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glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
Upcoming
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Tenerife
Tenerife is outstanding among the Canary Islands. If only because of the volcano Pico del Teide, which rises exactly 3.718 meters above sea level and is thus the highest mountain in Spain. But not only scenically Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, stands out...
mareTV: La Palma: The Greenest of the Canaries
Thundering waterfalls, ancient forests and an impressive volcanic landscape with black beaches: La Palma is a dream island for nature lovers. It is by far the island of the Canary Islands with the most green, almost half of it is covered with forest. But once a year the green island is dominated by the color white. On Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), the inhabitants have for decades been targeting those ancestors who returned from abroad wealthy and ostentatiously demonstrated their wealth with powdered faces. The carnivalistic approach culminates every year in a white chaos, with tons of talcum, flour or paint trickling down the uniformly white dressed islanders. On the Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma's highest mountain at 2,400 meters, stands one of the largest reflecting telescopes in the world. Astrophysicists love the island because it is the perfect place to look into space. Researchers and star lovers look spellbound to Beteigeuze. The giant star is probably in front of a supernova and could become a second moon in the firmament.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stands for colourful diversity in all respects. If it's spirituality or Ayurveda you're looking for, here it is. Adventurers and nature lovers can also satisfy their needs here. No one must travel far to discover exotic worlds on this drop-shaped tropical island. "mareTV" delves into the day to day lives of the is-landers, some of whom pursue the most unusual pro-fessions: Uditha Lakmaal is a palm tree climber. He harvests the sap of the trees, known as palm wine, by climbing to the top of them. Sri Lankan stilt fishermen now actually have very little to do with fish and func-tion more as models receiving payment from tourists for acting the part. Anulawathie runs a small floating hoop business, offering car inner tubes for adults and tuk-tuk tubes for children. Different varieties of tea can be found on Herman Gunaratnes tea plantation. Just four carefully selected women are allowed to harvest the exclusive white tea grown there. Each tea leaf is cut individually from the bush by gloved hands and with golden scissors.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
mareTV: The Caribbean for explorers: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Much more Caribbean than on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is hardly possible. Deserted beaches, uninhabited islands, lush vegetation, the 33 islands in total are dreamlike with extremely hospitable inhabitants. Miranda Phillips runs a laundry and water boat on Bequia. Every morning, the 32-year-old navigates from yacht to yacht with her small bright green service vehicle and is already expected by most skippers. Miranda promises radiantly fresh laundry, which she delivers again the same day. And so there is always something going on in her tiny laundrette in the harbour. It turns into a karaoke bar in the evening, because that is Miranda's great passion. Eban Olliver has many jobs at once. He is the lighthouse keeper of Kingstown. And that means a lot of responsibility in St. Vincent's biggest port city. Because Eban doesn't just change the light bulbs, he's a pilot dispatcher, harbour master and guard all in one person. First contact with ships is particularly important. Once he even saved the entire nation from an Ebola virus.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
mareTV: Mexico's Caribbean Coast
The palm tree laden beaches on Mexico's Riviera Maya on the Yucatan peninsula are endless, and the turquoise sea with its gentle Caribbean surf is a warm 25 degrees during the mild winter in this part of the world. Between Cancún and Punta Allen, where once there was little more than bushland and a few sleepy fishing villages, vibrant life has evolved during the past three decades. Richard Sowa has lived on a floating island for the past 15 years: an island he built himself out of empty plastic bottles. The bon vivant him-self sees it as a "solution for our planet's refuse problem". Off Punta Allen, a village in the bay of Sian Ka'an, Mexican Mara Coral Ley and her cousin Kim, continue to catch lobsters by adhering to the traditional method and were awarded an "Eco seal for sustainable fishing" for their trouble. It is silent under water off Isla Mujeres and it is here that the artist Jason deCaires has constructed a sculpture park. Hundreds of lifesize figures form an artificial reef at a depth of 12 metres. Fish and plants complete his work of art. The master himself is convinced: "Mother Nature is the true artist".
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
mareTV: Curacao, Blue Wonder of the Caribbean
Curacao is one of the most popular attractions for countless cruise ships on their trips through the Caribbean, because it is located outside of the hurricane belt. This is why Eric Miguel is constantly in action. He is the bridge keeper of the Queen Emma Bridge, the landmark of Curacao's capital, Willemstad. After his shift, Eric goes to Yvonne Troeman's cook-shop. Her speciality is Kadushi, a cactus soup. The ingredients include cactus flesh, pigtail's, mussels and a few secret "treats". Barbara van Bebber is the only submarine pilot on Curacao and literally gets to the bottom of things amidst the turquoise-blue wonder of the Caribbean. She charters out her sub to marine biologists and wealthy private explorers, simultaneously cleaning up on the seabed. Her "Curasub" has claw arms, which she employs to remove anything that doesn't belong down there: beer bottles, car tyres, and plastic refuse. Jeroen Eikelenboom simply carts sand from a neighbouring cove to his own surf club in his favourite bay.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Martinique
The island of Martinique is a piece of France in the Caribbean, between Florida and South America. And of course, Savoir-vivre applies just as it does on the other side of the Atlantic, between the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Jacky Pascault is the first and only man to cultivate mushrooms in the Caribbean. Everywhere else, they grow on artificially fertilised soil, but Jacky's Champignons Tropicaux flourish on sugar cane fibres. Nicole Vilo tailors hats and dresses out of coconut palms. Of course, the catwalk for the models wearing her first collection is one of the countless dream beaches. The Martiniquais sail on boats they call Yole, which have no keel and are therefore difficult to navigate. The crew members hang over the water in breakneck fashion on long wooden poles. Just the job for Yole-boss Max' "problem kids": they not only learn complicated handling, but also team spirit.
Bosnia Herzegovina
Wild and unknown lies the still undiscovered natural paradise of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the heart of Europe. Rough mountains, dense forests and wild waterfalls characterize the picture of the untouched landscapes. Lynx, wolves and bears roam mountains and valleys. One of the last primeval forests in Europe is a retreat for many endangered animal species. Bosnia and Herzegovina is actually an undiscovered natural paradise in the middle of Europe.
glCuba
Even anyone who has not yet been to Cuba can conjure up certain images of American vintage street cruisers, imposing buildings that have seen better days, white sandy beaches full of palms and loving couples on the Malecón against a backdrop of crashing waves. This island is somewhat of a myth and its people generate a special joie de vivre. The legendary Hershey Train departs for Matanzas from the capital, Havana. On the oldest electrified railway line in the Caribbean, 60-year-old Spanish carriages make their way along al-most 100 kilometres of coastline in the most relaxed way possible. The Salvavidas on Varadero, probably the most famous beach on the island, have a particular-ly beautiful workplace. The lifeguards' territory ex-tends for more than 20 kilometres. In order to protect the coasts of Cuba, mangroves have been replanted here for many years. The project is supported by the UN and planting is often carried out by schoolchildren. In doing so, Cuban children learn how to treat their maritime habitat in a sustainable fashion. The former colonial city of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is gen-erally considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire Caribbean. The houses here are particular-ly colourful. A plethora of magnificent buildings can be seen at the Plaza Mayor, the neo-baroque main square.
Bosnia Herzegovina
The barren, karstic south of the country, Herzegovina, also impresses with its natural landscapes. One of them is the Livno field. Not only is it the largest wetland in the country, it is also the largest regularly flooded karst field in the world. About 700 wild horses live in this unique landscape. Their ancestors were working horses that were abandoned here more than 50 years ago. Another special feature of the karst landscape are the rivers with their tufa barriers. The countless waterfalls that pour over it are a unique natural phenomenon.
Caribbean sisters: The Lesser Antilles St. Kitts & Nevis
In the centre of the Caribbean, volcanoes rise steeply from the sea, thus shaping the sister islands of St. Kitts & Nevis. Their slopes, covered in lush rainforests, snow-white, sandy beaches and the surrounding tur-quoise tinted waters provide the ultimate setting for this record-breaking, albeit tiny island paradise: Both islets are the smallest of the Caribbean dwarf states and also rank among the world’s ten smallest states. A hot pepper sauce, made of a creative mixture of ginger, garlic, thyme and extraordinarily hot chillies that thrive in the hot and humid climate of Nevis, is simmering on the stove of Violet and Llewellyn’s house. Lemmy Pemberton digs up abandoned turtle nests with his bare hands, as he wants to be certain that all of the babies have indeed managed to make it. Members of the Turtle Group catch sea turtles in order to take their measurements and fit them with transmitters. Taxi bus-es are not only the main means of transport on St. Kitts & Nevis, they are also an artistic expression of each driver’s personality. Colourfully embellished, each taxi represents island art on wheels.
Menorca
Not nearly as crowded as Majorca or Ibiza: Menorca has noticeably fewer visitors than her sister islands and in 1993, was recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere re-serve. Menorca also has its own distinctive charm, with its secluded coves, mighty cliffs, beautiful gardens and ages old towns and villages. Its residents love the is-lands treasures and peculiarities. Forests make up al-most a third of Menorca, complemented by many lush green meadows. Next to tourism, agriculture is a major source of the island's income to the present day. On Menorca, there are several accumulations of enormous megalithic stones. From a global point of view, the up to five-metre-tall "Taulas", whereby the stones are ar-ranged in the shape of a "T", are unique.
The Heart of Hawaii
The Oahu island is the economic and cultural centre of the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as being a paradise for surfers, active holidaymakers and freedom lovers. The island is home to more than half of all natives and almost eight million foreign guests annually. Anyone searching for peace and seclusion won’t find either in Honolulu or Waikiki. Traffic congestion and a backdrop of skyscrapers belong to the town panorama. Hip cafes, galleries and young fashion firms have settled here, adding a new and modern flair to the capital. Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, the Chinatown florists, has been here for more than 30 years. This is also because the so-called Leis, the tradition of floral decoration, usually offered as a flower necklace or as a headdress, is still an important part of Hawaiian culture. Keone Nunes is well-known for his traditional tattooing skills, whereby the so-called Kakau Tattoos are virtually hammered into the skin with a hippo tooth. But Oahu is also an island of overwhelming natural beauty and a fascinating diversity on the smallest of places ...
Meteor Menace
On February 15th, 2013, out of the blue, a meteorite exploded in the earth’s atmosphere above the Russian region of Chelyabinsk. The event is a reminder of the ever-present 'Meteor Menace' and the need to understand more about these missiles from outer space.
World's Most Dangerous Railway Lines
The Tanzania-Zambia-Railway (Tazara) is one of Africa's most ambitious infrastructure projects. It connects the inland with the coast of East Africa and meant independence from the surrounding apartheid-ruled countries of East Africa. The film accompanies the Tazara on its 52-hour journey through Tanzania and Zambia and uses spectacular aerial shots to show not only the architectural monuments but also the unknown sides of the previously hidden landscapes of Tanzania and Zambia.
World's Most Dangerous Railway Lines
Over 196 bridges and through 55 tunnels, the Bernina Express fights its way from Switzerland to Italy. Powerful forces of nature make the railyway line a dangerous route over the Grisons Alps to this day. The film accompanies the Bernina Express in winter over the highest rail route across the Alps.
World's Most Dangerous Railway Lines
The Ferrocarril del Sur, one of the highest train routes on earth, runs right through the mountains of Peru. To this day, it is considered a miracle in the world of railways. The rails not only lead to the famous ruined city of Machu Picchu but connect the ancient Inca capital of Cusco with Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca and the gleaming white city of Arequipa. A train journey with the Andes Explorer through a grandiose landscape and an undeveloped and inaccessible area.
mareTV: Estonia's Enchanted Islands
Kihnu is one of 19 inhabited Estonian islands. When the women there ride motorcycles in colourful skirts, it is summer. Thanks to its remoteness, charming traditions have been preserved here. More than 2,000 islands belong to Estonia, none is like the other, each with its own character. Most of them were military restricted areas during the Soviet Union. Of all things, the strict shielding had its good points: beach, forest, juniper groves, they still characterise the landscape of Estonia's enchanted islands. Elly Karjam is a "multi-jobber": lighthouse keeper, ice-cream producer and contract knitter for the famous Kihnu sweaters. Summer is high season for her: She is expecting guests from the USA, who had their ancestors on Kihnu. Birches have to be cut for the so-called viht. This bunch of birch branches is an important accessory for the traditional sauna at midsummer. And the motorcycles in the shed are to be refloated.
Secrets of the North Sea
The North Sea is enigmatic. It presents itself in cool shades of grey. Yet who would have guessed that beneath the chilly waves are opulent coral gardens, courting squids, and several of the largest sea creatures on the planet?
Deadly Roads
Some risks on these car routes have natural causes: Extreme weather, avalanches and landslides. In some areas, the locals even believe that evil spirits kill travelers. But many of the dangers are man-made: robbers or terrorists lie in wait for travelers, and tough labor pressures, social hardship and greedy mass-transit businesses also cause tragic driving accidents around the world. In the 20th century alone, 35 million people died on roads worldwide - plus 1.5 billion injured!
Deadly Roads
Roads are much more than just gray strips of asphalt that allow us to travel and trade. For centuries they have been lifelines of mankind, full of stories and history - and in certain countries and areas they also hold great dangers, much human suffering and death. Documentary filmmaker Oliver G. Becker ventured onto dangerous roads in New Zealand, Scotland and Australia for phoenix.
The Moor
Moors and peatlands are oases in the cultivated landscape of Central Europe.
Eyes Of The Atacama
ALMA – the Atacama Large Millimeter Array – is the ultimate space observation facility. Here, 66 leviathan parabolic antennae trap cosmic rays in the previously unobservable long-wave range. It can only happen in Atacama, far away from civilisation’s pollution of the night sky with artificial light.
North America's National Parks
Saguaro National Park is an American national park in Pima County, southeastern Arizona. The 92,000-acre (37,000 ha) park consists of two separate areas—the Tucson Mountain District (TMD) about 10 miles west of the city of Tucson and the Rincon Mountain District (RMD) about 10 miles east of the city—that preserve Sonoran Desert landscapes, fauna, and flora, including the giant saguaro cactus.An inventory of medium and large mammals in the park confirmed the presence of 30 species in Saguaro National Park between 1999 and 2008. Of these, 21 were found in the Tucson Mountain District and 29 in the Rincon Mountain District. A partial list of the park's mammals includes cougars, coyotes, bobcats, white-tailed deer, mule deer, javelinas, gray foxes, black-tailed jackrabbits, desert cottontails, ring-tailed cats, white-nosed coatis, ground squirrels, and packrats. One endangered mammal, the lesser long-nosed bat, lives part of the year in the park and part of the year in Mexico.
North America's National Parks
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in Tennessee and North Carolina. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The park contains some of the highest mountains in eastern North America, including Clingmans Dome, Mount Guyot, and Mount Le Conte. The border between the two states runs northeast to southwest through the center of the park. The Appalachian Trail passes through the center of the park on its route from Georgia to Maine. With 12.5 million visitors in 2019, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.
North America's National Parks
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana, and Idaho. It was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone was the first national park in the U.S. and is also widely held to be the first national park in the world. The park is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features, especially Old Faithful geyser, one of its most popular. While it represents many types of biomes, the subalpine forest is the most abundant. It is part of the South Central Rockies forests ecoregion.
The Seychelles
The 115 islands and islets that make up the Seychelles present a breath-taking variety of plants, rare animals and beaches laced with palms. This is where the leg-endary Coco de Mer palm nuts grow with fruits weigh-ing up to 20 kilos and giant wild land turtles nibble away at mangrove fruits to their hearts content. The archipelago was first settled at the end of the 18th cen-tury. Today, a very colourful potpourri of peoples in this dwarf state proves just how peacefully different cultures can live side by side. Three times a week, the steamer "MV Espoir" completes the trip from the main island of Mahé to Praslin and back. A ship for every-one and practically everything: Used cars, toilet paper, horses, bicycles, furniture - you name it, the Espoir transports goods of all kinds. Coconuts sometimes pose a problem as there are far too many of them. What to do with them? The best place to send them is undoubt-edly Hubert Roumien's Virgin Coconut Oil Laboratory, hidden away in the Mahé jungle. Straw turns into gold at Seaweed Seychelles! There, Benjamin Port Louis collects seaweed and extracts liquid fertiliser from it.
mareTV: Capri and the Amalfi Coast
Capri was already in ancient times a place for the rich and beautiful. Today Capri is one of the most famous islands in the world. Millions of tourists visit it. But there are in fact still unknown corners on the island in the Gulf of Naples. Thus, at the very top of Capri, there is a hermit monastery with a view to the Vesuvius.
Hot Roads - The Worlds Most Dangerous Roads
The racing cyclists of Burundi have a dangerous job. But it’s a vital one for Burundi’s economy. Bicycles are the main means of transportation in one of the smallest countries in Africa. Bananas, the staple food in Burundi, are transported from the markets to a banana beer brewing factory. We accompany Tharcien, a bike courier, on his exhausting cross country trip on the Burundi Highway.
Hot Roads - The Worlds Most Dangerous Roads
It is one of the wildest roads in Asia: the Trans Sulawesi Highway. The adventurous road leads through Indonesia's fourth-largest island and takes people to spectacular destinations. To beautiful beaches, turbulent cities, or unique primeval forests.
Hot Roads - The Worlds Most Dangerous Roads
Tanzania is known for its national parks, vast landscapes and wild roads. They make traveling a real adventure. We travel in trucks, buses and off-road vehicles from the Indian Ocean via the Serengeti to Lake Victoria, accompany huge herds of wildebeest, observe lions and rhinos - and show the lives of the people who live on and along the roads.
Wild Sardinia
Sardinia has always been the epitome of pure wilderness, an emerald of volcanic origin in the Mediterranean. 1900 metres of coastline and an infinite maze of offshore islands. But Sardinia also has other facets: green valleys, rugged mountains, murmuring brooks, mysterious ruins and a unique fauna. Just off of Sardinia's coast is an untouched underwater paradise - uniquely beautiful, but also dangerous. Pilot whales, dolphins and mobula rays populate the waters at Capo Testa in the north of the island. In the west, the lagoons of Cabras represent a wild landscape of lakes in which thousands of flamingos live and hunt the red brine shrimps. In addition to the flamingos, grey and purple herons and little egrets breed here. Thousands of bats have found refuge in the craggy mountain world of the Supramonte and Gennargentu, with their countless grottoes and caves. In the sea we can observe the mass mating of sea slugs, and thanks to our camera robots and submersible boats we were able to observe beard worms with luminous red gills, as well as bright yellow tree corals in the area surrounding the hypothermal lava holes.
mareTV: Majorca
"Cleaning woman island", concrete castles, Ballermann: Mallorca's image is negatively affected in some respects. The documentary explores the charm of the largest Balearic island beyond the hustle and bustle of tourism and Rambazamba. The "real" Mallorca is best explored through real Majorcans: Manolo Barahona, TV fishing expert from the local island broadcaster IB3, faces the most difficult task of the year. The Raor is in season, the most expensive fish on the island. Manolo is supposed to get him first in front of the camera and then in the pan. There's only one catch, the little fish with the piranha teeth just doesn't want to be on TV. In the first months of the year Mallorca turns into a sea of almond blossoms. There are around seven million almond trees on the island, once planted to replace dead vines. But now also the almond trees are threatened. The fire bacterium continues to spread, especially on the large plantations. The farmer Biel Torrens wants to save Mallorca's almond trees and fruit with a small organic plantation and gentle harvesting methods. He shakes the almonds from the tree by hand instead of using a mechanical vibrator.
Secrets of the Mediterranean
The contours of the Mediterranean have changed during the course of its history. Near Gibraltar, Africa was once connected to the European continent. When the land bridge at Gibraltar collapsed, the Mediterranean basin filled up again. The Suez Canal is today connected to the Red Sea. This route enables animals to reach the Mediterranean, where they cause problems.