Episode 4 The Travel Show

It's one of the most famous waterfalls in the world and every

year millions of people come to see it. But why is everybody over there

and not over here? On this week's programme - a tale of

two cities at Niagara Falls. How America hopes to steal Canada's

tourists. Carmen puts on her hiking boots for

a trek to Bhutan's most famous pilgrimage site.

We sample the best beers on offer in Prague.

And Tommy talks to the hand, literally.

Welcome to the Travel Show, this week we're coming from North

America's stunning Niagara Falls. Now, tourists have been flocking to

the American and Canadian borders for hundreds of years and the

extreme weather they've been having here has made even more people want

to come and see the frozen falls, and this is my first time here and

they look absolutely beautiful. The three waterfalls here separate

the cities of Niagara Falls, New York, from neighbouring Niagara

Falls, Ontario. And the difference between the two sides is stark.

According to the latest annual statistics, just over six million

people visited the American side of the falls. But around 12 million

went to the Canadian side. With streets stuffed full of glitzy

attractions Canada is fully equipped for mass tourism having invested

heavily over the past few decades. On the American side, though, things

are a lot less developed. I spoke to Paul Dyster, the mayor of

Niagara Falls, USA, to find out why there's such a big difference.

Why is the Canadian side attracting so many more tourists than the

American side? Well, the Canadian side made a decision way back in the

1970s to emphasise the tourism industry as heavy industry declined.

We didn't do the same thing until the 1990s. But we've been very,

very, vigorous since that time and we think, now, we potentially have

an advantage over them and the type of tourism that they've invested in,

for the most part, is a sort of glitzy, neon-based tourism. Clifton

Hill is a famous area on the Canadian side... Did you say

"tacky"? I didn't say tacky, but I know that there are a number of

people around the world who, when they think of Niagara Falls and when

they think about visiting Niagara Falls aren't thinking about that

type of experience. What they are thinking about is a more private

experience, you know, communing with nature. New York State is investing

millions of dollars to try and improve the city and tempt over some

of Canada's tourists. They are targeting the pricier end of the

market. And nature is a key selling point. Whilst Canadians argue that

the view is better on their side the Americans argue that you can get

much closer to the falls in their state parks. With such spectacular

views on offer, Niagara Falls used to advertise itself as the honeymoon

capital of the world. However, the current quality of the hotels

available, especially on the American side, has seen that label

consigned to history. Even in the harsh conditions,

construction is well under way on higher-class establishments.

But, at the moment, the hotel offerings still lag far behind the

Canadian side. But a secret weapon the Americans have is their food.

Yes, if there's one thing the American's know how to do well it's

putting on a good spread. Hundreds of students come through

the brand-new, state-of-the-art, Culinary Institute here, learning

everything from food basics to gourmet cuisine.

You know what, it smells lovely in here, Sarah, what are you cooking?

We're trying to figure out ways to make chocolate-chip cookies, but

chocolate-chip cookies aren't the healthiest for you. No. So this is

our nutrition class here and we want figure out ways to make

chocolate-chip cookies healthy. So, what's next for you, then, Sarah?

Um, I'm really looking to just continue my education and I want to

go up and see if I can get my Master Chef certification and it's a tonne

of work, though. Yeah. It's really intimidating... Are you going to be

the healthy chocolate-chip cookie specialist? I will after this class,

yeah. LAUGHTER. Students get the chance to practise their culinary

skills at the on-site restaurant at the institute. So, where better for

me to sample the results? There you are. Thank you! Right, I've met the

students - it's time for me to test out their handiwork.

That is good, that is really good. You can stay!

While some students, will, of course, leave the region once they

graduate, the institute hopes that enough will stay behind to help

reinvigorate the area's culinary offering.

With decades of glitzy development on the Canadian side the US side

certainly can't compete on size, but the mayor believes it's not just

about the quantity of tourists but the quality.

We think they've left a major niche open in the tourism market. Even if

it's only 20% of the people that are visiting Niagara Falls, Ontario,

that we may be targeting in that way, we think it's the 20% that stay

longest and spend the most money and so they're more valuable people to

have in your local economy. If you want to come and see the

falls for yourself, here are a few Travel Show tips. Tip one - don't

forget your passport. The best way to see the falls is to experience

both sides. You'll need to cross border control to do this.

Tip two - think about seasons. The weather might be gorgeous in summer

but both sides will be packed. Consider a trip to see the beautiful

frozen falls. Tip three - if you're flying, be

flexible on where you land. Niagara Falls has its own airport, but

Buffalo and Toronto have more low-cost options and are just a

short drive away. Still to come - Tommy's on a quest

for the ultimate selfie in his look at the latest gadgets. But first,

here's this week's travel update. Euro poll has world people not to

send sensitive information over public Wi-Fi spots -- warned people.

Often free Wi-Fi networks are used when travelling. Consumers are

warned to use only trusted connections when sending personal

information. More than 60,000 passports were stolen in Thailand

between January 2012 at June 2030 according to the country's Minister

of foreign affairs -- 2013. Two passports were stolen in Thailand

and were used to travel on the missing Kuala Lumpur to Beijing

airline. Under Thailand law, anyone caught selling an illegal passport

can be sentenced for 20 years, but they do not check passports against

Interpol's stolen and lost documents list. Paris was the most popular

tourist destination in the world last year according to the tourist

agency, citing Hotel occupancy is, the body said more than 32 million

people visited the French capital in 2030, beating the second placed

London. However, the French themselves seem to have fallen out

of love with Paris as a visit by French nationals dropped by 7.5%

from 2012. Dubai's continued popularity with European tourists

has been given a boost this week. Visitors from a further 13 EU

countries will be able to gain visas on arrival. The announcement means

that all citizens of the European Union holding an ordinary passport

will not have to apply for a visa before arriving in Dubai from March

22. I can go to Prague to gaze at its

stunning architecture, stroll through the Castle District or dance

all night. But the birthplace of light lager is also home to funky

bars, beer gardens and restaurants with taps directly at the table.

Under the guidance of a Bavarian brewer in the Czech town of Plzen in

1842, Pilsner Urquell changed brewing forever by creating the

first golden beer. Ever since, the rest of the world

has been trying to imitate Czech lager. But Pilsner Urquell was sold

to South African giant SAB Miller in 2002. And some believe this helped

contribute to the recent micro-brewing boom that is now

enticing Czechs to discover new flavours, such as American and

Belgian-style ales. It's our national treasure! How would you

feel about selling your national treasure? Even the country's first

known brewery at Prague's Brevnov Monastery reopened in 2011. It was

one of six breweries to open in Prague that year.

How are you? Hello! The Brevnov Monastery is the first monastery in

Czech. It was founded at the end of the 10th century. So, they've been

brewing beer here for over 1,000 years. In Czech each pub had only

one brand and many people went to the same pub all his life. And drank

only one brand, and it's very difficult to change in a short time.

'But Janik explained that despite Czech's new-found appreciation 'for

international-style beers, light lager is still king.' Who makes the

best beer? For me it's Czech lager. Yeah? It is... Beer for drinking.

And at that, it was time to sample the lager straight from the tank.

When you drink...a good lager... Each drinking invite you to other

drinking! LAUGHTER. So that's why you guys drink so much beer?!

Yeah... You just keep getting invited? Yeah. Yeah.

Plenty more still to come on the Travel Show. Well, the terrain's

already starting to change and it's getting a bit rockier. I am feeling

out of breath. But, I guess we are over 2,000 metres above sea level.

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY. Welcome back to the Travel Show,

your essential getaway guide from the BBC.

Nobody goes on a trip nowadays without taking their mobile phone,

so today I'm going to help you get a little bit more out of your trusty

little travel buddy. Oh, actually, for my choir teacher who might be

watching who always told me that I don't project enough - this is for

you. IN RAISED VOICE: Today I'm going to help you get a little bit

more out of your trusty travel buddy. NORMAL VOICE: Well, actually,

it's a different kind of projection. Come here... The Celluon Epic

projector connects to your device via Bluetooth and will beam a

full-size laser keyboard onto the surface in front of you.

Now, I'm using it on the table and it's working absolutely fine. The

responsiveness from each of the keys is actually really sharp. However,

if you are a super-fast typer, and I'm not, then this might slow you

down, but it works well on any light-coloured surface. Now,

obviously, you're not going to rig this up just for a quick text

message, but if you've got to send a long e-mail, then it saves you

fiddling around with a little keyboard on your phone. PHONE RINGS.

The picture quality on camera phones is getting better and better. But,

if you're serious about your photographs, you might enjoy this

little gadget. The Sony QX10 Smart Lens pairs with your phone

wirelessly through the PlayMemories mobile app. Once connected, you can

take 18.2 megapixel photos using the phone's screen as a viewfinder.

Now, here's what I really like about it. Because you don't need the lens

to be attached to your phone for it to work because it's all synched up

via the app, you, effectively, can use this as the ultimate selfie

camera. That's right, you can hold that up

and use your phone as the monitor so you need never cut your head off in

a selfie again. Think of the opportunities - selfies,

group-selfies, food-selfies... And, my favourite, the bellfie... As a

man with no hair on my head, it's very difficult to justify wearing a

headband. But, now I've got the perfect excuse because this is no

ordinary headband. The RunPhones are headphones tucked away in a

sweatband that you can connect to your phone or MP3 player using the

audio cable. Let's have a workout... MUSIC: "Physical" by Olivia

Newton-John # I wanna get physical # Let's get into physical # Let me

hear your body talk... # HE PANTS. OK, you know what it's like when

you're on a run or having a work-out and your in-ear headphones get

sweaty or... It gets irritating when they fall out. This stops all of

that. The downside is, though, the speakers in the headband are loose,

so, every now and then, you have to readjust it but, on a positive one,

if you've got long, floppy hair then this will keep it out of your eyes,

which, as you and I know, is a nightmare. HE BLOWS AND SIGHS. Oh,

oh, what?! Someone's calling me during my work-out - whatever! Talk

to the hand! Honey, talk to the hand! No, I mean, with these, you

can, actually, talk into the hand. Hello? The Hi-Call talking gloves

synch with your phone via Bluetooth. They are charged through a USB port

and they'll vibrate and flash when you're getting a call. So, you use a

control panel there to receive and end phone calls. In the thumb you've

got a speaker and in your little finger you've got the microphone.

Yeah, I know, you might look a bit silly making a phone call like that

but surely that's part of the attraction. Now, come with me and

let's see if the Great British public will play along. Want to use

my phone, say hello to the Travel Show? Use my phone. What's

happening, brother, man? How's it going?! That's quality! Say hello,

check out my phone. Hello, how is it? Just say hello to my friend.

Hello! No, no, you have to... Can I put it against your ear? Yeah. Are

you ready? Now... Oh, my God. No, there's someone there. It's a phone.

Literally? Hello? Hiya. Wow, that's incredible! LAUGHS. They love it,

they love it! Nice one, they're loving it!

Bhutan is a country shrouded in mystery. The first organised tours

started less than 40 years ago. Visible from afar, the country's

famous Taktsang Goenpa, or Tiger's Nest Monastery, clings to a vertical

granite cliff more than 3,000 metres above sea level. As Carmen Roberts

discovered, this isn't a trek for the faint-hearted. But the view

makes it truly worth it. Well, this is where we start our trek.

As we approached in the car I could see the Tiger's Nest Monastery

clinging to the cliff in the distance, partly surrounded by

cloud. It's quite a daunting prospect cos it's 900 metres above

the Paro Valley floor. Of course, there's the option to take a mule

but I'm actually quite looking forward to the walk.

I've been told it's a fairly moderate hike and the average

tourist can make it to the top within three hours. Well, the

terrain's already starting to change, it's getting a bit rockier.

I am feeling out of breath, but I guess we are over 2,000m above sea

level. SHE BREATHES HEAVILY. Wow, what an amazing view. So, we've

been walking for about an hour now and this is the first time we've had

a clear view of the Tiger's Nest Monastery. It's just breathtaking.

According to Bhutanese legend, in the eighth century Guru Rinpoche

flew to this remote and lofty location from Tibet on the back of a

tigress and meditated in a nearby cave, making this one of the holiest

sites in the country. The serenity is broken by trotting

hooves and bells. The horses that have carried many tourists before us

are coming down the mountain. We must be near their drop-off point,

the cafeteria. And as the drops begin to fall the idea of a hot tea

sounded like heaven. As you can see, it's started to

rain, huh! I guess it's inevitable, any seasoned trekker will tell you

that the weather on a mountain can change within a matter of minutes.

This is going to be miserable. SHE EXHALES LOUDLY.

Fortunately, the cafe was only another 20 minutes' walk and we took

refuge and waited for the rain to ease.

After a much needed cup of hot chai, a couple of selfies and lots more

photos of our destination, we recommence our climb.

So these are Buddhist prayer wheels - you spin them for good luck. You

have to turn them in a clockwise direction for positive energy.

We pass a few tourists, as well as some monks, on our journey. 'Every

Bhutanese person...' Hello. '..is expected to make this pilgrimage at

least once 'in their lifetime, to ensure good luck, peace and harmony

'in their lives.' Well, I've been walking for over two hours now.

Been taking it at a very leisurely pace, so we can enjoy the view. It's

just magical with these prayer flags here, just blowing in the breeze.

SHE SIGHS. We're only 20 minutes from the temple - almost there.

The air is getting thinner and my breathing is punctuated by the smell

of pine trees along the track. It's advised to do this trek at the end

of your stay in Bhutan so you are acclimatised to the altitude.

Wow, look at that magnificent view. But it's almost cruel. I'm giving

myself vertigo just looking at these steps that go all the way down and

then we have to go all the way back up again - I can almost touch the

temple from here. Rainbow-coloured prayer flags are

strung across the gorge towards the temple, carrying the wishes of

believers off on the cool breeze over the Himalayas.

The view is amazing if you're not scared of heights.

So, we've finally made it to the Tiger's Nest Temple. Now, for many

Buddhists, this is a journey towards spiritual bliss. I probably wouldn't

go that far, but I do have a huge sense of achievement.

That's all for this week. Next week...

I visit New York's Chinatown to see why rising rents and relentless

development are threatening the culture of this Manhattan

neighbourhood. This part of New York has been influenced by Chinese

culture for many years, but things are changing.

Don't forget to catch up on all our adventures on our website, Facebook

and Twitter. Until next time, from me, Ade Adepitan, at Niagara Falls,

it's goodbye.