Transcripts For BBCNEWS The Travel Show 20240714 : compareme

Transcripts For BBCNEWS The Travel Show 20240714

There have been scuffles between pro beijing and Anti Government protesters at a Shopping Mall in hong kong on saturday. The confrontation happened at amoy plaza and spilled out on to the streets. Police have detained several people. The pro beijing supporters had earlier been waving chinese flags and singing and chanting to support police. Nick beake reports. You can see the police are now running through this shopping centre. They have made arrests and some people are being led away. This isa some people are being led away. This is a pretty tense situation. So far no tear gas fired, probably because we are indoors. But all the time we are aware of people coming through, if you just look. Real anger here. It is clear that that man and woman have been arrested. Saturday afternoon shopping in this part of hong kong, this was supposed to be a relatively peaceful day ahead of a big rally tomorrow, but as you can see, demonstrators are pouring through. We know that there is a probating crowd here, and also a pro democracy crowd. That is what is causing this tension. Pro beijing crowd. There has been some sort of clash, the police have come through and they have been making arrests. Coming up on this weeks travel show im finding out how you can get up close, as experts restore one of the worlds most famous works of art. Oh man, it looks incredible. Christa goes wild swimming off the coast of scotland. You know what, its actually not. No, i am lying, its really cold. Laughs. We meet the woman who does not let her visible difference stop her from travelling the world. Being here, its like, i feel so connected. And ever heard of dutch sushi . Neither had i until now. Welcome to the travel show, with me, ade adepitan this week coming to you from amsterdam, where they are marking 350 years since the death of one of their most famous artists, rembrandt. In 1631, he made this city his home, and its here that he painted his most famous masterpieces. And you can see many of them on display at the rijksmuseum. But what ive come here to see is very special, and involves a painting that rembrandt is best known for. One of the most famous works of art in the world the night watch. The painting is almost four centuries old, and over the years there have been various restoration attempts. But now the museum is undertaking the most sophisticated one ever, using high tech methods to carry out a forensic examination of how rembrandt actually painted the picture before restoration can begin. And its all being carried out in one of their galleries, in full view of the public, and livestreamed online. Oh man, so thats it, the night watch. It looks incredible. And what are they doing here . The machine you see there is an x ray fluorescent scanner, and this way we get an idea of the elements present in this painting. This is a painting which is for us to admire, why is it so important for you to know about the elements . We need to figure out, we want to know how rembrandt painted it, what his ideas were when he was painting it, how he made this nice composition, was it first all ok on the canvas, or did he change his mind and change small things, or did he change the composition . Those things we would like to know. At the same time, we would like to know what kind of pigments rembrandt used. So you are getting a real idea of what it was like to be a painter in rembrandts time. Yes. Or even just his unique style . His unique style, indeed. Yeah, we are basically on rembrandts shoulder and watching him while he is painting these paintings. The story of the night watch painting is absolutely fascinating. This is a copy of the original, and over the years its been trimmed down in size especially on the left hand side, there were actually characters that have been lost from this painting, because in its original location, they had the right size, but when it was moved it couldnt fit into the space where it was moved, so they had to trim it down on three sides. I think some of those characters would probably be really miffed today to know that theyve been omitted from rembrandts history. So were going to photograph the painting in daylight, but were not going to do it like one snapshot, we are going to do lots of photos next to each other, i think from the top of my head its 11,000 photos. So then we get a really high resolution, its like you are looking through a microscope. 0ne pixel in that photo is like a blood cell, or basically it is smaller than a hair, a human hair. All of this scrutiny, all of this work for one artist what do you think rembrandt would make of it if he was around today . Laughs. I would personally think that he would think we are crazy. Laughs. Yeah, yeah. Thanks to the 350th anniversary, this year amsterdam is full of rembrandt related things to see and do. And lots of people are heading here, a restoration of the place rembrandt called home during his time living and working in the city. Wow. Which part of the house are we are now . This is the front of the house, this is where visitors entered the house, where they could meet rembrandt. It is very grand, isnt it . High ceilings. Yes, it is. It is meant to impress, people needed to see how successful rembrandt was. Holland was very economically successful in the 17th century, so people earned a lot of money, they needed luxury goods, paintings are luxury goods. And rembrandt stood out because he could do anything in paint. He could paint anything he wanted and make an illusion like things were real. He had a remarkable style that people found fascinating, it was with bright light and dark shadows, it is the contrast of the two that make these paintings dramatic, the thing that is really special for us as the rembrandthuis museum, that is that it went bankrupt. He was very successful, but he spent a lot of money. So he lived a lavish life . He certainly did, yeah. He went bankrupt and during this bankruptcy they made a list of everything that was in the house. So we have exactly, room for room, listed, everything that was in here. So the irony of it is, is rembrandts misfortune is our luck, because you managed to find out. It is our luck. Certainly. Incredible. Love this place. The decor is amazing. This is where the great man lived between 1639 and 1658. And it isjust, its so grand and really cool. This is where he produced some of the greatest works of art that the world has ever seen. Look at this fireplace that is nuts. There is a bed here as well its cosy, this for a very small person. I have travelled about 30 minutes outside of amsterdam to a Historic Town called leiden, where ive been told you can have a very different rembrandt experience. Leiden is the place where rembrandt was born and opened his first studio. Today its a Smart University town but its still proud of its connection with the artist. And if you like mixing fact with fantasy, one great place to try out is this rembrandt themed escape room, situated here inside an old mediaeval tower. So basically ive been told that this house is haunted by the spirit of rembrandt, and we have an hour to escape, trying to use the clues, and that picture apparently is going to give us some information and help us escape. Jaunty pipe music. Over here, there is a padlock, and its got colours on it. So i am thinking, i am wondering if those colours are anything to do with the colours up on. Can you see . You dont need to know much about the history of art to try and work your way out of this room. But a bit of lateral thinking and a taste for teamwork definitely come in handy. Woo whats in there a creepy cloth yes weve got a creepy cloth i think we are getting loads of clues, and we are having a lot of success, but not the big success that we need. Shall we do it again . Nothing happened. I think we could be here for days is there water and bread here . And then, finally, with only ten minutes left, it all seems to come together. Hopefully. Yes. Yes we are free go team weve escaped well done. Theres only one problem wheres the lift . Stay with us, because coming up christa braves the cold and goes wild swimming in scotland. Now, you cant come to amsterdam without trying out some herring. Its a delicacy here in holland, they actually call it the dutch sushi. Can i try out some of your herring . Yes, i can do it for you. What do you make it with, what do you do . With onion, pickle, that is the way it is. Thats it. 0n the tail. Do you cook it or anything . No, its not, its raw fish. Raw fish. And it will be ok for my stomach . Very good for you. So this is traditional dutch delicacy. Here we go sorry mum, but im about to eat on tv. Its not bad im actually surprised. Um, i mean. It is a very fishy texture but then you have that onion sort of marinade on it, this is alright can i have some chips with this . Laughs. For some people, travelling is about more than just seeing new places. Its about overcoming fears and challenging perceptions. So here is the start of our new series that follows people around the world who travel differently. Travel means just being able to go out of my comfort zone and be out there, enjoy the culture, enjoy the sun, or wherever iam going. And everyone should have that right. Everyone should have the right to be able to do that. Im tulsi vagjiani, i am a motivational speaker and i am an ambassador for changing faces, a charity helping people with a visible difference. Its really important to me experiencing a country like a local person would. You know, realising like, what their local languages are, its a whole liberation thing, being able to explore a culture. Hi, this is me checking in, i am currently in prague, and just walking out of a metro station, so easy to use, its amazing. Anyone who knows me, im a history buff, so being here, it is like i feel so connected. It gives me a scope of like, if i everwanted to live abroad, how it would be like to live as a local. Ijust spotted some dolphins oh my goodness travelling, for me, my biggest anxious moment would be how i am going to be perceived based on my visible difference. I was ten years old when i got my scars. I was involved in a plane crash where i lost my mum, my dad and my brother. As time has gone on, in and out of surgery, the day comes when they remove the bandages from my eyes. Only the person in the mirror wasnt me. I really felt like somebodyd drew that face on. And thats when i knew, life had changed. An example, when i was in milan a couple of years ago, just ordering a pizza in a restaurant, and the waiter couldnt look at me and he took my order via my friend, and it was really uncomfortable. And yet i went to a restaurant, like, the day before, like next door, and they were just so friendly. The same day we went to the cafe near the cathedral and the same thing. Just couldnt look at me, tried to order my cake and tea via my friend. At times, it can feel really frustrating because its like no human being ever wants to be ignored, right . Regardless of what is going on for you. And to be ignored like that, thats quite tough. But we did walk out, we didnt actually stay in the restaurant. Because ive got to show, like, i cant advocate that behaviour. Having a visible difference doesnt mean you get to take them off and keep them at home and then you go out for the day. I wear them. Ive got to check in with myself before i leave my house, where im at. I think i have to be a lot more mindful of going to certain countries, obviously youve gotta be respectful of culture in terms of what you wear. Im on the other side of my confidence whereby i bear my scars. So ive now discovered wearing a bikini, for example. This is a really recent picture of me in portugal. For anyone who knows me, like, i mean, im confident, but Body Confidence is something that im a big campaigner on, and me going out in my bikini and feeling comfortable like this was really huge. And its something im really, really proud of. I think just travelling has showed me you cant make a preconceived judgement about a certain country. And its a small snippet. Its one person. Doesnt mean they represent the whole country, you know . I mean, ive got plans to travel so many more countries, and having a visible difference isnt going to stop me from going there. Im just going to be a bit more mindful of the culture of where im going, thats all. Im not going to go and say, oh, i wonder how they deal with somebody with a visible difference. Im not going to go there. Im gonna go there with an open mind. And i hope thats what im going to receive when i go there as well. And we will have more people who face all different kinds of challenges when they travel here on the show soon. But to finish off this week, christas facing a challenge of her own in scotland now, ive gotta warn you if youre not a fan of swimming in cold water, id look away now. Brrr when the suns out, the coastline around the isle of lewis rivals some of the best beach destinations in europe. With its Crystal Clear waters and soft white sand, even in the height of summer, here you can have large stretches of beach all to yourself. This really is a scottish hidden gem. But its also a small island where predicting the weather can be close to a mystic art. Well, the clouds are drawing in, the wind is up and its started to rain so this is not optimal swimming weather. But what im mainly worried about is the temperature of that seawater. I can guarantee you that you will be warmer inside the water than out today norma has just begun her own wild swimming tours around the isle of lewis as an alternative way to see the area. What do you do when you go wild swimming . The first thing that you do before you go swimming is faff. Theres a lot of faffing youre thinking about where you are going, youre checking tides, water temperature, the weather, so theres a lot of prep before you actually go for a swim. So, in some cases, you wouldnt really call that wild swimming. Its very contrived but, no, once you get in the water, it just takes over. What is the appeal of wild swimming . It is being just totally immersed. Centuries back, some of the islanders used to settle on some of the smaller islands. So, you can see ruins and remains of that. On a couple of my swims, i take people out to an island where there is a temple and a cemetery where people used to bury their dead there, away from the village, they used to take them out to the island. So, for me, its not just about the swimming. Its exploring the heritage as well and all the history that hebrides has to offer. I guess its a completely unique way to see the land and you see things that you may not be able to see if you are just walking on the tracks. Absolutely. You see Amazing Things that nobody might have seen before. You feel as if youre exploring uncharted territory. You are an explorer yeah wild swimming has only become popular here in recent years. Norma told me that when she was growing up, she learnt that for generations, people here have had a fear of the sea. Just off the coast lies the wreckage of a vessel that sank in 1919. It was carrying soldiers returning from the first world war, more than 200 drowned, leaving a deep scar on the island. And it put many hardy islanders off even learning to swim. But for me, its time to get on with it. Does that feel good . Yeah, good. Im actually quite wet already, and its not because we have been in. Its because its raining. Perfect weather for swimming right, are you ready for this . Whats the best way . Just straight in or. No, probably a little bit of a privatisation. Hands in first, little bit of water on the back of the neck, then we can just do a wee bit of floating, getting the water in the wetsuit, and then we can get on with it. Lets do it youre the expert, lets go alright. Oh, its lovely. 0h, lovely, you say do you know what . Its actually not. No, im lying, its really cold i was trying to be polite, but its cold. But. I think the longer youre in, you just get used to it. Absolutely. 0k. Yeah. Ok, i can do this. Yeah, you can youre doing it after a few minutes, thanks to my wetsuit, my body did start to warm up, and if you keep moving its fine. Its not advisable to come wild swimming unless you are really familiar with the area. And norma is constantly checking in with me and guiding me to shallow areas where we can take a break. Because were now coming onto a low tide now, weve passed slack water, so its a bit of a stronger. Its a bit of timing of the tide, really. So we are at the stronger pull of the tide just now, so were going to go with it, and the deeper we getjust now, you can feel it again, that were going that way. So, you really need to be familiar with the area. Due to the sea conditions, we werent able to go to any of the iron age ruins of the islets, but we did manage to reach this place. We have just come into this absolutely beautiful little cave and its so different, isnt it . Weve just come around the headland, which was quite choppy and really strong current, quite dramatic, and here, its so peaceful and calm. And though its really dark, i look down, i can see my feet really clearly. The water is so clean. This is a relatively unexplored corner of the uk. And this certainly is a unique way to explore it. If it werent for the cold and the jellyfish, i feel like i could just float here all day christa taking wild swimming to the max in scotland. Respect, christa well, thats your lot for this week. Dont forget to join us next week when carmens injapan getting a truly birds eye view of some ancient burial mounds in the heart of a very modern city. Wow, thats really big. Gosh and, look, its right in the centre of downtown 0saka and alex goes to sea for the very first time. On board a specially adapted ship where wheelchair users can crew, and learn the ropes too. Youre actually spot on at the moment. Only now. Youre absolutely spot on only on camera off camera im terrible. Thats next week. But if you cant wait that long, dont forget we are all over social media. So, please, give us a follow but for now, from me, ade adepitan, and all the travel show team here in amsterdam, its tot ziens hello. Welcome along. So, latest thoughts on how sunday is going to shape up right across the British Isles. Quite a variety of weather on offer and then we will take a look at the next few days after that. Sunday starting off really very windy again after a wild night across the north and north east of scotland. Some Storm Force Winds there. Weather front producing a fair amount of cloud and some rain for northern ireland, the western and southern parts of scotland in the first part of the day. Eventually that rain just moving a little bit further south, getting into the north of england, maybe into the far north west of wales. Thankfully, by this stage, clearer skies getting into scotland and the wind much reduced during the course of the afternoon. Very best of the sunshine across the south eastern quarter of the British Isles, temperatures responding accordingly. Further west through wales and the south west of england, i think therell be more in the way of cloud, and that may well be reinforced as we get on through the evening and overnight, so the remnants of that weather front Still

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