2409, 2012

Tulsa, Oklahoma at Night

Sandy Kovach
667

Tusla made its name as an oil town, but in recent years it has transitioned to a service-based economy, emphasizing cultural attractions. The city is notable for its large concentration of art deco architecture. One of the most prominent examples is the Philtower Building, which was completed in 1928 and has a pyramidal roof that can be seen illuminated in this video. Marion Meadows is a smooth jazz saxophonist and composer. Skilled with both the tenor and soprano saxophones, Meadows has collaborated with jazz and pop greats including Bob James, The Temptations, and Michael Bolton. He has also released solo albums since 1990. Links Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau The Philtower Building Wikipedia article: Tulsa, Oklahoma

2109, 2012

Auckland, New Zealand (Albert Park)

Sandy Kovach, World Cities & Harbors
708

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 New Zealand’s capital, Auckland, is one of the most scenic large cities in the world. Surrounded by beautiful harbors, lush volcanic hills, and even a rainforest, the city also has beauty within its limits. Striking architecture is everywhere, framed by city parks that provide attractive relaxation spaces. This eScapes scene takes you to Auckland’s Albert Park, adjacent to downtown. A notable feature here is the bronze statue of Queen Victoria, erected in 1899. Looking towards the city, the impressive Sky Tower can be seen towering above the skyline, from

1309, 2012

Poda Island, Thailand

Tropical Beaches
633

Watch a full HD version of this single song sample episode on the eScapes’ XUMO Lifestyle Channel # 452 Thailand’s Krabi province is known for its great natural beauty and nicknamed “The Emerald of the Andaman,” but it’s most relaxing spot may be Poda Island. Located about five miles from the Thai mainland and the popular tourist resort town of Ao Nang, Poda Island (or Koh Poda in Thai) is a filled with lush forests and surrounded by white sand beaches. The most distinctive feature of the small island is the improbable limestone formation protruding from the nearby sea, featured in this video. Another interesting sight on Koh Poda, and throughout the rest of Thailand, is

1009, 2012

Saint Jean de Cole, France

World Cities & Harbors
628

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 Surrounded by lush hills and filled with historic architecture, the village of St. Jean de Cole is widely appreciated as one of the most beautiful in France. While the village holds many quaint restaurants, hotels, shops, schools, and offices, its standout buildings, seen in this eScapes video, are the Chateau de la Marthonie and the medieval church of St. Jean Baptiste. With such beautiful scenery and a population of only about 350 people, Saint Jean de Cole is a great destination for a relaxing getaway. Gregg Karukas is a

0609, 2012

The Pyramids of Giza

Watch a full HD version of this single song sample episode on the eScapes’ XUMO Lifestyle Channel # 452 Few sites in the world are as revered as the pyramids of the Giza Necropolis. These timeless structures seem to simultaneously defy time and logic and they stand in the shifting Egyptian sands. The oldest and largest pyramid at the site, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, was built more than 4,500 years ago and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3,871 of those years, until the completion of England’s Lincoln Cathedral in 1311 AD. It is also the only surviving destination from the original Seven Wonders of the World. Just as famous in modern

0309, 2012

Gstaad, Switzerland

Scenic Earth, World Cities & Harbors
656

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 One look at the Swiss town of Gstaad leaves no question why the area is known for its many ski resorts. Though the town itself is small and only lightly populated, the surrounding mountains provide plenty of dramatic views, dozens of hiking trails, and clean white slopes for the area’s most famous pastime. In addition to skiing, Gstaad is also known as a relaxing getaway for the rich and famous. Countless celebrities have lived or kept homes in the hills around the village, and plenty of expensive boutiques cater

3008, 2012

Chester, England

World Cities & Harbors
690

Founded as a Roman fort in the first century, Chester, England now blends its historic atmosphere with modern attractions and luxuries. Nicknamed “the walled city” for the two miles of stone walls around it, Chester has made a conscious effort to preserve its heritage. History is reflected around every turn: in medieval buildings and cathedrals and in street names like “Eastgate” and “Foregate” that hark back to the city’s origins. A relatively recent addition to the city is the Eastgate Clock, built in 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The second-most photographed clock in the United Kingdom (after Big Ben), the clock is a tourist attraction and a worthy complement to the Victorian-era timber-frame buildings

2708, 2012

Dallas, Texas

American Cities
494

Founded in 1841, Dallas, Texas has a tradition of entrepreneurs and big business. The first western settler, John Neely Bryan, chose the Dallas area as a spot for a trading post, selling to American Indians and other settlers. Later, farming, ranching, and oil industries swelled the town’s population through the early part of the 20th century. Today, Dallas is a business capital with an emphasis on banking, communications, technology, health care, and logistics. Two of the world’s most profitable companies, AT&T and Exxon Mobil, are headquartered in the city. This eScapes scene features a look at the Dallas skyline and views from downtown’s Dealey Plaza. Though best known for its notorious connection to the 1963 assassination

<i>Lee A. Tregurtha</i> on Detroit River

2308, 2012

Lee A. Tregurtha on Detroit River

Shipwatching
467

In addition to their loads, many Great Lakes freighters carry with them a small part of history, but few have as much history behind them as the ship now known as the Lee A. Tregurtha. Originally planned as the oil tanker Mobiloil, the onset on World War II prompted the U.S. Maritime Commission to take over the ship’s construction and it was soon commissioned into the U.S. Navy under the name USS Chiwawa. From 1942 through 1944, the Chiwawa served in the Atlantic Fleet, refueling vessels along the East Coast and sailing on convoys across the ocean. Eventually it joined the Pacific Fleet for the final months of the war and was decommissioned in May 1946.

2008, 2012

Skagway, Alaska

Scenic Earth
724

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