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00:00Hello and welcome to The Weekend Travel Show with me, Richard Arnold, and the lovely Kim Marsh.
00:14Yes, as usual, our host of fabulous celebrities will be whisking us around the world.
00:18Anyway, so where are we off to today?
00:20Well, I'm glad you asked him because it's another jam-packed show.
00:22Nick Knowles takes us on an authentic trip to Mexico.
00:26Alexander Armstrong is horse riding, but not as we know it in Iceland.
00:29And Susan Kalman is enjoying seashells and sunshine in Margate.
00:34Well, that sounds great, but that's not all.
00:36We'll also be with Alex Polizzi at the most amazing Italian spa.
00:40But first, Richard, what's happened to the sun?
00:43Well, I think you should mention that, but it's actually Alaska.
00:46How do you fancy a slight chill in the air?
00:48Are we draft when you go on your holidays?
00:50I mean, the thing is, it's cold enough here.
00:52When I go on holiday, I want something different.
00:54Well, you know, Jane MacDonald thought the same.
00:56Until, of course, we dispatched our very own queen of cruising to Alaska.
01:00This is actually my first ever cold cruise.
01:10I've never, ever booked or even worked on one.
01:13That's been cold.
01:15When I worked for Celebrity all them years ago,
01:18as soon as it stopped doing the Caribbean,
01:19I used to go home and do the clubs
01:21because I knew it was going off to Alaska.
01:23And yet everybody used to rave
01:26and get excited about going to Alaska.
01:29And here she is, the new Amsterdam,
01:32my home for the next eight days.
01:34There are 1,500 cabins, staterooms and suites
01:37for up to 2,100 passengers.
01:41Wow, that is a beautiful ship.
01:45It's got nice lines, great colour.
01:48A handsome ship, I would say.
01:50Handsome.
01:50It's exciting now, isn't it?
01:56If it's raining like mad,
01:58but it doesn't matter because we're going on those holidays.
02:04I looked at the ship's website
02:06and checked out the weather for this time of year.
02:08It can get down to minus 10.
02:10Let's just say I've brought things
02:12I've never packed for a cruise before.
02:16Firstly, balaclava.
02:18Balaclava.
02:23Well, you can put it on as a hat.
02:27Actually, it's in here.
02:31Extreme conditions underwear.
02:34That'll keep the girls in.
02:36I've got the pants to match.
02:38They're not the most salubrious, are they?
02:40Look at flipping elastic on them.
02:42What?
02:42What else have we got?
02:44Emergency blanket.
02:46I think this is really quite good.
02:49One, if you get lost,
02:51they'll be able to see you for a start-off.
02:56Secondly,
02:57you're not going to get hypothermia.
03:00I'm full of great tips for cruising.
03:16Despite their size and might,
03:19glaciers are fragile things,
03:21and to protect them and their environment,
03:23only two cruise liners a day
03:25are allowed in here.
03:29Good grief.
03:30That's a view you don't see every day, isn't it?
03:33This is the Marjorie Glacier.
03:35It's 350 feet tall
03:37and stretches back 21 miles
03:39into the mountains in the distance.
03:42Just look at that.
03:43It's just breathtaking.
03:45It's like being in Game of Thrones, isn't it?
03:50Oh!
03:50I heard that then.
03:51It was like a chaos.
03:53It was, wasn't it?
03:54The noises were the icebergs creaking
03:58and a lot of them fall.
03:59That's what the big thunderclaps were.
04:02Oh!
04:03When you see something as grand as this
04:05and nature's force,
04:07you realise how insignificant you are
04:10compared to the wonderment
04:12of what you're surrounded by.
04:14This is huge.
04:16This is what's huge.
04:17Look.
04:18This is nature at its finest.
04:20This glacier is awesome
04:22and that really is the only word
04:24to do it justice.
04:30Good morning.
04:32Good morning.
04:33Would you like to try some Dutch pizza?
04:35I'd love some.
04:35On an American-line tradition.
04:38We typically make it a day before
04:40and then let it stand overnight.
04:42Oh, that's the best way.
04:43They say in Holland say
04:44the best pea soup is a soup
04:45where you can stick the spoon in upright
04:47and it'll stay like that.
04:48It's like mushy peas.
04:49We put this on fish and chips at home.
04:51It's really nice.
04:52Glad you're enjoying it.
04:53Yes, I am.
04:53Enjoy the views.
04:54So, this is such an experience.
04:59This is definitely not my typical cruise holiday
05:02and I'm mad with myself for missing out on such great trips.
05:07I want experiences and adventures in life.
05:11And this has been the start.
05:13It's been fantastic.
05:16When you've got to give it to Jane,
05:17she did plan that out.
05:18She's never knowingly undersold
05:19when it comes to packing the right underwear as are Jane.
05:22And rather like presenting this show,
05:23packing the right underwear,
05:24believe it or not,
05:25is the key to a successful honesty.
05:27Kim, you've had your fair share
05:29of cold climate adventures though.
05:30So, whether or not that tickles your fancy,
05:32very much an adventure of a lifetime.
05:34On the road with hearsay, I'm sure.
05:36Yeah, absolutely.
05:37We recorded most of our first album out in Norway
05:41and we visited the Ice Hotel.
05:43Right.
05:44I've always wanted to do one of those.
05:46Yeah, it was incredible.
05:48We didn't actually stay there.
05:51But it was amazing.
05:53I mean, everything was just ice.
05:55Everything was just...
05:56And you just throw down a rug and sleep, do you?
05:57Yes, pretty much.
06:00No, it was incredible.
06:02It was such a beautiful place to visit
06:04and, you know, what an experience to see.
06:07Jaw-dropping.
06:07Well, Jane, watching experiences and adventures in life
06:09really sums that cruise up.
06:11And we'll be back with her later,
06:12for even more adventures.
06:13Yes, the tail's going up again.
06:15Dog sledding this time on the Juno Ice Field.
06:18Also coming up,
06:19we'll be staying in colder climates
06:21with Alexander Armstrong in Iceland.
06:24And we'll be warming up with Nick Knowles in Mexico.
06:26Welcome back to the Weekend Travel Show.
06:34Now, our next destination is Mexico.
06:37I've been lucky enough to go to Mexico twice,
06:38so the Caribbean side and the Pacific side.
06:40And it's a country that's just full of so many amazing places to visit,
06:44whether you're, you know, inland or on the coast,
06:46either side.
06:47It's magical.
06:47I'd love to go.
06:48I would love to go.
06:50And there's so many different sides to that amazing country.
06:53And Nick Knowles is about to show us one of them.
06:58The magnificent Cobra Canyon derived its name
07:02from the green colours found along its steep walls.
07:05It was formed during volcanic activity around 40 million years ago,
07:11which triggered deep fractures in the Earth's crust.
07:14I hear one of the best ways to see it is on a cable car that spans one of the valleys.
07:22The only problem is, first, I have to cross a bridge.
07:26A very wobbly bridge, which is disconcerting, to say the least.
07:31But you don't come to a place like this and not take on at least some of the challenges.
07:37Now, I'm concentrating on you at the moment
07:39because I'm walking over a very rickety, very high bridge.
07:44Actually, my knees are going all week.
07:49Just in case you think I'm making a big deal of this,
07:52this is what I'm walking over.
07:59They do say don't look down, but I think I ought to, so...
08:04Oh, that's not good.
08:12Right, the end is over here.
08:13Made it.
08:20Now it's time for the cable car.
08:22This one has an almost vertical drop.
08:26My guide here is Sergio Barrera.
08:29Gracias.
08:29I'm looking forward to this.
08:30Known as Tiny.
08:33The ride is nearly two miles long
08:36and coasts along 650 feet above the canyon floor.
08:40I've got to say, the view of the canyon here is absolutely stunning.
08:47That river is called the Urique River
08:49and it's one of the longest rivers here.
08:53So this river has actually cut one of the canyons.
08:55There are six different canyons, I know,
08:57but it's the rivers that have made this extraordinary landscape.
09:01There's a community living down here
09:03that we are crossing right now.
09:05So there's people living down the cable car.
09:08The name of the local community here is Raramuri.
09:13I'm curious to find out more about the Raramuri.
09:16I picked up a gift for them along the way, which is heavy.
09:21The Raramuri are an indigenous people to Mexico
09:25who many, many moons ago escaped into this valley
09:30and lived in caves.
09:33I'm bringing gifts, a grinder and some corn in return
09:37for Petra, who I'm meeting, showing me around her house.
09:43When the Spanish discovered the rich mineral wealth in the Copper Canyon,
09:47they forced the Raramuri to work as slaves in the mines.
09:50Now they're semi-nomadic subsistence farmers,
09:54like Petra, who's 86.
09:55Well, I said I was coming to meet people who lived in caves.
10:07Can I move you along then?
10:10But it's a house in a cave.
10:12I mean, I know that sounds obvious, but it's...
10:14I mean, there's, you know, there's a wardrobe,
10:17there's a bed.
10:18Who are we looking at?
10:20My translator, Kath, explains.
10:23So she's her, uh, tu nieta, granddaughter.
10:27Okay.
10:28How long have the family been living here?
10:30Mi abuela y luego mi mamá, que vivió también.
10:33Ah, that picture over there.
10:35That's her mother.
10:37And they used to live here.
10:38Y ella te la heredó.
10:40SÃ.
10:41And she inherited from her mother.
10:43So when you see other people living now in houses,
10:46do you not want to give up the cave
10:48or you like living in a cave?
10:50Es que aquà me dejó mi mamá y aquà tengo que estar un poco.
10:55She says because it was inherited by her mother,
10:58so she wants to stay here.
11:00You're a grandmother yourself.
11:02There are all the women working in here.
11:04What are the Rarararari men doing?
11:06No hacen nada, nomás que pudo tomándolos.
11:09Only drinking.
11:10Not too big.
11:13They work, but they drink more.
11:17Pedra's asked us to stay for lunch.
11:22We've got some beans.
11:24The salsa.
11:27You eat it on one side, so you start...
11:29Yeah.
11:30¿Tienen platitos o se come asà tal cual?
11:32En taco.
11:33En taco, sÃ.
11:34It's very good.
11:35Very tasty.
11:36Um, that salsa is hot.
11:41It's very hot.
11:43But it's hot.
11:45But very enjoyable.
11:48Lunch is washed down with their favorite corn-based beer,
11:51Tesquina.
11:52Bajiza, bajiza, bajiza.
11:55Bajiza, bajiza.
11:58Here we go.
12:01She says it tastes like apple.
12:03Tastes like apple?
12:06Tastes like apple vinegar?
12:08Usually they drink it as soon as it's made.
12:12Gracias.
12:13Muchas gracias.
12:14Gracias.
12:15Gracias, gracias, gracias.
12:17Bless Nick.
12:28He was really trying to hide his feelings for that corn beer, wasn't he?
12:31He just couldn't manage it.
12:32I think 86-year-old Petra might be my new best friend, actually.
12:35My kind of spirit animal.
12:37I mean, if she's knocking up that moonshine...
12:39I know!
12:40Extraordinary.
12:41And doesn't take any nonsense, which is what we like.
12:42Not at all, even if the men are out drinking all day.
12:45I did get that vibe.
12:46Yeah, I did get that vibe.
12:48One thing you have to say about our Nick is he's always willing to seek out new experiences on holiday,
12:52and you can book a tour to see the Raramuri in their incredible habitat
12:55through various tour operators online.
12:57Or pop over to our website for more information.
12:59And talking of seeking new experiences,
13:01we are about to meet up with Alexander Armstrong, horse riding in Iceland.
13:06The stuff of dreams.
13:0716 hands of rippling flesh between your legs on a steed.
13:11It is fabulous.
13:13Any kind of horse, to be quite honest.
13:15It's an amazing feeling being out of that.
13:18I'm terrified of horses.
13:19I'm terrified.
13:20I think it's because they're so big.
13:21I think it's just like, you know...
13:22I mean, they're beautiful and majestic and gorgeous.
13:24It's just amazing.
13:25But I don't know if I would feel comfortable.
13:28You have to get me on a horse, Richard.
13:29I will do that.
13:30You've got to get me on a horse.
13:31Got to.
13:32Saddle up any time with me, Kim.
13:35Anyway, here's Alexander.
13:37I am on my way now to meet an Icelandic horse.
13:45Not pony, horse.
13:48They're quite particular on that point.
13:50No, no, no, not pony.
13:51Despite them being full of pony size, very much horse.
13:57Unique to this island, what Icelandic horses may lack in stature,
14:02they make up for in other areas.
14:03That sounds like an innuendo.
14:06It's not.
14:07They have two extra kinds of gait.
14:11So where we have walk, trot, canter, gallop,
14:17they've got two other gears.
14:21I don't know what that means,
14:22but apparently there are two other different levels of horse maneuver.
14:33To learn one of them, the tullt.
14:40Hello, welcome.
14:42How do you do?
14:43I'm Zander.
14:43I'm having a lesson with riding instructor Augusta.
14:47What is the tullt?
14:49Am I saying that right?
14:50Yeah, that's exactly.
14:51Tullt.
14:51Yeah, it's between the walk and the trot.
14:54I see.
14:55Yeah.
14:55And it's sort of this four beat.
14:58That's something that you need to sort of listen for.
15:00This four beat.
15:04And that is the tullt.
15:05That is the tullt.
15:06It's a feeling.
15:07Right.
15:09Is it a different style of riding?
15:11Here we put all our weight into the saddle where we sit.
15:15All weight in the bum?
15:17Yeah.
15:17That's your best friend.
15:19Your ass and your inner thighs.
15:21Okay.
15:21That's good.
15:22We get on.
15:22Yeah.
15:22Before we set off, there's one more important thing I need to ask.
15:28In Iceland, it's an article of faith that you should never ride a horse whose name you don't know.
15:34Or understand.
15:35Yo, Nassar.
15:37Johannes, yeah.
15:39Johannes, yeah.
15:41Yeah.
15:43I can't even say my horse's name.
15:45Which boats?
15:46Well.
15:49Now, time to tullt.
15:51Even my mount thinks that's amusing.
15:56Yeah, let's try the tullt.
16:05In the past, the tullt was incredibly handy.
16:09A little, yeah, it's a little squeeze.
16:11Yeah.
16:12A little nudge.
16:12Iceland lacks trees, making building wooden carriages or sleighs a bit tricky.
16:19And so, long journeys had to be done in the saddle.
16:22Come on.
16:22She's not liking this.
16:24She's not liking it at all.
16:26Using the tullt means a horse can cover more ground, and the rider should arrive at their destination a little less sore.
16:33That's the theory, in any event.
16:41You have to be strict with her.
16:44It's a nude rider.
16:45And a terrible, not Icelandic rider at all.
16:51She doesn't like it.
16:51I don't think she's racist.
16:54Do you think?
16:54Well, we'll see.
16:55We'll see.
16:58You want to take the test?
16:59Of course I do.
17:00I have beer hidden in the bush over there.
17:02Yeah.
17:03Apparently, the real test is to ride with a glass of beer in your hand.
17:08Wow.
17:08How far do you fill it?
17:10Right up to the brim.
17:12Or else it's not real.
17:14If you've truly mastered the tilt, your horse should glide so smoothly that you don't spill a drop.
17:22There's more.
17:22There's too much foam.
17:24Iceland.
17:25I'm starting to think you might have a problem.
17:29Pint poured.
17:30And they're under starter's orders for the inaugural lager steaks.
17:37Yep.
17:41Beautiful.
17:43Well done.
17:44Well done.
17:45Well done.
17:45Well done.
17:47Lovely jump.
17:49Beautiful.
17:50Well done, girl.
17:51Well done, girl.
17:53It's lovely.
17:54That's nice.
17:56Come on.
17:58Come on.
17:58Nearly there.
17:59Nearly there.
17:59Oh, look at that.
18:02Not a drop spilt.
18:06Oh, look at you.
18:08I've got more to drink than you.
18:10Oh, you certainly have.
18:11Oh, you did very well.
18:13Cheers.
18:13Cheers to you.
18:16I'll go back home and try and teach our English horses how to do it.
18:18Yeah.
18:19Good luck.
18:21No, he's actually very good at that.
18:22Very good indeed.
18:23I think he'd be good at it as well.
18:24Moving on.
18:25So far on our travels, we have been to far-flung destinations, but now it's time for a holiday right here on our shores.
18:32We are both a fan of the British Seaside, aren't we?
18:34Love it.
18:35Actually, a real tonic is always getting down.
18:37For me, as someone who lives in London for work and play, it's going down to Brighton.
18:42And just 24 hours out of Dodge and you feel like a new person.
18:46Yeah.
18:46You know, it's fantastic.
18:47And they've got so many bars now on the front and pop-up little watering holes and nosheries, if you like.
18:54Yeah, yeah.
18:55There's something for everyone just as you walk along.
18:57It's a beautiful stretch, that way.
18:59It's great.
18:59I love it.
19:00I go to North Wales.
19:01North Wales is my spot and we just love it there.
19:04And everywhere is just so familiar to us because we did it so much when we were kids.
19:09And ice cream parlours I like.
19:11Oof.
19:11Ice cream and fish and chips on the beach.
19:13Oh, battered sausage.
19:15Got to be careful of the seagulls, though.
19:17You do.
19:17You genuinely do have to be careful.
19:19Well, a seaside holiday in the UK is always going to be popular, whether it's a short break or a long stay.
19:23And here's our Susan Cullen to show us why.
19:25Couldn't be more excited.
19:30I've been here once before, about six years ago.
19:33One night only, though.
19:34And I always promised myself I would come back and see what it was really like.
19:38And here I am.
19:39And I'm on my holidays.
19:42I'm being chauffeur-driven by local tour guide Colin on his electric rickshaw.
19:47What a way to arrive.
19:48Holiday makers have been flocking here since the early 1700s to take in the town's coastal charm.
19:57It is certainly a jewel in Kent's seaside crown.
20:01Colin, Margaret is looking spectacular in the sunshine.
20:04I don't really know my way around.
20:06Can you point out some of the main things I should be looking out for here?
20:09Over here we've got the harbour arm.
20:11There's some nice little restaurants and galleries on there.
20:15And right on the end there you've got the, you're just about to see the shell lady.
20:18The shell lady?
20:19And that is Mrs. Booth.
20:21So the famous artist, Turner, the godfathers of modern art.
20:26And that's his landlady over there.
20:27And he thought maybe they were having a romantic relationship.
20:31Not an expert.
20:32I've had landladies who couldn't have cared less if I came home at all.
20:35So I have a suspicion.
20:37So there might have been something.
20:39Yeah, I thought that.
20:40Yeah, yeah.
20:40Yeah, I think so.
20:41And he would arrive to Margate by boat.
20:43And apparently she's there looking out to sea, waiting for Turner to come back.
20:46I see.
20:46And he did always come back though.
20:48She wasn't left.
20:48It's not one of those tragic statues where she was there for 45 years waiting for Turner to turn up.
20:52Yeah, she's still there.
20:53She's still there waiting for Turner.
20:56It's a lovely story.
20:57Is this the bay and the beach?
20:59This is a great place.
20:59Yes, we get amazing sunsets here, especially at the weekend.
21:02It's full of people having fish and chips and ice cream, having a bit of a drink.
21:06Thank you, may I say, for one of the smoothest bike rides I've ever had.
21:10Thank you, fella.
21:10Have a good time.
21:11You're a superstar.
21:21One thing that will always bring back happy memories at the seaside is the simple seashell.
21:26And this town takes that to the next level.
21:29Oh my, that's quite a lady.
21:36Quite an outfit.
21:38Wonder if her name's Michelle.
21:41You're welcome.
21:45Margate's subterranean shell grotto, discovered in 1835, is one of the town's great mysteries.
21:51The first thing that you really notice is the temperature difference.
22:01As soon as you come down, it's much, much colder down here.
22:06Oh my goodness.
22:08This is incredible.
22:14Absolutely incredible.
22:15Absolutely incredible.
22:16There's a beautiful light up there, beautiful window up there, that just shines down into what is one of the most extraordinary things that I've ever seen.
22:34And what's really odd is this grotto is just off like a street, like a suburban street in Margate.
22:45And yet there is this treasure under the ground.
22:50There are around 4.6 million shells adorning the walls of the 2,000 square foot grotto.
22:59Someone who knows this magnificent place inside and out is Rob, who's spent the last 15 years restoring the shells.
23:05Do you have any idea of the history of the place?
23:08Apparently two girls, or one girl, fell down the hole that you've just passed up there.
23:12Oh yes, so someone fell down there.
23:14Apparently, yeah.
23:15And discovered this.
23:17Because at the time, it seems strange now because it's obviously built up around here, isn't it?
23:22It was a field, so there was nothing here.
23:24But nobody knows anything else really about it.
23:27There's not records of it, no.
23:29Not this.
23:30I can't hang my washing out without my street knowing about it.
23:33And yet somebody managed to hollow out this entire tunnel, collect millions of shells, stick them all on, go in and out of here for some time.
23:41Yeah.
23:41But nobody knew about it until an unfortunate child fell through a hole.
23:47Exactly.
23:47You can't date the shells.
23:49You can't date the materials.
23:51So it could have been done yesterday.
23:53It could have been done 1,000 years ago or more.
23:54It does have that kind of feel that it was built for a ceremonial purpose.
23:59What do you think?
24:00It does.
24:01And I think, yeah, you're right, because there's lots of symbolism in, obviously, the different panels as to what they are.
24:06There's no crosses?
24:07There's nothing like that?
24:08Nothing in that sort of vein, no.
24:10They're making flowers and patterns out of these, not symbols for something else.
24:16That's a love heart.
24:17It is, yes.
24:17Is that a love heart?
24:18Yes, that is a heart.
24:19There's quite a few hearts.
24:20I remember someone saying a few summers ago, a couple had come over from Canada, and he was convinced that someone had done it for love.
24:28But whatever the experts say, it appears the origins of this seaside treasure will always remain a mystery.
24:35And that's fine with me.
24:37I think, especially in a modern age, all we want is answers.
24:42And sometimes questions are far more interesting.
24:44Oh, yeah.
24:45You can come here and create your own idea of perhaps what this was for.
24:50I think it's love.
24:51I didn't think Margate was going to give me a mystery like this, but I'll be thinking about this for a long time to come.
25:07What I find extraordinary watching that is, in this day and age, we still can't work out why it's there and who put it there.
25:20Absolutely extraordinary.
25:21It is indeed.
25:22Margate is very different, isn't it?
25:24I mean, it may not look it at first sight, but under the surface, it's a very different type of seaside resort.
25:29Literally under the surface.
25:31Well, don't go anywhere because we've still got loads to come.
25:34We rejoin Nick Knowles, discovering his inner ranchero in Mexico.
25:38And Alex Polizzi is in Italy, discovering things about capers you never knew there were to discover.
25:51Hello and welcome back to the Weekend Travel Show.
25:54Thus far, we've been to some cracking destinations close to home and some wonderful ones further afield.
25:59Case in point, our Nick Knowles returning to Mexico.
26:02Indeed.
26:02Well, he is about to saddle up and go full cowboy.
26:05Yee-haw!
26:11What do you think?
26:12Full ranchero outfit.
26:14Well, everything except the boots.
26:15Because it turns out the Mexicans aren't as big as me.
26:17They don't have boots in my size.
26:19I'm literally too big for my boots.
26:22Right, all I need now is a horse.
26:23Vamanos.
26:24I've arranged to go horse riding with the strong but almost silent Jose Luis Carrasco, a local cowboy or vaquero.
26:34We've headed up to his ranch outside the town.
26:38Jose just needs to sort me out with one more must-have accessory.
26:42Hey.
26:42Hey.
26:42Oh-ho, the chaps.
26:47This is the final touch, obviously.
26:49So, this is the first time I've ever worn chaps.
26:52I've been at nightclub that time.
26:55Chaps were developed to protect cowboys' legs against the chaparral, the thorny trees that cover the landscape.
27:06What do you think?
27:07Yeah, I feel the part now.
27:11I feel quite restricted as well, but...
27:15They're all right.
27:15Okay.
27:18Before he allows me near his horse, Jose wants to check out my ropemanship.
27:24One of the key skills of a vaquero is to lasso cattle.
27:29Lasso, as they say.
27:31And he's showing me how to do it now.
27:32Vaquero's legendary lasso work also helped shape American entertainment and would later become the foundation of the first rodeo.
27:43How hard can it be?
27:45So, one, two, three.
27:51Oh!
27:53Everyone gets one miss.
27:55I mean, you know, first time.
27:58But if I'm not going to look like a fool, I've got to get it this time.
28:00Three.
28:02Yeah, I think he's been very generous.
28:16So, I'm an apprentice vaquero.
28:18Okay.
28:20Finally, Jose leads me to my mount.
28:24What's this horse's name?
28:26Revolver.
28:27You're called Revolver?
28:28That's not encouraging.
28:29Okay.
28:32So, let's see how we go, shall we?
28:43This feels so natural in this environment.
28:46And the horse is doing all the work.
28:54What's not to love about this?
28:55This is such a beautiful setting.
29:12Beautiful.
29:12A little bit right.
29:18A little bit left.
29:21That's so easy.
29:22And we're off for a gentle amble in the rocky hills above Creel.
29:35Well, Nick was in his element there, wasn't he?
29:37He was.
29:37He loved every minute of that.
29:38Didn't he embrace the whole thing?
29:39And actually, he was really good at lassoing.
29:41Yeah.
29:42And that's an art form, unlike most of the stuff I tend to do.
29:45If you want more information on horse riding trips, they're like Nick's, then head over
29:49to our website.
29:50And now, there's something that, to me, is a bit more like it.
29:54A spa on an Italian island.
29:56It sounds idyllic.
29:58And who better to take us there than the charming Alex Polizzi.
30:01I've traveled south, to Sicily's northeastern coast, and the tip of Italy's toe, where the
30:13Aeolian islands lie.
30:15The seven remote islands are Italy's best-kept secret, a UNESCO-protected piece of paradise.
30:24The Aeolian islands are kind of the last frontier of Italy.
30:27So few people know or visit here.
30:31Even for Italians, they're pretty unknown, partly because they're so hard to get to.
30:36I often made the long journey here, during my years of living in Rome with my boyfriend
30:41at the time.
30:43It is an effort to get here, but when you do, you are amply repaid.
30:48It's incredibly unspoiled, incredibly beautiful.
30:52You feel like you're coming somewhere incredibly special and somewhere secret and magical.
30:56Some of these islands still remain a mystery to me.
31:01I'm on Salina, very different from the others.
31:06It stays green all year round.
31:09She feels very fertile and very alive, very powerful.
31:14Salina, shaped by two extinct volcanoes, is the only island in the archipelago to have
31:20its own natural freshwater springs.
31:22This, combined with its volcanic soil, makes for exceptional growing conditions.
31:29It's a trait that the island is famous for, and the produce grown here deserves to be explored.
31:36Malvasia is the triumph of Salina, but it's no longer all that the island's prosperity is built upon.
31:45Walkers hiking around the island will notice an abundance of caper trees.
31:50Some say the ones grown here are the best in the world.
31:55The islanders even celebrate the fact each year, with a festival dedicated to this precious little bud.
32:01Agriculture dominates day-to-day life here, and even though it is the second-largest of the Olean Islands,
32:11much of Salina happily still feels untouched by tourism.
32:16But among the vineyards, it is possible to find a glamorous retreat that caters to the more discerning traveler.
32:23In the peaceful village of Malvasia, in the heart of Salina, is Hotel Sinium,
32:30a collection of farmhouses that blends old and new.
32:35It feels as if this hotel perfectly fits the place.
32:39It's quite stark and minimalist without being in any way modernist.
32:45There's lovely terraces, and all of it bleached out by this pretty unforgiving sun.
32:50But aside from the beautiful simplicity of its decor,
32:55the hotel has managed to make use of the island's produce in every conceivable way.
33:01They've also made, with their local capers, a caper body scrub, a face mask, a face serum, and a body lotion.
33:11I'm going to try the face mask.
33:15Never let it be said that I'm not game.
33:18This feels like it's...
33:20This is the real...
33:22It's the real...
33:22It's the real guys.
33:26Also, completely without being able to see what I'm doing.
33:30How do I look?
33:31I feel devastatingly sexy at the moment.
33:33I never, for one moment, imagined I'd be sampling the therapeutic benefits of capers.
33:46How do I look?
33:49Well, my skin feels incredibly soft and doesn't smell too much of capers, so it's all to be good.
33:59But perhaps you need to be a die-hard caper lover to try one of the hotel's signature desserts, caper ice cream.
34:15How do I look?
34:16I'm not sure whether I'm looking forward to this, but I can only give it a go.
34:28Interesting.
34:31Slightly bizarre.
34:32Slightly bizarre.
34:52Capers are an acquired taste.
34:53I don't know.
34:54I've quite acquired enough of a taste to have caper ice cream.
35:03It wasn't quite the spa treatment that I was imagining.
35:06I mean, who knew you could do so much with a caper, but caper ice cream?
35:10Do you think that's a leap too far?
35:12No.
35:13I mean, I do love a caper.
35:15I really do.
35:16I do.
35:17I often put capers in a nice little unctuous midweek supper.
35:21You know, tomato sauce, let it simmer.
35:23No, I'm not into capers.
35:24Put some sardines through it.
35:25It's lovely.
35:26No, not into that.
35:27No, not really, no.
35:28You're not going to wear it.
35:29You're going to eat it.
35:30I know, but you're on holiday, haven't you?
35:31So you've got to give everything a go.
35:32Of course you do.
35:33You absolutely do.
35:34Alex's face there reminded me of Nick Knowles when he was having that corn beer.
35:38I don't think she was sold.
35:39No, she didn't know how to see Elizabeth.
35:41She was sold.
35:42Well, now, don't go anywhere because after the break we've still got one more treat to come.
35:47A visit to Alaska with the amazing Jane MacDonald and dogs.
35:51Lots of dogs.
35:53Ah, sold.
35:54A house is not a home without them.
35:56Exactly.
36:03Welcome back to the final part of the show.
36:04I hope you've managed to wet your whistle with some of the destinations we've shown you this morning.
36:08Anywhere tickled your fancy, Kim?
36:10Oh, lots of places today.
36:12I'm intrigued by a lot of them, yeah.
36:14Yeah, a caper ice cream.
36:16Yeah, probably not that.
36:17Probably not that.
36:18But I do have to say those remote and unspoilt Ionian islands, they did look idyllic, didn't they?
36:23I mean, that is a place to truly escape.
36:25What about you?
36:26I'm still lingering on the grotto in a market.
36:30Yeah.
36:31I just think it's extraordinary in this day and age that we don't know how it came about.
36:35Yeah.
36:36And I really like the sort of magical mystery nature of that, you know?
36:39Yeah.
36:40It was a hidden gem, every pun intended.
36:41Yeah, it was.
36:42It was incredible.
36:43Right.
36:44Well, we still have one more place to visit with our Jane MacDonald.
36:46And after being so unsure about a cold cruise, she's really got into the swing of things.
36:51She's heading somewhere even colder to one of the largest ice fields in the US.
36:56Well, she knows how to pick them.
36:57Oh my god, we're in clouds now.
36:58We're in clouds.
36:59It's the best thing ever.
37:00It's brilliant.
37:01So off to our right, these are the Fennanol Towers, somewhere higher pieces to stick out
37:16of the Juneau Ice Field.
37:19Basically, that ice field is the fifth largest ice field in North America.
37:32This ice field, which covers 1,500 square miles, was first formed over 3,000 years ago.
37:38It is invaluable to scientists studying climate change.
37:41By drilling into it, they can discover how weather patterns have evolved over thousands
37:46of years.
37:47This cruise is just sending some of the best things I've ever done.
37:51Very exciting.
37:52I'm a very lucky singer from Wakefield, that's all I can say.
37:57Wow.
37:59Every day, 12 helicopters ferry a maximum of 200 people up to the glacier for dog sledding
38:05or just the chance to walk here and discover the majesty of these mountains.
38:17Wow.
38:18Just look at this.
38:19Just look at this.
38:20I can't tell you.
38:21And I've been really quite blasé all day thinking, yeah, I'm going dog sledding or whatever
38:30it is.
38:31Yeah.
38:32And then I saw the helicopters coming in and I swear I nearly wet my pants.
38:35I really did.
38:36It's just so exciting.
38:38It's brilliant.
38:39People have been using dogs to pull sleds since around the time the glacier formed.
38:47Nowadays, skidoos are faster and easier to keep.
38:50So most dog camps like this are for tourists like me and to keep the tradition alive.
38:55This camp is 3,300 feet up on the glacier.
38:59The handlers and their dogs, huskies, malamuts and some crossbreeds live and work up here until
39:05winter starts in September or October.
39:08It's not just the working dogs who are here.
39:10There are puppies as well.
39:12Oh, wow.
39:13And Matt, my dog team owner, is going to introduce me to one of them.
39:17Oh, who's this?
39:19This is Eleanor.
39:20Oh, hello.
39:21You hold her like a baby.
39:22Sure.
39:23Is that right?
39:24Hello, babes.
39:25Hey, Eleanor.
39:26Oh, Eleanor.
39:27They're only 12 weeks old.
39:29When will her training start?
39:30We usually don't hook them up to the sled until they're at least eight months old.
39:34Yeah.
39:35Oh, God, she's so gorgeous, Matt.
39:37We really only breed for gorgeous looks.
39:39That's the only thing I'm concerned about.
39:40Is that right?
39:41No.
39:42You do that personally as well?
39:43They just all look so pretty.
39:44It doesn't matter what they look like.
39:46Are you married?
39:47No.
39:48No.
39:49To my dogs, I am.
39:50How many dogs have you got?
39:51I have 42.
39:52You've got 42 dogs?
39:54I think that's why I'm single.
39:55No woman wants to live with a man with 42 dogs.
39:58No woman could compete with 42 dogs, let's be honest.
40:02Oh, Eleanor.
40:03Oh, no.
40:04So this is our team today.
40:07Hello.
40:08This is Black Sabbath.
40:09Oh, hi there.
40:11And this is Motorhead.
40:12Motorhead.
40:13There's a theme here.
40:14I know.
40:15Are you liking that?
40:16We've got the heavy metal band.
40:17And then the crowd pleaser, Mr. Led Zeppelin.
40:19Oh, Mr. Led Zeppelin.
40:21Are you going to take me on the stairway to heaven?
40:23I know.
40:29Ready to go ball pit?
40:30Yeah.
40:31All right, here we go.
40:32All right, here we go.
40:33Three, two, hey!
40:35Oh!
40:38Okay, you're going to have to lean to the left.
40:40Right about here.
40:41Woo!
40:44Dashing through the snow.
40:46Very good.
40:47So they get pretty excited like that.
40:49Yeah, to imagine, yeah.
40:50I like that. I love to go.
40:53Sleds are pulled by teams of up to 16 dogs.
40:56The dogs are paired to work together by personality type.
40:59The older, stronger and more experienced dogs are at the front,
41:03with the younger ones behind watching and learning.
41:06When we approach an option in the trail,
41:08I'll just talk to the lead dogs and tell them which way I want them to go.
41:11They know that? Yep.
41:13Wow. Yeah, I speak dog length.
41:15H-A-W means go to the left and the letters G-E-E mean go to the right.
41:21There you go. All right. G.
41:24Going to the right. There you go.
41:30Ooh. Ooh. Very good, you guys.
41:33Oh, wow.
41:35Well, how was your ride? I loved it.
41:37You liked it? Absolutely loved it.
41:39Thank you so much.
41:40Having the most handsome man in the world just look after me and drive me around.
41:44And then just come and put a blanket on my knees and get me a heater.
41:48On this cold Alaskan adventure, we've got to keep you.
41:51Oh, really? Thank you. Stay warm.
41:53I will, my darling. Thank you very much.
41:55All right.
41:57I think I'm in love. It's gorgeous.
42:02He's too young anyway. Bless him.
42:05Well, Jane was quite taken with Matt, wasn't she?
42:15She wasn't. Can you blame her?
42:17Unfortunately, though, he was married to his dog, so...
42:19Very handsome, though, as Jane, of course, kept noticing.
42:22She did indeed.
42:23Indeed. Well, next week, it's our last episode.
42:27Breaking news.
42:28I know. Bereft.
42:30What will we do?
42:31But listen, as sad as it is, it will be another jam-packed show full of holiday highlights.
42:36Jane McDonald heads into the lush rainforest of St Lucia.
42:39Kim will be trying her hand at acting lessons.
42:41And Nate Knowles is keeping it real in Vietnam.
42:44Alex Polizzi seeks out another hidden gem in Italy.
42:47And it's an emotional encounter for Susan Kalman in Costa Rica.
42:50I look forward to seeing you all then.
43:14Bye.
43:15Bye.
43:16Bye.
43:19Bye.
43:20Bye.
43:21Bye.
43:23Bye.
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