Russia The Travel Show

MUSIC PLAYS. Hello, and welcome to this special edition of The Travel

Show, coming to you this week from Russia. Or Vladivostok to be

precise. This is a region that was once ruled by China. So there is a

fascination with past and present to explore. Coming up on this week's

programme, I go for a walk on the wild side inside the Chinatown that

Stalin tried to shut down. It also has its own mafia. They actually

used its secret doors and hideaways to hide from the police. We have got

advice on how to get from London to Rome by train. And I go fishing in

the frosty waters off the coast of Russia. Ahh! Can you believe that?

It jumped straight back in. That is one of fish! -- one clever fish.

THEME SONG PLAYS. CHINESE MUSIC. In the heart of

Vladivostok, there is a quarter of interest. It is one of the city's

oldest neighbourhoods, founded in the seventeen 80s. Located near the

port where Chinese and Korean sailing ships used to moor, it was

once Vladivostok's Chinatown. It is home to millions, because many

Asians lived here, Chinese, Japanese, Korean. Maybe not actually

millions. But probably felt like it at the time. Famous for its

hodgepodge of buildings, it was considered a slum. It was a place

where the Chinese small shops, cafes, barbershops, they were all

like -- located. This woman organises local history tours. It

has its own rules, bosses, entertainment, like gambling houses,

opium dens, and so on. And it also has its own, like a umm, mafia, that

actually used its secret doors and hideaways to hide from the police.

You can see that the houses here are built in an irregular way. There are

bridges between the buildings. There is a room you can enter on one side

and appear on the other side of the city. -- A rumour you can. At the

time of the Russian revolution, a third of the population was Chinese,

and the town was severely overcrowded. At its height there

were approximately 50,000 living here in the town, the size of two

New York City blocks. Others say this estimate is on the conservative

side and they could have been as many as 100,000 people living in

houses like this behind me made of red brick. It thrived until 1936

when Josef Stalin ordered the area to be emptied and reported the

Chinese who called it home. Although many of the original buildings have

been destroyed, today, the buildings hold a big Julia charm and are full

of legends. Alexander group up here and use to explore its crumbling

alleyways. -- grew up. This was a magic place where I could humour

myself in a fairytale. It was somewhere where I could go without

grown-ups. We spend time together with my friends just in our own

world in a magic world. I heard there was gold hidden within these

walls, is that true? I didn't find gold. But I think that in my

childhood I found much more precious things for me.

It is just children's imagination that are inspired by these areas.

The district is being revived, with up to the minute cafes opening their

doors and a growing number of tours introducing people to the past. I

love the architecture and ruins. These tiny alleyways remind me of

Beijing. Though you would be hard-pressed to find any more now

because they are mostly being bulldozed to make way for new

developments. And some people here in Vladivostok are worried that with

time, this city within a city could suffer the same fate. And what

What does the future hold for Millionka? It is a very big problem.

I don't know. What do you think now when you come here? What do you

think? Do you think it has begun too commercialised? Has changed? A lot

of things have changed in the last 20 years. But I think it is better

to put some new spirit in places like this than to leave them

abandoned. Umm, it is better if people appreciate it right now.

Think that for every person here in Vladivostok it is very important

just to be, sometimes, here, and to feel the spirit, to feel your own

spirit, to find yourself in this old place, and to understand that you

live not in a very contemporary city but in a city with a history.

Up next, we hit the road with our first year explorer, Brad Cowan, who

this week heads to the Czech Republic to get the lowdown on their

world-famous lagers. Go to Prague to gaze at its stunning architecture,

drink beer, and Dan Sullivan I. The birthplace of light lager is also

home to taps directly at the table. Under the guidance of a man in

Plzen, pills and created the first golden beer. -- Pilsener. Ever

since, the rest of the world has tried to replicate it. But it was

sold in 2002. Some believe this helped contribute to the recent

Micra -- microbrewing boom. How do you feel about? Even the first known

are you opened in 2011. -- brewery. It was one of 60 open that year. --

six to open. This monastery was founded at the end of the 10th

century. So they have been brewing beer here for 1,000 years? They had

only one brand. Many people went to the same pub all their life and

drank only one brand. It was very, very difficult to change in a short

time. He explained that despite the new-found appreciation for

international beers, like lager is still the best. It is beer for

drinking. And with that, it was time to sample the lager straight from

the tap. When you drink a good lager, it drink invites you to

another drink. So that is why you guys drink that much beer.

LAUGHING. You keep getting invited? Well, stay with us, because coming

up, our global guru is here to answer more of your travel

questions. And I head out to sea in Russia to try put a boarding

Vladivostok style. -- paddleboarding. The Travel Show,

your essential guide wherever you are heading. Welcome to the slice of

the show that tackles your questions about getting the best out of

travel. Coming up shortly, a city break from London to Rome by rail.

But first, in East Africa, a remarkable new railway has opened

connecting the Ethiopian capital with Djibouti on the southern ocean.

The electrified line travels 750 kilometres through dramatic terrain.

It will reduce the terrestrial travel time between the two cities

from one week to just ten hours. Passenger services are expected to

start early next year. Next, Adam Murray is interested in a trip from

the UK to Italy, but not aboard the usual means of transport. Allow. My

wife and I would like to travel from London to Rome without flying. Had

we do this? The rail trip takes a minimum of 17 hours between the two

cities compared to three by air. But it is a rewarding journey and has

three different routes there and back. Going south, take the direct

morning trip from London to Marseille which goes to the

Mediterranean at mid-afternoon. You will have time to stretch legs and

have a picnic lunch before the onward connection to Nice and a

spectacular coastal journey. You can do it overnight or stay on board the

night train and spend the dawn in Rome. The triple probably cost

significantly more than the cheapest return flight. But a good specialist

international rail agent will be able to find the best economical

ticket. I would ask two rival companies to quote in your position.

Three children are often Florida! My central Florida highlight is the

Kennedy space Centre at Cape Canaveral. A fabulous theme park

where the theme is man's quest for space travel. Your children will

learn how the race to the moon gripped the world in the 1960s, and

see the possibilities for future expeditions. Invest an extra $25 per

person in one of the excellent backstage tours, and see if you can

time your trip to coincide with a space launch from the nearby Cape

Canaveral Air Force Station. They take place on average about once or

twice a month. Finally, Steve Faulkner is one of many passengers

who needs to switch between London's two main air hubs.

London's biggest airports are connected by a frequent bus service,

which costs a flat ?20 1-way. But if you have time on your hands, you can

take the X26 bus from Heathrow to East Croydon railway station, a

journey of about 90 minutes, for just ?1.50, so long as you use a

contactless card. The 15 minute train from there to Gatwick is 4.50

pounds. I reckon the only cheaper option is to hitchhike. Whether you

are saving time or money, the Travel Show is here to help, so e-mail your

question and I will do my very best to find you an answer. From me,

Simon Calder, the global guru, goodbye for now, and see you next

time. Vladivostok is Russia's most important Pacific Ocean port, but

its coastline is also popular amongst locals, and now many foreign

tourists. So I am going to explore a different side of the city, on the

water. It has been called the Koch is your of Russia's far east, and

one of the best ways to get to know it is by boat. Cote d'azure. Hello,

let's go. It is a little bit cold with the air blowing in my face, but

overall it is a beautiful, crisp morning. Who knew you could do this

in Vladivostok? A sign of things to come. What type of tourists come

here? The largest island in this area is

called Rusky Island. Fully militarised, militarised for many

years, it has only recently been opened to foreigners. Now they have

built a bridge from the mainland to the island, making it far more

accessible. Today we are going to take the scenic route. We slow down

by Scrivener Island, home to an abandoned army barracks and the

oldest lighthouse in this area. Tilt in the 1870s, it is still

operational today. This looks like a fishing box. Fishing box. Many

people come here to fish, and although I am not much of an Anglo,

I am prepared to give it a try. -- angler.

Today we are fishing place. I am not promising 25 kg of it, though. How

are you going on that side? There is nothing biting on this side. What

happened? You caught one already? Wow. That was so fast. I am going to

throw it back. The redback? OK. Go home? OK, we can throw the baby fish

back. Nothing happening over here. How is that possible? I have been

sitting here for 15 minutes. Throws his line in and he gets one within

five seconds. While my luck doesn't seem to be changing, cost's good

fortune just continues. Very big fish. You have got a big one? Yes.

Really? Look at the line, it is bending. You want me to try and real

him in? Oh my goodness. I hope it is not a boot or something. Can you see

the bend in the Rod? Look, look, look! It is still a very small fish,

though. Is it the baby again? This is normal sized? My catch turns out

to be an average sized fish but my celebration is cut short. Where did

he go? Did he jump in? Can you believe that? Jumped straight back

in. That is one clever fish. The sea here freezers for around

four months of the year, but according to the locals that is no

excuse to stop enjoying the outdoors. So as we came in, we

actually saw people swimming in just their swimming trunks. It is not

warm, it is about 14 degrees, and I am about to have my very first

stand-up paddle board lesson. Stand-up paddle boarding or stand-up

surfing, as they call it here, has been growing in popularity for the

last few years. Now it is growing bigger and bigger every year. The

sea is still warm in summertime, and it is a beautiful place, with

beautiful nature here. OK, so shall we do it? Definitely, very good. And

we are off. I am off to a wobbly start. And even the smallest wave

looks daunting from where I am standing. The water is really clear,

but it looks chilly. My main aim is not to fall in. Paddling in a

straight line proves to be harder than it looks, especially as staying

upright is my main focus. Keep your core muscles tight and focus on the

horizon, is the advice. Again, it is easier said than done. I am nearly

back on solid ground, but just when I think I have made it...

That was really fun. I can see why it has such a big appeal for

tourists. You know, you can be a complete novice, like me, you can

get on the board. My real fear was falling in, because it was so cold.

But you know, I made it, something a bit different. Well, that is it for

this week's show from Russia. Join us next week, when Ade is in Jordan,

where for the first time ever a track has been carved through the

entire country, giving everyone the chance to get off the beaten track.

This track is amazing, the views are breathtaking, but I'm not going to

lie, there are some parts of it which are really difficult, even for

someone with skills like me. See you later. Whoo! Oh yes! Ono! Can I

stop? I hope you can join us for that, if you can. And don't forget,

we are all over social media. The link should be at the bottom of your

screen. From me and the rest of the Travel Show team, it is goodbye.

It's going to be a quiet weekend of weather.

We saw some sunshine yesterday, this was Deal.