:00:10. > :00:18.MUSIC PLAYS. Hello, and welcome to this special edition of The Travel
:00:19. > :00:24.Show, coming to you this week from Russia. Or Vladivostok to be
:00:25. > :00:28.precise. This is a region that was once ruled by China. So there is a
:00:29. > :00:34.fascination with past and present to explore. Coming up on this week's
:00:35. > :00:38.programme, I go for a walk on the wild side inside the Chinatown that
:00:39. > :00:44.Stalin tried to shut down. It also has its own mafia. They actually
:00:45. > :00:50.used its secret doors and hideaways to hide from the police. We have got
:00:51. > :00:56.advice on how to get from London to Rome by train. And I go fishing in
:00:57. > :01:05.the frosty waters off the coast of Russia. Ahh! Can you believe that?
:01:06. > :01:14.It jumped straight back in. That is one of fish! -- one clever fish.
:01:15. > :01:45.THEME SONG PLAYS. CHINESE MUSIC. In the heart of
:01:46. > :01:52.Vladivostok, there is a quarter of interest. It is one of the city's
:01:53. > :01:56.oldest neighbourhoods, founded in the seventeen 80s. Located near the
:01:57. > :02:03.port where Chinese and Korean sailing ships used to moor, it was
:02:04. > :02:10.once Vladivostok's Chinatown. It is home to millions, because many
:02:11. > :02:15.Asians lived here, Chinese, Japanese, Korean. Maybe not actually
:02:16. > :02:26.millions. But probably felt like it at the time. Famous for its
:02:27. > :02:32.hodgepodge of buildings, it was considered a slum. It was a place
:02:33. > :02:43.where the Chinese small shops, cafes, barbershops, they were all
:02:44. > :02:47.like -- located. This woman organises local history tours. It
:02:48. > :02:54.has its own rules, bosses, entertainment, like gambling houses,
:02:55. > :03:00.opium dens, and so on. And it also has its own, like a umm, mafia, that
:03:01. > :03:15.actually used its secret doors and hideaways to hide from the police.
:03:16. > :03:21.You can see that the houses here are built in an irregular way. There are
:03:22. > :03:26.bridges between the buildings. There is a room you can enter on one side
:03:27. > :03:33.and appear on the other side of the city. -- A rumour you can. At the
:03:34. > :03:37.time of the Russian revolution, a third of the population was Chinese,
:03:38. > :03:45.and the town was severely overcrowded. At its height there
:03:46. > :03:52.were approximately 50,000 living here in the town, the size of two
:03:53. > :03:56.New York City blocks. Others say this estimate is on the conservative
:03:57. > :04:00.side and they could have been as many as 100,000 people living in
:04:01. > :04:08.houses like this behind me made of red brick. It thrived until 1936
:04:09. > :04:12.when Josef Stalin ordered the area to be emptied and reported the
:04:13. > :04:19.Chinese who called it home. Although many of the original buildings have
:04:20. > :04:24.been destroyed, today, the buildings hold a big Julia charm and are full
:04:25. > :04:32.of legends. Alexander group up here and use to explore its crumbling
:04:33. > :04:43.alleyways. -- grew up. This was a magic place where I could humour
:04:44. > :04:49.myself in a fairytale. It was somewhere where I could go without
:04:50. > :04:56.grown-ups. We spend time together with my friends just in our own
:04:57. > :05:02.world in a magic world. I heard there was gold hidden within these
:05:03. > :05:07.walls, is that true? I didn't find gold. But I think that in my
:05:08. > :05:13.childhood I found much more precious things for me.
:05:14. > :05:24.It is just children's imagination that are inspired by these areas.
:05:25. > :05:31.The district is being revived, with up to the minute cafes opening their
:05:32. > :05:39.doors and a growing number of tours introducing people to the past. I
:05:40. > :05:42.love the architecture and ruins. These tiny alleyways remind me of
:05:43. > :05:46.Beijing. Though you would be hard-pressed to find any more now
:05:47. > :05:48.because they are mostly being bulldozed to make way for new
:05:49. > :05:55.developments. And some people here in Vladivostok are worried that with
:05:56. > :06:16.time, this city within a city could suffer the same fate. And what
:06:17. > :07:07.What does the future hold for Millionka? It is a very big problem.
:07:08. > :07:19.I don't know. What do you think now when you come here? What do you
:07:20. > :07:25.think? Do you think it has begun too commercialised? Has changed? A lot
:07:26. > :07:31.of things have changed in the last 20 years. But I think it is better
:07:32. > :07:37.to put some new spirit in places like this than to leave them
:07:38. > :07:42.abandoned. Umm, it is better if people appreciate it right now.
:07:43. > :07:48.Think that for every person here in Vladivostok it is very important
:07:49. > :07:53.just to be, sometimes, here, and to feel the spirit, to feel your own
:07:54. > :07:57.spirit, to find yourself in this old place, and to understand that you
:07:58. > :08:10.live not in a very contemporary city but in a city with a history.
:08:11. > :08:19.Up next, we hit the road with our first year explorer, Brad Cowan, who
:08:20. > :08:24.this week heads to the Czech Republic to get the lowdown on their
:08:25. > :08:32.world-famous lagers. Go to Prague to gaze at its stunning architecture,
:08:33. > :08:41.drink beer, and Dan Sullivan I. The birthplace of light lager is also
:08:42. > :08:50.home to taps directly at the table. Under the guidance of a man in
:08:51. > :08:58.Plzen, pills and created the first golden beer. -- Pilsener. Ever
:08:59. > :09:03.since, the rest of the world has tried to replicate it. But it was
:09:04. > :09:13.sold in 2002. Some believe this helped contribute to the recent
:09:14. > :09:22.Micra -- microbrewing boom. How do you feel about? Even the first known
:09:23. > :09:34.are you opened in 2011. -- brewery. It was one of 60 open that year. --
:09:35. > :09:37.six to open. This monastery was founded at the end of the 10th
:09:38. > :09:44.century. So they have been brewing beer here for 1,000 years? They had
:09:45. > :09:53.only one brand. Many people went to the same pub all their life and
:09:54. > :09:59.drank only one brand. It was very, very difficult to change in a short
:10:00. > :10:04.time. He explained that despite the new-found appreciation for
:10:05. > :10:12.international beers, like lager is still the best. It is beer for
:10:13. > :10:22.drinking. And with that, it was time to sample the lager straight from
:10:23. > :10:29.the tap. When you drink a good lager, it drink invites you to
:10:30. > :10:41.another drink. So that is why you guys drink that much beer.
:10:42. > :10:48.LAUGHING. You keep getting invited? Well, stay with us, because coming
:10:49. > :10:52.up, our global guru is here to answer more of your travel
:10:53. > :11:01.questions. And I head out to sea in Russia to try put a boarding
:11:02. > :11:06.Vladivostok style. -- paddleboarding. The Travel Show,
:11:07. > :11:21.your essential guide wherever you are heading. Welcome to the slice of
:11:22. > :11:25.the show that tackles your questions about getting the best out of
:11:26. > :11:31.travel. Coming up shortly, a city break from London to Rome by rail.
:11:32. > :11:36.But first, in East Africa, a remarkable new railway has opened
:11:37. > :11:44.connecting the Ethiopian capital with Djibouti on the southern ocean.
:11:45. > :11:51.The electrified line travels 750 kilometres through dramatic terrain.
:11:52. > :11:57.It will reduce the terrestrial travel time between the two cities
:11:58. > :12:02.from one week to just ten hours. Passenger services are expected to
:12:03. > :12:07.start early next year. Next, Adam Murray is interested in a trip from
:12:08. > :12:14.the UK to Italy, but not aboard the usual means of transport. Allow. My
:12:15. > :12:21.wife and I would like to travel from London to Rome without flying. Had
:12:22. > :12:26.we do this? The rail trip takes a minimum of 17 hours between the two
:12:27. > :12:31.cities compared to three by air. But it is a rewarding journey and has
:12:32. > :12:37.three different routes there and back. Going south, take the direct
:12:38. > :12:41.morning trip from London to Marseille which goes to the
:12:42. > :12:45.Mediterranean at mid-afternoon. You will have time to stretch legs and
:12:46. > :12:50.have a picnic lunch before the onward connection to Nice and a
:12:51. > :12:57.spectacular coastal journey. You can do it overnight or stay on board the
:12:58. > :13:02.night train and spend the dawn in Rome. The triple probably cost
:13:03. > :13:06.significantly more than the cheapest return flight. But a good specialist
:13:07. > :13:11.international rail agent will be able to find the best economical
:13:12. > :13:15.ticket. I would ask two rival companies to quote in your position.
:13:16. > :13:30.Three children are often Florida! My central Florida highlight is the
:13:31. > :13:34.Kennedy space Centre at Cape Canaveral. A fabulous theme park
:13:35. > :13:38.where the theme is man's quest for space travel. Your children will
:13:39. > :13:43.learn how the race to the moon gripped the world in the 1960s, and
:13:44. > :13:48.see the possibilities for future expeditions. Invest an extra $25 per
:13:49. > :13:53.person in one of the excellent backstage tours, and see if you can
:13:54. > :13:57.time your trip to coincide with a space launch from the nearby Cape
:13:58. > :14:01.Canaveral Air Force Station. They take place on average about once or
:14:02. > :14:05.twice a month. Finally, Steve Faulkner is one of many passengers
:14:06. > :14:15.who needs to switch between London's two main air hubs.
:14:16. > :14:21.London's biggest airports are connected by a frequent bus service,
:14:22. > :14:28.which costs a flat ?20 1-way. But if you have time on your hands, you can
:14:29. > :14:32.take the X26 bus from Heathrow to East Croydon railway station, a
:14:33. > :14:37.journey of about 90 minutes, for just ?1.50, so long as you use a
:14:38. > :14:46.contactless card. The 15 minute train from there to Gatwick is 4.50
:14:47. > :14:50.pounds. I reckon the only cheaper option is to hitchhike. Whether you
:14:51. > :14:55.are saving time or money, the Travel Show is here to help, so e-mail your
:14:56. > :15:01.question and I will do my very best to find you an answer. From me,
:15:02. > :15:11.Simon Calder, the global guru, goodbye for now, and see you next
:15:12. > :15:16.time. Vladivostok is Russia's most important Pacific Ocean port, but
:15:17. > :15:20.its coastline is also popular amongst locals, and now many foreign
:15:21. > :15:30.tourists. So I am going to explore a different side of the city, on the
:15:31. > :15:35.water. It has been called the Koch is your of Russia's far east, and
:15:36. > :15:47.one of the best ways to get to know it is by boat. Cote d'azure. Hello,
:15:48. > :15:53.let's go. It is a little bit cold with the air blowing in my face, but
:15:54. > :16:00.overall it is a beautiful, crisp morning. Who knew you could do this
:16:01. > :16:04.in Vladivostok? A sign of things to come. What type of tourists come
:16:05. > :16:57.here? The largest island in this area is
:16:58. > :17:06.called Rusky Island. Fully militarised, militarised for many
:17:07. > :17:10.years, it has only recently been opened to foreigners. Now they have
:17:11. > :17:13.built a bridge from the mainland to the island, making it far more
:17:14. > :17:19.accessible. Today we are going to take the scenic route. We slow down
:17:20. > :17:24.by Scrivener Island, home to an abandoned army barracks and the
:17:25. > :17:30.oldest lighthouse in this area. Tilt in the 1870s, it is still
:17:31. > :17:35.operational today. This looks like a fishing box. Fishing box. Many
:17:36. > :17:42.people come here to fish, and although I am not much of an Anglo,
:17:43. > :17:48.I am prepared to give it a try. -- angler.
:17:49. > :17:57.Today we are fishing place. I am not promising 25 kg of it, though. How
:17:58. > :18:01.are you going on that side? There is nothing biting on this side. What
:18:02. > :18:16.happened? You caught one already? Wow. That was so fast. I am going to
:18:17. > :18:23.throw it back. The redback? OK. Go home? OK, we can throw the baby fish
:18:24. > :18:27.back. Nothing happening over here. How is that possible? I have been
:18:28. > :18:35.sitting here for 15 minutes. Throws his line in and he gets one within
:18:36. > :18:42.five seconds. While my luck doesn't seem to be changing, cost's good
:18:43. > :18:53.fortune just continues. Very big fish. You have got a big one? Yes.
:18:54. > :18:58.Really? Look at the line, it is bending. You want me to try and real
:18:59. > :19:05.him in? Oh my goodness. I hope it is not a boot or something. Can you see
:19:06. > :19:12.the bend in the Rod? Look, look, look! It is still a very small fish,
:19:13. > :19:16.though. Is it the baby again? This is normal sized? My catch turns out
:19:17. > :19:25.to be an average sized fish but my celebration is cut short. Where did
:19:26. > :19:27.he go? Did he jump in? Can you believe that? Jumped straight back
:19:28. > :19:43.in. That is one clever fish. The sea here freezers for around
:19:44. > :19:46.four months of the year, but according to the locals that is no
:19:47. > :19:52.excuse to stop enjoying the outdoors. So as we came in, we
:19:53. > :19:58.actually saw people swimming in just their swimming trunks. It is not
:19:59. > :20:01.warm, it is about 14 degrees, and I am about to have my very first
:20:02. > :20:07.stand-up paddle board lesson. Stand-up paddle boarding or stand-up
:20:08. > :20:11.surfing, as they call it here, has been growing in popularity for the
:20:12. > :20:19.last few years. Now it is growing bigger and bigger every year. The
:20:20. > :20:26.sea is still warm in summertime, and it is a beautiful place, with
:20:27. > :20:40.beautiful nature here. OK, so shall we do it? Definitely, very good. And
:20:41. > :20:45.we are off. I am off to a wobbly start. And even the smallest wave
:20:46. > :20:56.looks daunting from where I am standing. The water is really clear,
:20:57. > :21:02.but it looks chilly. My main aim is not to fall in. Paddling in a
:21:03. > :21:11.straight line proves to be harder than it looks, especially as staying
:21:12. > :21:17.upright is my main focus. Keep your core muscles tight and focus on the
:21:18. > :21:23.horizon, is the advice. Again, it is easier said than done. I am nearly
:21:24. > :21:38.back on solid ground, but just when I think I have made it...
:21:39. > :21:44.That was really fun. I can see why it has such a big appeal for
:21:45. > :21:48.tourists. You know, you can be a complete novice, like me, you can
:21:49. > :21:54.get on the board. My real fear was falling in, because it was so cold.
:21:55. > :22:02.But you know, I made it, something a bit different. Well, that is it for
:22:03. > :22:14.this week's show from Russia. Join us next week, when Ade is in Jordan,
:22:15. > :22:18.where for the first time ever a track has been carved through the
:22:19. > :22:22.entire country, giving everyone the chance to get off the beaten track.
:22:23. > :22:26.This track is amazing, the views are breathtaking, but I'm not going to
:22:27. > :22:30.lie, there are some parts of it which are really difficult, even for
:22:31. > :22:40.someone with skills like me. See you later. Whoo! Oh yes! Ono! Can I
:22:41. > :22:49.stop? I hope you can join us for that, if you can. And don't forget,
:22:50. > :22:53.we are all over social media. The link should be at the bottom of your
:22:54. > :23:13.screen. From me and the rest of the Travel Show team, it is goodbye.
:23:14. > :23:16.It's going to be a quiet weekend of weather.
:23:17. > :23:19.We saw some sunshine yesterday, this was Deal.