2008, 2012

Skagway, Alaska

Scenic Earth
750

Nicknamed the “Gateway to the Klondike,” Skagway, Alaska, was a gold rush boomtown at the end of the 19th century, after gold was found in the Yukon Territory. Situated at the head of a convenient path to the region, the town became Alaska’s first incorporated city and saw thousands of prospectors passing through on their journeys. The famous Jack London novel The Call of the Wild is set in Skagway at this time. Since the end of the gold rush, the population of Skagway has dwindled to less than a thousand, but the area retains a healthy tourism economy based on the town’s history and its cruise ship port, which accounts for three quarters of its

2607, 2012

Dubai (Skyscrapers & Skyline)

World Cities & Harbors
620

Full version of the single song episodes featured here, in our Media Library showcase, are available to watch free on the eScapes’ XUMO Lifestyle Channel # 452 Rich from oil, shipping, and banking revenues, the city of Dubai has entered the 21st century as a Middle Eastern boomtown. Tourism and real estate development are now major sectors of Dubai’s economy. Although development has slowed in the wake of the global financial crisis, at one time the city was estimated to have up to a quarter of the entire world’s construction cranes. Dubai is now a vertical metropolis filled with impressive modern skyscrapers, including the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, which opened in 2010. The ubiquity

1904, 2012

Bondi Beach, Australia

Tropical Beaches
724

Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi, is located just 7 kilometers (about 4 miles) from downtown Sydney in the state of New South Wales. A public beach since the last 19th century, Bondi’s kilometer-long shoreline offers opportunities for surfing, swimming, and simple relaxation on the beach. The southern end of the beach, with more hazardous waves, is reserved for surfboarding and is also the home of the Bondi Iceberg Swimming Club and its famous tidal swimming pools. Peter White is an English smooth jazz guitarist who played with several artists, including a 20-year span as accompanist and writer for Al Stewart, before launching a solo career in 1990. With several Top 10 jazz albums under his belt,

0304, 2012

Alpena on St. Marys River

Shipwatching
461

The Great Lakes freighter Alpena was launched as the Leon Fraser in 1942, carrying iron ore across the Great Lakes. In 1989, the ship was converted to a self-unloading cement carrier and shortly afterward was renamed the Alpena, after the hometown of its fleet, Inland Lakes Transportation. In this eScapes video, the 519-foot Alpena moves downbound the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie. The waterfront buildings and distant wind turbines of Ontario can be seen in the background. Peter White is an English smooth jazz guitarist who played with several artists, including a 20-year span as accompanist and writer for Al Stewart, before launching a solo career in 1990. With several Top 10 jazz albums

2909, 2011

Long Beach, California (Rainbow Harbor)

Long Beach, California, just south of Los Angeles, is named for the five miles of beaches that run along its coast. Very much a marine city, Long Beach is the second-busiest seaport in the United States, a popular cruise ship port (and home port to Carnival Cruise Lines) and offers thousands of marina slips, a strong fishing culture, and was the site of a naval shipyard for 55 years. Visitors can even spend on the night on a historic ocean liner: the RMS Queen Mary, now converted to a hotel. This eScapes video features a nighttime panorama of the Long Beach waterfront, starting at the colorfully-lit Queensway Bridge and spanning the entire skyline, including the Pike

2708, 2011

Algorail at Port of Milwaukee

Shipwatching
451

The self-unloading freighter Algorail has served the Algoma Central Corporation on the Great Lakes since its construction in 1968, and is managed by its partner, Seaway Marine Transport. This is the second vessel to bear the Algorail name. The first, known as William S. Mack before Algoma purchased it, was scrapped in 1963. In this video, the current Algorail departs the Port of Milwaukee, past the Milwaukee Breakwater Light in Lake Michigan. Peter White is an English smooth jazz guitarist who played with several artists, including a 20-year span as accompanist and writer for Al Stewart, before launching a solo career in 1990. With several Top 10 jazz albums under his belt, White is a frequent

2508, 2011

Istanbul, Turkey

World Cities & Harbors
477

Built around the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul uniquely sits on two continents– Europe and Asia. This location, at the nexus of various cultures and trade routes, has had a great impact on the city’s history. Originally a Greek city, it was conquered by the Romans, who sought to make a “new Rome” on its desirable location. It was then conquered by the Ottoman Empire, who held it until the end of World War I. Today, Istanbul is the largest city in the independent republic of Turkey, but its frequent changes in ownership have made a lasting impression on its architecture. For example, the prominent Hagia Sophia– once the largest cathedral in the world– was built as an

2207, 2011

Puno, Peru (Floating Islands)

Scenic Earth, World Cities & Harbors
452

The Puno region of Lake Titicaca in Peru has been home to the Uros people since before the Inca empire. The Uros people are known for their unique floating islands. For hundreds of years, this culture has made its home on artificial islands made from interwoven reeds from the lake. Traditionally an isolated hunting and fishing society, the Uros have in modern times expanded to the mainland, and have found new sources of income in the tourism focused around their islands. Peter White is an English smooth jazz guitarist who played with several artists, including a 20-year span as accompanist and writer for Al Stewart, before launching a solo career in 1990. With several Top 10

1907, 2011

Kansas City Rainstorm

American Cities
474

Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri and a state economic and cultural capital. This is reflected in the buildings of the downtown area. Prominent in the cityscape and featured in this eScapes video are the oblong headquarters of H&R Block and the historic Mainstreet Theater. Kansas City sits at the edge of the “Tornado Alley” of the United States. Though tornadoes in the city have been uncommon, it often experiences severe weather such as ice storms and flooding. However, less extreme storms like the one in this scene provide beautiful views of glistening city streets and dazzling lightning displays. Peter White is an English smooth jazz guitarist who played with several artists, including a