Traveler Hunter Reno is the charming narrator and hostess for this foray to little-known European islands. A professional model, Reno is both surprisingly personable and pretty talented when it comes to fitting in with new people in different cultures (though she has an annoying habit of mugging for the camera). In Europe, one of three tapes in the boxed set (the other two are The Caribbean and The South Pacific), viewers will quickly surmise that they're seeing "one-take" visits (which means there is a serendipitous quality to the documentary). This can be vexing when the wind fails in the Canary Islands (no wind-surfing as planned), but it works beautifully during a lively medieval festival in Gotland. On the whole, this video is superior to the run-of-the-mill travelogues we often suffer through, and the four featured island groups are not common destinations. The Spanish Canary Islands, off the west coast of Africa are volcanic and austere, where old-timers still whistle to communicate over great distances. Gotland, a Swedish vacation spot, offers a mild climate, friendly people, and a quirky "shoe museum." The Portuguese Azores are volcanic, with hot springs for purported health, and bullfights in which the bull isn't killed. Lastly, in Iceland, Reno goes whitewater rafting, horseback riding to the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall, and snowmobiling on Europe's largest glacier. Recommended, overall. Aud: P. (M. Pendergrast)
The World's Most Exotic Islands: Europe
(1998) 3 videocassettes, 85 min. each. $39.95. Goldhil Video. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 14, Issue 2
The World's Most Exotic Islands: Europe
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