for real content. The narration is clear and informative, although somewhat sparse - the emphasis is obviously on the visual presentation, which I thought was very well done.

   The Main Feature (82 minutes) covers not only standard tourist highlights such as London, Bath, York, the Cotswolds etc. but also includes lesser known spots such as Boston, Ely, and Lincoln. The only obvious omission is the Industrial Midlands (Liverpool, Coventry, Ironbridge, etc - perhaps not a great loss), which as I recall was not mentioned.

   The breadth of the Main Feature is well complimented by the three "DVD Extra" segments (approx 35 minutes), which provide more detailed looks at several castles and stately homes, including Castle Howard, Warwick, Chatsworth and several others.

   If you're hoping to see a specific locale, you may be disappointed, but if you just want to enjoy well-presented scenery and architecture, "Discovering England" is quite rewarding.




2. I have many videos on England but this one is a real gem, I think the first day I watched the whole DVD twice, well done.



3. This video is an excellent pictoral guide to England...circa 1970-something! The video is entertaining, though a bit dry, and centers mainly around historical and scenic sites. There is nothing about modern London or modern life in England. The clothing and grain of the video give it away. What it does show is beautiful and interesting, no doubt, but alot can change in 30 years. Problem is, you wouldn't know it by watching this dvd.



4. This is a very good travel series and this particular DVD showcases England beautifully, taking the viewer to familiar places as well as showing us new and intriguing sidetrips. The emphasis is on England itself and not on the show's host, which is a relief.
   I've watched this video many times and the pleasure never fades. It's like having a magic window in your living room that opens onto England.
   The entire Video Visits Travel Collection is excellent.