0:40:50 > 0:40:57.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41My name is Josephine, I'm 11 years old
0:41:41 > 0:41:44and I'm a speed skater in Inzell.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01Bavaria is the largest state in Germany.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05Although at the foot of the Alps, it is easy to reach via motorway,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07train or plane, from one of two airports,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10either Salzburg, in Austria, or Munich.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14The scenery in and around Inzell is magical
0:42:14 > 0:42:16no matter what the season.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Wood is an adaptable building material and there's plenty
0:43:50 > 0:43:53to be found in and around Inzell.
0:43:53 > 0:43:54It's a sustainable resource.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Any tree that is chopped down can be quickly
0:43:57 > 0:43:59and easily replaced by planting a new one.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05Houses where Josephine and her friends live are built from wood.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08Timber buildings are quick and easy to construct
0:44:08 > 0:44:10and fit in perfectly with the natural environment.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16Not surprisingly, wood is also used as fuel in this area.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19Because it's readily available, it's cheaper than the alternatives.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05But Josie's passion is speed skating.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24Due to its height and position, Frillensee is the coldest lake
0:45:24 > 0:45:27in Germany, and in winter it's completely frozen.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31In the 1950s and '60s people trained here
0:45:31 > 0:45:33and took part in important competitions.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38But the surrounding forest made access difficult,
0:45:38 > 0:45:40so a new venue was found.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13Visitors to the arena stay in nearby hotels
0:46:13 > 0:46:16and spend their money in the shops, cafes and restaurants,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19which is all good news for the local economy.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23Speed skating may not be well known in the UK,
0:46:23 > 0:46:26but it's one of the oldest winter sports in the world
0:46:26 > 0:46:30and was first included as an Olympic sport in 1916.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33It's a highly competitive sport
0:46:33 > 0:46:36and Germany has a strong squad of speed skaters.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40Josephine would love to follow in her mum's footsteps.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43She skated for Germany when she was younger.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17The people here in Inzell hope the stadium will continue to
0:47:17 > 0:47:18bring them prosperity.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23Josephine and her friends hope the stadium will help them
0:47:23 > 0:47:25fulfil their skating dreams.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40Hello, my name is Helen, I'm 11 years old.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43I live in Rantum on Sylt...
0:47:53 > 0:47:55Sylt is an island in northern Germany,
0:47:55 > 0:47:59well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline.
0:47:59 > 0:48:00There are 11 villages
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and just one town on the island called Westerland.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07Sylt is part of the North Frisian group of Islands.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11Helen also enjoys playing with her friends, Svea and Samira,
0:49:11 > 0:49:12at their home.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15Their parents manage a large holiday village near Helen's house
0:49:15 > 0:49:18and in winter, they have it all to themselves.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37Helen is one of 22,000 people who live on Sylt all year round.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41The island is just 38.5 kilometres long
0:49:41 > 0:49:45and only 350 metres at its narrowest point.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48That's the same as 320 football pitches long
0:49:48 > 0:49:50and only three football pitches wide!
0:49:53 > 0:49:57The island has spectacular beaches and miles of sand dunes.
0:49:57 > 0:50:01Much of the rest of the island is covered in reeds and marsh.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27German and Danish people are keen to buy holiday homes on Sylt,
0:50:27 > 0:50:31but this pushes up prices and puts them in competition with locals.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33This is good news if you are selling a house,
0:50:33 > 0:50:35but not so great for locals like Helen,
0:50:35 > 0:50:39who may not be able to afford to buy a home here when she grows up.
0:51:02 > 0:51:03If you travelled due west from Sylt,
0:51:03 > 0:51:07the first place you would reach is Newcastle, in England.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10The west coast of Sylt is constantly battered by the North Sea
0:51:10 > 0:51:11and westerly winds.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14This means land erosion is a problem.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30Local beach nourishment programmes like these,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34and the installation of breakers on the beaches, are really helping.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40On the other side of the island, sheltered by the mainlands of
0:51:40 > 0:51:44Denmark and Northern Germany, the coastline is calm and protected.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50Miles of mudflats make it a unique habitat for wildlife and plants.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53It is home to the Waddensea Nature Reserve.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07With the help of some drawings in the sand,
0:53:07 > 0:53:09Kirsten can explain how tides work.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16Svea and Samira are spinning around to show how gravity
0:53:16 > 0:53:17forces them apart.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22The moon's gravitational force has the same effect on the seas
0:53:22 > 0:53:24and oceans as the Earth spins.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours,
0:53:30 > 0:53:32so it's important to be aware of this
0:53:32 > 0:53:34when you're down by the seashore.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48Sylt really is an island of two halves.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Both sides are beautiful and extreme in different ways.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57Helen and her friends hope they can afford to carry on living here,
0:53:57 > 0:53:59because they really do care about preserving
0:53:59 > 0:54:01the future of their island.
0:54:20 > 0:54:21Hamburg lies on the River Elbe
0:54:21 > 0:54:25and is home to the third largest port in Europe.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27The city is one of the biggest in Germany
0:54:27 > 0:54:29and a major tourist destination.
0:54:30 > 0:54:34It also attracts many migrant workers from across the world.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36It's a very cosmopolitan city.
0:55:32 > 0:55:36Even though Hamburg is about 100km up river from the North Sea,
0:55:36 > 0:55:37it's a very busy port.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42The container ships bring in goods like fruit, meat, coal,
0:55:42 > 0:55:46fertilisers, tea and coffee.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48The port has storage space for goods that are being
0:55:48 > 0:55:51transported on to other parts of Europe.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55It also has facilities for building, refitting and repairing
0:55:55 > 0:55:57container ships, yachts and barges.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04The cargo handled at the port is mainly containerised.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06The huge sealed metal boxes are loaded
0:56:06 > 0:56:10and unloaded by giant cranes and computerised robots.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13It's a speedy process which means that in the end,
0:56:13 > 0:56:14goods will be cheaper,
0:56:14 > 0:56:17but it's been hard for some of the port workers who have
0:56:17 > 0:56:19lost their jobs and been replaced by robots.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25In Hamburg, wherever you look, there is water.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28There are canals, lakes and several rivers.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33Zoe's school is linked with a school in England.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36Last year, she was part of a small group who went over to the Wirral
0:57:36 > 0:57:39to introduce themselves to their exchange school, and this year
0:57:39 > 0:57:44they are planning a much bigger trip with a larger group of children.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46They're preparing hard for their visit, and can't wait
0:57:46 > 0:57:49to look after the English children when they come to Hamburg.
0:58:53 > 0:58:56Another very popular destination is the Hamburg Dom.
0:58:56 > 0:59:00This massive funfair has been in Hamburg since 1329,
0:59:00 > 0:59:02that's nearly 700 years!
0:59:04 > 0:59:08It attracts up to nine million visitors to the city every year.
0:59:08 > 0:59:09Zoe and Maria are regulars!
0:59:33 > 0:59:37Hamburg is one of Germany's most important commercial centres.
0:59:38 > 0:59:40But it's not all work.
0:59:40 > 0:59:43Hamburg is a vibrant city with a reputation for being
0:59:43 > 0:59:44quite a party town.
0:59:52 > 0:59:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd