JWH TRAVEL BITS AND MORE…February 11, 2021

Spanning from day to night and from sunshine to rain and wind, “Story of Flowers” shows the various stages of botanical growth and the help plants get along the way. The instructional project—which was illustrated by Katie Scott, animated by James Paulley, and directed by Azuma Makoto—depicts the interconnected networks within an ecosystem, like the organisms underground fertilizing the soil or a bumblebee landing atop and pollinating a pistil. Each stage of the germination process is shot with an enlarged view to magnify roots stretching out, sprouts poking through the ground, and flowers opening up to bloom. As rain falls, the petals drop and plants release their seeds, which then are embedded into the soil, beginning the cycle once again. Feb 4 2020

Courtesy: https://www.thisiscolossal.com/

Six amazing hill forts in Rajasthan, India. Amber Fort, Jaipur (0:00​), Chittor Fort, Ghittorgarh (1:54​), Jaisalmer Fort (3:29​), Kumbhalgarh Fort (4:59​), Junagarh Fort, Bikaner (6:30​), Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur (8:22​). Some of these forts have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recorded January 2018 in 4K Ultra HD with Sony AX100 and Sony a6300.

Jan 29, 2021

Amazing Places on Our Planet

Hosted by Anne Diamond and her guest Sir Michael Palin

Learn about the extraordinary life of famed actor Sir Michal Palin during a special interview with British journalist Anne Diamond. A cultural icon who rose to fame in the Monty Python comedy troupe, Sir Michael’s career spans acting, writing and hosting television shows. Additionally, his travel documentaries have reached millions, and in 2019, he was knighted for his services to travel, culture and geography. In this interview, Sir Michael discusses his book Erebus: The Story of a Ship, his experience as a member of Monty Python, his charity work with children and his travels.

Podcast description. Strengthening our brains might seem like a daunting task, but it’s surprisingly simple. Top neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta chats with Indigo CEO and Chief Booklover Heather Reisman about how we can protect our brain function with simple lifestyle habits, such as eating well, moving our bodies, getting enough rest, connecting with others, and learning something new. Gupta also offers tips and tricks to maintain brain health as we grow older, and debunks common myths about aging and cognitive decline.

Lollove is a tiny village in the heart of Sardinia, Italy. Legend says it was cursed by nuns to ‘never grow and never die’. As many as 500 people once lived here, but years of neglect have led many to leave. Now, just 13 remain. But Lollove's ancient curse may yet be its saviour. By David Robson and Pierangelo Pirak . BBC Reel – July 2020

We challenged chefs of three different skill levels - amateur Bianca, home cook Julie, and professional chef Palak Patel from the Institute of Culinary Education - to fry us up some fish and chips. Once each chef had presented their dish, we asked food scientist Rose to explain their choices. Which fry up gets your tastebuds at attention?

Jun 29, 2020

His name was Popov. Dusko Popov. As a Serbian double agent during the Second World War, Popov was an expert gambler, known womaniser and even crossed paths with James Bond's creator Ian Fleming. But was he really the inspiration behind 007? And did he have the information that could have prevented the Pearl Harbor attacks, if only he had been believed? Video by Fernando Teixeira and Izabela Cardoso

Giraffes in Kenya are being rescued using a specially constructed raft, after their peninsula was cut off by flooding. The Rothchild's giraffe was previously common in the Western Rift Valley, but now there are only an estimated 2,000 left on the African continent, and about 800 in Kenya. The rescue operation is being conducted by the Kenyan Wildlife Service with the charity Save Giraffes Now. Photo and video courtesy of Tyler Schiffman/Ami Vitale/Save Giraffes Now. 

Sabry Amroussi is an art historian and writer living and working in Amsterdam. He specializes in the art of the Dutch Golden Age, mainly in the works of Rembrandt and his school, and also has a keen interest in the Jewish history of Amsterdam. He lectures and teaches on both subjects, and gives art historical tours all across Europe. As a true omnivore when it comes to art, culture, and even cuisine, he has worked with and for major museums and collectors, such as the LACMA, Rijksmuseum, van Gogh Museum and the P de Boer collection on Amsterdam. As a guide for Context, he is eager to share this knowledge in real life, always with a big scoop of humor, ofter intermingling art with social life, cuisine, and history. https://conversations.contexttravel.com/products/golden-age

May 25, 2020

Stage and screen legend Cicely Tyson reflects on how she helped pave the way for more complex and layered Black storytelling in Hollywood. Grammy Award-winning Canadian drummer Larnell Lewis talks about revisiting a selection of tracks off his debut album In the Moment, and shares how his family lineage has informed his musical journey. Mohawk actress Kaniehtiio Horn talks about Letterkenny and how the hit Canadian comedy series managed to get Indigenous representation right. Aired January 26, 2021

Aug 28, 2020

Fjords, glaciers and the highest mountains in the Arctic: East Greenland with its spectacular nature is one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth. The people here live in extreme isolation and depend on helicopter flights for their supplies. Despite harsh conditions, the inhabitants here lovingly maintain their traditions and enjoy their outdoor leisure time even at minus 20 degrees Celsius. The town of Tasiilaq is the 'metropolis' with 4,000 inhabitants and offers a very special attraction: the only ski lift on the east coast. Thomas Mikaelsen, the lift attendant, is not to be envied for his job. The only 100 meter long lift comes from Switzerland and is already 20 years old. If Thomas gets the drag lift running at all, it often only lasts for an hour. Then the ski crazy's luck depends on his repair skills. The lift is the only frosty open-air pleasure. For Salo Kunuk his sled dogs are both pleasure and work. He is currently teaching his daughter Karla how to steer a dog sled, private driving lessons from her father, so to speak. Karla will need it, because in the eternal ice the sled is the only means of transportation. Tobias Ignatiussen owns a motorized sled version with 100 HP. He goes, like already his ancestors, on seal hunt. Only with the help of the snowmobile he can reach ice-free places in the fjord. Despite strict hunting restrictions, the Inuit still depend on seal meat and fur to survive. A tradition almost as important as hunting is the tupilak, small figures from Greenlandic mythology, made from whale teeth or reindeer antlers. Gideon Quqe made it to the master as a carver, and some of his tupilaks look quite spooky. Because from his ancestors, Gideon knows that the tupilak was intended by its owner to be used as an evil spirit to harm the enemy. Nowadays Gideon also carves nice looking figures, because lucky charms simply sell better. At the Klubben, Tasiilaq's only pub, the concert of the year is on: the local combo Dubbi Band, named after the nickname of band leader Tobias Sanimuinaq, performs. They call their wild musical style 'Greenland Swing'. Even in the middle of the white wilderness, you can make your audience dance.

Hosted by Sim Piseth

Journey through Siem Reap, the gateway to the temples of Angkor, with expert Cambodian guide Sim Piseth. Follow Sim as he shares his favorite places to visit, including architectural marvels Angkor Thom, Banteay Srei Temple and Ta Prohm Temple, the setting for the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. During this special tour, learn about Sim’s life as a professional local guide and his work as the founder of the Homestay Volunteer Teachers Organization (HVTO), a nonprofit that empowers disadvantaged Cambodian communities with the tools they need to cultivate sustainable development through education. Viking TV 

Sim Piseth is a professional tour guide and the founder of the Homestay Volunteer Teachers Organization (HVTO), a nonprofit dedicated to developing clean water initiatives, literacy programs and vocational education projects to assist communities in rural areas with limited resources. 

Sim himself grew up in the village of Sophy, situated close to the Cambodian capital of Siem Reap. For eight years, he lived at a few monasteries, where he learned to become a monk and completed his secondary education. In 2000, he left to teach English and eventually became a local guide with Artisans Angkor. In this capacity, Sim brought visitors to orphanages, coordinated sponsorships for children, and worked with NGOs to build schools and water pumps in rural areas. These experiences led Sim to establish HVTO in August 2008. A few months later, Sim became a certified guide with the Cambodian Tourist Guide Association. Along with his native Khmer, he speaks English, German, Spanish and Thai. 

Viking TV – February 5, 2021

Lead photo credit: Tibetan refugee self help center, naya basti, darjeeling, west bengal, india

Claire Kelly – Unsplash