Visiting Vera Cruz

Bruce Brown's The Endless Summer is one of the first and most influential surf movies of all time. The film documents American surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August as they travel the world during California’s winter (which, back in 1965 was off-season for surfing) in search of the perfect wave and ultimately, an endless summer.

Pilot JP Schulze and filmmaker Louis Cole set off to circumnavigate the world in a single-engine, 1974 Cessna T210L airplane named Balloo. They had 90 days to complete the journey, and as they traveled they met people from many different cultures and asked them - is what divides us greater than what brings us together?

This FitzPatrick Traveltalk series short looks at Czechoslovakia before World War II, including images of bridges, churches, and castles in Prague, also a non-military parade through the city.

This Traveltalk series short takes a look at Cairo's landmarks, people, and culture.

A woman narrates the thoughts of a world traveler, meditations on time and memory expressed in words and images from places as far-flung as Japan, Guinea-Bissau, Iceland, and San Francisco.

James A. FitzPatrick takes a look at colorful Guatemala.

This Traveltalk short visits southern Mexico.

This Traveltalk series short chronicles the sights and sounds on a train ride from Veracruz to Mexico City.

The drive from Riverside, California to Phoenix, Arizona is affectionately known as the Cactus Trail. Starting in Riverside, sights of note include: the Mission Inn in Riverside whose unique style was the brainchild of Frank Miller; the Chapel of St. Francis in Riverside, which because of its dedication to aviation is the site of many weddings associated with aviators; the Camelback Mountain outside of Phoenix, so named for its shape.

This Traveltalk series short starts off in Denver, capital of Colorado. Known as a recreational and health center, it is noted for its beautiful parks. The Museum of Natural History has specimens of local animal life. About an hour's drive from Denver on Lookout Mountain is the grave of Col. William Cody, 'Buffalo Bill', known as a scout and a plainsman. In Colorado Springs, there is a monument to the great American humorist Will Rogers who loved the stretches of open country. Much of the mountain area of Colorado is owned by the Federal government as national forest and there are many well stocked trout streams. In Mesa Verde National Park you will find the cave dwellings once used by Native Americans.

A tour of Salt Lake City, Utah.

A visit to the structures built by the ancient Mayans at Chichén Itzá, on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Oaxaca - Zwischen Rebellion und Utopie

This FitzPatrick Traveltalk series short visit to St. Louis, Missouri starts with a brief history lesson. We then see several of the city's architectural landmarks and the many types of vessels that travel on the Mississippi River. Time is also spent at the zoological garden in Forest Park, where we see rhinoceros, giraffes, polar bears, giant pandas, and a group of trained elephants.

Also known as Prince of Wales Island, Penang is a British colony located off the west coast of the Malay peninsula. As it is an island, many residents make their livelihood off the water, such as in fishing or port activities as it serves as both a vital link in the chain of British colonies and one of the major ports of entry into the Malay. Penang's major city and capital is George Town, with approximately 160,000 inhabitants, primarily Chinese, Malay or South Asian. The Chinese dominate life on the island, economically, culturally, and in sheer numbers. Because of the diverse racial mix, there are also an associated number of different religions, one which specifically worships the snake, the nocturnal and poisonous adder roaming freely through its temple at night. Also because of the diverse racial mix, there is also often a blending of cultures, such as in the cuisine of the island.

This Traveltalk series short highlights such Maryland destinations as Baltimore, Johns Hopkins, Annapolis, and Fort McHenry.

Lake Patzcuaro, located 230 miles west of Mexico City, is one of the highest and most picturesque bodies of water in Mexico. The heritage of the indigenous peoples of the area, the Tarascans, still prevails, such as the production of lacquer-ware handicrafts, and the means of hunting and fishing, the latter which uses nets shaped like large butterfly wings. Although most current day Tarascans are Roman Catholic, they have not totally abandoned their indigenous pagan gods. On Janitzio, one of the many islands in the lake, stands a large statue commemorating José María Morelos, a prominent figure in Mexican liberation and a great benefactor to the Tarascans. Janitzio is also the inspiration for many famous paintings. The town of Tzintzuntzan just inland from the lake's shore acts as the regional center for the market and for festivals.

This Traveltalk series short showcases the Mexico City police department's various units as they participate in a yearly festival. Included are a marching band, a parade of patrol cars, the motorcycle unit, equestrian unit, and the department's pistol team.

Rosa is a Mexican woman who, at the age of 17, migrated illegally to Austin, Texas. Some years later, she was jailed under suspicion of murder and then taken to trial. This film demonstrates how the judicial process, the verdict, the separation from her family, and the helplessness of being imprisoned in a foreign country make Rosa’s story an example of the hard life of Mexican migrants in the United States.

Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.