South America's Most Stunning Environments | Somewhere On Earth Marathon

[Music] [Music] pagonia a vast harsh mineral land on the southernmost tip of South America where man always seems smaller than elsewhere the Highway 40 luta quarenta is a mythical route that follows the cordier of the Andes in the Argentine part of pagonia this is where our first meeting will take place with Lorenzo who will take us to discover the fascinating life of one of the largest birds in the world the Condor then after air there's water Haw will take us to some of the Region's most beautiful Rivers this man has elevated fly fishing to a philosophical discipline he catches trout just for the pleasure of seeing an swim away free Patagonia is also GAO country Manuel works for a ranch and all year round he tends the livestock Manuel has chosen to live in these Wide Open Spaces far from everything I love this vast Open Country in town you can't see anything I'm from here and I know that the pompus is where I belong Patagonia is a kind of challenge thrown out by Nature her way of showing us just what she is capable of conjuring up in order to impress us here we have the breathtaking Alchemy of grandio Landscapes Patagonia the mere name rings out like a call to far off lands this vast territory was for a long time on the sidelines of the major wav of immigration then when the young nation of America put limits on the influx towards the new world the more intrepid immigrants headed south to try their luck in this land so full of emptiness many families came over from Europe attracted by this virgin land of opportunity this new Far [Music] West what were those Pioneers searching for a new life Fortune perhaps or maybe a new identity many Outlaws on the run from the United States found refuge in these forgotten lands Patagonia end of the line of the new world this is where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and their sister in Flight Etha Place lived for several years safe from the bounty [Music] [Applause] [Music] hunters in cholila the only thing left is Butch Cassidy's abandoned house in 1901 he bought 1500 acres of land with the loop from one of his robberies and built the house that still [Music] standing the GAO of Argentina is a largely solitary figure he is the ultimate Voyager spends his life in the saddle breaking horses hering cattle geling the Sheep this is where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid came and mingled in with these men in black Berets their faithful dogs but when the bounty hunters got wind of their whereabouts the famous gangsters had to take off once again and that's when we lost sight of them for good now a century later the Patagonian wind has swept away the memories of those Gringos but Patagonia still retains its special [Music] attraction I think that's an interesting thing this one piece will make 52 layers watch on mobile devices or the big screen all for free no subscription or fire even today those who choose to settle here are seeking a new life New Horizons a much sought after Solitude and a determination to battle it out with the elements it's November in barilo spring in the southern hemisphere the cold violent wind the famous Pomo never lets up the wind is the background music of Patagonia the original inhabitant of this land for Lorenzo moving here to this harsh but very authentic land Breathe new life into his existence here he enjoys true Freedom the search for freedom is always relative to your past experience I went to boarding school when I was young I was always indoors then there was that tragic period in Argentina when we had no freedom because of the military dictatorship those were dark times when we were able to come back to the country we looked for a place where we could feel free so yes Patagonia and the Condors that fly here symbolize that freedom Lorenzo saw his friends disappear Without a Trace he endured suffering in the prisons of the military dictatorship and an exile in Peru now he has made a new life for himself here in this Limitless expanse where man need obey only the laws of nature look you can see him over there two took off after him and one's landed I can't tell if the one that just landed is an adult you see that one on the edge I think that's the [Music] adult it's starting to snow a little bit up there that's why they're not flying he must have landed Lorenzo Simpson 62 is a world reputed ornithologist he has devoted his life to the study of condors in order to get a close look at them Lorenzo and his son gillo are taking us to a ringside seat way up there there'll be a lot of wind up there when we get up on the crest it's rather unusual to spend one's life scrambling up and down mountains to observe Birds Lorenzo had done very inary studies and then as he would be taking care of livestock his eyes would be drawn to the Condors soaring overhead and gradually he became a condor specialist the fascinating thing about Condors with respect to other birds and even to Eagles is that Condors know no barriers other species have limits imposed by the climate or by their predators but the Condor knows that there's nothing that will stop him from flying neither wind nor snow Nothing Stops him he does what he wants he's free there are certain countries where man comes face to face with the great forces of nature Patagonia is one of them everything is harsh in this land yet men live here as if they were catapulted to the extremity of the seasons to the very tip of this cloudfill sky that knows no end I can climb up the face and then there's the spot that I can set an anchor to then I can anchor to the two cypresses that are there below for the Descent I think I'll check that out when we get there there's a cave over there where you see that little patch of snow and there's a nest inside from here you can't see if it's occupied or [Music] not [Music] he keeps an anxious eye on his sun and keeps glancing at the threatening sky above observing conders can sometimes get them into tricky situations guo may be a good climber but his dad still can't help worrying about him [Music] [Music] GMO comes upon an empty nest on a difficult Cliff face the Condor couple left it for another shelter still guo does manage to bring back a few feathers and leftover scraps of food traces that Lorenzo will carefully analyze his passion for these birds seems boundless the Condor the animal that symbolizes the Andes is one of the largest birds in the world with a wingspan of over 3 m and weighing up to 14 kilos he is Lord of the air and this stunning landscape is his [Music] realm in these regions the quickly changing weather rules and nature seems to make a play thing of man the clouds mask the Sun or open up to release a heavy flurry of snowflakes this year the southern spring is later than usual but that doesn't stop Lorenzo and guermo from pursuing their quest of the Majestic bird on this Cliff face alone there are 20 to 30 Condors that come to sleep here at night this is a Gathering Place a place to exchange information information about where to find food about what's going on in the group they share all that here it's a meeting place the nests are elsewhere further on 1 to 20 km from here this is a large group made up of couples and cond couples are faithful for life they reach sexual maturity around the age of eight and they can live up to 60 or 70 years here they're very long- lived [Music] animals these moments we spend with Lorenzo in the mountains are a real lesson in life on many levels by Dent of observing the Condors Lorenzo's Vision has become as sharp as that of these famous Birds he knows all about the wildlife here he is a vast store of knowledge Chuck full of Wonders to be shared they have no vocal cords they can't speak Condors don't sing they make hissing sounds all information is transmitted Al and vision is the receptor and that's how they learn to fly how to land it's all body language [Music] Coral my child my sister think of the Rapture of living together there of loving it well of loving till death land is like [Music] you the Condor is basically a glider he doesn't flap his wings he sores and to be able to cover more than 100 kilometers in their search of food they need Rising currents whether they are winds sweeping up the face of a mountain or thermal currents today there are no thermals but there's a strong wind the wind striking the mountain side causing the air to sweep up in altitude and that's what keeps them Al that's what we're seeing right now their wing is a very complex mechanism and the feathers on the end are like the flaps of an airplane wing and in particular there's a little feather at the very tip that regulates the air flow and acts as a steering [Music] mechanism it's simply fascinating to study Condors because there is so much that we humans could learn from them the Condor is an extremely Social Animal he lives in harmony with his group and in harmony with nature yes I think that we have a lot to learn from them by working for the preservation of the Condor Lorenzo is not only helping to protect a highly emblematic species he's also acting to save all that is specific to Patagonia and the people that live there without the vast distancias without the gaos who work them without the cattle that graze on these endless expanses Patagonia would still be a land without life and even the Condors would have a hard time surviving [Music] [Music] here all along the cordier of the Andes between the mountains and the Pampas the routa quarenta runs over 5,000 km from the Bolivian Border in the north down to the Tierra del Fuego in the South covering a land so vast that even The Emptiness feels lost [Music] driving down the routa quarenta is an adventure in itself but it's also a sure way of making unexpected encounters here at the foot of the mountains the Condors are not the only ones who enjoy playing with the winds Jean Marie clont has been a glider pilot for 51 years he holds a number of World Records for distance and every year this Frenchman spend several months in Patagonia pag the Patagonian Wind forms waves just like the swell on the sea and we can surf on it like on waves and we can go from wave to wave and that way we can cover thousands of kilometers in one day you take off at 5: in the morning and land at nightfall you can do 3,000 km like that just like the Condor a condor can cover between 100 and 300 kmers a day just for his own pleasure always surfing on the waves we come here for the wind and the freedom breathtaking Landscapes and total [Music] freedom as the airspace here is not yet regulated we're pretty much on our own so we can still fly at 9,000 met in a glider along with the commercial planes with the same instruments the radar the transponders all that we're still accepted and given the extraordinary conditions here in Patagonia which are at present the best in the world it's quite simply magnificent [Music] [Applause] [Music] a little further south along the routa quarenta that runs along the base of the mountain range countless Rios irrigate the lands below these Rivers Untouched by the slightest pollution draw the connoisseurs the fly fishing enthusiasts who know all the hiding places of the wild trout fly fishing is considered the noblest form of fishing this is the Rio rivadavia which runs through the Los Alesis National par it's one of the best rivers in all of Patagonia the water is crystal clear and the vegetation quite vared diverse it's really a lovely balance this natural beauty is unique really unique H is one of Argentina's top fishing guides he has elevated fly fishing to an art form and a way of communing with nature to his way of thinking fishing is above all a philosophy it's about sharing with the fishermen that accompany him like his friend Julio here today both men are attracted to these outof the way Rivers each one is using a different fly to tempt the wild fish the most surprising thing is that they spend hours trying to catch the fish and as soon as they do they let it go the pleasure is in the fishing and catching them the fight hooking them having them on your line then the pleasure of releasing them it's true today this is the regulation for almost all the rivers in Argentina and since we've been practicing catch and release fishing is gotten very good in this reper and it's getting better all the time the people's mindset is [Laughter] changing see this hat I lost it in AIO sh 5 years ago later patrio found it it was 60 km Downstream here take itrio H's brother joins them life seems quite simple with them sitting around the table on the bank of a river River telling the Hat story This Is The Life right it's great we're here among friends we have a great fishing spot what more could you ask for the river changes through the season in early spring the Snows begin to melt the river is high and the trout are ravenous they take up the fight with Patricio but he lets them go and they live to fight another day this sport has a direct connection with the inner life of the fisherman during the winter he thinks about it all the time he'll even dream about his flies he prepares his rods he greases his re everything has to be ready when the season opens he writes he studies up and reads about fishing that's a real got away I lost him it was this big this big I see I see see in this land the skies are bigger than elsewhere and the clouds sculpted by the wind announce a change in the weather but that doesn't bother anyone because the weather is always changing here like others H came to Patagonia to fulfill himself in a wild boundless expanse he wasn't running away from anything he simply wanted to live out his passion in a breathtaking landscape far far from the city a life in harmony with the [Music] seasons at this southernmost extreme where the land ends the maps would have liked to have left a blank Terra incognita this is exactly what Haw likes the wind the rain this snow the rhythm of the elements that repeats itself through the seasons that last one day H loves these spots that he describes as magnifo here he's in a totally unspoiled setting a sort of Secret Garden reserved for the happy few a is accompanied by a young guide that he is training and he gives him some final tips to move as little as possible to try to stay in the shade and above all not to disturb anything the trout are there waiting this dream flows from an underground Source we call it a Spring Creek this stream is very cold between 3 and 4° c lower than the river it flows into a little farther on for Fore spee okay this type of fishing is like hunting the fisherman stalks he sees a fish and he does everything he can to catch that fish he doesn't cast his line at random ah down the philosophy of fly fishing is to keep this space in the wildest and most natural state possible and as the trout is part of the ecosystem you mustn't kill it over the 42 years that he's been a fishing guide HW has refined his ideas on the deeper meaning of fly fishing and again he confides to us that catching the living fish and letting him go free here in the midst of this Wilderness is a sacred moment Patagonia gives rise to a certain mysticism it possesses this charm life is totally centered on nature you don't need a lot of material Goods to be happy here sometimes I'll be home alone and I think Kumba I'm feeling a bit lonely very lonely but I'll just put on some music have a good glass of wine then I'll be looking out the window and I'll wonder what do people with a lot of possessions do yes you wonder just what are they doing now whereas here we're so rich with everything that we have around us and we're satisfied with that [Music] [Music] as we head even further south on Highway 40 the landscape changes and opens out ever more vast ever more deserted and often more desert-like in Patagonia if you stray just a few dozen kilometers from the Cera you find yourself in a totally different environment as soon as you get away from the mountains the precipitation drops sharply and the wind dries out the land grass is scarcer and even the sheep have a harder time finding enough to [Music] eat the Gauchos of Argentina are men in the saddle always accompanied by their two or three dogs and always wearing their Eternal boa the traditional Beret of the South that was worn by [Music] Chada these craggy men as rugged as the land they inhabit are the true soul of these Windswept [Music] expanses [Applause] [Music] Manuel loves this life in the Pampas originally from Chile this GAO works on an Estancia at the foot of the mountain to get to the nearest Village he has to travel 220 km on the Estancia where he works more than 500 head of cattle roam almost freely over more than 25,000 Acres the gaos always have a particular character they're independent and solitary they Define themselves as free men the only constraints that they accept are their duties to their dogs their horses and the cattle they take care of of today Manuel and two other Gauchos are going to round up one of the herds and bring it into the Estancia after riding a good hour they can begin the Roundup each one of the Gauchos heads off in a different direction and the dogs also know what they have to do [Music] these cattle are wild they're not used to men so if you let them they'll just run off they learn to recognize us little by little and get used to us otherwise they scatter every which way they have to understand that it's Man In Charge not [Music] [Applause] them your dog is your companion he recognizes your voice if you talk to him he'll learn you have to yell at him now and then for him to obey the GAO has to have dogs because they help the GAO without his dogs a GAO is useless he is just an ordinary person the dog is worth even more than the GAO he'll round up everything and anything a sheep a steer and drive it right back he'll do all that if you've trained him well that's the story with the [Music] dogs the cattle are used to roaming out on the pompas and are very rarely rounded up today they're being gathered for a simple reason Manuel has to Brand the animals that were born in the spring and even more important he has to G the Cales in December we brand the cattle and in March we round up the animals to be sold so we do two roundups a year today we're branding in a few months they'll be back in the Corral to be [Music] sold Manuel and the other gouel get right to work on the herd the cows are totally unfamiliar with stables and fences and are not used to being closed in the men have to move fast to set them free as soon as [Music] possible [Music] Ro [Music] and they repeat the operation as many times as necessary they have to do the gilding when the calves are between 6 months and one year old the fade of these young males is decided in a matter of minutes they'll become steers and not Bulls we operate we cut once they're gelded they head back out to the pump it makes them docile and they feel lighter they can't all become Bulls we can only keep six seven or eight so we have to gild the other males why well it's to eat them the GED Cavs are meant to be sold we can't keep a 100 intact male Cales we don't need more than seven or eight bulls for 400 head of [Music] cattle [Music] i [Music] c some of the calves have better luck they just get two small Nicks on each ear it's the mark of the Estancia [Music] [Applause] [Music] like here among all the gaos the rich of mate is very important this sort of bitter tasting tea is a stimulant and all through the day the goutos take frequent mate breaks from their work in the open [Music] [Music] air when the muscle the more that I'm on my own the happier I am I need to be alone to be happy okay sometimes I get together and talk with other people but then I go back to the Solitude I like so much the EST where Manuel works is on the edge of a national park 285,000 Acres of protected land a breathtaking spot but rarely visited here the guanacos Outnumber the [Music] tourists I'm in radio contact with H my neighbor almost every day then if I feel like it I'll call someone else we see each other regularly that's how we get through the three months of winter those three long months here all the seasons seem to be in a hurry except winter which takes it sweet time during this season Manuel like the few other gaos of the region stays at the Estancia on his own I'm at peace with myself because I was destined to live in the Campo when I want to talk to someone the few people that live nearby are enough for me and I have my friends the dogs I talk with them as well a land of ice a land of wind where the Pomo blows fiercely when winter lays hold of the Southern Hemisphere pagonia runs to the southern tip of the world there where the Earth drops off at the foot of Cape Horn Pablo Neruda said here the land ends the Earth Narrows down like the small end of an egg which is why the moon seems so large and the Stars so [Music] close just a few years ago this flock of sheep numbered several thousand head but little by little they had to cut down this type of husbandry isn't compatible with the proximity of the national park where wild cats and pumas are protected as a result there were too many attacks on the flock and even though there is enough grass here the market for wool is at its lowest so Manuel keeps only a few hundred sheep for meat and the local market wool goes for nothing now barely 30 cents it's nothing really very little it's the price of wool that's why we stock the wool here people are using it less and less it used to sell fairly well but not now so we stock it hoping to get a better price for it someday it's here on these PLS surrounded by the mountains that Manuel and these gaos work it's a large Estancia and the men have to repair the fences take care of the cattle and sometimes butcher the animals that died of cold to feed the dogs Francisco colan a seasoned veteran of these Southern lands has always loved the Untamed character of these Wide Open Spaces he noted in one of his novels that even the Birds turn fierce in these cursed lands in the spring it's the Eagles that Devour the Lambs even as they're half born the seagulls cross the cordier to tear the guts out of the wild geese and in Winter you have the cursed karanos that back out the Sheep's eyes with their [Music] beak [Music] [Music] the landscape of Patagonia are bewitching those who live here try to lead a free life men like Lorenzo with his Condors H with his trout in their wild streams Manuel the man of the pompus who has chosen to live far from everything at the heart of what's [Music] essential the pompas appear to have remained unchanged over the past 20 or 40 years but in appearance only Manuel realizes that the world is changing there have been a lot of changes over the past 22 years people are leaving the region there are fewer and fewer people in the compo and who knows maybe in a few years I'll leave too there are so few people here it really makes me sad but we have to keep struggling to stay here I love this vast Open Country in town you can't see anything I'm a man of the pomas and I know that this is where I belong up to now I can't complain sitting in the shade next to a rock sheltered from The Wind by a bush it's just my way of life I'm from here and my path is in the pompus [Music] Manuel is quite an exceptional character always in a good mood always ready to laugh at the slightest pretext he has made up for the harshness of the climate with genuine human warmth the buffeting wind has sculped at his face the immensity of these Landscapes has given him the taste of freedom and the ruggedness of his way of life suits him [Music] [Music] perfectly [Music] for still [Music] there [Music] w [Music] Costa Rica this small Central American country boasts an extraordinarily Rich biodiversity nearly onethird of the land is made up of natural reserves and national [Music] parks on the West Coast the long Pacific rollers lure Surfers from all over the world we meet Eladio on this vast deserted Beach bordering the Virgin Forest he's chosen to make a new life for himself here between the volcanoes and the Sea Manolo is an old Lonesome Cowboy he lives near the Nicaraguan Border in the region of San Juan one of the most isolated regions of the country then to the south of Costa Rica where we'll Plunge Into the Heart of the Jungle in the corcovado the country's largest National Park to meet Claudine a biologists fascinated by this Lush forest and its inhabitants I came here because it makes me happy I'm working for the planet it's a mix of Science and Adventure a blend of science passion mystery and adventure Costa Rica the rich Coast Christopher Columbus gave this name to this land he discovered on his fourth voyage to the new world Costa Rica is the realm of microclimates and a wealth of living species this small Central American country owes its natural riches to its unique Geographic situation for it straddles North and South America and is under the influence of two oceans Crossing Costa Rica gives a speeded up version of the history of the world there is a chain of volcanos running right through the middle of this small country that contains 4% of the planet's biodiversity Costa Rica is working to achieve a perfect equilibrium between economic development and respect for the environment it is hoping to become the planet's first carbon neutral country by the year 2021 Costa Rica's volcanoes present some of the country's most breathtaking Landscapes these nearly perfect cones are constantly monitored of the6 volcanoes that dot this land of mountain and Forest five are active and can sometimes be dangerous between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean the chain of volcanoes influences the country's climate climate and vegetation arid and dry in the East humid and Lush in the west how are you Oscar hey great hey Oscar my friend how's it going hey I'm okay but it's raining not great weather for the ascent let's give it a try okay we can give it a try this is the way in to the ring de here nature rules Ron DEA is one of Costa Rica's most imposing volcanoes this morning Eladio one of the local guides is accompanying Oscar and El adte one of the country's foremost volcanologists the three of them are setting out to climb the mountain right up to the crater I really like coming into the forest I enjoy it here because it's cool I'm usually in the dry forest in the sun here it's cool and it rains a lot there are tall trees and it's green I feel a lot of energy I feel good it recharges my batteries and gives a boost to my morale [Music] due to the influence of the cloud banks that drift across the country from east to west rinon DEA has a number of facets the Virgin Forest is home to Lush vegetation and a wide variety of wildlife land of pumas and Jaguars this jungle is also the realm of hundreds of species of birds and invisible snakes [Music] the ring cone's most recent eruption of steam and Ash was in 1997 the ground Bears the traces of 20,000 years of volcanic activity this Cascade of magma Boulders covered with vegetation is the only way up to the summit by The North Face two months ago an American came hiking up here he got up to the summit of the volcano and as of yet they still haven't found him they don't know if the crater swallowed him up or if he got caught in a Mudslide they looked for him by helicopter American Specialists came the top guides were out searching for him people like Oscar here a lot of rescue workers came even the Red Cross came with dogs but there's no trace of him he disappeared he disappeared because he wasn't wary enough of the volcano ringcon DEA we can't see the summit that's 400 m higher up for it's shrouded in clouds as it is most of the time Eladio Oscar and elaser know very well that they have about one chance in four of the Ring con's crater being visible in this landscape that looks like the mouth of hell they can only hope that ilaser the volcanologist will be able to carry out his observations there are ferales all along the path to the summit the volcano emits gas from this hole it's mostly water vapor 96 97% water how hot is it 70° C it's mainly rain war and when it falls it trickles down and hits a hot spot then it evaporates here we're in direct contact with the heart of the earth an elas is measuring the heat inside the Earth I love coming up here making the effort to observe and enjoy the beauty of nature this spot is so charged with energy just knowing you're so close to this giant to such an ancient volcano it's a long climb it will take 5 hours since they've left the forest the wind has started to blow and the temperature has dropped about 10° [Music] [Music] CSI [Music] the rinon de laa volcano is is almost 2,000 M High the chilly wind is blowing at 100 kmph the crater remains hidden in the clouds but no matter every time Eladio reaches the summit he feels the same exhilaration these are such special moments in life moments when you grab the sky in your hands and you seize the immensity of the universe and the beauty of Nature and to experience that with my old friend Oscar it's fantastic isn't that right [Music] Oscar these volcanoes lie on a vast chain of mountains that runs all the way up South and North America from the southern tip of Chile all the way up into Alaska between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean Costa Rica is situated at the intersection of four tectonic plates it's a zone of sliding and grinding where volcanic eruptions and earthquakes take place regularly around the volcanoes nature is thriving and that's why Eladio has chosen to live [Music] here at the base of the volcano many Boiling Springs act as barometers of the Ring cone's activity these bubbling cauldrons are made by rainwater that percolates down into the magma Chambers where the water and mud are heated as in a gigantic [Music] boiler Costa Rica's volcanoes are all closely monitored the samples that Alias a is carefully Gathering will be analyzed in his volcanic and seismic observation laboratory in San Jose the capital this spot is off limits to hikers if you put your foot in there you get a second degree burn right away it can even strip the skin off you have to be very and weary here in this part of the volcano it's very beautiful all the colors and all this activity the internal dynamics of the planet that emerge at the surface here I think that I was born with two hearts one for the national parks the other for the volcano and sometimes the two hearts beat is one because a lot of national parks are also volcanoes it's a double Joy the volcanoes are the pride and joy of the Costa Ricans and they're used to living with the threat of an eruption this is why elas there comes regularly to take the Pulse of these living mountains [Music] it's 5:00 a.m. and in his home halfway between the Sea and the volcano Eladio is ready for action it's time for him to head for the Pacific and hit the waves today I'm going surfing and this is going to give me the energy I need today is a special day I think there'll be good waves I hope there's a swell coming from Hawaii in California that comes in at paba you get Great Waves when it's like that breakfast is important a good Pinto will keep you going all day M Costa Rica along with Australia is the only place on Earth where there are dry tropical forests like this one it's a paradise for all sorts of reptiles iguanas boa constrictors it's also home to these arboreal acrobats the white-faced capucin monkeys for me life is the forest I found my reason for living here that's why I get goosebumps when I'm driving I find it so moving entering into a sanctuary the spot is incredibly beautiful this place plays a very very important part in my life [Music] I've never been a [Music] b by your eyes I've at least an hour and a half bucking along this rough track through the forest to cover only about 10 km El IO is still eager to go surfing you have to earn the pleasure of riding the waves at the end of the trail we discover these wild deserted expanses on the Pacific coast here on the northwest coast of Costa Rica is the paa bruha beach with its famous witch's rock as soon as the surf is up Eladio heads for this Beach surfing is his second religion pñ is a paradise or at least it is for [Music] Eladio one day I realized that I was at the end of my robe I was burned out I was an alcoholic my life was a mess I was tormented I was unhappy I had a job and I had money but I wasn't happy one day I decided to come here to recover to get back in touch with myself a force drew me here I had known about this spot for 35 years I remember the first time I came here I felt a very strong attraction now I'm free and happy I SAR like a bird I'm an animal among all the other animals of the forest a few years ago after a motorcycle accident Eladio realized that he had reached a point where he had to turn his life around or lose it so he said goodbye to the city and its dissipation the alcohol and cocaine in 2000 Eladio wanted to get clean he left San Jose the capital and came to live here in a bungalow near the beach and he lived alone there for 5 years I love surfing alone in this paradise there's no one around a hassle you surfing is something you just can't explain it's a great way to recharge your batteries after a good day of Surfing I come home and I feel happy I feel totally at [Music] peace so eladia was born into his new life on this beach it's an existence reduced to the very Essentials the sky the Sea and the [Music] surf [Music] this spot is good for you for everyone young and old alike this place is Magic like a piece of heaven that fell to Earth this spot is blessed by the gods it's a place that helps you evolve spiritually it's like a clinic for the mind and the Soul surfing has made Eladio a free man at peace with himself these wide open Vistas have allowed him to bounce back that's the magic and force of this spot somewhere on the Pacific coast of Costa [Music] Rica on the other side of the chain of volcanoes that makes up the spine of the country lies a vast territory that most Costa Ricans know nothing about the region of San Juan is a land with no roads leading in this is a land of thick humid Mist a warm sticky Mist that influences the character of the people who work the land of the San Juan region [Music] this is where Manolo lives he's Foreman of a ranch of more than 700 hectar with as many head of cattle in these humid tropical latitudes time relaxes the men have to put up with the torper and they take on an easygoing lifestyle this is where I grew up my life is here my life is cattle raising the city just wasn't for me living here is the most wonderful thing in the world I have my daily routine every day I get up at 5:00 a.m. and I go to bed at 6:00 in the evening I don't you can have a [Music] television when I'm on foot I can't do a thing with them but on Horseback I get right into the middle of the herd the cows can get aggressive with you we're never on foot except in the Corral because there we can take a stick to defend ourselves but here I'm always on Horseback and any one of these cows can come after [Music] you the spirit of the Far West and cowboys hovers over manolo's Ranch [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] I know them as if they were human and they know me pretty well cows are like that some are bad tempered and they're only plaed with me they know me but otherwise with a stranger well they can get nasty you could get yourself tossed right over that [Music] fence [Music] [Music] it's hard work roping all these [Music] [Music] galves Manolo has been living here far out in the country near the Nicaraguan border for 30 years the farm he manages belongs to a rich family in the capital Manalo is the foreman he's in charge of everything he is in fact the [Music] boss to live here one has to be able to put up with extreme isolation Manolo has no running water or electricity in his house and the nearest Village is more than half an hour Away by rough track so getting sick is a very bad idea but Manalo swears that the only thing he ever catches here is a hangover once in a [Music] while manolo's Farm has a particularity it's the last Farm in Costa Rica the last piece of property before the Nicaraguan jungle from the boundary here back to The Farmhouse there are 700 hectar and on the other side there you have Nicaragua this little plaque marks the boundary between Costa Rica and Nicaragua and this border has only been open for the last 20 years before then there was the war he couldn't cross this whole area was mined and the Nicaragua Army had camps here you couldn't get across you'd get arrested nobody would go there we'd like all that to disappear someday said we could come and go freely as we pleased without any problems without any passports completely [Music] free monolo dreams of a World Without Borders a Utopia perhaps and yet 60 years ago Costa Rica made the decision to disband its Army in order to improve its health and education systems it's the only only country on Earth to have laid down its arms the Rio San Juan is a legendary River it's a natural Frontier between the two countries and flows from Lake Nicaragua to the Caribbean Sea in the 18th century it was a hideout for Caribbean pirates then in the 19th century during the California Gold Rush the gold was shipped through here from San Francisco to New York it was a safer route than the Far West and above all it was shorter than the route through the straight of mellan on the southern tip of Chile a few years later they were even considering making this River a canal to link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans the canal was eventually dug in [Music] Panama and here's how Manolo lands in this out of the way spot of El Castillo in Nicaragua it's as simple as that for Manalo El Castillo is the big city it's his Sunday outing I love to come here I come once a month I do my shop I stay over a day or two then I head home we're back in Costa Rica there are very few roads in this isolated region the rivers are the best way to get around and to go from one country to another Manolo doesn't need a passport when he leaves his Ranch here everybody knows this local character who never pretends to be what he's not 33 years old and still rolling if only manalo's car could speak at the end of the road is bandas pool it's the closest Village to manolo's Ranch the only place where he can have a little human cont attack Bas the pool the grocer the Main Street the school and the bar Manalo comes to town at least once a week just to break the monotony of his isolation the bar is steeped in Melancholy but it's the only place to get a cold [Music] beer time to head back to the ranch Manalo always manages to find someone to help him start his ancient jalap my eyes are still good the windshield wipers don't work anymore but so what I just stick my head out the [Music] [Music] window for so this has been manalo's life for 62 years his love for the Earth for the animals for the sentimental ballads his grandmother would sing a simple existence that flows along peacefully from day to [Music] [Applause] [Music] day in the south of Costa Rica is the Osa Peninsula a piece of the world that juts into the Pacific Ocean known for its Rich biodiversity this territory is home to the largest rainforest in Central America it's a veritable biological Corridor protected by the coroval the country's largest national park the Osa Peninsula is the wildest region of Costa Rica [Music] Claudine Sierra is a biologist and works for the University of Costa Rica she was born in Argentina about 10 years ago Enchanted by these tracts of wilderness she decided to settle here in Costa [Music] Rica Claudine could have spent her life in a laboratory but she prefers the challenge of the field she has lived in Europe knocked around India and South America and was a professional dancer travel and encounters have nourished her life for quite a while now I feel right at home here it's the best spot in the world I came here because it makes me happy I'm working for the planet it's a mix of Science and Adventure a blend of science passion mystery and Adventure there are lots of rivers like this one here full of waterfalls and flowing into the Pacific Ocean further Downstream there are Prospectors because there's a lot of gold in these [Music] Rivers about 30 years ago the Osa Peninsula was seized by Gold Fever Prospectors flocked here by the thousands a tumultuous time the Prospectors in their camps were operating completely outside the law then in the late 1980s the Costa Rican government decided to crack down and they destroyed all the prospector's camps inside the national park the Osa Peninsula and the corcovado National Park are vital lungs for the planet Claudine is working so that these exceptionally Rich spaces don't vanish from the face of the Earth my missions in the park consist more in working with the people than with the plants and animals in order to protect the wildlife my work with the community with the local population and with the Rangers is aimed at improving the protection of the reserve while respecting the local inhabitants I'm not doing a kind of police work it's a question of changing the mentality of the different communities Claudine has focused her university studies on the indigenous communities so that they may continue to live in their environment while preserving nature her numerous missions in the forest lead her to work with people living far removed from the modern world in the forest a few kilometers from the edge of the coroado national park there are a few groups of gold prospectors still camping in this jungle the rivers feed the dreams of those that life has short changed for these wretched of the Earth the forest is also a last chance it's hard work we start at 5: in the morning and finish at 5:00 in the afternoon we often Come Away empty-handed no gold sometimes we get lucky but it's still hard we spend the whole day moving rocks the gold is stuck in the mud and the stone we have to wash them really well so that the gold drops into the sand then you can get it out it's gold dust the gold we find here in the Osa Peninsula is a National Treasure so they got it right when they named it coost it really is a rich Coast for me gold is simply marvelous I've already found nuggets weighing 20 21 and even 50 g we were working in another spot and there we just kept finding chunks this big but I can't tell you where it is reality or fantasy prospector's Tales are still the stuff of Legends up to 8 m of rain can fall here between September and December these Prospectors living in the heart of the rainforest are not completely illegal they are tolerated the river where they're working runs only a few kilometers from the corcovado national park 45,000 hectar of jungle and mountain that the Costa Rican authorities are trying to preserve from man's rapacious appetite in 1975 only a part of the Osa Peninsula was classified ecological Sanctuary Claudine knows that there's a lot more work to be done before every everybody here becomes aware that gold is not the only Treasure of this Wilderness territory Puerto gimenez is the former El Dorado of the Costa Rican gold Hunters this quiet little town has become the unavoidable stopover for travelers in search of Adventure it's the gateway to the National Park Claudine is going to spend a few days in the virgin Forest at Serena the post of the forest [Applause] rangers it would take several days on foot to get to Serena on the Pacific coast so the easiest way to get there is by plane and the only plane in the region belongs to Alvaro he's the only one to fly over [Music] [Music] coval [Music] for [Music] this is Serena's airst strip a tiny clearing hacked out of the Jungle Claudine did warn Us in the final moments before we land Everyone Falls silent in the cockpit Mr Alexandro Champion Alexandro is the head of the ranger station the park rangers are the guardians of corcovado and these two know each other well they traced 80 km of Trail in the forest together to encourage ecotourism but Alexandro has other problems right now he's tracking poachers and illegal Prospectors where are the patrols right now there's one down in the lower part of the park near the Lagoon another in the ringcon and another here near the ranger station it's around here there are three patrols you think it's enough no there are only six Rangers in each Patrol alesandro grew up in the jungle he knows it like the back of his hand before he became a park ranger he also was a gold prospector I was 7 years old I made friends here they told me there's gold in that mountain so I started looking for gold with him now alesandro has chosen his side he's with the Defenders of nature don't you feel a little bit like a cop now with respect to your old friends yes I have problems with them sometimes they tell me you used to be a prospector you know what we're like you've betrayed us I tell them that it's time to stop looking for gold I talk with them try to convince them and in the end some of them do follow my advice but others continue this morning alesandro has visitors a group of tourists with their guide have just landed only a few motorboats come here to Serena when the Pacific swell allows it coval is a paradise of vegetation in the midst of this Lush Greenery the ranger station provides accommodations for travelers eager to experience the Primeval Forest these visitors mostly young Backpackers from all over the world can Lodge here for a few days this setup brings in some money for the station and that helps the employees protecting the National [Music] Park we feel like we're on an island here there's no direct means of communication with our families if there's a problem or an emergency our families call the office in Puerto and they get word to us if we had the telephone or Internet that would put our minds more at [Music] ease [Music] [Music] the forest is an ideal setting to find oneself Claudine was a top level modern dancer now practicing yoga allows her to achieve a harmony with the universe that surrounds [Music] her yoga gives you a particular feeling depending on whether you're doing it indoors or Outdoors it's an encounter with yourself however when you do yoga in a place with very high vibrations as they say high frequencies like in a forest it's as if there were no interference you're completely with yourself and that gives you very special feelings Claudine spent a lot of time traveling around the planet she wanted to see the most beautiful things the Earth had to offer after finishing her studies in biology she embarked on a career of professional dancer but her love of nature caught up with her and Claudine accepted a mission from the Costa Rican government to study the ecosystem of coko Island a deserted Paradise Lost in the Pacific Ocean she stayed there for 8 [Music] years giving of oneself and accepting to become one with nature this is what Claudine has learn learned from her profession and her experience a certain idea of Harmony between man and his environment Claudine is going to spend the night on the beach in a few hours she'll be meeting an expert on sea turtles this having a job that allows me to always be in contact with nature is in fact an excuse it brings back feelings from my childhood when I was little we used to play in a big Garden that for me was a magical and mysterious Forest this is an isolated and wild spot where the animals roam around freely so they Thrive at night you can hear Jaguars they keep their distance [Music] if you're really lucky you may catch sight of a puma there are snakes monkeys there's more Wildlife than humans it's more the animals world than the humans five different species of sea turtle have been coming to lay their eggs here on the beaches of Costa Rica for millions of years this animal straight out of prehistoric times and capable of Crossing oceans benefits from the protection of scientists Claudine is going to patrol the beaches of corcovado to observe the sea turtles along with Eric he works for a sea turtle protection program tonight they're looking for a specific rare endangered species the loggerhead turtle Eric wants to attach a Tracker to one but they don't find any this time however they do see some more common turtles that came up on the beach to lay their eggs on this moonless night this nest with its eggs nearly ready to hatch was recently raided the eggs have to incubate for 55 days here the eggs are 50 or 51 days old when they're close to hatching like these they give off a very strong odor the RAC Coons in the forest smell that so one came by here he dug them up ate his fil and went off leaving the nest uncover so tomorrow morning the birds would come and have a feed Claudine and Eric move the eggs a few dozen meters away in a few days they'll hatch and the lucky ones will make it to the Open Sea only one turtle in a thousand reaches adulthood I'm proud it's important to work for a worthy cause like sea turtles which are very vulnerable animals they can be eaten by other animals and I'm happy to serve this cause which is very important for all of us here nearly 1 third of Costa Rica is protected territory it is the only country to have reconciled Economic Development and respect for the environment so the corcovado National Park is a very special place my message is one of Hope and of warning if we don't change our ways corcovado could cease to exist if we change our habits just a little we could protect the planet a little better without corcovado and places like it our future seems very Bleak but corcovado does [Music] exist [Music] [Music] today somewhere on Earth invites you to discover B this slip of land tucked between guat ala and Mexico on the shores of the Caribbean is the Tom Thumb of Central America half the territory is covered in Jungle and its Shores are home to the world's second largest Barrier Reef in the far south of the country we'll meet cash a ranger by profession but first and foremost an Islander revisiting his childhood spent between Land and Sea he shares with us his love of the port Honduras Marine reserve Isabelle a Wildlife veterinarian has devoted her life to taking care of the animals from one end of Biz to the other she'll take us off the beaten paths to visit her patients whether they're hiding in the jungle or swimming in the sea they a varied assortment of surprising creatures melito's passion for a river has taken the shape of a voyage every month he travels up the seon river to make sure that it's not in any danger this final Link in a natural corridor from north to south is his pride and joy the focus of his life this river is giv me more life than I that that than I think that I have because I've been through many things you know and I could be dead by now well I'm I'm I call myself self dead man but you know what the river said no I'm not ready for you yet go on you got a mission to you know to to accomplish so I'll give you another chance so man from then I I love the river even more for a long time biz has been shrouded in mystery avoided by The Conquistadors it was not until the 17th century that pirates crossed the reefs and landed on these forbidding Shores a vast expanse of solitude stubbornly resistant to human presence isolation is an intrinsic part of the country's identity there are countless sanctuaries reserves and protected areas in this realm nature makes the rules we're just a few kilometers offshore in the port Honduras Marine reserve declared a protected area in 2000 it offers a myriad of eyelets covered in mangroves these plants form a rampart against erosion and are also a Haven and breeding ground for a wide variety of animals they call this spot the nursery of the Caribbean cash knows this maze like the back of his hand he's been roaming through here as long as he can remember I had a very special child childhood it's something I'll never forget I grew up on an island I used to walk on the mangrove I grew up having fun just watching Birds walking on the mangrove that was a good feeling different watch different I used to watch the different species living in holes in the mud C the crabs and other fish living in the mangrove we're away from the city it's so quiet so peaceful you can't get better than this area back in the day there was a lot more people they want education they want jobs they want to uplift themselves but if you want to stick to Nature this is the place to be you know within Port Honduras there's Spirit here Spirit there that will help you it helps you to have the courage to stay cash is the youngest of eight siblings his mother a fisherwoman supported the whole family she has passed on to him her experience and lore of the islands go good right piece of stick um the crch put on the it yes when we were growing up we had exciting moments I used to always run away from my mom and she'd think I was going out fishing or going out somewhere yeah sometimes I got a whipping it was freedom in some way I think growing up like that did help us actually keeping us away from all the negative things from bad influences that we have around us that's that's the good part of it in my days everything was free you know like today everything was free going at the sea you pick a c Kong you catch a fish you catch a lobster nobody to tell you no you can't do it no but it's good it's good in now one way because everything is done so we have to protect the areas I this is my life when I reach that the island oh peace Joy especially see the water you know clear no more beautiful I don't know it's something very great and I feel nice about it and I prove to be a fisher [Music] woman so right before laws were enacted to preserve these Waters Port Honduras had long been overexploited in the 1970s fishing with Nets was widespread in the zone it was urgent to take action in order to save this Haven Sheltering so many species with this idea in mind cash became a ranger he lives alone on this spit of land lapped by the waves to the east we have Honduras to the north we have Mexico and if you go along the coastline and follow it you will find shumal it goes right up to the Mexican Waters the Barrier Reef joins with the Mexican Barrier Reef so this is the Gulf of Honduras all of this that you can see around here here we're at abalon ke this is the ranger station within Port Honduras here we're in the tower and from here we can do tower surveyance to monitor the area I love the sea and that's the reason why I'm a part of this right now being a ranger what you can do within the reserve you can fish to eat and to sell but you're not allowed to use certain methods within the reserve the reason why I really love the job I'm doing is because I spent all my life here and I also want to take care of what is ours if we don't take care of it we will not have it for the [Music] future in his free time cash likes to trade his Rangers boat for a Dory the traditional craft of the keys as the islands are called in biz [Music] Fort Honduras is now protected but lobster fishing is authorized a few months a year no need to go very far you can catch them just a few meters off the beaches many men who sought refuge on these islands managed to survive thanks to this abundance [Music] The Horizon where one can lose oneself and vanish from sight baes has been a sanctuary for a number of people Shipwrecked by history Pirates fugitives but also slaves from Africa their descendants still perpetuate their music this is the garifuna community singing is their way of invoking their ancestors when I was a kid growing up I used to hear it I guess the drums put spirit in you and you get moving that's the reason why I just love [Music] it [Music] but today's modern world needs landmarks and Sentinels on Hunting key facing the Barrier Reef dandu ensures that the lighthouse is always functioning Roger 18 of life um I hear you clearly come in over if we do have problem with the lighthouse uh it will take about two or 3 days before you um I can get help our navigations really needs uh the lighthouse this is the end of the barer reef and boats came in from Guatemala Honduras and B through this channel that goes out to the Caribbean so this is the most important Lighthouse here in Biz it's a way of life you I feel more free you know I go where I want to I do what I feel like you know go swimming go diving then when I'm here you know I feel like I'm somewhere The barer Reef wow it's beautiful you know it's more than a treasure it's um it's a Heritage I mean I want my great grandson my great great great grandson to come and enjoy what I'm enjoying today dandu has known cash since he was a child today he's waiting for him impatiently because he needs his help to keep up the lighthouse time is short for Nightfall is approaching and the wind is getting stronger hey why bring for me man I have a battery here for you you said you have to change it because you have a problem yes man need help on the lighthouse to man yes ma thanks man yeah for helping with this battery when I was a kid we used to go to the lighthouse and we would dare each other to see who was brave enough to climb up there and the one who'd get up there would say yes I'm a man and you are just kids that made us feel good sometimes we would drop down and go hiding from the guys that took care of the lighthouse because if they saw you they would yell at you and say you can't go up see you they will re on you and you can't go up so you take so we took those chances as kids you know it's something that we really enjoyed so what happen you want to car this yeah this end yeah serious that's rain clouds between Honduras and and the mountains you want when I go and meet other people from The Reserve it's like a home and a small place for everyone we help one another in everything you need something you get it from me I need something I get it from you that's the way it works all through the islands so we look out for one [Music] another you can't just go anywhere and trade the same way we do we here we work together with a community Spirit ear on the outer limits of this mint green expanse isolation brings people together the elements Forge an identity the soul of the belliz [Music] Islanders [Music] a space outside of time the San ignasio region in the west of the country near the Guatemala border is a paradise for those in quest of the absolute jungle as far as the eye can see here everything is a call to [Music] Adventure you see your teeth M those are some old [Music] teeth tapers are a mixture of horse and rhinoceros uh it's a very old animal and it's actually the only one in its group there's four different tapier species worldwide uh but this is the Central American species and it's also the national animal of bise [Music] Isabelle a franco-german veterinarian landed here 8 years ago with her backpack and her very young child she came to work with the wildlife and is committed to protecting endangered species here in Central America she has found a way of life that corresponds to the ideals she has kept from her somewhat Bohemian childhood there are many highly motivated people like Isabelle and Biz working to maintain the equilibrium between the wildlife and the environment on the land in the sea and in the lagoons barely got him no we don't got hold on hold on that's what I would like to know Chris Sher and Vince take care of American saltwater crocodiles hold on start on them the most common species in b these reptiles are usually left to live in peace here but in some regions where human activity is more intense the cohabitation can be quite problematic all right go ahead and go can you believe this somebody has chopped this animal's tail off for me yeah it's disgusting they get about $17 a pound for this for him to come so quickly for chicken he's obviously been fed used to humans obviously someone coerced him up to uh come to the bank gave him some chicken but then lopped his tail off so we're going to bring him up north and let him go and let them be a crocodile where there aren't any human beings around and no one to feed them or chop at them and he'll he'll do just fine because his natural diet is fish or raccoons um not chicken so such severe wounds show that this great Predator can also be a victim and in cases like this one it's Isabelle who takes [Applause] over good how you doing good good trip yeah hello glad to be here I'm glad you could make it so that's the guy you caught last night yeah this is him and um we're glad that you're here with us too because uh its tail has been amputated uh by machette and um so it's great to to have a vet here and help us assess the uh we got to look at that severity of it releasing a crocodile back into the wild is always very moving the worldwide population of American crocodiles is estimated at 15,000 Biz is one of the last places where their habitat is still protected it doesn't doesn't really appear to be infected I don't think and it was really nicely healed until she rubbed it got face wellow this is an exciting moment we're about to release this girl back into her natural environment without human disturbance so it's quite exciting person as a Wildlife veterinarian with a passion for wildlife rescue and Rehabilitation this is about as good as it can get to be able to bring an animal back out into the wild I get to do it all the time so let this ready to go one 2 3 the recovery time that's pretty quick that's a very healthy animal usually the recovery time when they've been held overnight like this one has can be quite slow sometimes up to 5 minutes the profession is often very rough and very difficult but for example the moment of getting to release an animal that we've been able to heal back into the wild or an animal that we have bred and rehabilitated to go back out that is truly the biggest reward and makes me feel like we achieve some sort of [Music] [Music] Harmony biles is a really small world there is about 340,000 inhabitants in six major cities uh our capital is Bop pan with the last count was 6,000 people living there which made it the smallest capital in the world and it really adds to the lifestyle in bise it makes that everybody knows everybody and it's all like a small village the whole country is [Music] we're about to drive through Barton Creek which is a menite community the menites are a religious group that came from uh the Protestants and they originated in Europe and they left Europe about 250 years ago um because they basically pacifists they did not want to join the military and they have moved a little bit all over the world I grew up in the countryside in Germany and then in the countryside in Paraguay for two years which for some reason has left a lifelong impact of wanting to go back to the Simplicity of life that we had there where I could take my horse to school we came to B and we stayed I can really not see myself live in a city in a concrete jungle um at all there is very very few things on this planet that would take me away from here and it would have to be closely related to conservation nature is my church that's where I go to get new energy and [Music] recharge the tamanda was found as a baby after a flood um she was orphan there was no mother around and she was flushed down the river so they raised her from a baby with a goal to release her once she's ready to be um released they are very specialized animals and they eat ants and termites and it takes five or six hours per day for them to get enough time to get enough food so they're very labor intensive we're just looking to see what she does basically if she looks like a normal tamandua and if she can find her food and that looks pretty normal I love the daily challenges it never gets boring you have to constantly improvise and figure out how to deal with a new situation compared to a normal veterinarian and normal Veterinary practice where after a couple of months you've seen most of what you're going to see every day and it gets boring quick my work does never get boring and if you ever had to restrain her we would actually grab her by her front legs because that's what she would use to defend herself so what you saw a little earlier where she did this that was really good to see because we want her to not like humans mission accomplished and Isabelle is already back on the road Vince and Sherry have called her in again this time the crew is planning a night [Music] rescue we're going to try and capture the two crocodiles that have been deemed problematic Andor because of future development from this area down south and once we uh capture both crocodiles which we believe to be a mating pair we're going to by boat bring them up north and we'll probably come out here and go off onto these Mangrove areas where there's no people no development we can't go that far anyways we're going to that's all the further we're going to be able to go well the further up you go the better off it's going to be but you go too far then you're going to you don't want to get you don't want to enter Mexico how far is Mexico it's only about 20 miles actually B is a paradise for people like me wanting to work in conservation because we still have 60% of the country covered a native Forest we have a humongous biodiversity here and a lot of the problems that I saw in the US or in other places before was illegal trade and once we see a wild animal in Europe or in the US there's no way we can bring it back so one of my goals or missions in life was to work on site in one of these developing countries where we still have biodiversity and nature [Music] [Music] left all the eye shines you see that are orange and this color uh we know that is a crocodile staring at us right now he can hear us smell us see us sense us got a head down there somewhere I I I can't see the head KN I have a tip of a tail here her mid body's right here she's 2:00 from the FR of the M two right here her head's right there okay wait wait wait wait wait wait coming towards you now right right up in there go to another hold on hold on she's coming up she's coming up she's coming up her [Music] man all right let go the go let go the no no no I'm telling these to give you slack I've got it I've got it go all right too late got it okay hold on though you can't tap her yet you got to let her expel some of that water that sucks good job yeah I know this is from a Croc fight a that's a hell of a gash she will heal rather quickly crocodiles have enormous capacity to heal and um it's really as much as it's not it looks like a big gash it's a minor wound for her [Music] and adrenaline is working on me too believe me if she starts moving and shaking and I fear that Chris is losing control I will be out of this area within a split [Music] second living intense experiences in close contact with the Wild Kingdom here in B Isabelle's dream comes alive again with each new [Music] day here in the midst of the Maya mountains is the birthplace of a river renowned for its Purity the siun it winds its way through a dense jungle and meito has made it his mission to protect it my saon is my life and my nabal string when I was born my nabal string went in the sabon river so the saboon river have this thing in me that I must be there I must swim in it every day day I must drink from it every day you know that's that's just you know how special saon river is to me I used to have a job a permanent job for 10 years and I feel something in me that that's holding me back I don't really know what it was until I spend more time on the river and then I could feel oh you know what this is it this is my dream right here this is what I wanted in my life to be on that River anytime anywhere I'll stick with the river I call myself as a Riverman by you know taking my own responsibilities going that River there's like 12 different communities along that river that needs to know what's up Upstream travel this River once a month you know and I go around checking everything recently we had some floods and so I'm going to go check out the river and see if I can see some good stuff on the [Music] river [Music] this solitary Voyage has become as vital as breathing for meito Meandering up the siun he's also making a trip back in time and revisiting his culture everything in this setting reminds him of who he is and where he comes [Music] from see a big sa there man we go visit that right now and check those big buttresses this saber tree is about 10 20 years old my ancestors are still leave something to to let me know that yes they exists back in the days and so and the other thing is not a lot of big trees is left in Bel most of our big trees gone down the river cut down by luggers so when we see a big tree like this we praise it cuz it's wonderful to see it again you know yeah I am mixed with the mopan Maya and the mopan Maya is one of the strongest Mayan in [Music] B Mayans once used to use the cave for sacrificing they will come in a cave they will have a big circle of a bonfire and and they will have a a little dance first one of the Mayan culture thing you know and right after that they have a big [Music] sacrifice even today the Mayas show great respect for their dead they still practice their rituals in caves but the forms have changed they use the cave for storage because sometimes even the areas where the Mayans used to live get flooded so there's a lot of different levels in caves so they always use the highest one again in here they have a God that they called the shabala which that they believe that you know take their their ancestors and take them you know to Heaven that's why we have a secret tree that's named the Sabah which is a secret tree of the Mayans because what happened is the roots of of that big tree is up out there in the outer world and the roots pushes down through the cave to the underworld right so when they do their sacrificing they believe that that their ancestors go through that route straight to the Trunks and through the branches to the [Music] heavens this Sion is the only source of drinking water for the villages along its banks meito plays the role of messenger for the river dwellers afteron good afternoon afternoon how is the day man not too bad bu John I'm watching some CL uhhuh so is Mr John around yes Mr John partner what's up man my long time man yeah man why long long time why why good to see you again man nice to see you man man so what's up man why not much any any any report or any news that I need to know about the river well as a see kind of filthy a bit dirty you know all right we could remember nice flood pass through this place about you know December yeah the last flood comes and reach way up way up on top of the bank almost get into my mom house about 8 in to enter the house top of the hill yeah oh my goodness yeah so that's why that's why you guys build your house off off of the thing no right right yeah that's a huge flood that's a big one [Music] man in this region the rains and hurricanes are continually reshaping the landscape so each Expedition is a new adventure from meito [Music] Ed BS is a hydrographer specialized in river systems he's been monitoring the ecosystem of biz's rivers for the past 30 years for him the siun occupies a choice Place among the rivers on account of its exceptional Purity he likes to keep a finger on the pulse of the river and capture its every mood I first came to biss in 198 0 before biss was B and u i over the years I fell in love with biss as I returned and then by 1988 I found a way to move here I was working to build a research center in the Mountain Pine Ridge um and ultimately I moved from there to the university and to other jobs and uh also I was trying to escape the US I was I was tired of paying my taxes that would go to promote a war industry and I would rather I would rather come to a country that which doesn't promote War so what are you up to yeah same old routine man how you doing so what's the river like up there up well it's beautiful man nice same you know like always all right well you got a healthy river right here too you to check out those fish nice man come in I'll show you what I'm doing so did you do any sampling lately I'm about to get started wow I'm just I just wanted to get a sketch of the area okay just for the notebook so how how how is this how was the forest and the spin bamboo and stuff is that still holding on or it's still holding on but it's thin you know it needs to there needs to be more trees coming in but I see some young trees coming through all right so I think that we're going to see this this area grow to full size in a few years so you think sometime we should be planting some trees on the side of the river I think it wouldn't it wouldn't hurt at all and we can get some students involved in that all right and evenly I could I could even put the seeds together and got some trees going in my Nursery all right for that do that do that and save some for the for us at the University too all right definitely before the sun gets any lower all right man and put a few rocks on the edge of that right there I'm looking for that water shed that you took me to a few years back you remember how to get there yes Ma you think you get take me again cuz I would love to get up there and do some sampling all right definitely we could we could definitely do that so it's right around this area right here man okay it's a great spot big waterfall you know how soon can we go tomorrow all right let's do it we'll be there tomorrow traveling together is a deep moment of raor for these two men who share a Fascination for the same river I feel so many emotions here there's certainly a a sense of freedom of the ability just to kind of be yourself on the river bank but there's also something about a flowing water system that just um massages the uh the creative uh Vibes in your body it's a it's uh the relaxation of the of the water and the and the incredible diversity of the of the fish and the uh and the wildlife associated with the river that are in the Limestone I don't know what Heavens feels like but this sure feel like heaven to be and in me I when I'm in the when I'm at The Spoon River I'm always you know like I'm so happy you know I don't I don't even want to go back to my house I just want to remain here and and and spend as much time at the river as I could and man you know it's this river is it's just I can't stay away from it it's too special you [Music] know well we got this is the trail that we're going to take to the W [Music] nice moving stream man yes [Music] man let's check that water F man beautiful huh it is great isn't that great man it's more beautiful than I remember look how beautiful I like to see those like Mist coming out of there oh yes ma there's many places like this magn waterfall that are undiscovered by most people biss for the for such a small country it has so many natural wonders it takes a long time to see all of biss it's so spread out bise being part of the Central American ismos is a very important part of the the movement of animals from the north and plants from the North and the South with this is where they meet and so this is the second most diverse place in the world wow even better yeah oh man all right Malo [Music] is [Music] hey look big down up by the tree big up on a tree I like guanas they're one of the best reptiles I ever met you know cuz I can't play with a crocodile like before I play with a iguana males are huge and the female they're much smaller much softer you know and it's easier to play with but the big males who too big you know you hold them but it's like a big monster in your hand I love playing with them and the thing that amazed me is is that tail you know that different color that black and that orange tail oh man it's like somebody painted it first time I've Seena iguana I was like scared of it but again I said man no I shouldn't be scared of that I see my brothers hold it so I said okay well it won't hurt me either so I go and I hold it too they don't bite you know wow big one nice going out there I'm going try and take them shot hopefully I can hit them yeah yeah very nice pet I love iguanas they they're very cool really the wild things should be F like moving all the time but this one n you can pick him up anywhere hold him like a baby take a shot you know you could do anything with him you could put him on your shoulder and this is a male by the way and we could tell it's a male by this big bulge here like it nice huh [Music] well I I go out to town I'm miserable I see too much people I'm miserable I see my river and I see birds I see everything I'm happy and in a way in my life that's what I dreamed of to be a River Keeper to get on this River and have a good time and have a life and the life that I'm looking for I have right now so I am glad and thankful for it yeah my family is the one that that that actually get me in this by tugging me along I have five big brothers and my five Big Brothers they're fishermen they love the saon river my dad is a farmer from the saon river they show me how to fish they show me how to catch a iguana they show me how to catch an armadillo and some of them show me even how to catch snakes so it links up and links up and drops right to me I'm the last one of the family now I guess I have to do my part I pick this spot all the time you know cuz great spot and great place to fish you know you could just stand right here beside the campfire T your fishing line in there and just catch a fish and right down there there's big tarpons there's Snapper all kinds of sorts of fish down here y on for me it's life life I think this river is giv me more life than I than than than I think that I have because I've been through many things things you know and I could be dead by now well I'm I'm I call myself dead man but you know what the river said no I'm not ready for you yet go on you got a mission to you know to to accomplish so I'll give you another chance so man from then I I love the river even more if I could live A Thousand Years I'll be right here in this River never going to change it y [Music] this is the story of melito and of an entire country Biz where the murmuring of the rivers is a message of peace to man [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] today somewhere on Earth is headed for the west of America a land where the pioneering spirit and dreams of Fortune still live on alfal is a musician he pies the deserted roads of Arizona at the wheel of his old taxi the concerts he gives in the little towns keep him in close contact with the slice of genuine America welcome to Richard Fox who grew up in the mountains of Wyoming has chosen to live close to Nature by running the family ranch he's perpetuating the cowboy tradition of the American West the mountains and canyons of Utah still echo with Indian chants Steph Davis has made this her playground climbing skydiving and base jumping this is the daily bread of this enthusiastic woman in search of the extreme it kind of feels like being a bird when you have a wing suit because you can go where you want you can steer it you can you know spin around in circles it's just such a and just an amazing thing that you could do that you know you could be like a bird up there it's just it's kind of amazing that we have that [Music] chance Alou couldn't imagine his life any other way for more than 20 years years now he's been living for and from his music rock and [Music] roll [Music] how foul at the wheel of his old gilapy travelss Arizona's Dusty desert scattered with cactus it's like he stepped right out of another age America of the 1950s Al an exceptional musician has become a well-known figure of Arizona's Rock scene one fine day while hitchhiking across the states with a friend he decided to put down Roots here they were 18 and we're pursuing their dreams of [Music] Freedom what we were planning is I wanted to go out to California I was I heard a lot about San Francisco and I had a few friends out there but you see we were kind of homeless at the time and i' been pretty much on and off the street through most of our teenage years so we were hitchhiking and uh I wanted to go to California he says it's October it's gonna be real cold if we're going to be sleeping outside in San Francisco in October so he says let's go to Arizona I met some people it's a cool little town and it's warm all winter long I actually fell in love with Arizona when I first came here from the East Coast the whole state is just filled with beautiful [Music] drives [Music] I was getting ready for the show I got to get you know I was I get Pretty Dirty driving around in this car you know so just you know put on the good shirt for the gig music is his livelihood and his old guitar is his most valuable possession on the roadside under a leaden sun he carries out the same unchanging ritual before each concert the guitar used to be uh like a red like a red Sunburst and uh it had gotten smashed actually the whole thing got broken in and when I repaired it uh I was going to paint it a different color or paint go back to the red Sunburst and when I primed it and sanded to the primer it kind of gave like it looked kind of like the taxi actually so I decided I just clear coat it like this and it [Music] matches headphones IJ h42 just about 100 miles away baby I'll be home soon trle over in the backgound maybe I can barely make you out here com another one rolling [Laughter] by I know I you please feel me please you say yes I me [Music] me all right cheers everybody Al often plays solo guitar drums singing he's kind of a oneman band he's also his own manager always on the lookout for the next gig today Al's making a stop at kilo to see Ed a real character of the Far West like you can meet in Arizona hey Ed how are you howy really nice to see you again all right welcome to cow toown kilo thank you thank you thank you haven't seen you in a while oh it's been a while yeah yeah you know last night I was up in Tucson and I was playing a show and me and Marcus got to talking and we were thinking maybe we could come out here I'm thinking D on the last weekend of June maybe we could put on another concert out here oh yeah yeah you can do that or you can sit up on the stage you know it makes no difference uh a lot of folks just just a few months ago we had eight bands here okay I'll show you where you can set up come over here and right yeah you know you can set up here on the stage Ed kilo gave his name to this improbable spot a little village that he planned and built himself kilo is a very special ranch with its own Saloon Church prison and Cemetery Ed a Korean and Vietnam War veteran has spent his civilian life keeping alive the flame of the pioneering Spirit of the Far West you know out here people is treated with respect everyone is welcome in this town here the cold of the West Young jersey person by the color of his skin he juding by the contents of his character and that's what we do here but somehow the West is losing [Music] that the deserts is a school where final examinations is given every hour every day every month you have to understand you learn to live in correlation with animals with rattlesnakes with hilom monsters everything that's here you have to know where to find water because it looks green out there behind you but that's a dangerous place it can take your life they'll find your bones weathered someplace you have to [Music] know [Music] Al The Rocker also has a kind of crazy dream in Mammoth a small town with a population of 2,000 he's renovating the Blue Front Inn this bar is a legend unto itself it used to be owned by the son of a Chicago gangster who made a fortune during prohibition the Blue Front Inn also used to be a dance hall and maybe this place in the heart of the desert will come alive again at least that's what Al is hoping this is a 1965 row ambassador I bought it in uh Scottdale Arizona there's a guy who uh actually the guy I bought it from had uh three or four of them and out of them he took all the parts together and pieced together one working one and I've filled it with all my own records and records that uh I got from my father when he died well there ain't no use for me having a band anyhow just a couple of L that I got to learn to P Som well now $50 three way no you arguing put it in the tank we had a gun to get ripped off to so I called up mama I called up Papa I call him a woman but she's not home wonder where she's got driving is something I do all the time as a musician I do a lot of driving even if I just stay in Arizona and just play my regular Circuit of shows in Arizona sometimes I'll do 1,200 miles in a month and that's just for the [Music] gigs sometimes SAR I write songs because I have nothing else to do my mind just starts to work over time but I like it I like driving feels like you never need it [Music] home 250 km from Al's place just the stone's throw for Arizona is the town of Bisby and the Shady Dell a very original Motel here the rooms are all vintage trailers this morning Al is paying a visit to his friend Justin the moving Spirit of the place like Al he's a great fan of the fabulous 50s we don't have much of a history and this is a this was a big part of our our culture between the car culture the movies and the old diners and and unfortunately everything's fading away um nobody knows what these diners were like anymore that they're pretty much all gone for me to get to Bisby in the taxi it's you know 3 hours with no air conditioning holes in the bottom of the floor you know but uh it's all part of the adventure you know if I wanted to drive a car with air conditioning and stuff I mean you know that's not for me you [Music] know good music a headful of yars inspired by his Mexican taxi alou's life is written on the highways and byways of Arizona behind the wheel of his 1954 Chevrolet belir Al is a happy man yeah man I love it I love this car I can't stop anywhere without somebody saying wow man man that's a cool car I love it the trunk popped open it's got a bad luck I got to close it again 20 miles away I bet going to be surprised when I walk in right well you see none of these gauges work you know on the thing and they never didn't when I got it and to kind of replace them all it's uh a little expensive and a real pain to do so you know I don't know you know if I need know how fast it is you know [Music] 50 I don't even know if I'm the one who owns the car I think I'm just a passenger for a [Music] while God Bless America Al's Carr is the faithful companion of every moment of his life something like a good old friend who every now and then gives you a hard time oh well going blow a tire you're going to blow a tire a the first one I changed sure this H ain't going to be be the last just got to get into Tucson and get another one now all right have you heard about Davy he got locked up yesterday for the failure to pay his child [Music] support and all us guys laugh thought it was just so funny his wife left in such a hurry she never even stop ask for money she never even call just once to tell him where in junior was so last Friday night driving back to his lonely home he started thinking I I I'm not going to leave Arizona I don't think I mean I want to travel you know I'd like to see the whole rest of the world really tell you the truth and I'm going to try to see as much of it as I can I mean probably the biggest thing about being a musician is it's kind of can be a tool for that you maybe you're ain't going to make any money there but you're going to get to see some places you know and it's a vehicle like that you know it can be if you're you know if that's your intention you know but I always want to stay here you know I got a nice little circuit I do you know around the state different gigs I've been doing for some years different towns I've been playing for a long time time see old friends when I play there it's nice I never want to lose that little yard baby clothes and dishes for sale a little yard sale baby clo and dishes for sale l y sale baby clothes and dishes for sale [Music] Wyoming is a land where people still get around on Horseback a land of breathtaking Landscapes crossed by the Rocky Mountains that Peak at over 4,000 m it is the least populated of the United States here not far from Yellowstone National Park Richard fox has his Ranch it's the end of May and uh normally at this time of year the grass is growing and all the trees have leaves but this year as you can see it's still snowing at this time year so uh we're facing some challenges feeding our horses and our cattle and uh we we live by Nature's rules [Music] here Richard Fox runs his family ranch birched at an altitude of 2,300 M and isolated from the rest of the world in this region the temperature can sometimes drop to minus us 30 or 40° C Wyoming is a wild country land of wolves Grizzlies beavers and the imposing elk this morning Richard is riding along the edge of the forest he's tracked down a stray Colt that ran off from the herd you see is is easy [Music] easy easy [Music] easy that's a good boy that's a good boy from the day I was born I've been around horses um you know I started riding in my father's arms when I was six weeks old so really they're like family members to me and my whole family feels the same way we treat them very gently and uh you know have a lot of respect for horses horses are wonderful because um you can go so many places with them you know it's a little bit like a dog except you can also ride them the horses and the cattle I love the animals um you know it's always you always feel at peace when you're around them they're uh you know very pure animals you know you can go any direction on the horses and we're very lucky because we're in the middle of the Wilderness so we don't have any highways we don't have fences you know that block us off so we can go any direction both uh physically and I think mentally because we have these Wide Open Spaces [Music] when the sun sets the mountains around The Bitter Root Ranch Echo with a particular sound that goes way back to Richard's [Music] [Music] childhood [Music] once spring is well underway they let the horses loose at Sunset so they can spend the nights roaming freely in the [Music] mountains [Music] [Music] I was born and raised in Wyoming um and I spent my whole childhood growing up here and then I went away for University uh so I saw some other parts of the country and I experienced you know different Lifestyles and realized how wonderful My Lifestyle here in Wyoming is um and I think that's part of the reason that I love it so much you know I've seen other things and uh i' I've seen how lucky I am and my family is to be here but I was lucky because I was born into this lifestyle so I think many people have to search you know for something they love and you know for a passion in life and for me it was just [Music] natural after a long hard winter the spring thaw has begun the ranch is coming back to life today Richard's entire family is pitching in with the work they have to drive a part of the herd up to the grazing lands recently freed from the [Music] [Applause] snow these vast expanses they ride over these Plains hills and mountains all this is is their home and they protect [Applause] it um you know we do things the way they've been done in the West for over a hundred years um we you know we rely on the natural world the grass growing and the cattle having their calves uh just just like the Cowboys did in the old days this is uh not a very decorative saddle this is a real cowboy saddle for work it's designed to sit in for a lot of hours you're comfortable in this saddle all day it's uh it's like my office chair that I sit in every day as long as it's uh looked at after and you know I keep loving it it should last for you know Generations um actually my parents got this saddle for me when I graduated from high school so I've had it for many many years and maybe I don't know I'll give it to my son when he graduates from high [Music] [Music] school [Music] [Music] I like to come up just by myself to get away from it all and uh see what going on up here um it's very peaceful it's very nice companionship with the [Music] horses you know you always have to pay attention to what the horse is doing um and so they keep you thinking you can't fall asleep and I can't drift off and and think about other things I have to focus on the horse and on our relationship um it's a little bit like a a dance and you have to pay attention to it or you'll step on your partner's Toes or they'll step on [Music] yours I came up here the this morning to uh see if we can bring our cattle up into the mountains each summer we bring them up you know High uh into the mountains for uh for the grass and I've discovered that there's a lot of snow up here so it's too early we aren't going to be able to bring our cattle up yet but uh frankly it's also kind of a nice trip to see um you know just me with the two horses and uh we get away from it all and we can explore in the mountains it's very peaceful I haven't found anywhere yet that's better than this Richard makes a stop on the banks of this River he still has half a day of riding to get back to the ranch he'll spend the night in his this 100-year-old cabin that has offered shelter to so many Cowboys before him isolated but not alone he has the company of his horses as well as the spirit of all those who once nourished the same dreams many ranches in the west are getting subdivided um you know so they're being sold for people to have small houses in this beautiful countryside but of course as more people have their small homes in Paradise it's no longer paradise and um and so I think for my whole family it's very important that we're keeping our Ranch the way that it has been um it's a hard way to make a living and it would be easy to you know sell the ranch and subdivide it uh but there are a lot of ranchers that hold on to the land even though it's a tough lifestyle it's a good lifestyle and they have a lot of love for what they're doing and for the open land and for the environment I hope people get a chance to visit Wilderness somewhere in the world just to see what it's like and I think that you know that's how everyone used to live so it's kind of part of us and it's important to you know still see it at dawn Richard will get back on the trail to the ranch in a few days the snow will be all gone that's when they'll drive the cattle up to the summer [Music] pastures [Music] in the local Indian language Utah means people of the mountains this is the breathtaking realm of towering Stone Cathedrals sculpted by the Wind and [Music] Rain time and erosion have carved out immense Canyons venturing Into the Heart of Utah means discovering one of Nature's [Music] masterpieces here at the foot of these abrupt rock walls is where the lovers of Wide Open Spaces meet men and women who live near these Cliffs that they've managed to tame in order to satisfy their thirst for the [Music] [Music] extreme [Music] it's like a specific moment where you have to focus and do everything the best you can and um you know the only person it really matters to is you because you're the one there you're the one on the line it feels really honest or like real to um have experiences like that because you're going to try to do the best you can because you sort of have [Music] to well I've been climbing for 20 years and um you know at this point I couldn't really not climb in my life it's just you know it's like eating or walking I mean I just I will always climb um I don't know I don't know why I like that so much I just I just do I I just really like it what makes sense is being here and you know you're on a cliff and there's gravity and you know and you have your equipment and you know what to do and you're going to do the best you can cuz you want to have a good time and and be able to do it again later and it's just it's very natural so to me that makes sense and I like to live like [Music] that Steph Davis is one of the world's most respected woman climbers she has climbed and open difficult Trails all over the globe Pakistan Europe North and South [Music] America Steph Davis could have had a brilliant career as a Pianist or devoted herself to writing and literature but one day she discovered rock climbing the contact with the stone and this wild nature that few men or women managed to master when she arrived here in Moab Utah Steph Davis decided to live as simply as possible in her trailer not far from the rock walls and she lived like that for 7 [Music] years I love this this place where there's all these Canyons and all this um there's a lot of shape and there's like a lot of um volume in this landscape and then you never feel like you're just out exposed because there's so much stuff surrounding you but then it's far away so you don't feel like squeezed in like some tight Valley so it's just this really nice combination of feeling kind of like there's things surrounding you but you always feel like you're up on top of places and it just feels really good here [Music] you know as the years went by I went like a lot of places in the world and this is just my favorite place like if I if I had to stay in Moab and never ever leave this area for the rest of my life I would be totally happy because there's just everything to do here now Steph lives with her boyfriend Mario who's also a lover of the extreme strong Sensations today they're climbing Ancient Art a Spire in the middle of Fisher Towers one of Utah's most spectacular [Music] landscapes just take your position and everything make sure it's all good okay I'm not right now these two climbers used to high mountains complete the Ascension in under an hour here Steph and Mario are on the summit of ancient art perched on a narrow platform barely large enough to stand on you good doing [Music] babe three see you 2 [Music] one Steph's freef fall down the cliff face has gone off without a hitch this sport base jumping gives an incredible Rush of adrenaline but for Mario it's more of a problem because the wind has come up plus he's no longer attached by his harness and his balance is tricky under these conditions you have to be patient now the wind has dropped and Mario is getting ready to take the Great lead but first he has to get rid of the Rope they use to make the climb the Rope has gotten wedged in and he has to free it with his foot yeah baby here we go yeah buddy yeah that's okay good job that was a nice one it's one of those magical places and it's close to our hometown is like 20 mil away 25 miles away we can come here like every day if we want to so we don't have to travel across the world so and people cross the world to come here so when you're actually here and you it's your backyard it's I mean feel very very lucky you know I'm more of a jumper she's more of a climber so she gets me up and you know I get her down so we have this little team thing going which is pretty nice so when you actually have somebody that shares the same passion and you're actually in love with it makes everything's just that much more intense CU you just you can share all these very strong you know feelings and moments with somebody somebody you love it's nice very nice [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] so yeah thunderstorms they bring all the air up and then it just takes air in from different [Music] sides [Music] Mario is a climber but he's also been an airplane pilot and skydiving instructor for years he's one of the Trailblazers of base jumping as well the passion they both have for wide open spaces and pushing their limits quite naturally LED Steph and Mario to share the call of the [Music] Void Mario and I actually met in this plane and I I really like it when he's flying and then he knows so much and I really trust his decisions um and it's just it's just nice when he's flying if you're in a thunderstorm it's bad weather so what you need to do is make sure where they are before you actually take off and uh basically avoid them but it does make things a little more tricky but at the same time these days we'll have the most beautiful Skies cuz the clouds are bursting and there's a way to be safe as long as you respect um the environment and you know what's coming their little plane is weaving between the storms and downpours Mario is still hesitating about opening the hatch Steph is ready to [Music] go it's got to one minute from Dr one [Music] minute and door5 Miles have a good jump [Music] for this jump Steph has dawned her wing suit especially designed to slide through the air but man's oldest dream flying is not available to just anyone in the USA you have to complete 500 jumps before you can dive with a wing [Music] suit [Music] this suit allows Steph to fly much longer in free fall than with the standard equipment it's an aerial roller coaster that lasts only about 1 minute before opening her [Music] parachute it kind of feels like being a bird when you have a wing suit because um you can go you can go where you want you can steer it you can pop up or dive down you can you know spin around in [Music] circles it's a really cool feeling but then at the same time you're also um thinking a lot because you have instruments like the altimeter and you have to think about where you're going to come to land and so it's like on the one hand it's this really like oo I'm a bird and on the other hand you're like what's my altitude it's just such a and just an amazing thing that you could do that you know you could be like a bird up there it's just it's kind of amazing that we have that [Music] chance [Music] when I started to do meditation for me it's just kind of the same thing as running like like to have like the empty mind state which is really good and then um and then you feel good and then um it helps train your mind to do that when you are like doing a base jump or doing a hard climb or free soloing or skydiving or something because anything you practice you can do it better so if you practice that U mind State and safe environments it's easy to take it into the risky [Music] [Music] ones hey Larry hey Steph how's it going hi slack hi hi sweetie hi hi happy dog hi good boy is it windy yeah it's been a little Breezy up here but not too bad is the line good oh it's perfect looks nice yeah it's great that's super nice Larry yeah it's sweet wow but it's really wet is the line wet uh no it's actually after uh the Sun and all the wind it's dried out and it's perfect do you know how far down it is uh it's probably about 100 feet down okay Larry harp is an old friend of Stephan Mario he's a reference in this very spectacular discipline slacklining he also has been around the world to fulfill his passion for climbing which he's been practicing for years Larry is willing to go to Great Lengths for such a moment it took him two days of hard work to set up the line you don't practice this extreme sport on a tight cable like a tight RPP Walker with his balancing pole here Larry has to master the stretch and bounce of the narrow strip of webbing as he walks the fine line between vertigo and perfect balance [Music] nice thanks good job that was [Laughter] [Music] fun I really enjoy the balance of being able to control not only your physical and your mental aspect of of walking a line um I enjoy being up really high I've been a climber for 20 years so highlining or slack lining up high is basically just an extension of that one thing you try to do is is empty your mind of anything it's kind of like meditation so um if you're thinking about a bunch of things while you're walking it just it it kind of confuses you and it it it might make you stumble or fall that was fun it's always always gets the heart rate up a little bit there for me highlining is all about uh the uh The View and it's not just just being up high it's being in a very Scenic Place being in being out with nature and just enjoy enjoying the uh the landscape and everything encompasses the experience that that you're looking [Music] for [Music] [Music]

Channel: TRACKS - Travel Documentaries

Views: 852,420

Keywords: Belize, TRACKS - Travel Documentaries, conservation efforts, conservation projects, cowboy tradition, eco-friendly practices, eco-friendly travel, educational travel content, fascinating creatures, global travel experiences, indigenous communities, natural beauty, nature photography, rainforest, travel inspirations, unique stories, wildlife rescue missions, wildlife veterinarian, world cultures

Id: nFoI3LIf1CM

Length: 207min 41sec (12461 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 27 2024