1608, 2012

Miami, Florida

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 A tropical metropolis set beside the Atlantic Ocean, Miami is a destination for anyone looking for sunshine, entertainment, and culture. A quickly growing city with one of the most impressive skylines in the United States, Miami’s location has been instrumental to its success. With an ocean on one side of the city, and rich natural spaces on the other, Florida offers residents and visitors the best of urban and natural wonder. Miami is also home to great cultural diversity, particularly from Latin American immigrants. The mix of cultures in

0908, 2012

Copper Harbor, Michigan

Scenic Earth
621

Situated at the northernmost tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Copper Harbor is a destination for anyone seeking great scenery and outdoor recreation, year-round. Settled as a successful copper mining town in the mid-1800s, Copper Harbor is home to the oldest lighthouse on Lake Superior, Copper Harbor Light, built in 1848. The harbor itself is also significant for its ferry route to Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park, an island 50 miles away. This eScapes video features a scenic view from a vantage point atop nearby Brockway Mountain. Here, sightseers can absorb a panoramic view of the harbor, the surrounding forests, and the buildings of downtown. Brian Hughes is a contemporary jazz guitarist. He has released several albums

0208, 2012

The Toledo Zoo Aviary

Scenic Earth
654

Founded in 1900, when its only exhibit was a single woodchuck, Ohio’s Toledo Zoo has come a long way to become a nationally recognized institution. Now home to over 9,000 animals from over 800 species, the Toledo Zoo not only promotes family fun, but the conservation of the natural world. One of the oldest buildings at the Toledo Zoo, built during the Depression-era Works Progress Administration, is the award-winning Aviary. The Aviary was remodeled in 1998 to include walk-through exhibits and new interpretive areas, some of which can be seen in this eScapes video. Joe McBride is a smooth jazz pianist and singer. A Missouri native, McBride released his debut album in 1992 and has also

3107, 2012

Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park

Scenic Earth
573

The most accessible mountain area in Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge offers spectacular views of the park and numerous hiking opportunities. Miles of forested land, rugged mountains, wildlife, and wildflower meadows greet park visitors year-round. Named “Hurricane Ridge” for its frequent strong wind gusts (over 75 miles an hour), this location receives up to 35 feet of snow each year. The weight of this snow discourages tree growth along much of the ridge, creating open meadows and bare slopes like those seen in this sample video. During the winter, the road to Hurricane Ridge mostly remains open, though often threatened by the risk of avalanches. Ski and snowshoe rental is offered at the ridge’s visitor center.

2607, 2012

Dubai (Skyscrapers & Skyline)

World Cities & Harbors
593

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

2407, 2012

Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego

Scenic Earth
608

One of three passages past South America between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Beagle Channel is surrounded on both sides by remarkable scenery. It was here that Charles Darwin first saw glaciers while accompanying the channel’s namesake, the HMS Beagle, on a hydrological survey of the Tierra del Fuego region. Glaciers can still be spotted along the channel to this day, and though the channel is narrow, smaller boats including excursion cruises can maneuver the waters with ease. They also need not be as cautious as the Beagle was on its voyage: though a survey barque with no military objective, the 19th-century ship was equipped with six cannons. Brian Hughes is a contemporary jazz guitarist.

1707, 2012

Lucerne, Switzerland

World Cities & Harbors
486

Lucerne is one of Switzerland’s largest cities and most popular tourist destinations. Centered in the center of the country on the Reuss River, Lucerne is known for the Chapel Bridge, a wooden footbridge built in 1333. Unfortunately, much of the bridge has been reconstructed since 1993, when it was gutted by a fire alleged to have started from a discarded cigarette. This eScapes scene brings you an afternoon view of the Chapel Bridge and its Water Tower, a building that houses dozens of paintings that recall events from Lucerne’s history. In centuries past, it was also used as a treasury, library, prison, and torture chamber. Also featured in this video is Lucerne’s Jesuit Church, another famous

0607, 2012

Bangkok, Thailand (Chao Phraya River)

World Cities & Harbors
553

Like most great cities, Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, is situated on a great river: the Chao Phraya, which runs 231 miles from the center of the country into the Gulf of Thailand. On a typical afternoon, the waters of the Chao Phraya are bustling with boat traffic. Ferries, river buses, and traditional longtail water taxis connect the two sides of Bangkok while freight barges move cargo up and down the river. The banks of the Chao Phraya are home to relatively sparse but impressive skyscrapers. Prominently featured in this eScapes video are the three towers of the Chatrium Riverside hotel and residence, where a 1248-square-foot condominium sells for about $300,000. The towers are part of a recent

0106, 2012

Umhlanga Beach, South Africa

Tropical Beaches
604

For eScapes’ 1000th produced episode, we take you to Umhlanga Beach, one of the most popular beaches on the South African coast. Here, a beautiful beach lends itself to fishing, swimming, and surfing, while nearby hotels, restaurants, and attractions offer even more reasons to visit. Whale- and dolphin-watching excursions often launch from Uhmlanga while freighters pass in the distance. The beach’s lighthouse, featured in this video, was built in 1954 and has become an icon of the beach and harbor. Administered by a nearby hotel, the lighthouse has never had a traditional lighthouse keeper. The word “Umhlanga” means “Place of Reeds” in the Zulu language. The sound of the “hl” is similar to the Welsh “ll”

1505, 2012

Karukinka Natural Park, Chile

Scenic Earth
531

On the Chilean part of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago lies the Karukinka Natural Park, offering more than 700,000 acres of untouched wilderness. The park’s private ownership and relative inaccessibility, along with proactive conservation efforts, have kept this area a pristine and therapeutic getaway for nature enthusiasts. The careful stewardship of this land is especially noteworthy given its history. When an American company bought the land in the 1990s, it was for logging purposes. After those plans were spoiled by environmental group opposition, the land was bundled with other assets and sold to investment giant Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs eventually donated the land to the Wildlife Conservation Society, a New York-based nonprofit. This eScapes video shows