1 comments about Globe Trekker: Egypt.

1. A country that is over 95 percent desert? That's Egypt. A city with 18 million people? That's Cairo. A city that has nearby the famous Pyramids? That's Cairo, and those are big reasons why I wanted to check out this DVD. How many countries offer these unique features? Only Egypt has pyramids, the sphinx and other unique things to see.
   
   But, judging from this tour hosted by Megan McCormick, I wouldn't want to live there. It seems most of the country lives in Cairo and frankly, there is just too much desert. Give me grass and trees any day!
   
   Cairo, she said - and showed - is unbelievably crowded. It is the biggest city in the Arab world. Megan quickly goes from modern Cairo to Old Cairo because she wants to visit one of the biggest bazaars in that area of the country. On her way, she asks her guide about dress-ware for women and is told never show bare skin on legs or upper arms, etc. In other words, don't let yourself open for someone to get the wrong idea. Women do not show much skin in the Middle East.
   
   Between visits to a mosque and a monastery, we see the great pyramids. Their size cannot translate to a small television screen, I'm afraid. I couldn't get an idea of their size, except when McCormick mentioned that each building block weights 2.5 tons and there are about 2.5 million of them for each pyramid!
   
   Our host also comes across a sight she, and we, don't expect: a cemetery filled with tombstones and crosses for the veterans killed in World War II. It's a quite a moving sight, she says, and I believe her.
   
   After traveling west to Siwa, our host goes south with the destination of Luxor. Two-thirds of Egypt is the Western desert and one of the driest areas on earth. Make sure you go with experienced drivers and guides because you are out in the middle of nowhere most of the time.
   
   At Luxor, and further south near the Sudanese border, we see more amazing sights,the tombs of kings like "Tut" and Pharaohs, four huge statues of Ramses II, "guarding" the entrance way from Africa. We get a tour of one these underground tombs/temples and it's pretty amazing all the work that has been done underground so tourists can view these centuries-old exotic tombs. Luxor, obviously, is the second big tourist spot of the country. Megan sees it from above the next day in a dawn air balloon ride.
   
   I complain when the hosts ruin a segment but that was not the case here. McCormick is not afraid to try anything and she does a nice job with this tour of Egypt. She's charming and fun and proves to be quite a trooper.

1 comments about Fire Mountain: The Eruption and Rebirth of Mount St. Helens.

1. I bought this as I was teaching about volcanoes and Mt. St. Helen in particular. The footage was excellent and the information presented was as well. My only problem was that the scientists they interviewed were very monotone and difficult to listen to. I thought I would lose my fifth graders a time or two. They hung in there and learned a lot, but they did complain that the speakers were boring.
   
   If they ever decide to edit this film, my suggestion is for them to tell the presenters that volcanoes are things that kid's love. After all, they blow up!

2 comments about National Parks of Alaska.

1. I enjoyed viewing the supperb images in this video. I personally prefer explications, which makes a video more informative. I had a strange feeling that the things are mixed-up a little bit, and the seasons jumped back and forth. It IS a great movie except that I simply expected too much.



2. They should have named this dvd A Sportsman's Paradise in Alaska and dropped the price to $10.99. If I had to edit this dvd I would probably cut out more than half of it. The intro is terrible and the first 9 minutes made me want to send it back immediately. Chapter three contains several minutes of time-lapsed photography that is not aesthetically appealing, uninteresting and rather distressing. They focused too long and too often on the bears and I thought the two separate segments on the mother bear feeding her cubs was intrusive. The two crusise ships and the hydroplane skimming the water were totally out of place for a NATURE video and the bear walking the floating aluminum bridge seemed pointless. Scenes shot from the water where the camera was bobbing up and down were bothersome. That was most likely due to the wave action created by the huge chunks of ice falling into the water so it should have been shot from a different location. On the upside, there are some superb scenes between all the stuff I would edit out. The landscape scenes are exquisite as is the flora and there wasn't much fauna that I saw. There was so much more of the landscape that could have been exploited for this video like the caverns in the rock formations and scenes that focused on the wooded areas would have been so much better had they been longer and more in depth. My guess is some of this footage was used for Titanic. The ending leaves one cold as it is focused on a bear for the fourth time, standing on the edge of a waterfall waiting to catch his next meal.
   
   Nature and classical music just don't seem a likely combination to me and I would have chosen something more earthy and native to Alaska to accentuate its beautiful scenery.
   
   Sorry to say compared to Glacier National Park this was a real disappointment. Alaska is a beautiful place rich with all kinds of beauty but this video just didn't capture all it could have and overall I gave it a 2, the quality of SOME of the imagery does deserves a 5. I wouldn't spend $17.99 for it again and I'm considering sending it back. I don't see 25,000 hours of video taping in this DVD and I won't purchase another Image Entertainment Video or any other video of this kind unless I can preview it first. I don't have $18 to throw away on something that has been misrepresented by advertising or lack thereof and I don't mean to be cruel but I don't have money to throw around frivolously and I'm sure there are millions of other Americans who don't either.

2 comments about Historic Time Travel Korean War.

1. I'm not sure why they decided to put the phrase "Korea Goes To War" on the front box of this DVD, since it's really about America going to war in Korea, but that's my only complaint about this product and I think that's a minor complaint. There are many, many newsreals on here that take you from the start of the conflict, into the heart of the war and then end with the peace negotiations. It shows you how very different Korea was than Vietnam - which many people seem to forget these days. This was teh last war america was really proud of and I'm glad I got the chance to learn more about it.



2. America, obviously, is currently at war, so it may be a good time to reflect on the previous wars america has thought and what they can teach us about what is going on in our history today.
   
   During the current conflict much is made about comparissons with the fight in Vietnam during the 1960s and early 1970s. What is almost never mentioned is our fight in Korea 10 years beforehand.
   
   Yet, the Korean Conflict is probably a much better analogy for what is going on today than Vietnam ever was.
   
   After the end of World War II we needed to keep the American economy going but suddenly there was nothing for our war based factories to make. So, we found an excuse to make a new conflict, this time in the far east.
   
   Korea, like the fight today, was a war of choice that we thought would be an easy fight, but kept going on much longer than we could have expected.
   
   The films on this disk give a great overview of the conflict and are essential to any true understanding of history. You get to see what we thought we were fighting for while also getting a perspective on how the war itself was being marketed back in teh homeland.
   
   I reccomend this disk highly to anyone who is interested in the politics of our current conflict or wants to see how the way we interact with the world today was shaped by our policies in our history.

No comments about A Musical Journey: Chateaux of the Loire.

2 comments about Travel the World by Train: South America.

1. On the comfort scale, these train rides are one step above the Central America train rides. Those riders who choose to ride on top of the cars (with the conductor, no less) obviously have a limited sense of what's dangerous. You will learn a little history as you visit old Inca sites, and will get acquainted with mighty old steam locomotives. These trains aren't ritzy, but your chances of surviving the ride is better than with the Central America trains.



2. In typical TWBT format, covers trains in six countries, approx. 10 minutes each. Time for a few quick glimpses of the depot, the train itself, some passengers, and a few scenic views; then on to the next country. Excellent video and audio quality, including many overhead helicopter shots. Starts in Ecuador, then to Brazil and south, including Macchu Picchu. Ends with the "Patagonia Express," a steam train publicized by Paul Theroux; typically, the DVD shows this train arriving at its destination at night missing all the scenery in the area. Really a "sampler" of the subjects covered, providing only tantalizing glimpses of several potentially fascinating rail trips.

3 comments about Windham Hill - Autumn Portrait.

1. With todays graphics, video cards, cameras, DVD players, television sets etc., this release cannot hold up to the standards--the resulting resolution is fair at best (I can remember way back when I used the VHS rendition of this and the "Winter" release as video/audiophile standard test tapes).

   But the magic of this and the "Winter" release is the scenery and the interpolation of the music along with it.

   The new age music and the very beautiful scenery is just what is needed upon your laptop if you are on a long flight or if you live in a concrete and steel city (to remind you what trees and snow and peace is all about).




2. The picture was a bit too grainy and indistinct for full enjoyment (judged aagainst newer DVDs, please don't think that the quality is so "bad" as to be unwatchable, it just could be much better). The quality of the 10 year-old VHS that I borrowed from the library was hardly worse.

   The musical tracks are very good and the images of Vermont are wonderful. They deserve better treatment.

   Windham Hill, please digitally re-master this (preferably in 5.1) and I would be willing to plunk down the purchase price all over again.

   As it stands, buy it and enjoy it as unfortunately, this is the only way we can enjoy this wonderful collection (at least for now).




3. I enjoy watching all of the Windham Hill DVDs. I first purchased 4 of them as laserdiscs, which is how I was introduced to the Windham Hill music and videos. Now, I have the entire collection of DVDs. They are so beautifully done. Though there is no commentary, I believe they are some of the best nature films produced.
   
   Autumn Portrait is my favorite of the series mainly because fall is my favorite season. The colors are exquisite, adding tremendous warmth, and making this extremely 'feel-good' to watch. It is also a very romantic DVD, very good for getting into the mood, especially after a long day of screaming kids, when they are finally settled in bed. My husband and I both enjoy watching this and highly recommend it others.

No comments about New York: First City of the World.

1 comments about Bike-O-Vision Cycling DVD #2 Puerto Rico.

1. Great Video! I loved riding the Old San Juan cobbled streets and the mountain coffee plantations. It's a great compliment to indoor cycling workouts because the forward-motion views keep you wanting to push ahead instead of being bored. I got all fourteen dvds and use them daily. Best investment I've made other than my stationary bike. There are a lot of different scenic rides so I never get bored. I also appreciate the lack of distracting commentary, not having other cyclists on the screen, and graphics found in similar DVDs.

2 comments about Europe to the Max With Rudy Maxa - Molto Italiano.

1. In Molto Italiano, Rudy Maxa is the quintessentially perfect travel host and tour guide. He is a welcome face and familiar persona from National Public Radio and Public Television. If you've enjoyed his travel shows, you will definitely appreciate this 4 show, 113 minute DVD. You get your money's worth.
   
   Rudy takes us to four areas of Italy. He focuses on Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, and hill towns in Tuscany and Umbria. Rudy mixes culture, history, art, food and wine, and incredible Italian scenery to capture the very essence of Italian life. For the novice Italian vacationer, this DVD also contains maps and helpful travel hints. If you are planning your first or even a return trip to Italy, this DVD will be useful.
   
   The only shortfall of this DVD is that Rudy's coverage of Sicily does not include a stop at the hillside town of Taormino. Over the year's I have spent a lot of time in Sicily and Italy. So, I could not imagine traveling to the island without spending a day or two in this picturesque town overlooking the Mediterranean. In fact, I would recommend a visit to Taormino well above one to the Amalfi Coast. I am surprised he did not include it.



2. I can't figure out how Rudy has gotten the mileage he's gotten. I've watched many of his videos (heck, at some point, you've seen everything else), and I have found him to be consistently, extraordinarily, shallow in his research and understanding of his subject countries and locales. Please understand, I say that in the context of knowing many of his destinations, in some cases quite well.
   
   If you want a light, fluffy, skim of the region, Rudy is your man -- he never covers anything that you wouldn't know about if you gave nine minutes to absent-mindledly flipping through a competent guidebook... and in the same depth. Think of Rudy as a tour bus, passing through at twenty miles an hour, giving you a glimpse, but never quite stopping to let you smell the roses. Or the horse manure. Lite, cheerful, sanitized, smooth, and lo-cal.
   
   On a positive note, the pictures aren't ugly. If your library has nothing else, and if you've seen everything else on Netflix, you probably won't regret the money invested, unless you've already been to the destination, in which case you may well be asking, "Why, Rudy, why? It would have been so easy to do a much better job."