Alaska And Yukon Territory; Costa Rica Adventures; Discovering Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium; Pacific Northwest

Four new horizons for armchair travelers: north to Alaska, my backyard, somewhere in the Caribbean, and the land of windmills.The two most recent entries in the AAA Travel Video series are very nicely filmed tours of the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho) and Alaska and the Yukon. My favorite was Pacific Northwest, which did Washington proud by offering glimpses of Olympic National Park, the Hoh rainforest, Victorian architecture at Port Townsend, the San Juan Islands, Native American arts and crafts at Tillicum Village, our two most famous Mount's--Ranier and St. Helens, and a range of things to see and do in Seattle. In Idaho, the cameras look at the fascinating structures of the Craters of the Moon Monument, the Maryhill Museum of Art (which houses many Rodin originals)--and you thought Idaho was lacking in culture--and looks at the Snake River (which runs right through the major metropolis of Idaho Falls--where I went to high school). And, in Oregon, viewers travel the Mt. Hood scenic loop, get a look at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival held annually in Ashland, walk around Portland, and see the Oregon Art Institute (founded in 1892, it's the oldest media center in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the last places in America where you can still see art films). Interesting narration, excellent background music, and top-notch cinematography make Pacific Northwest a real winner. And, even though my town of Bremerton was named "America's most livable city" a few years back on "Good Morning America," the filmmakers--in the interests of high photogenic quality--wisely skipped us.Alaska and the Yukon, although limited to one state, covers a much larger area. Viewers will see some truly beautiful sights as the cameras visit Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Skagway, and travel up the various waterways and passes. Passing along gold rush lore, the filmmakers stop at Gold Rush Cemetery, site of many early panners, and watch as actors and actresses recreate the good old days of gold fever. Offering generous shots of glacial mountains, wildlife, and some incredible icebergs (including a whole series which are a beautiful blue), Alaska and the Yukon is a good overview of the state. Incidentally, this film won a 1993 Silver Telly. But I think the Pacific Northwest is a better tape. Maybe it's because I like the luscious green wilderness more than the idea of living on the world's largest icecube [Note to the printer: in the Alaska edition, please strike the last two sentences. Thanks.]In the good old days, a bottle of Jack Daniels and a loaded .38 were all you needed to say goodbye to a cold, cruel world. Today, the preferred method is something called "bungee jumping." Basically, one ties a cord around one's foot or harness around one's waist and then leaps off a bridge into 240 feet of gravity-laden air until...boing!...the rope stops and the jumper either experiences immediate cardiac arrest, a broken back, or torn ligatures...unless the person is really, really stupid, in which case they emerge without a scratch wearing a goofy jeez-I-think-I-just-saw-God grin. This is one of the many fun things to see and do in Costa Rica Adventures, a video guide to 15 "naturally thrilling adventures," many of which also offer the additional benefit that you might be maimed for life. Viewers can river raft down to an area with the slightly unsettling name of Wake-Up Falls (that's not a joke, that's a geographical fact), all the while having visual reminders that you are essentially swimming in a crocodile's bathtub. Or you can go sea kayaking (the locals give you one lesson, and then you're on your own.) Other fun activities include visiting a volcano, riding horseback in the wilds, taking a "tractor tour" through the sometimes muddy Marenco Forest Reserve, and sportfishing for sailfish. Plus, although it has nothing to do with the video, there's an interesting shot of a monkey riding on a cat's back. While not an actual guide to Costa Rica, Costa Rica Adventures does take a look at some interesting (for other people) activities available on the island paradise off the beaten beach.Discovering Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium, the latest entry in IVN's "Video Visits" series is an impressive look at three interlocking countries well-known for their flowers (Holland), cheese (Luxembourg), and chocolate (Belgium). The tour begins in Holland, where half of the country has been reclaimed from the sea ("God created heaven and earth, but Holland is the work of man" as the saying goes). Historical highlights include a look at the rise of the merchant class, a recounting of artistic achievements of the Dutch Masters (the painters, not the cigars), and a visit to Rembrandt's house. Modern sights include a close-up look at the diamond-cutting art, a rainbow on the ground in the beautiful multicolored flower fields, and the fascinating hand-slapping bargaining ritual that transpires between seller and buyer at the Alkmaar Cheese Market. Other features include a stop at the Van Gogh Museum, a trip through the canals, and a tribute to Anne Frank. In Luxembourg, viewers visit the cheese market (home of the world's most famous stinky cheese), tour the fertile Moselle Valley, and stop at the Luxembourg American Cemetery (final resting place of General George Patton). In Belgium, viewers see (and drool) over the chocolate shops of Brussels (almost one on every corner), visit the sites of two famous historical battles (Battle of Waterloo and the Battle of the Bulge), and witness a bizarre re-enactment of an old Belgian ritual featuring a bunch of guys in uniforms marching around on stilts. Discovering Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium does a technically top-notch job of capturing the traditional sights, but it goes beyond the tried and true to offer some truly offbeat and interesting sidelights.Discovering Holland, Luxembourg, Belgium is highly recommended, and available from most distributors. Pacific Northwest is highly recommended and an Editor's Choice. Alaska and the Yukon is highly recommended. Costa Rica Adventures is recommended. (Pacific Northwest, Alaska and the Yukon, and Costa Rica Adventures are available from: SelectVideo Publishing, 7200 E. Dry Creek Rd., Suite E205, Englewood, CO 80112; (800) 742-1455.)