Episode 5 The Travel Show

It's one of New York's most iconic neighbourhoods,

but its future is in serious doubt.

On this week's programme, we'll find out why.

The challenges facing Chinatown - how rising rents

and relentless development are threatening

the culture of this Manhattan neighbourhood.

We drive through the wine tunnels of Moldova.

In Global Guru this week, where is the ideal South American vacation?

MUSIC SCREECHES TO A STOP, NEW RECORD BEGINS

And I'll be learning to be a DJ in the world's first

underwater nightclub.

MUSIC: "The Sidewalks Of New York" by Duke Ellington

Located on the southern tip of Manhattan,

Chinatown is one of New York's best-known neighbourhoods.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants have flocked here for centuries,

hoping to build a new life for themselves.

This part of New York has been influenced by Chinese culture

for many years, but things are changing.

A recent report has thrown up a real concern over the future

of Chinatown in New York, showing a population decrease of 7% since 1990.

Much of the blame falls on the recent relaxation of zoning rules -

rising rent and luxury developments are changing the culture

of the area, with many Chinese migrants simply priced out.

And there are also big declines in traditional businesses and tourism.

I met up with Wellington Chen, the executive director

of New York's Chinatown Partnership, to find out why.

So, Wellington, what has happened to Chinatown in New York?

Chinatown is going through a transitional cycle,

like many other groups that have preceded us.

We are trying to adjust to the best we can.

And do you see less tourists coming, or the business losing...?

Yes, after the tragedies of September 11th,

this was part of the frozen zone and it basically pushes...

It pushed the garment industry over a cliff.

It was already teetering, you know.

The garment industry was not competitive in terms

of the worldwide market

and so that dispersed a lot of our workers

to the other boroughs.

A number of businesses in Chinatown point to the tragedies of 9/11

as a turning point for the area, with some companies never recovering.

THEY SPEAK IN CHINESE

Wilson Tang's family have run the Nom Wah Tea Parlor for over 60 years -

their proximity to the World Trade Center saw a big decline in business.

But he's been working hard over the past few years to make

the restaurant relevant for modern Chinatown.

When I took over three years ago, it was kind of

rebuilding the brand and starting from scratch again.

What have you done to keep this place up,

keep it up with the times?

Well, that's a really good question.

So, three years ago, the one thing I knew was social media

and you know, everyone had a Facebook page.

That's really what got the word out.

If I had to think back on, like, "How did this come about?" -

it was through Facebook.

So if you hadn't have been on Facebook

and through social media, that wouldn't have happened?

Yes, it would have been like a different game.

Wilson's restaurant is a great success story for Chinatown,

but, for many, staying in Manhattan is financially not an option.

So where are Chinese residents and businesses now?

And what about new arrivals?

Well, according to the latest American Census,

Flushing in Queens has seen a 93% increase in Chinese

residents during the ten years to 2010,

whilst Manhattan's Chinatown population was decreasing.

Packed full of traditional restaurants and small businesses,

to many, this is now the beating heart

of the Chinese community in New York.

So far, though, very few tourists head here.

But could the promise of authentic food and traditional goods be

enough to tempt tourists to leave Manhattan and head into Queens?

If I would have more time - I have just four days in New York -

of course I would visit Queens and also the Bronx,

but time is too short.

Where is Queens? I don't know.

We only stay at Manhattan, so we go to Chinatown,

-Central Park, voila, all the tourist things.

-Yes, I would.

But I've never heard about Chinatown in Queens, so...

but I would be interested.

Whilst the challenges remain great,

Wellington insists that residents and businesses alike will work together

and fight to keep this little part of China in Manhattan alive.

What's the future of Chinatown?

I have no doubt, I am an optimist,

I have no doubt that Chinatown will be here...for a long, long time.

The question is, really, the degree and success -

the vibrancy of it.

And that's something that we are taking very seriously.

Ade Adepitan in New York's Chinatown.

And if you're thinking of heading there soon,

here's a few things you might want to know before you book your trip.

MUSIC: "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe Called Quest

Take a trip to One World Trade Center,

due to open later this year -

New York's tallest building will offer unrivalled views

and serve as a monument to 9/11 for tourists and residents.

For great sunrise and sunset views, head to Hoboken, New Jersey,

where you can see a great sweep of Manhattan.

You ever been in an old-timer gang fight?

If money is tight, many comedy clubs put on free nights

when you can see up-and-coming performers.

Pack your running shoes - on the weekend,

the Central Park drives are closed to traffic

and become huge open-air running, biking and skating tracks.

Let's start this week's travel update with...

In Moldova, everybody makes wine.

Ciotca has been making wine since she was 13,

just like Moldovans have done for more than 4,000 years.

They've only recently started making GREAT wine.

I hope and I think we are getting better.

For decades, the USSR treated Moldova as its personal vineyard,

at one point, making this tiny nation the seventh-largest

wine producer on Earth.

Since Soviet rule,

state-run Milestii Mici winery sells the world's largest wine collection,

about 65,000,000 litres in a 200km limestone cave system.

That you can DRIVE through!

If you look just in front of us, you see

-that's a walled door on wheels. This may close and open.

-Awesome!

Of course everything was hidden

and no-one could realise that something behind the wall.

'Milestii Mici has a number of hidden treasures.

'Like this secret door - a throwback to Soviet prohibition

'from 1985 to 1987, when the government physically

'destroyed Moldovan vineyards and crippled its wine industry.'

-This was to hide wine from the government, right?

-Yes.

-But isn't this government-owned?

-Yes!

So the government was hiding wine from the government?

This is the story, just a legend, of course!

About 35km south, state-owned winery Cricova holds

the world's second-largest wine collection.

It stretches through 120km of tunnels

and reaches depths of 80m underground.

Bottles from his collection...

Can you drink a bottle of Goering's wine?

-No!

-I would get some sort of sick pleasure from that!

'Despite its wide collection,

'including private stores for Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor

'Angela Merkel, Cricova is most famous for its sparkling wine.'

After experiencing the history of Moldovan wine,

I was curious to see what its future holds,

so I headed to the Stefan Voda region,

and acclaimed boutique winery, Et Cetera.

We have wine country, but we forgot about our wine...

..our local indigenous varieties.

Et Cetera is only the second winery to reintroduce Feteasca Neagra, a local variety

that disappeared from the Moldovan landscape during Soviet

control, when quantity of wine was of much bigger concern than quality.

This is something I would say between Cabernet Sauvignon

and Merlot.

To be honest, I don't how it's supposed to be,

because I never tried the perfect Feteasca Neagra. I would love.

A Russian ban on Moldovan wine in 2006 forced Moldovan

wineries like Et Cetera to start making better wines

for European tastes.

Another wine embargo from Russia in 2013 has local vineyards

continuing efforts to improve their product.

Only those willing to make the journey to Moldova will

discover the secrets of the world's most unique wine destination.

MUSIC: "Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams

Still to come on the programme...

RECORD SCREECHES TO A STOP

Do you want to learn that one?

-How do I do THAT?

-OK, let's teach you that one!

I'll be testing out my DJ skills at an underwater nightclub

here in the Maldives...

And what are the real chances of seeing Northern Lights?

Welcome to the slice of the show

that tries to make your travelling life easier.

Let's start with Richard Long, who says...

Now, if the astonishing hilltop palace complex of Machu Picchu

is top of your list, then you need

to get yourself to the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco,

most easily reached via the Peruvian capital, Lima.

If you're in reasonable shape, let me recommend the Inca Trail,

possibly the world's most exciting high altitude hike

along a pedestrian highway, created six centuries ago.

It leads you to Machu Picchu, from where you can explore

the rest of the Sacred Valley, refreshingly free from tourists.

Now, you might take a glance at the map

and decide that the beach element can easily be solved by picking somewhere

on Peru's Pacific coast,

but I strongly recommend you choose

the Atlantic instead, for warmer weather

and a stronger resort culture.

Next, let's call up Wilson Loo, who's in Singapore at the moment, but

I understand you're planning something of

a great railway adventure.

I am going on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing.

Where should I stop on the way?

That's much better than going straight through.

The first essential I suggest

is Yekaterinburg, which is

the first city on the Asian side

of the Ural Mountains.

Next, Irkutsk, in eastern Siberia,

is a beautiful city called the Paris of the East

and gives access to the wonderful Lake Baikal.

And since it's your best chance, probably,

of reaching Ulan Bator,

the capital of Outer Mongolia,

spend a couple of days there as well

before you finally reach

the capital of the People's Republic of China.

Now, for each edition of Global Guru,

there always seems to be one subject that stands out in the e-mails,

tweets and Facebook messages and this time, it's the northern lights.

Good question, Eleanor,

and one I've been puzzling over, too.

Only one way to find out about the chances of seeing the aurora borealis

and that's to ask the rocket scientists at NASA,

who know more about space than most of us.

Jeff Newmark of NASA assured me

that we are in a good spell,

which began in 2012

and will continue this year and next.

After that, you could wait anything

up to 11 years, says Jeff.

Let me add that the northern lights in my experience are fickle in the

extreme - even if you maximise your chances with a northerly location

and a long, clear night, there's no guarantee they'll come out to play.

Finally, Mimi Tanaman got in touch with a very specific question.

Well, there's an early flight at 5.05 in the morning between these

two great Pacific Northwest cities which is scheduled to get in

shortly before six at a fare of around 75.

Chances are, this would work fine, but if there is a delay,

you could miss the New York connection and since you'll be

travelling on separate tickets, that could prove stressful and expensive.

So I suggest taking the train the night before

to Seattle's King Street station and in the morning,

take the first Central Link train out to the airport.

That's all for now, but if you've got a travel question, I'm here to help.

Just e-mail [email protected]

and I'll do my very best to find you an answer.

From me, Simon Calder, the Global Guru,

bye for now and see you next time.

MUSIC: "Nothing But The Beat" by David Guetta

Now, most people come to the Maldives to swim,

sun themselves and maybe do a bit of snorkelling,

but at this island resort, you can also learn to become

a DJ in what is claimed to be the world's first underwater nightclub.

So this place is called subsix

because it's six metres underwater in the Indian Ocean.

Can you hear that?

That glugging noise? It's like the water lapping against the sides.

It feels like I'm walking into the belly of a whale.

MUSIC: "Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams

But apart from that, it's quite eerie and surreal,

I can't hear any music.

I guess it is 11 o'clock in the morning,

so I don't expect it to be rocking just yet!

Oh, wow! This is amazing!

SO James Bond!

The club was actually constructed on dry land

and then lowered into the ocean.

MUSIC: "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke

-Hi.

-Hi! You must be Andrew. Carmen.

So what is it like,

being a DJ at the world's first underwater music club?

It's pretty good! Don't have to wear a snorkel, but it's all right.

# I got, you got We got everybody... #

OK, this is a kind of off-the-wall thing to learn on holiday...

Yes, it's not the most expected, like, lesson that you'd do.

# I'll be quite polite

# But when I rock the mic I rock the mic right... #

Wow, well, this looks a bit more complicated than I'd imagined.

-No, it's fine, don't worry. Shall I walk you through it?

-Yes, please.

-# But if you're selling it

-Selling it, selling it

# It's all right... #

So you've got the tunes each side,

we've got the two decks,

that one controls that side, this one controls that side.

You've got these guys here,

that controls the speed of the record.

So, like, up and down, faster and slower.

So here, we're going to play Robin Thicke, big tune.

# Everybody get up... #

Here you go - try these on.

# I don't want to rock, DJ

# DJ

# But you're making me feel so nice... #

-Now I feel like a DJ!

-OK, so here you go.

MUSICAL BEATS

That's not bad!

DANCE INSTRUMENTAL

MUSIC SHUDDERS TO A STOP

-Do you want to learn that one?

-How do I do that?!

Let's teach you that one. Get this one playing...

-Get ready to press play on that.

-What? I've got to press play twice?

You've got to spin this and then you're going to press play there. OK?

FIRST RECORD SPINS TO A STOP

NEW TRACK PLAYS

# Everybody get up...

# Whoo! #

So, as a test of my new-found skills,

Andrew has agreed to let me DJ a set night at the club.

I don't really feel prepared after just a one-hour lesson!

-OK, I'm slightly nervous about tonight.

-You'll be fine.

-What are some top tips?

-Just don't be afraid to go cheesy.

What if I mess up the whole, you know...?

That's fine, you've got your spinback nailed. Yeah!

Just got to have the confidence.

If all else fails, just buy them a round.

# Eat, sleep, rave, repeat Eat, sleep, rave, repeat

# Eat, sleep, rave, repeat Eat, sleep, rave, repeat... #

MUSIC: "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees

I'm greeted by a room full of very sedate people!

Maybe they've had too much sun?!

OK, so the aim of tonight is to get these Chinese tourists dancing.

OK...

I can see some head-nodding, some foot-tapping...

I think you need to go cheesier.

What's cheesier?

How about that?

# Everybody get up... #

SHE LAUGHS

You got them up!

# Heh, heh, heh, heh

# Heh, heh, heh

# Oh! Heh, heh, heh

# Whoo! #

-So, how did I do?

-I thought you did really well.

-You need to work on your counting.

-Yes, I'm not very good at counting!

It was like one, nine, off-beat, in-beat!

MUSIC: "Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams

-You got there, though. You got there.

-I got them dancing!

That was the main thing! They were conga-ing!

# I don't want to rock, DJ

# But you're making me feel so nice. #

Well, it was a fun night,

but I think I'll leave it up to the professionals!

Well, that's all we've got time for in this edition of the programme...

And don't forget to join us next week,

when Christa Larwood heads to the beautiful but troubled Guatemala

to discover if the Central American country's reputation for violence

is standing in the way of becoming a world-class tourist destination.

What's truly astounding about this place is that

there are these ruins spread everywhere,

some of the best I've seen in the world, and yet...

There's no-one here.

If you'd like to get in touch,

the e-mail address is on the screen now and don't forget,

we're all over social media like Facebook and Twitter.

But from all the team here in the Maldives,

it's goodbye and see you next time.