Category Archives: International Features

Explore the islands of Hong Kong, wildlife safaris, hot air ballooning in Arizona, Mexico’s marvellous beaches, Great Barrier Reef diving, Caribbean cuisine, Guyana’s Rupununi rainforest, Byzantine monasteries in Meteora and temples of Korea. A few of the exotic video experiences in the months ahead. (Photo: Heidelberg Marketing GmbH)

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St. Kitts: Gibraltar of the West Indies

Posted on June 30, 2015 by On Top Of The World


The fortifications of the Citadel of Brimstone Hill sprawl over 40 acres on the slopes of a mountain 800 feet above the sea. Known as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies” the Citadel in St. Kitts was a strategic outpost in the battles between the French and English for supremacy in the Caribbean. For more information: check out episode #172 in the International category.

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South Africa: On the trail of Vines and Wines

Posted on June 30, 2015 by On Top Of The World


We visit Cape Town, South Africa, to unearth the world-class wines that are being created in the vineyards of the region’s fertile valleys. For more information: check out episode #171 in the International category.

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Australia: On the Wild Side

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


Australia boasts several United Nations World Heritage sites, more than 500 parks and 2700 conservation areas. In this roundup of the country’s wild life, we meet crocodiles, koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos, wombats, emus and some of the over 280 bird species. We meet a buzzard with a rain, a bird that can’t fly, marsupials that carry their young in build-in baby carriages, and a mammal that lays an egg and then carries it around in a pouch until it hatches. For more information: check out episode #170 in the International category.

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Israel: The Land where Time began

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


We travel through 2000 years of history in Israel – the Land where Time began. Our journey starts in Caesarea, the port city built by Herod and continues through Haifa and the Baha’i Gardens to the archaeological excavations taking place in Acco. From there we spend time in a Kibbutz, visit Beit She’an in Lower Galilee and explore the back streets and markets of Jerusalem. For more information: check out episode #169 in the International category.

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Israel: In the Footsteps of Jesus

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


Was Jesus buried at the place of the Holy Sepulchre or the Garden Tomb? 2000 years after his death it is still a hotly debated topic amongst Christians who make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to follow in his footsteps. We explore the Old City to mark the Stations of the Cross and to learn about the two serious contenders for his burial site. For more information: check out episode #168 in the International category.

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Israel: The Baha’i World Centre

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


The Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel, is the spiritual and administrative centre built primarily for the pilgrims who travel here from all around the world to visit the Shrine of the Bab. The architecture is a magnificent blend of East and West and the Hanging Gardens comprise 19 terraces that spread from the crest to the foot of Mt. Carmel and combine the latest in environmental and irrigation technology, vital in a country were water is scarce. For more information: check out episode #167 in the International category.

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The posthumous travels of Christopher Columbus

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


Christopher Columbus may have been a great explorer in life, but he continued to travel long after his death. Initially buried in Spain his daughter-in-law took his remains and those of her husband, Diego Columbus, back to the Dominican Republic. In the years that followed recognition of Christopher’s exploits grew and his bones were moved to Cuba and then back to Spain. Or were they? Where is Columbus buried and can DNA solve the problem? For more information: check out episode #166 in the International category.

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Hotels with History: Germany – Hirschgasse, Heidelberg

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


In this, the first of ‘Hotels with History’, we feature the Hirschgasse located off the Philosopher’s Way in Heidelberg, Germany. It’s been an inn, a dance hall and a dueling location for students attending the University at Heidelberg. For more information: check out episode #165 in the International category.

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Dominican Republic: Amber – Gem or Jurassic link

Posted on June 23, 2015 by On Top Of The World


Author Michael Crichton based his original Jurassic Park novel on the premise that DNA was obtained from Dinosaur blood in a fossilized mosquito. Given the advances in science it is not so improbable and this visit to the Amber Museum in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic showcases discoveries that give even more credence to the concept. For more information: check out episode #163 in the International category.

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Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo –– Birth of equality

Posted on June 12, 2015 by On Top Of The World


Founded in 1496, Santo Domingo is the main port and capital of the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. It is the oldest continuous European settlement in the Americas and it was here that Father Antonio de Montesinos, a Dominican Friar, fought for liberty, freedom and equality of the indigenous people following the Spanish conquest of what was then, the island of Hispaniola. Universal values and cultural equality is still prized by the peoples of the Dominican Republic and is reflected in their art and lifestyle. For more information: check out episode #164 in the International category.

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