:00:00. > :00:12.For some, these old service laneways are a cultural landmark. For others,
:00:13. > :00:16.this is prime real estate, ripe for development. This week, we ask what
:00:17. > :00:38.will become of one of Australia's most intriguing attractions?
:00:39. > :00:46.Coming up on the programme, we explore Melbourne's iconic laneways.
:00:47. > :00:57.We're treasure hunting in Chile. Carmen straps on her nosebag at some
:00:58. > :01:00.of Tokyo's animal cafes. -- we meet the blind man bringing cultural
:01:01. > :01:03.tours to Britain's historic homes. And, with a secret solstice in
:01:04. > :01:07.Iceland and a trans-African bike race, Michelle has got her global
:01:08. > :01:10.guide of things to see and do in the coming month.
:01:11. > :01:15.Hello and welcome to The Travel Show. This week, we're in Melbourne,
:01:16. > :01:18.Australia. It's second to Sydney in terms of size, but ask any local
:01:19. > :01:21.from around here, and they'll tell you it's the country's cultural
:01:22. > :01:24.capital. And it's with culture that we're
:01:25. > :01:27.kicking off the programme, heading into the city's thriving
:01:28. > :01:30.backstreets. The city of Melbourne in Australia's south-east is known
:01:31. > :01:38.for its beautiful riverside setting, lively festivals and cafe culture.
:01:39. > :01:43.Back in the mid-19th century, Melbourne was, in fact, one of the
:01:44. > :01:47.richest cities in the world, thanks to a very lucrative gold rush, and
:01:48. > :01:53.as a result, a network of suitably grand streets were built. But, over
:01:54. > :01:54.150 years on, it's not these broad boulevards that are capturing
:01:55. > :02:13.attention. Tucked away between the main streets
:02:14. > :02:18.are over 180 of these narrow service laneways, some of which are quite
:02:19. > :02:21.grotty. But, over the past 20 years, they've undergone a transformation
:02:22. > :02:28.and today, they offer a unique draw for tourists. With lower rents than
:02:29. > :02:31.the main thoroughfares, these lanes have seen a host of independent art
:02:32. > :02:33.galleries, coffee shops, fashion boutiques and hidden bars taking up
:02:34. > :02:42.residence. And some people are now devoting
:02:43. > :02:49.their days to revealing their secrets. The tourist has to open
:02:50. > :02:52.their eyes. There is no question. They really do need to look for the
:02:53. > :02:56.reward. But they'll see gorgeous cafes, lovely young designers, and
:02:57. > :02:59.that's the fun part for a tourist. The experience of Melbourne becomes
:03:00. > :03:04.your discovery, rather than it being just a map that you follow.
:03:05. > :03:06.But, in recent years, several of the city's publicly owned laneways have
:03:07. > :03:10.been sold into private hands, including a section of Penfold
:03:11. > :03:16.Place, this quiet alley in the city centre. This has prompted fears
:03:17. > :03:23.among some that Melbourne's cultural heritage is in danger of being
:03:24. > :03:27.eroded. It's the portions of laneways that we've sold in recent
:03:28. > :03:32.years. We've only sold five in two years. We don't go out there touting
:03:33. > :03:35.it. However, if they can satisfy some very stringent criteria, but
:03:36. > :03:37.also bring back value to our Melbournians and our tourists,
:03:38. > :03:40.enhance little spots, little portions that could perhaps do with
:03:41. > :03:48.some extra love and care, then we love it even more.
:03:49. > :03:53.Each February, these parts burst into life with the St Jerome's
:03:54. > :03:59.Laneway Festival. But there is still concern over the future of
:04:00. > :04:02.Melbourne's backstreets. I don't think there's enough thought into
:04:03. > :04:05.the long-term effect of losing these smaller lanes, irrespective of the
:04:06. > :04:14.justifications that they may not be thoroughfares, or they may not be
:04:15. > :04:17.highly desirable lanes. It strikes me as really short-term thinking,
:04:18. > :04:22.especially when Melbourne has a massive campaign. It sells itself to
:04:23. > :04:27.the rest of Australia and the rest of the world as laneway culture.
:04:28. > :04:29.Take some money off a developer, but who's that benefiting at the end of
:04:30. > :04:44.the day? Despite the controversy, these back
:04:45. > :04:51.alleys remain on the cutting edge of Melbourne culture. One of the major
:04:52. > :04:56.attractions in the laneways is the street art, which is everywhere.
:04:57. > :04:58.It's becoming famous and attracting tourists from across the world,
:04:59. > :05:00.including leading artists such as Banksy, who came here and left
:05:01. > :05:11.behind this little fella. In recent years, an enterprising
:05:12. > :05:14.group of street artists have begun a unique tour, showing visitors where
:05:15. > :05:24.the best pieces are to be found in the city's many nooks and crannies.
:05:25. > :05:27.Just a few streets away at Blender Studios, you can even try your hand
:05:28. > :05:35.at creating your very own masterpiece. I guess in a way,
:05:36. > :05:38.Melbourne is the largest public art gallery in the world, you know, and
:05:39. > :05:42.for the first time ever, Melbourne is culturally elite at something.
:05:43. > :05:46.We're number one at street art. Well, we're certainly in the top.
:05:47. > :05:49.That's because we have these amazing laneways, and we have people
:05:50. > :05:54.travelling to Melbourne to try and get their start.
:05:55. > :06:02.Some visitors are clearly not as talented as others, however. Put it
:06:03. > :06:09.down and then do it in long and thin sort of... Quite quick? Or it'll
:06:10. > :06:21.drip. You want to do it quick and nice, so it holds... OK. I'm getting
:06:22. > :06:29.nervous. All right. Now for the reveal. I've let us down a bit on
:06:30. > :06:32.the corner. I don't mind it. As night falls, the character of the
:06:33. > :06:36.laneways changes, as countless small independent bars open their doors.
:06:37. > :06:37.Locals say you never know what you'll find down the laneways, and
:06:38. > :06:49.that was certainly true in my case. I stumbled upon a ukulele lesson, of
:06:50. > :06:56.all things, part of a series of fun evening classes held in backstreet
:06:57. > :06:59.bars and cafes across the city. With all of this, it's perhaps not
:07:00. > :07:02.surprising that the people of Melbourne feel so protective of
:07:03. > :07:08.their laneways, especially in these changing times.
:07:09. > :07:12.But, with some luck and responsible public management, perhaps this
:07:13. > :07:14.unique nexus of Melbourne culture will continue to be celebrated in
:07:15. > :07:30.another 150 years. Well, if there's one thing that
:07:31. > :07:33.Melbournians love it's a good cup of coffee, and many in these parts
:07:34. > :07:37.would have you believe that this city serves up the best in the
:07:38. > :07:42.world. So, when you come here, make sure to make time to have a cup, and
:07:43. > :07:45.you can judge for yourself. Here are some other things you
:07:46. > :07:49.should know about when visiting Melbourne. The city circle trams
:07:50. > :07:53.should get you around many of the key sites, and the best part is,
:07:54. > :07:58.it's absolutely free. Just hop on and off whenever you fancy.
:07:59. > :08:01.They say you get all four seasons in one day here. Melbourne's famous for
:08:02. > :08:06.its inclement weather, and there's not much you can do about it. An
:08:07. > :08:10.umbrella and a sense of humour is your best bet.
:08:11. > :08:14.Melbourne is a festival town, and barely a week goes by without one,
:08:15. > :08:16.from food to literature and, of course, the annual comedy festival,
:08:17. > :08:22.considered among the world's top three.
:08:23. > :08:26.Check online before you book to ensure there's plenty going on
:08:27. > :08:30.during your stay. And, of course, sport's a massive
:08:31. > :08:32.attraction here too. Tennis, cricket, horse racing and, of
:08:33. > :08:37.course, Australian rules football are all huge. So, if you're not
:08:38. > :08:41.sporty, look ahead and make sure there's not a big event that could
:08:42. > :08:48.make hotel rooms expensive and scarce.
:08:49. > :08:51.Still to come: Michelle's here with her to-do list in our global guide.
:08:52. > :09:04.First, let's check out this week's travel update.
:09:05. > :09:08.Pouring your shampoo and other liquids into little bottles may
:09:09. > :09:12.become a thing of a past. A new scanner that can check them without
:09:13. > :09:18.opening them is being trialled in airports. It could reduce lengthy
:09:19. > :09:26.security queues and travel problems with bottles containing more than
:09:27. > :09:30.100 millilitres. The Shard hotel opened this week,
:09:31. > :09:38.offering views of the tower of London and the Tower Bridge. But a
:09:39. > :09:43.suite will cost you over ?3250. But that price does include your own
:09:44. > :09:48.personal butler! And finally, tourists in China have been given
:09:49. > :09:52.the chance to walk on the ceiling, literally! This house in a Shanghai
:09:53. > :09:57.suburb has been completely turned upside down, furniture and all.
:09:58. > :09:58.Hundreds of visitors queued for the chance to pose in the dizzying
:09:59. > :10:08.attraction. For the past 30 years, the colourful
:10:09. > :10:12.port town of Valparaiso has been renowned for its brash take on
:10:13. > :10:15.partisan expression. Walk down any street and every square inch of it
:10:16. > :10:20.seems covered with graffiti, much of it being political. But I wasn't
:10:21. > :10:23.after graffiti, I was after tangible communist propaganda. After all,
:10:24. > :10:29.artistic interpretations of revolt always kind of seem like a naughty
:10:30. > :10:33.underground history lesson to me. But why Chile? And why now? Well,
:10:34. > :10:36.because 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the military coup of
:10:37. > :10:46.former dictator Augusto Pinochet, a historic moment for the country, and
:10:47. > :10:49.I wanted a piece of that history. The antique flea market at O'Higgins
:10:50. > :10:51.Square had every old-fashioned piece of Chilean history - music,
:10:52. > :10:57.magazines, antiques - everything except the 1970s propaganda I was
:10:58. > :11:01.after. So a vendor directed me to the house of Luis, a jovial Chilean
:11:02. > :11:07.artist who did, in fact, have an impressive collection of old
:11:08. > :11:14.propaganda, some of it from Chile... An election for senators and
:11:15. > :11:22.deputies. The year 1941. ..some of it from Russia. And this is purely
:11:23. > :11:26.Marxist propaganda. It is a post about Stalin. All fascinating stuff,
:11:27. > :11:31.but nothing from the military takeover of 1973. And to make
:11:32. > :11:35.matters worse, Luis didn't seem too hopeful that I'd be able to find
:11:36. > :11:41.anything. Well, we're talking about... We're talking about 40
:11:42. > :11:48.years or more ago. So, practically everything was destroyed. But he did
:11:49. > :11:53.have an idea. Perhaps a very little book shop in front of Congress. And
:11:54. > :11:56.so it was back down the mountain, all the while thinking of how, in
:11:57. > :12:01.such an outspoken town, especially with the 40th anniversary of revolt,
:12:02. > :12:05.people weren't really talking. And you know, I had heard this about the
:12:06. > :12:07.Chilean mentality before, you know, a self-confessed shy and
:12:08. > :12:11.well-behaved people, but in a town as loud and brash as Valparaiso, I
:12:12. > :12:13.mean, we're talking about 17 universities in 36 square
:12:14. > :12:15.kilometres, I would have thought there would have been some
:12:16. > :12:28.underground, system-hating anarchist just willing to sell anything
:12:29. > :12:32.antiestablishment. But so far, no. And right next to a mural of
:12:33. > :12:42.Salvador Allende was the man I was looking for. Si. Yuri, como estas?
:12:43. > :12:45.Bien. To say we had found the mother lode of communist Chilean propaganda
:12:46. > :12:48.would have been a gross understatement. And the Che
:12:49. > :12:51.Guevara-loving proprietor, companero or comrade, Yuri, had spent
:12:52. > :13:18.thousands of pesos turning his house into a museum.
:13:19. > :13:24.Unfortunately though, companero Yuri's propaganda wasn't technically
:13:25. > :13:27.for sale. At least, not to non-party members. Communism and capitalism
:13:28. > :13:32.were never very good bedfellows after all. But I was able to make
:13:33. > :13:35.out with a few old magazines featuring the previous dictator on
:13:36. > :13:41.the cover. Not exactly propaganda, but it was as close as a
:13:42. > :13:44.non-Communist was going to get. And when you consider the day I had,
:13:45. > :13:48.combined with being able to spend time with the comrade inside his
:13:49. > :13:55.museum, I dare say that is the best treasurer could have found.
:13:56. > :14:03.Stay with us on The Travel Show. A little later, we are sending
:14:04. > :14:07.Carmen to prowl -- a little later we are meeting the blind guide who says
:14:08. > :14:23.there is more to seeing the past. Hello, this is my Global Guide -
:14:24. > :14:28.destination highlights, insider buzz and top tips on where to go and when
:14:29. > :14:30.to go. I am Michelle Janachan. # And when the rhythm starts to
:14:31. > :14:35.play. # Dance with me...
:14:36. > :14:38.First, if you like a bit of dirt under your fingernails, well, in the
:14:39. > :14:43.UK, the Maldon Mud Race happens on May 25th at the Promenade Park in
:14:44. > :14:49.Essex. It is a frenzied 400-metre dash over the mud banks of the River
:14:50. > :14:56.Blackwater. The river has to be a low tide to allow a safe course. And
:14:57. > :14:59.then it is a free-for-all. Many competitors dress up in finery or
:15:00. > :15:03.fancy dress before they are slathered in mud. And thousands come
:15:04. > :15:08.to watch and raise money for charity.
:15:09. > :15:11.Make sure you've some sleep credit before the 72 hours of daylight,
:15:12. > :15:16.which backdrops Iceland's brand-new Midnight Sun Musical Festival called
:15:17. > :15:20.Secret Solstice. It is happening in the capital, Reykjavik, from June
:15:21. > :15:26.20th to 22nd. The theme is local Norse mythology and the dates cannot
:15:27. > :15:29.be more mystic. When you need to chill out, on-site is the country's
:15:30. > :15:34.largest thermal pool - Laugardalslaug.
:15:35. > :15:36.largest thermal pool - To South Africa next, where after
:15:37. > :15:39.four epic months, the transcontinental Tour d'Afrique bike
:15:40. > :15:44.race will finish in Cape Town on May 10th. That's after the competitors
:15:45. > :15:46.will have covered 12,000 kilometres from Khartoum, Sudan, through the
:15:47. > :15:54.African continent, spending an average of 12 hours a day in the
:15:55. > :15:59.seat. They'll deserve a chair as they arrive in the shadow of Table
:16:00. > :16:03.Mountain. -- a cheer. # Cos I am a champion.
:16:04. > :16:06.# And you're going to hear me roar #.
:16:07. > :16:10.In the Netherlands, the Oreol Theatre Festival begins on June 13th
:16:11. > :16:14.on the island of Terschelling, in the north-west of the country. There
:16:15. > :16:19.will be ten days of street theatre, mime, circus and dance among the
:16:20. > :16:23.island's natural landscapes. Stages will be set up on beaches, in the
:16:24. > :16:28.woods, among the dunes, up on the dykes and in barns, boathouses and
:16:29. > :16:32.an army bunker. # Oh, yeah.
:16:33. > :16:37.# I gotta roll, can't stand still. # Got a flamin' heart.
:16:38. > :16:40.# Can't get my fill #. Crossing to Australia for May 16th,
:16:41. > :16:43.the Ord Valley Muster takes place in the Kimberley region, celebrating
:16:44. > :16:50.for a fortnight the culture and landscapes of the country's dramatic
:16:51. > :16:54.north-western region. -- from May the 16th. Visitors can head off on
:16:55. > :16:57.horseback, following the cattle trails of outback stockmen. There
:16:58. > :17:00.will also be performances from indigenous musicians. And on May
:17:01. > :17:02.24th, the Kimberly Moon Experience is a night-time concert on the banks
:17:03. > :17:12.of the Ord river. Finally, the Yorkshire Festival in
:17:13. > :17:15.the UK is counting down to the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, the
:17:16. > :17:20.world's largest annual sporting event. Until July sixth, there will
:17:21. > :17:23.be music, dance, theatre, film and art, including the Tour of Infinite
:17:24. > :17:26.Possibility, where the rock band Hope And Social will journey around
:17:27. > :17:35.the county, making music with, well, anyone who will give it a go.
:17:36. > :17:42.That's my Global Guide this month. Let me know what is happening in the
:17:43. > :17:46.place where you live or where you love. We are on Facebook, Twitter
:17:47. > :17:47.and email. Until next time, happy travelling.
:17:48. > :18:03.# A big wide world! Springtime in England is a great
:18:04. > :18:10.time to get out and explore the country's rich heritage and history.
:18:11. > :18:15.But what if you were unable to experience its beautiful buildings
:18:16. > :18:20.in a way that most of us take for granted? We travelled to Kent, in
:18:21. > :18:27.southern England, to meet a man who has his very own way of getting the
:18:28. > :18:32.best out of the past. My name is Cyril and I am a
:18:33. > :18:36.volunteer at Ightham Mote. I got into history when I was a little bit
:18:37. > :18:43.younger, at the age of ten, because I have an accident when I lost my
:18:44. > :18:49.eyesight. I get into the BBC Radio World Service. So that's how I get
:18:50. > :18:55.into history and try to know more about the world around me.
:18:56. > :19:04.In the middle here, there used to be a fireplace. Fast-forward nearly 20
:19:05. > :19:06.years and Cyril is now a volunteer guide at this 14th-century manor
:19:07. > :19:10.house nestled in the Kentish countryside, bringing his own unique
:19:11. > :19:13.set of skills to the job, guiding visitors around the former home of
:19:14. > :19:20.medieval knights and courtiers to Henry VIII. This is where the
:19:21. > :19:29.congregation most of the hours would sit. Although he can't see any of
:19:30. > :19:35.the rooms or artefacts, Cyril uses his other senses to add an extra
:19:36. > :19:41.dimension to his guided tours. I try to feel what the builders are doing
:19:42. > :19:45.with lack of material. You know, in this day and age, you will leave
:19:46. > :19:53.things as most done, but it is quite off, which is what I like.
:19:54. > :19:56.Right, we're now going into one of my favourite parts of this house,
:19:57. > :20:07.which is the old chapel. Normally, when I come here on my
:20:08. > :20:10.own, I leave my office if I'm a little distressed with the computer,
:20:11. > :20:18.and I will come here and stand probably in the middle. It's that
:20:19. > :20:21.sense of peace that I feel. By knowing the layout, I thought it
:20:22. > :20:25.would be more probably damp smell in here, but it's not. It's really
:20:26. > :20:34.fresh, quite, um... Yeah, it's just that feeling that
:20:35. > :20:46.you get. It's amazing. But while many people enjoy the
:20:47. > :20:54.opulence of the stately furnishings, some parts aren't to everyone's
:20:55. > :21:01.taste. Right. This room is my least favourite room, which is the most
:21:02. > :21:05.favourite for most people. I actually don't get anything when I
:21:06. > :21:10.am in this room. I don't feel any sense of connection. Maybe there is
:21:11. > :21:19.a lot of grandiose displays around, which doesn't attract me that much.
:21:20. > :21:25.Oh, sorry. Yeah, it was this...that one.
:21:26. > :21:31.There are a lot of people that are going by without even taking a few
:21:32. > :21:36.minutes to feel the room, because it might not have looked attractive
:21:37. > :21:43.like the other rooms. But what this room can give you, nobody get it.
:21:44. > :21:47.They just pass by. If I am taking people around, I always point out to
:21:48. > :21:54.them, it's for them to connect, which certain people, sadly, they
:21:55. > :22:01.lost that bit. Their eyes is always...in a way to find new
:22:02. > :22:09.things. So you forget the connection of things, the links to things like
:22:10. > :22:15.the floor, the wood. Like here, this particular wood, it moves. If most
:22:16. > :22:18.people have time to take that little five minutes to feel those kind of
:22:19. > :22:28.things, you will end up going out feeling refreshed, which is what I
:22:29. > :22:33.got when I walk here, you know. Nice shape of it. Like any old house,
:22:34. > :22:46.there are always new things to discover. Is this moved all over? --
:22:47. > :22:50.is this smooth? Yes. It's different, I never noticed it until today. Yes!
:22:51. > :22:53.And Cyril hopes his experiences will give people a different perspective
:22:54. > :22:59.on the past. Well, that is all we have got time
:23:00. > :23:03.for on The Travel Show this week. Next week, Henry is off to Hainan,
:23:04. > :23:05.in China. With golden beaches and year-round sunshine, this island is
:23:06. > :23:10.tipped to become China's equivalent of the French Riviera. But can it
:23:11. > :23:16.really rival resorts like Cannes or even Bali and Phuket?
:23:17. > :23:20.So do join us then if you can. And in the meantime, don't forgot, you
:23:21. > :23:24.can keep up with us while we are out on the road, in real-time, by
:23:25. > :23:28.signing up to our social media feed, details of which are on the screen
:23:29. > :23:32.now. But for now, from me, Christa Larwood, and the rest of The Travel
:23:33. > :23:53.Show team here in Melbourne, it's goodbye.
:23:54. > :23:56.You've dug, you've sown, you've planted,
:23:57. > :23:59.you've watered, you've trimmed, you've nurtured.
:24:00. > :24:01.Look what you've grown with your patch of land.
:24:02. > :24:06.A massive thank you for sending in all your pictures, from BBC Two's...