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(dramatic orchestral musidc)
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(upbeat music)
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- [Narrator] Our aerial
journey across the picturesque
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Balearic Islands of Menorca
begins in the northwest
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of the island at Ciutadella
before heading for the coast
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and flying past cliffs, beaches,
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small resorts, and clear blue seas.
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At the main airport,
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we encounter a group of
military helicopters coming
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in to refuel.
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And close by is one of the
many pre-history sites which
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cover the island.
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More modern defenses on the
small island of La Mola, once
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protected the capital
Mahon and it's harbor.
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Flying north up the east coast,
are a number of old tower
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castles and villages turned into resorts.
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And we end our journey
in the northeast corner
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of the island at the lighthouse on the end
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of Cap de Cavalleria.
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(gentle music)
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Menorca is the most eastern
island in the Balearic group.
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And it's also very
different in its landscape
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from Ibiza and Majorca.
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The island has no high mountains,
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and in fact the highest point
is just over 1,000 feet.
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However, the coastline is
one of the most unspoilt
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in the whole of Spain.
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Menorca is the second largest
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of the Balearic Islands at
around 270 square miles.
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The permanent population is about 95,000
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and this dramatically increases
during the summer months,
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with the thousands of
holidaymakers who come and stay
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in the many resorts around the coast.
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For those people interested in history,
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then the island has much to offer.
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The story of Menorca is one of invasion,
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and Great Britain gained
and lost the island several
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times during the 18th century.
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They wanted it for the
strategic importance of its
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harbor, a place they could base
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their Mediterranean Fleet in.
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The Romans understood this
naval importance as well,
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because their ships were
constantly attacked by pirates
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based on the island.
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So, in 121 BC, they
invaded and made it part
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of the Roman Empire.
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They named the island
Menorca, meaning Little one,
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as opposed to Majorca, meaning large one.
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However, the island's story,
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stretches back much further
than the Romans, as even
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earlier settlers back in
the Bronze Age, understood
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the islands important position for trade
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across the Mediterranean.
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And as a result,
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the whole island is covered
with prehistory monuments.
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These ancient people,
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from what is known as
the Talaiotic Culture,
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built stone structures,
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temples, and elaborate burial chambers.
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There are roughly 2,000 of
them spread across the island,
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and in the north they can
be seen close together.
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These ancient sites
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make Menorca one of the
largest open air museums
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in the world with the highest
concentration of megalithic
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monuments in the Mediterranean.
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On the northwest corner of the island is
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Ciutadella, Menorca's second
city, and once its capital.
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The city was originally founded
by the Carthaginians way
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back in around 200 BC.
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But by the fourth century
had become Christian and had
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its own Bishop.
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In the 10th century the city,
as well as the island, came
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under the control of
the Moors who occupied
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much of Spain.
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(birds chirping)
By the 12th century,
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it was back in the hands of the Spanish.
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This pattern of invasion and
new rulers was set to continue.
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On the 9th of July 1558,
a Turkish invasion force
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under the command of the infamous
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Barbarossa Pasha attacked
the city and slaughtered most
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of the inhabitants.
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Those left alive were taken back
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to Turkey and sold as slaves.
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The city was destroyed,
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and the only building left was
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the 13th century Cathedral.
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In the Placa des Born,
once the parade ground
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for Moorish troops,
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is an obelisk commemorating
the year of misfortune.
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In 1708, the British became
the next occupiers and moved
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the capital to Mahon on the
opposite side of the island.
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However, the bishop refused to move,
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and so Ciutadella still
remains the religious
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capital of Menorca.
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Today the city is a popular
place with summer visitors
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who come and walk along the harbor
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in the early morning to see
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the fishing boats arrive
with the day's catch for all
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the waterside restaurants.
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To the north of the city
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is the Hipodromo de Ciutadella
where the 200 year old
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popular sport of trotting
races takes place.
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(horses hooves beating)
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Close by the racecourse
and constructed close
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to the rocky inlets and coves
is a purpose built holiday
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development called Los Delfines.
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And on the south side of
the city is Cala Santandria
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which boasts a fine beach
and also becoming a popular
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place for holidaymakers.
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(gentle music)
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Heading inland from Ciutadella,
the landscape is dotted
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with Talaiot circular structures.
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Many have been restored and
can be explored and climbed.
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(birds chirping)
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No one is really certain
what they were used for,
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although suggestions
include burial chambers,
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watch towers and store houses.
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But as no hard evidence has been found,
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and they date from a time
before recorded history,
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perhaps they will always remain a mystery.
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Time to head for the coast,
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and a deep ravine leads to
one of the many sandy curves,
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along the southwest coast.
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(birds chirping)
(gentle music)
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During the year, around
a million people visit
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Menorca, and many come to
the west coast resorts.
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One of the most popular or beautiful is
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Cala Galdana which lies in a
near perfect horseshoe bay,
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and is surrounded by near
vertical pine clad cliffs.
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The warm shallow water
makes the resort a favorite
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with families with young children.
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On the cliffs are some spectacular
private villas with views
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out to sea.
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All along this stretch of coast,
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the sea has carved out sandy curves,
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making them ideal places to get away
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from the built up resorts.
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On average, Menorca has
300 days of sunshine
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throughout the year,
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and the sea temperature
in the summer is roughly
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25 degrees centigrade.
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And during the winter,
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the weather is still mild and
makes the island a pleasant
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place to stay with far
fewer people around.
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In 1993, the whole island was declared
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a biosphere reserve by
UNESCO, meaning that there is
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a balanced relationship
between man and nature.
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The beaches are clean, and
the sea water fairly pure.
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But there is a constant
struggle between growing tourism
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and the impact on the environment.
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The next resort along
the coast is Santo Tomas.
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This modern purpose built
resort is hugely popular
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with British families who
stay in the large hotels
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at the end of the bay.
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And when the thousands of
tourists from hotels and villas
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have gone at the end of the summer season,
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the town has a population
of just under 100 people.
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Unlike other popular resorts in both
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Ibiza and Majorca,
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the beaches in Menorca are
generally less crowded.
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And with a bit of a walk,
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it's possible to get away from it all.
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(gentle music)
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The longest beach in Menorca
is at Son Bou, which is
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about two miles long,
and on the southern end,
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is a prominent hotel complex.
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The town of San Jaime stands on a hill
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overlooking the resort
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where apartment blocks and
hotels overlook the sea.
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Also on all Menorca's beaches,
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topless sunbathing is acceptable,
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and on one end of Son Bou
beach, nudity is allowed.
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For the more energetic,
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walking is one of the best
ways of exploring the island,
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and footpaths follow some
of the ravines and gullies.
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Recently,
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Recently, the Cami de Cavalls,
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a network of parts around the coast
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have now been joined together,
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forming a great circular
route around the island.
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In the past, many of the
paths were used by smugglers,
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and the customs officials
who tried to stop them.
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The views across the cliffs,
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and down to the shoreline
with the brilliant clear blue
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sea, are quite stunning.
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One of the longest established
resorts on the island is
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Cala En Porter.
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Once again, it's very popular
with British visitors.
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On the cliffs are a
number of private villas,
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many of which are let out
during the summer months.
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Another reason for its popularity
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is that it's fairly close
to Menorca's airport,
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and a place for us to refuel.
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However, we have to wait our turn to land.
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Because ahead of us
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are a group of military
helicopters on a training flight,
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who are also waiting to refuel,
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and we all have to wait for a jet to land,
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before making an approach.
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(airplane engine roaring)
(dramatic orchestral music)
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Around one million passengers a year
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pass through Menorca airport.
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Both scheduled as well as
charter aircraft land here.
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A slower way of getting
to the island is by ferry
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from Barcelona on the Spanish mainland,
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or from Parma in Majorca.
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But most people come by air.
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The airport was built in 1969
because the runway of the old
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airport, situated nearby,
could not be extended,
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and that meant new and larger
jets were unable to land.
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Today, Menorca Airport handles
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around 13,000 aircraft movements
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a year from its 16 gates.
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Next to land are the
four military helicopters
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on a training exercise.
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The aircraft type is a Bolkow
105 which has been in service
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since the late 1960s.
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The Spanish Army use the
helicopter both as an anti-tank
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00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:06,620
attack aircraft as well as
for scouting and observation.
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It was the first lightweight
twin engine helicopter
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in commercial service.
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While over 30 countries
have the Bolkow in service,
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and in many of them, it is
used as an air ambulance.
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00:14:22,910 --> 00:14:27,200
Four rigid fiber glass rotor
blades were a world's first
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00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,950
and it means the aircraft
has a high maneuverability.
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In the United States, an
acrobatic display team uses
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the Bolkow to perform loops,
rolls, and other stunts
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00:14:39,370 --> 00:14:41,320
which are normally only associated
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with fixed wing aircraft.
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In 2001, production ended
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00:14:46,660 --> 00:14:49,410
and the last to be sold was in 2009.
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However, it will remain in
service around the world
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for many more years to come.
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Two miles to the east of the airport,
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is one of the best preserved
Talaiot settlements
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on the island, Trepuco.
(gentle music)
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One of the main features is
the well preserved taula.
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This is a T-shaped construction
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much like Stonehenge in Britain.
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No one really knows
what they were used for,
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00:15:20,530 --> 00:15:23,720
but some sort of religious
use must be a good guess.
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In the settlement is around
tower construction surrounded
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by a restored star-shaped base.
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But the site appears to
have been abandoned during
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the Second Punic War
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between Carthage and Rome around 200 BC.
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It's estimated that the
original settlement was probably
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close to 5,000 square meters.
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More modern historic
sites can be found close
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to the capital city Mahon.
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And most are military because
during the 18th century,
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the island was fought over
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00:16:05,047 --> 00:16:07,827
between France, Britain and Spain.
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In 1710, the British built
fort Marlborough, named
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after the British General John Churchill,
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00:16:16,390 --> 00:16:18,730
1st Duke of Marlborough.
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00:16:18,730 --> 00:16:20,870
The fort was subject to many attacks
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00:16:20,870 --> 00:16:22,490
but was never destroyed.
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00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:28,160
Because the port at Mahon is
one of the deepest natural
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00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:29,550
harbors in the world,
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00:16:29,550 --> 00:16:32,300
it is a perfect base for
a naval fleet operating
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00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:33,380
in the Mediterranean.
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00:16:34,370 --> 00:16:37,810
It has therefore been heavily
defended for over 300 years
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00:16:37,810 --> 00:16:40,360
with various styles of military forts.
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00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:46,200
After Spain finally
regained Menorca in 1802,
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00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,790
from the British, they
began to fortify the island
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00:16:48,790 --> 00:16:52,050
of La Mola, which stands
at the harbor entrance.
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00:16:55,370 --> 00:16:57,070
By the mid 19th century,
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00:16:57,070 --> 00:16:59,340
the Spanish began building
the great fortress
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00:16:59,340 --> 00:17:04,310
of Isabella II, which was
rebuilt several times.
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00:17:04,310 --> 00:17:06,490
With it's angled walls, redoubts,
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00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:08,070
loopholes for the cannon,
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00:17:08,070 --> 00:17:10,190
it became a formidable fortress.
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00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,980
Firing positions along
the coast facing the sea,
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00:17:14,980 --> 00:17:17,570
ensured a warm welcome for an enemy ship.
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00:17:19,120 --> 00:17:20,700
And on top of the island
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00:17:20,700 --> 00:17:23,250
were living quarters and
headquarters for the fort.
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00:17:24,110 --> 00:17:27,160
With better firepower from
new types of artillery,
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00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,820
the old fortress gradually
became redundant.
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00:17:31,890 --> 00:17:33,960
A more effective form of defense
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00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,130
was bigger and better artillery,
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00:17:36,130 --> 00:17:40,100
and in the 1930s, two Vickers
15 inch guns were installed
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00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:41,850
at the highest point of the island.
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00:17:43,930 --> 00:17:46,760
One of them is about
to fall over the cliff,
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00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,610
but the other is open to visitors.
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00:17:49,611 --> 00:17:52,361
(dramatic music)
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00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:04,560
The importance of this deep
natural harbor had been
288
00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:06,510
recognized since classical times,
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00:18:06,513 --> 00:18:08,133
when the island was occupied
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00:18:08,130 --> 00:18:11,210
by the Carthaginians
and of Mago, the brother
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00:18:11,210 --> 00:18:12,400
of the great Hannibal.
292
00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,890
Mago gave his name to the
city and harbor of Mohan.
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00:18:21,150 --> 00:18:23,210
The harbor is three miles long,
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00:18:23,210 --> 00:18:26,970
and the depth varies
from 45 feet to 90 feet
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00:18:26,970 --> 00:18:30,230
which means almost any
size vessel can use it.
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00:18:30,230 --> 00:18:32,120
Including all the private yachts
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00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:35,190
sailing between the
islands and mainland ports.
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00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:38,310
They can make use of the
marinas around the harbor.
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00:18:43,710 --> 00:18:45,920
During most of the 18th
century when Britain occupied
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00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,720
the island, their naval
fleet would have anchored
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00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,030
in the harbor to await orders,
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00:18:51,030 --> 00:18:53,830
be resupplied, and carry out repairs.
303
00:18:58,150 --> 00:19:01,890
At the harbor town of Es
Castell, it was originally built
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00:19:01,890 --> 00:19:06,490
by the British and called
Georgetown after their king.
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00:19:06,490 --> 00:19:09,080
This was the headquarters
of the occupying force,
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00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:10,440
and much of the architecture has
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00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:12,250
a strong British influence.
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00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:15,490
Long after the Spanish
regained the island,
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00:19:15,490 --> 00:19:20,490
they renamed the town Es
Castell, meaning the castle,
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00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,660
because of its proximity to
all the castles and forts
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00:19:23,660 --> 00:19:24,750
guarding the harbor.
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00:19:26,410 --> 00:19:29,140
The town also has another claim to fame,
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00:19:29,140 --> 00:19:30,790
as it is the most easterly town
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00:19:30,790 --> 00:19:34,800
in Spain, and so the
first to see the sunrise.
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00:19:38,843 --> 00:19:41,983
(gentle music)
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00:19:41,980 --> 00:19:43,450
In the early 18th century,
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00:19:43,450 --> 00:19:45,370
the British moved the
capital of the island,
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00:19:45,370 --> 00:19:46,690
to here at Mahon.
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00:19:50,490 --> 00:19:52,870
The reason for the move can be seen today,
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00:19:52,870 --> 00:19:55,490
as large cruise ships are able to moor up,
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00:19:55,490 --> 00:19:57,200
alongside the city's quay.
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00:20:01,910 --> 00:20:05,580
Passengers need only take a
short walk to explore the city
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00:20:05,580 --> 00:20:07,230
and its historic buildings.
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00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:09,640
And they follow in the footsteps
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00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,400
of the Great British Admiral
Horatio Nelson, who stayed
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00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:15,040
here on his way back home,
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00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:16,050
following his victory
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00:20:16,050 --> 00:20:18,150
over the French at the Battle of the Nile.
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00:20:19,730 --> 00:20:22,480
The city has a distinct British feel to it
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00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:23,840
which is not surprising
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00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,300
as they occupied it three
times during the 18th century,
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00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:29,900
and left their mark in
the simple style of houses
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00:20:29,900 --> 00:20:33,310
they built, often to be
found with green shutters.
334
00:20:36,450 --> 00:20:40,210
The narrow streets of the
Old City create deep shadows,
335
00:20:40,210 --> 00:20:42,260
and this helps keep the buildings cool
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00:20:42,260 --> 00:20:44,100
in the hot Mediterranean sun.
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00:20:48,681 --> 00:20:51,601
Dominating the city skyline,
are several beautiful churches,
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00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,620
including the Iglesia del
Sant Francest, on the northern
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00:20:55,620 --> 00:20:58,690
end of the old City, and in the center,
340
00:20:58,690 --> 00:21:03,300
the imposing Esglesia del
Carme, a former Carmelite church
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00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,630
which is now a cultural center,
as well as a marketplace.
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00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,130
Away from the historic center,
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00:21:13,130 --> 00:21:17,120
Mahon has a more modern feel
with apartments and hotels
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00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:19,670
to accommodate the growing
number of tourists.
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00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,620
Mahon also has a culinary claim to fame,
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00:21:25,620 --> 00:21:29,250
because when the French Admiral
Armand Vignerot du Plessis
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00:21:29,250 --> 00:21:32,720
defeated the British
Navy in 1756, he returned
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00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,560
to France with a new
source he had discovered
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00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:36,430
on the island,
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00:21:38,020 --> 00:21:39,950
mahonnaise, which was later named
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00:21:39,950 --> 00:21:42,160
by the French, mayonnaise.
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00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,580
To the north of Mahon
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00:21:48,580 --> 00:21:53,490
is S'Albufera des Grau Nature
Park, which includes wetlands,
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00:21:53,490 --> 00:21:54,640
a long shoreline,
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00:21:54,637 --> 00:21:56,897
and a number of farms still using
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00:21:56,900 --> 00:21:58,730
traditional farming practices.
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00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,350
This diverse landscape also
includes over 100 species
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00:22:03,350 --> 00:22:04,850
of birds and animals.
359
00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,680
On the coast in the
Nature Reserve is Es Grau,
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00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:11,000
an old fishing village,
361
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,150
which has been turned into a small resort.
362
00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:17,750
The diversity this landscape
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00:22:17,750 --> 00:22:19,610
played an important part in the decision
364
00:22:19,610 --> 00:22:22,510
of the International
Committee of UNESCO, declaring
365
00:22:22,510 --> 00:22:26,410
Menorca a biosphere reserve in 1993.
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00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,160
At strategic points on the coast,
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00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:37,010
are a series of defense
towers built in a design which
368
00:22:37,010 --> 00:22:40,240
can be seen in many countries
around the Mediterranean.
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00:22:41,450 --> 00:22:44,270
These defense towers were
first constructed in the late
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00:22:44,270 --> 00:22:47,620
17th century to protect
the island from pirates
371
00:22:47,620 --> 00:22:49,510
and a possible Turkish invasion.
372
00:22:50,420 --> 00:22:52,590
They both acted as lookout towers
373
00:22:52,590 --> 00:22:55,550
as well as forts with
cannon mounted on the top,
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00:22:55,550 --> 00:22:57,260
with living quarters underneath.
375
00:22:58,490 --> 00:22:59,910
They were so successful
376
00:22:59,910 --> 00:23:01,960
that when the British
attacked a similar tower
377
00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,730
in Corsica, at the end
of the 18th century,
378
00:23:04,730 --> 00:23:06,640
it took two ships to do it.
379
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,860
With a heavy loss of life on
one ship, and great damage
380
00:23:09,860 --> 00:23:11,170
to the other.
381
00:23:11,170 --> 00:23:14,600
The tower was manned by only 33 people.
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00:23:16,370 --> 00:23:17,310
As a result,
383
00:23:17,310 --> 00:23:20,270
Britain copied the design
and built new defense towers
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00:23:20,270 --> 00:23:22,040
around Minorca's coast,
385
00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:23,890
and indeed exported the forts back
386
00:23:23,890 --> 00:23:25,360
to Britain's coastline,
387
00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:28,000
where they were known as Martello towers.
388
00:23:36,540 --> 00:23:40,060
To the north to the S'Albufero
Nature Park, the coastline is
389
00:23:40,060 --> 00:23:43,990
home to a few resorts built
into the rocky coves and inlets.
390
00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,850
And on a perfect crescent-shape
sandy bay is the resort
391
00:23:55,850 --> 00:23:58,190
of Arenal d'en Castell.
392
00:23:58,190 --> 00:24:00,290
It's renowned as one
of the liveliest places
393
00:24:00,290 --> 00:24:01,220
on the island,
394
00:24:01,220 --> 00:24:04,220
and the only place with
a number of large hotels.
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00:24:07,170 --> 00:24:10,230
Further north is the remote
pretty fishing village
396
00:24:10,230 --> 00:24:13,750
of Fornells, which attracts
that rich and famous,
397
00:24:13,750 --> 00:24:17,140
including the King of Spain,
Juan Carlos, who comes
398
00:24:17,140 --> 00:24:20,280
for the famous seafood dishes
served in the restaurants
399
00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:21,430
overlooking the harbor.
400
00:24:26,970 --> 00:24:29,080
On the most northerly point of Menorca,
401
00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,090
is the Cap de Cavalleria,
402
00:24:31,090 --> 00:24:34,160
a narrow rocky spine
jutting out into the sea.
403
00:24:35,550 --> 00:24:38,990
This is one of the most
dangerous parts of the island
404
00:24:38,988 --> 00:24:40,838
for shipping, where it has
been recorded that more
405
00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,070
than 700 ships have been
wrecked on the high cliffs
406
00:24:44,070 --> 00:24:45,740
over the past few centuries.
407
00:24:49,060 --> 00:24:50,510
After public pressure,
408
00:24:50,510 --> 00:24:53,610
a lighthouse was eventually built in 1857.
409
00:24:54,540 --> 00:24:57,690
The light used a pressurized
oil vaporized system,
410
00:24:57,690 --> 00:25:00,340
which was not the most
reliable, and was eventually
411
00:25:00,340 --> 00:25:03,290
replaced by electricity
when it became available.
412
00:25:05,180 --> 00:25:08,460
Today the lighthouse uses
solar power and batteries.
413
00:25:10,650 --> 00:25:15,290
In 2005, the Cap de Cavalleria
Ecomuseum was opened
414
00:25:15,290 --> 00:25:17,450
in the building under the lighthouse,
415
00:25:17,450 --> 00:25:20,190
where visitors can explore
the cultural and natural
416
00:25:20,190 --> 00:25:22,990
heritage of the north of Menorca.
417
00:25:22,990 --> 00:25:25,110
A dramatic and beautiful part
418
00:25:25,110 --> 00:25:27,130
of this magical island,
419
00:25:27,130 --> 00:25:29,740
and a perfect place to end this journey.
420
00:25:37,877 --> 00:25:40,457
(gentle music)
31805
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