Burt Wolf: Travels and Traditions

The biggest technical breakthrough in human history was figuring out how to grow our own food. The second may be writing. The Zapotecs of Mexico appear to be the only society that, on their own, developed both. Burt visits their city of Oaxaca, tours their ancient settlements, learns about their crafts, and explains their food. We also see the oldest tree in the world and visit the most elaborate Baroque church in the New World.

By the time the California gold rush of 1849 was over, Sacramento Valley, where it all started, had become one of the world's great agricultural centers. Burt takes us to a walnut grove to see some of the most ecologically advanced farming, tours the state capital, explains how the citizens of Sacramento tricked the legislators into moving there, and discovers why Nancy Reagan refused to live in the governor's mansion.

Sonoma, California was the most northerly mission in the Spanish Mission system and the place where the United States took control of California from Mexico. Burt tours the county, explains its history and takes viewers to some of the area's most interesting sights, including the home of the garden wizard of North America, the redwood forest, the Russian River kayaking course, and the Jim Russell NASCAR drivers school. We get an overview of the area from a 1940 vintage biplane.

Within 5 years of the initial strike, over 50 billion dollars worth of gold was taken out of the hills near Sacramento, California. Burt takes us to the exact spot where the gold was found and explains how that gold funded The War Between the States, built the transcontinental railroad, and brought California into the Union. We tour Old Sacramento, visit the only remaining rural Chinese village in the United States, and find out why The Pony Express only lasted 18 months.

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and a major cultural center. Burt tours the town, explains its history, visits its great chocolate shops, stops in to dine at its famous restaurants, and discovers how one of Europe's worst storms resulted in the creation of 1,000 works of art. We watch the design and construction of the world's most complex clock, scoot around town with the inventor of the modern micro-scooter, and eat in a restaurant that has absolutely no light.

The Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina, is the largest private home in the United States. It was built by George Vanderbilt, the grandson of the wealthiest man in the world. We tour the estate with Burt and see how they prepare for Biltmore's Christmas celebration. From Santa Claus and Eggnog to Wreaths and Poinsettias, Burt explains what became part of our Christmas tradition and why.

Burt returns to The Biltmore Estate for the second part of his investigation into our Christmas traditions. Why do we have Christmas Trees and why are they covered with electric lights? Who introduced the glass tree ornament and why? How did we get into the habit of wrapping our presents and what do they really symbolize? These and dozens of other Christmas customs are explained in this fascinating and surprising program.

Columbus visited these islands during his second voyage and thought they were so beautiful that he named them after the 11,000 virgins of Saint Ursula. Burt tours the three major islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, explains why they are the freest free ports in the Caribbean, what to buy, what to eat, why Bluebeard's beard was blue, what are the advantages of a yacht charter vacation, what it's like to take a guided tour of a coral reef in a diver's helmet, and how to have a virtual wedding on the internet.

As Burt guides us through The Lake Geneva Region of Switzerland we visit the top of one of Europe's highest glaciers, tour the Castle of Chillon_home of the Dukes of Savoy, and meet the only town crier still working in Switzerland. We also stop into a shop that reproduces Charlie Chaplin's shoes in chocolate, and discover the village that saved the music box.

Burt takes us through Geneva, Switzerland, explaining the key role that the city played in the protestant reformation, how it became the watch-making center of the world and why it is the home of the United Nations. We discover how the International Red Cross got started, take a paddle wheel boat along the lakeside to look at the homes of some of the wealthiest people in the world and discover the rules for fondue eating.

The Italian speaking Ticino is the most southerly part of Switzerland and one of the most beautiful parts of Europe. Burt takes viewers on a helicopter tour of the ancient castles, visits a 1000 year old mystic church, rides the Centrovalli railroad into mountain villages that have become national treasures, presents the traditional foods of the region, tours the open markets, and guides us through the towns of Gandria, Locarno, Lugano, and Ascona.

Burt takes us to a 500-year-old divorce court, a 2000-year-old Roman kitchen, and a ferry that offers travelers a short course in philosophy as they cross the Rhine River. We take a look at Basil's carnival, learn why cookies are sold in tins, see how paper was first made and discover why calligraphy survived the invention of the printing press and the computer.

Burt shows us where, how and why Sherlock Homes died at the height of his fame, takes a look at the most representative government in the world, visits the home of the wool-covered pigs, and discovers why some Swiss farmers painted fake windows on their homes. Burt also stops into a restaurant that has been in the same family for over 600 years and has over 600 corkscrews to open your wine.

Burt takes us on a helicopter tour of Switzerland's most beautiful Alpine peaks, discovers why glaciers form and why the earth will get warmer during the next four decades, no matter what. We ride the highest cogwheel railroad in Europe, go to the top of the Matterhorn and find out why people started climbing mountains in the first place, meet the dogs of St. Bernard, watch the championship battle of the fighting cows and hear the oldest playable organ in the world. We also get an introduction to the traditional foods and wines of the area.

Burt finds out how avalanches are predicted, and takes us for a safe ride on the Bernina Express -one of the world's 10 best train trips. We learn the secrets of yodeling, cross the most dangerous mountain pass in the Alps, walk through the untouched forests of the Swiss National Park and tour St. Moritz-the original Alpine winter resort. Burt also visits one of the area's finest restaurants and gets the recipes for their most famous dishes.