Episode 20 The Travel Show

Two and a half years after

one of the biggest cruise disasters in recent history,

some locals will be sad to see the wreck of the Costa Concordia go.

In this week's Travel Show, we find out why.

We're in Italy to ask

why one of the world's most famous wrecks

has become a tourist attraction in its own right.

People died on it but, as I said, I like seeing it and I like being here.

Global Guide is dancing in Switzerland

and wing walking in the UK.

We head to London to meet the woman running tours

that trace the history of the capital's public conveniences.

Victorian toilets tended to have names. This one is The Venerable.

And I get a chance to practise my gardening skills

at a rather special location.

Hello, and welcome to The Travel Show, with me, Adi Adepitan.

This week, coming to you from Rome, where, earlier this year,

the stunning gardens of the Pope's Castel Gandolfo residence

were opened to the public for the very first time.

Later on in the programme,

I'm going to be putting my green fingers to the test,

as I get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look

at what it takes to keep the gardens in such immaculate shape.

But first...

In just a few weeks' time,

the wreck of the Costa Concordia

is scheduled to be towed away for scrapping and recycling.

We sent Rajan to the island of Giglio to see the wreck for himself

and find out what it has done to tourism.

Just off the coast of Tuscany,

ahead of me, is the island of Giglio.

Until recently, a secluded, idyllic spot

for holiday-makers in the know.

Perhaps the most dramatic thing to have happened here

was marauding Saracens coming over in the Middle Ages.

But then, in January 2012, calamity struck.

This cruise liner, the Costa Concordia,

carrying 4,000 passengers and crew, hit a reef.

And then, in agonising slow motion,

turned away and keeled over whilst trying to reach safety.

32 people died

and the much-criticised captain is standing trial.

It's believed to be the biggest salvage project ever

of a ship this size, with costs heading up to 1 billion

by the time the operation is complete.

No-one could have predicted how life on this little-known island

would change so dramatically.

TRANSLATION FROM ITALIAN:

The number of people staying at least one night on the island

fell by a quarter in the year after the disaster,

the regular vacationers clearly deterred by the wreck.

But out of disaster has come opportunity,

and the wreck has now become

a somewhat macabre tourist attraction in its own right.

And over half a million people have come to see the stricken ship

over the past three years.

Before we rush to judgment too quickly

about the day-trippers that come over

to see the wreck of the Costa Concordia,

it's probably wise to remember

that a whole mini-industry was spawned

from the disaster that was the Titanic,

and that, even today,

people go to the World Trade Center in New York,

to pay their respects to the dead.

When I first did see it, it was a bit eerie, just because, again,

people did die on it. But, as I said, I...

I like seeing it and I like being here.

It was very interesting and I wanted to see it and my dream came true

because now we have an apartment and we can see the Costa Concordia view.

-It's tasteless?

-Yeah, it's a little bit tasteless because only to have a look.

Somebody is dying or...

But it's not just the tourists,

there are also some 500 people hard at work salvaging the ship

and they all bring in business to the island.

Sergio's Pizzeria found itself with year-round bookings,

thanks to both the salvage crews from 25 different countries

and, in their wake, hordes of visiting sightseers.

He's been employing 12 staff full-time

instead of going down to a skeleton staff in the winter.

TRANSLATION FROM ITALIAN:

But Giglio's mayor feels

the benefits experienced by some working in tourism here

are offset by the losses suffered by others.

TRANSLATION:

The ship is now due to be towed away in a few weeks

and, in a final twist to this story,

many locals feel it would be a huge mistake

to remove the Costa Concordia

in the middle of the peak season here.

But, nevertheless, Costa Concordia's shocking arrival in Giglio

and extended presence

will leave a permanent scar on the island.

Never again will it be a secret getaway,

only known by a privileged few.

Now it's time to check out what's been

happening in the world of travel this week.

We start in America, where Yosemite National Park

celebrated its 150th birthday this week

by breaking ground on a new project to protect their ancient

sequoia trees, which are among the oldest living

organisms in the world.

Yosemite is America's oldest protected park

and welcomes almost four million visitors every year.

Over to Antarctica, where researchers this week warn the

emperor penguins could be at risk of extinction as a result of

melting sea ice.

There are calls to classify the species as endangered,

which may put limitations on tourism to the region.

Kazakhstan may be best known for the Sacha Baron Cohen film Borat

but officials are hoping to change this by waiving visa restrictions

for many tourists.

From July 15th, people from ten countries will be able to see the

country's one million square miles of mountains,

forests and ski resorts

as well as the former home of novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky,

without the need for a visa.

If you're in Paris this weekend, you could be forgiven for thinking

you're seeing double.

Standing 13m high in front of the original Eiffel Tower,

this replica of the famous tower has been made from 324 chairs

to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the monument.

And finally, a reminder for holiday goers everywhere to check

internet roaming charges on smartphones before going abroad.

Although countries within the EU have set new caps on costs,

consumer groups this week have warned that people still need to

watch out for bill shocks and know what they're paying for.

MUSIC: "Dibby Dibby Sound" by DJ Fresh Jay Fay feat. Ms Dynamite

Now, to something that might not find its way

on to the itinerary of most tourists heading to London,

but nonetheless, gives an insight into the social history of the city,

as we meet Rachel Erickson,

the woman who takes people on guided tours

of some of the capital's most interesting toilets.

In here, we have a genuine Thomas Crapper toilet from the late 1890s.

Victorian toilets tended to have names -

this one is The Venerable, made by Thomas Crapper.

I will wash my hands now.

We've got a marble counter with washbasins here.

The Victorians, while they were quite prudish,

took this wonderful civic pride in their bathrooms.

I knew I wanted to be a tour guide,

cos I love London and I love its history.

And I had this very, very small obsession

at the time, with where you could go to the toilet for free.

So, that's, kind of, where it all began,

was a strive to avoid paying 30p to use the loo.

The question "What do I do for a living?"

is the one I both love and dread,

because people ask it very innocently

and I tell them I do a tour of public toilets

and they go, "Sorry, you do what?"

London's absolutely full of hidden gems.

This right here is a Victorian pissoir. There's not much in there.

SHE GIGGLES

Oh, cool!

-It's just a wall. It's not hi tech.

-OK!

My information for the tour has been collected over the years.

It all started with Google, as most things do these days,

so I typed in "London toilets"

and found everybody's done a top-ten list.

I started talking to people who run public toilets,

quite a lot of academics.

You can do a masters and a PhD in toilets,

so I have quite a network of people.

I get a really wide range of people on the tours,

usually they don't quite know what to expect.

Ironically, I think it takes a really classy sort of person

to come on a loo tour.

Usually, they are interested in the history and the politics of it

and the people who enjoy it least

are probably the ones who came just to make the toilet puns,

cos they make them all in the first five minutes

and then they go, "What do we do now?"

Today we have the fall of the Roman empire.

Well, I saw this on the net, and I thought, "A loo guide?

"What could be better?" I love toilets, I love London!

I spend a lot of my time waiting outside the loo for my wife, usually,

so I thought I'd go and have a talk about them!

I really love looking at toilets. I don't find it grim, at all.

I think there's a stigma attached to toilets

that they're kind of disgusting, shady places

but, actually, I tend to seek out the really lovely ones,

and I think toilets can, and should,

be very happy, cheerful, pleasant places to be in!

Still to come on The Travel Show...

I take up a new profession - helping out at the Pope's official

summer residence.

I can try?

This is a real honour, to trim a plant in the Pope's garden.

Hello, I'm Michelle Jana Chan.

Your Global Guide,

with top tips on the world's best events in the coming month.

From lovemobiles in Zurich to the Calgary Stampede,

to busking on the streets of Italy.

But first, in the UK, we speed up to Snowdonia,

the mountainous region of North Wales,

where Zip World Titan has just opened.

It's an 8km-long, 70mph ride,

where groups of four can take to the skies simultaneously.

Don't close your eyes or you'll miss some sensational scenery -

although it'll be a bit of a blur.

The new ride joins Zip World Velocity,

a pair of mile-long zip lines, 500 feet up,

and reaching speeds of over 100mph.

Over to Italy, where the Buskers Festival

kicks off in Ferrara on August 21st.

Ten days of international street music and art.

Nestled in Italy's Po Valley,

the cobbles, pavements and sidewalks of this Renaissance town

become a stage for hundreds of musicians

from dozens of countries.

West African drummers,

Dixie bands, Celtic harpists,

tango guitarists,

plus the sounds of harmonicas,

didgeridoos, even cowbells.

It doesn't get much more eclectic than this.

-ALL:

-Yeeha!

Across to Canada, where the Calgary Stampede begins on July 4th.

A ten-day annual rodeo festival

with parades, concerts and First Nations exhibitions.

But the main events are the highly-competitive rodeos,

which culminate in Showdown Sunday.

Visitors don cowboy hats

and enjoy all the fun of the fair

at an event that celebrates the area's Western heritage.

To Hong Kong, where, on July 12th,

the Shek-o Challenge will bring out keen athletes who can take the heat,

facing combos of swimming, running,

and paddleboarding of varying distances.

Now in its tenth year,

the course will start at Big Wave Bay

and head to Back Beach,

where there'll be after-party beach sprints,

volleyball and dancing.

August 2nd, set your watches for 1pm,

when Zurich, Switzerland,

will be hosting one of Europe's biggest street parades.

There'll be 30 floats - or lovemobiles as they're called here -

and 600 DJs, with a million people in the streets.

The lovemobiles will be pumping out house and techno

as they make their way along the 2.5km route

in and around the streets of Lake Zurich.

En route are six stages with electronic music, live acts,

multimedia and dance animations.

The party continues till midnight, or more.

In the UK, over the final weekend in July,

the Sunderland International Airshow will take to the skies.

Known as the biggest free annual air show in Europe,

it's held near the Roker and Seaburn seafronts

and draws over a million spectators.

This year, there'll be the Red Arrows -

the Royal Air Force aerobatics display team -

as well as a Battle Of Britain memorial flight,

and the Breitling team of wingwalkers.

In the USA, The Pageant Of The Masters in Laguna Beach, California,

begins on July 9th and will run until the end of August.

Playing every night, this is theatrical illusion,

where real people pose to look like their counterparts

in classical and contemporary art works.

That's my Global Guide this month.

Let me know what's happening

in the place where you live, or where you love.

We're on Facebook, Twitter and e-mail.

Until next time, happy travelling.

Thanks, Michelle.

Now to end this week, let's head back to Italy

and the small town of Castel Gandolfo,

situated in the Alban Hills some 15 miles south of Rome.

It's served as the Pope's summer retreat since the 17th century.

And this year, for the very first time,

the breathtaking gardens surrounding the residence have been

declared open to the public,

and I've been given exclusive behind-the-scenes access.

More than 130 acres of sculptured gardens, manicured lawns,

lakeside views and even a working farm.

Not bad for a holiday home,

and no wonder that Castel Gandolfo's been a favourite retreat

for popes keen to escape Rome's stifling hot summers

in years gone by.

But unlike his predecessors,

Pope Francis wants to share this paradise with everyone

in a new spirit of inclusion.

This is a real historical moment.

Why did the Pope decide to open the gardens up to the public?

TRANSLATION FROM ITALIAN:

I get the impression that he's different from other popes.

TRANSLATION:

Although the new pope has been praised for his modern approach

the gardens are firmly based in traditions dating back to the 17th century.

'After nearly three months

'spent at his summer palace at Castel Gandolfo,

'His Holiness the Pope prepares to return to the Vatican.'

It was Pope Pius XI who had the property

renovated in the 1930s, restoring the grounds

to the style that we see today.

But up until now the intricate designs have largely been closed

to all but the rich and famous.

Like George Bush and his wife Laura who were guests of Pope John Paul II

in 2001.

And history was made when Pope Francis flew to meet

his predecessor Benedict XVI on these lawns last year.

The first time such a meeting had been possible in 600 years.

And this is the man who today is in charge of keeping the gardens

trimmed to perfection.

This looks like a really intricate job.

How do you make this so round? How do you do it?

TRANSLATION:

And it's perfect. Can I have a go?

TRANSLATION:

So you're making an exception? I can try?

This is a real honour.

To trim a plant in the Pope's garden.

Yeah? Like this? Si. OK?

'Maurizio has worked here at the gardens for 22 years.

'It was a boyhood dream.'

You know, when you were growing up, you said you always had a passion,

you know, to work in gardening.

Did you ever imagine that you'd end up being

one of the Pope's gardeners?

And on your first day working here, were you nervous, were you worried

that you were going to mess up when you were cutting the plants?

'Before I go, I ask Maurizio

'if I can put my green fingers to the test just one more time.'

-Bene.

-You trust me? Si. What about this bit here?

-No?

-No.

-No more? OK, you say it.

-OK.

-THEY LAUGH

-I've been told!

Well, I think I'm going to have to brush up on my gardening skills

before I'm invited back to the Pope's summer residence.

I'll leave it to the experts.

Well, that's your lot from us for now.

Time to find out what's going to happen on next week's show.

'Next week, Christa is at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, investigating

'a new chapter in the fight against wildlife trafficking.

'The trade in endangered animals and products across the globe

'is experiencing an unprecedented surge,

'but now a new app could see

'tourists with mobile phones coming to the rescue.'

We thought, "Why not use the technology that's available these days,

"get smartphones and turn them into wildlife trade reporting tools

"for anyone and everyone?"

So join us for that, if you can, and in the meantime,

don't forget, we are all over social media.

Our website is definitely worth checking out,

so details of where to find all of that are on your screens now.

But from me, Ade Adepitan,

and all the Travel Show team here in Rome, it's arrivederci.