Somewhere Street

This is Andalusia, in southern Spain. Midway up the mountain is the village of Mijas. The walls of the buildings were whitewashed in order to fend off the powerful rays of the sun, making it one of Andalusian's traditional "white villages." During the 1960's the walls were whitewashed with lime in order to protect the city from the harsh sunlight and disease, as well as to attract tourists. The whole town highlights the beauty of the white walls by cleaning them daily and growing colorful flowers. Due to these efforts, Mijas is now visited by tourists from around the world seeking to enjoy this spectacular "white village."

Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay is located in the middle of South America. Established during the 16th century by Spaniards who had traveled across the Atlantic Ocean, the city proved to be a convenient and strategic base for colonial development. Rather than fighting with the Spaniards, the indigenous Guarani chose to protect their bloodline by entering into alliances and intermarriage with the conquerors. Thus the Guarani culture is still a vital part of life in Asuncion today. In this episode we explore Asuncion and meet its residents who love their traditions and their distinctive culture.

A popular tourist destination, Naha is the capital of Okinawa Prefecture and the gateway to its southern islands. Kokusai Street which is a sightseer favorite, Sakaemachi Market with its post-war reconstruction atmosphere, and Shurijo Castle, the palace of the former Ryukyu Kingdom are featured on the tour. We also meet craftsmen carrying on the tradition of Tsuboyayaki pottery, a distiller of the famous Okinawan liquor Awamori, children practicing martial arts, and a sanshin musician. The program explores the supportive lifestyle in a community that embraces and encourages international cultural exchange.

The capital of Tonga, which is the only kingdom in the South Pacific is Nuku'alofa. During the 17th century in the Age of Discovery, Tonga was visited by a number of European explorers and missionaries. The people of Tonga extended a warm welcome to them, and the country became known as the "friendly islands." Today, almost all people in Tonga are Christians. In the 19th century, even though the islands of the South Pacific were colonized by the Great Powers of Europe, Tonga manage to retain its independence. Nuku'alofa means "abode of love" in Tongan and is home to approximately 35,000 people.

The coastal California city of Santa Barbara is touted to be one of the state's most popular beach resorts. Established by Spanish missionaries in the late 18th century when they built the Mission Santa Barbara, whose graceful beauty has earned it the name of "Queen of the Missions." They set up a Spanish town and preached Christianity to the indigenous Chumash people. After a period under Mexican rule, Santa Barbara was annexed to the United States in 1848. The California sun, the ocean, the Spanish style townscape ... and all the spirited and freewheeling people who love this city.

Vigan, a city on the western coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, became a World Heritage Site in 1999. The Spanish established the city as a trading port when the Philippines was a Spanish colony. It's distinctive building styles incorporate the influence of Spain, the Philippines, and China. Similar neighborhoods were built across the country -- in Manila, Cebu, and so on, however, almost all of that architecture was destroyed during the World War II. Only Vigan survived intact. Its Spanish colonial era preserved the townscape attracts visitors from all over the world.

Palermo, a city located on the island of Sicily in Italy, has been a flourishing port town on the Mediterranean Sea for hundreds of years. Positioned at the crossroads between Europe and Africa, it is a city with a diverse multi-ethnic background and history. Due to its changing cultures and shifting allegiances, it has been called "The Most Conquered City in the World." Throughout its history, Palermo has always welcomed cultural diversity and encouraged co-existence, which is why this city is considered to be one of the most magnificent places in the world.

Asakusa, an area of Tokyo with a long history, is still brimming with tradition. It's a popular tourist spot with Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, Sensoji, drawing over 30 million visitors a year. And just across the river is the TOKYO SKYTREE, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest tower in the world. There are so many different facets of Asakusa to explore. And it is one of the few neighborhoods, where you still may spot a geisha while you enjoy the sights. Asakusa cherishes its history and culture as well as welcoming innovation. It's a city with a wonderfully warm heart!

During the 16th century the small fishing village of Macao developed into a trading hub under the governance of the Portuguese. Goods flowed between Europe, China, and Japan making it into an enormously wealthy city. Traces of that era are still found all over the city. In 1999, after being governed by the Portuguese for over 400 years, Macao became Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. China chose to focus on developing casino gaming/tourist trade, which proved to be quite lucrative. Macao surpassed Las Vegas and is now the largest gambling center in the world.

At the base of Tian Shan mountains, in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, is the city of Almaty. Originally, Almaty was a small village on the edge of a broad plain. The people living here were Kazakhs. The Kazakhs kept sheep and camels, and led a nomadic life. Major changes came in the mid-19th century. The Russian Empire claimed this as its territory, and many Russian settlers came. They laid out streets in a grid, and built a modern city. Almaty is known for its rich greenery. It's also called a "garden city."

The city we visit this time, Johor Bahru in Malaysia is a major economic center. Situated along the Johor Straits, just across from Singapore, the city is located at the southernmost tip of the Malay Peninsula. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic nation with a population consisting of Malays, Chinese, and Indians. It is a harmonious society with each group retaining their distinct language, religion, and culture.

Samarkand, the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Central Asia, is known as the "blue city" due to its many beautiful blue buildings. Positioned at a center point of the Silk Road, the oasis city of Samarkand prospered as a crossroads for Eastern and Western cultures. In 1220 Genghis Khan and his armies conquered the area, killing three-fourths of the city's residents and reducing much of its historic architecture to ruins. In the 14th century, Amir Timur established the Timurid Empire. He designated the city as the empire's capital, populating it with great craftsmen and artists to rebuild the city.

Located in southern Germany, Stuttgart is one of the country's largest producers of wine. One of the world's most famous automobile manufactures is also headquartered here in Stuttgart. Stuttgart has a lot of hills. The houses are built on slopes. The steps connect the city and the people.

Lisboa/Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and is known as the City of Seven Hills. During the Age of Discovery many Portuguese global expeditions embarked on their journeys from here. It was around that time that the traditional music "fado," which means fate in Portuguese, was born in Lisboa. Sung with "saudade," a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for someone or something absent, "fado" was first performed as a diversion in the bars and on the streets where it gained popularity with the masses.