Pilot Productions

In this special edition of Globe Trekker Chinatown, Lavinia Tan, Justine Shapiro and Megan McCormick travel worldwide to explore the magic and mystery of Chinatowns across the globe. Lavinia Tan begins the journey in Malaysia and Singapore where overseas traders led the earliest migrations of Chinese people. The journey continues from there to the United States, where Justine Shapiro visits San Francisco. Megan McCormick explores New York s Lower East Side, home to the largest Chinatown in the Western Hemisphere. After a short trip to London s Soho district, Lavinia Tan ends this journey with a visit to Hong Kong exploring the world famous film industry and the 21st century migration of Chinese back to their homeland.

Tokyo is a fascinating city of extremes, blending the old traditions with visions of the future and an extraordinary pace of life. A shock of skyscrapers and neon, it's a gleaming example of Japan's post World War II success. Traveller Ian Wright begins his stay by experiencing the spiritual side of Tokyo at the peace loving Senso-ji temple. After a gentle introduction he throws himself into the pace of the city and discovers some incredible technology and fashion! He then heads to Mount Fuji for a crowded climb to the summit, before ending his trip experiencing the infamous Tokyo nightlife.

In this ultimate guide to Scandinavia travelers Megan McCormick, Ian Wright and Neil Gibson explore Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Lapland, Finland and the Baltic States. From enjoying a traditional Viking festival to crossing the Arctic Circle into Lapland for dinner with reindeer herders to a visit to the capital of Lithuania, Vilinus, and the Midsummer Night Festival in Kernave, these hosts will introduce the viewer to a variety of sites and attractions during their Scandinavian tour.

In this remarkable journey, Planet Food travels the world to see how control of the spice trails, over the last five millennia, has made great cities and destroyed ancient civilizations. Our guides travel from the Molucca Islands of Indonesia, the original home of cloves and nutmeg, to the Indian province of Kerala, with its native pepper and cardamom. Additional stops include Venice, Beirut, Cairo and other significant places in the spice trade that created and toppled empires.

For centuries, the ports of Lebanon dominated the trade routes between Europe, the Middle East, China and India. In this documentary, our intrepid gastronaut Merrilees Parker finds a world of heavily spiced lamb, cooling salads, deliciously strong wines from and sweet pastries filled with pistachios and honey.

Beirut, Lebanon's capital has a long history of political and social unrest that still makes headlines today. Globe Trekker's Beirut City Guide captures the city in more optimistic days, two weeks before the latest outbreak of hostilities in Lebanon between Israeli and Hezbollah forces in July 2006. Globe Trekker Megan McCormick explores the neighborhoods of Basta, Solidere, Gemayze and the Hezbollah District and finds a city in the midst of regeneration. She gets a glimpse at Beirut's future when meeting up with a group of young Arabic hip hop artists, who are eager to live in peace and put the country's political troubles in the past.

Roving foodies Angela May and Bobby Chinn embark on two culinary journeys across Asia. Angela travels to the western coast of India to sample the cuisine and culture of the thriving melting pot that is Goa. Meanwhile, Bobby travels to Manila where he discovers a passionate and humorous people, and their love of food.

The Venetian and Ottoman empires competed for centuries over the island of Crete - a power struggle that has continuing repercussions today.

Discovered in Africa in the Middle Ages, coffee spread around the globe, taking on many different forms ranging from murky concoction to artisan brew.

COVID-19 is far from the first pandemic to wreak havoc in the world. A long line of infectious diseases have devastated and in some cases destroyed entire societies. This documentary examines the causes of epidemics. It also sheds a light on the impact infectious diseases have had on politics and societal change. Today, the world is facing COVID-19. Measures such as quarantine and lockdowns are being rolled out in an effort to control the spread of the virus; and some are questioning how effective they are. Over the centuries, scientists managed to develop treatments and medicines to help control or even eradicate infectious diseases. Virologists are facing that task again with the coronavirus, as the world frantically searches for ways to overcome a pandemic which threatens our modern way of life.

The Golden Kingdom of Thailand is home to some of the most pungent and spicy fresh ingredients in the world. Regarded as the world's fourth most popular cuisine, Thailand is valued for its low fat content and health enhancing properties. Join Merrilees as she visits paddy fields and aircraft-hangar sized rice barges, shops in the floating markets of Bangkok and the night market in Chiang Mai and discovers beautiful fresh fruit and the notoriously smelly durian fruit.

Join Megan McCormick on a journey of discovery across Japan's spectacular heartland starting in Japan's beautiful former capital Kyoto. She explores Buddhist temples, World Heritage Sites, and bargains at the city's best flea market. She then travels to Osaka, and Iga-Ueno, a former ninja stronghold, where she learns the secrets of these famously skilled assailants. She also visits the remote Sado Island and Himeji.

Hong Kong and Taiwan are 2 islands inextricably linked by their huge neighbour. Modern metropolises full of eastern traditions, they're forging forward in the 21st century as China's little dragons. Traveller Megan McCormick begins her journey in Hong Kong, looking out at the incredible skyline from Victoria Peak. She then takes in the contrasts of the city before taking the ferry visit Tap Mum Chau and Lantau Island. After a flight to Taiwan she explores the capital Taipei, ending her trip with a visit to its most remote outpost - Orchid Island.

Sweden and Denmark are as much renowned for their Viking warriors as they for the Midnight Sun and, long, cold, dark winters. From the dregs of Viking feasts, to the finest restaurants in Copenhagen, these 2 countries have evolved a totally unique cuisine. In this exciting documentary with roving chef Merrilees Parker, she travels to Scandinavia to find out if there's more on the menu than smorgasbord and smelly fish. In Sweden she enjoys the Midsummer festival, tries some aquavit and samples some sausages. Across the border she tries Danish pastry, tours the Carlsberg factory and watches herring being fermented and smoked.

Malaysia's multiculturalism is unrivaled throughout Southeast Asia and is reflected in its cuisine. Roving foodie Merrilees Parker begins her journey on the Malaysian peninsula with the native Orang Asli people of Kelantan She then heads off to the stunning Islamic East coast to cook a rich curry using freshly caught mackerel. In the ancient spice capital of Melaka, Merrilees cooks up a storm with fiery Laksa soup in the style of the Nyonya. In the Cameron Highlands, 5,000 feet above sea level, there is a notable English influence. The island of Penang is Merilees' next stop then she visits the capital, Kuala Lumpur, one of the fastest growing cities in Southeast Asia.

The road is a perilous place, in part because there are so many jerks behind the wheel. As the narrator informs us, "Do anything you can to rid yourself of schoolboy competitiveness...driving in today's traffic is not for children. Fortunately, even the most infantile personalities among drivers are being cured of an inclination to view being passed as a challenge to their imaginary superiority." Alas, there remain plenty of hotshots, blind spots and other dangers that this live action educational short from the National Safety Council and Pilot Productions duly illustrates, then instructs us how to avoid them. - Dennis Harvey