All language subtitles for M.P.S01E08.1080p.WEB.h264-BAWD_track3_[eng]

(mysterious theme music)

NARRATOR:
In satellite images of South Korea,

it is possible to make out
mysterious strips in the ocean

set out in regular rows along
huge stretches near the coast...

for miles on end!

If we fly closer, we can see
that the strips are like fields,

arranged in the shallow water
around the islands.

We are determined to take
a look at this mysterious place

and travel to South Korea.

The islands are in the
Wando District.

From the land there isn't
really much to be seen.

Mainly, we can make out buoys,
as far as the eye can see.

And boats move between them
now and then.

We ask the captain of one
boat in the small harbour

if he could take us out.

It isn't long before we get closer.

And now we see something
like fields out here at sea.

A fishing boat crosses our path.

The captain tries to explain
about the nets.

It turns out that the boat
is a kind of harvester.

It positions itself
at the beginning of a net,

which is then
pulled over the bow of the boat.

Woo Nam Choung
has been at sea his whole life.

He's an algae fisherman.
So that's it!

Algae grows in the nets.
In Korean it is known as gim.

Like a combine harvester in a field,
the boat moves underneath the net.

Rotating knives cut
the algae from the net,

leaving a black mass of algae.

It may not look very appetising,
but it's extremely popular,

and not only in Korea!

Up to 850,000 tons of it
is harvested here each year.

The gim from this region
is considered

the best in the whole of Korea.

It only takes the crew two minutes
to harvest the algae from one net.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:This boat alone
brings in 6,000 kg a day.

It's absolutely back-breaking
work for the crew.

When they have finished,
they head back to port.

Before we see what
happens to the algae next,

we want to find out
what's in these boxes.

We decide to take a closer look.

Lots of landing stages
tied together.

Here, even a crane is used.

What are they pulling out?

At first sight it looks like
more algae cultivation.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:Snails?
They look more like mussels.

But they really are snails.

Abalones are a delicacy in many
Asian countries, including Korea.

The snails are removed from the
stone plates with water and spades.

In the old days, fishermen
had to dive for these snails

in the open sea. Today they are
farmed on stone plates.

Algae is the perfect
food for the creatures.

These snails are
an exclusive delicacy.

It takes about three years for each
one to grow large enough to be sold.

The crew harvest about
1,200 abalones each day.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:The snails are sorted
into a total of 14 different sizes.

In a restaurant, a plate like this
can cost as much as 90 Euro.

Generally, abalones are eaten raw.
But they can also be fried.

- (indistinct Korean conversation)

NARRATOR:
But what happens to the algae now?

The gim fishermen
have returned to port.

The first buyers are taking
a look at today's catch.

The algae is packaged for transport
before leaving the boats.

This is the hardest part of the job,

because the wet algae is heavy
and sticks together.

Gim is always harvested
between December and March.

For the fishermen of this region,
algae is the most important

source of income.

The buyers bid for each
ship's load in an auction.

Depending on the quality,
the fishermen get between

60 and 75 Euro per sack.

Then, the fresh algae is
brought to factories like this one.

And here it is transformed
into sushi wrapping!

Sun Pil Seo
is the manager of the factory.

And of course, in that capacity,
he has to try out the goods.

And in the process,
we also discover that algae

has other uses than as a food.

After a hard day's work
the employees here

like to relax in an algae bath.

The algae functions both as a towel
and as an occasional snack.

# MARVIN GAYE: Let's Get It On #

NARRATOR:Here we discover
completely new aspects of algae.

However, most of the algae ends up
not in a bath but in the factory.

Each day, a truck drives up
with the precious cargo.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:First, the algae
is placed in vats of water.

It is softened here and oxygenated,
so it stays fresh longer.

Sun Pil Seo wants to show us
the rest of the production process.

The sushi wrappings
his factory produces

are renowned
around the world as the best.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:
Then, the algae is chopped up.

In its present form
it couldn't be processed.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:The next step is for the
algae to be washed in fresh water.

Here, too,
it's very important to taste it.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:The algae water mixture
is then taken to the filling plant.

The proportion of water and algae

determines how thick
the sushi wrapper will be.

This machine presses the sushi
wrapper into the right shape.

Sponges then get rid
of the excess water.

Finished. Now the wrappers
have to be dried.

This takes place
in the heating section,

almost 20 metres long.

The wrappers spend
two hours in here.

And this also wraps up the question
of where the algae wrappers

for our sushi restaurants originate!

But the algae wrappers are often
utilised in Korea as well,

because Koreans have
their own kind of sushi.

Gimbap looks like sushi,
but instead of fish,

usually it only contains a mixture
of vegetables, ham and egg.

Here, the wrappers
are roasted in sesame oil,

and afterwards they are salted.

The roasting process
gives them a green tint.

Dae Myung Lee deals with
roasted sushi wrappers every day.

But that certainly doesn't mean
he has had enough of them.

- (speaks Korean)

NARRATOR:
But why is this particular region

one of the biggest algae
cultivation areas in the world?

After all, there's
plenty of water in other places too.

But here in Wando, the water quality
is particularly good,

creating ideal conditions
for algae and snails.

The roasted algae wrappers are now
cut to shape and then packaged.

And now we also
understand the secret

of those curious shapes
in the ocean off South Korea.

We travel on to Alaska.

In Alaska of all places,

in the endless, ice-cold
expanses of North America,

we find a town with citizens

literally living
on top of each other...

in this high-rise block.

Apart from a handful
of seasonal workers,

all 218 residents
of the village live here.

An entire town under one roof.

But why?

Nick Swain grew up here in Whittier.

He lives in apartment 412
with his bulldog...

and his pregnant girlfriend.

They met as teenagers in the town...

or rather, in the apartment block.

- She lived on the 5th floor
and I lived on the 10th floor,

but we always ended up
at our friend Brandy's house,

who lived on the 8th floor.

And then I found out
we were having a baby

and I got my own apartment and
everything to start my family.

NARRATOR:These days,
Nick also works in the building,

as one of the three maintenance men.

His first stop every morning
is the Building Administration.

- I got a work order here.
It's for unit 1001.

I think there's a problem
in their heat line.

And there also 1212,
kitchen sink leak.

- OK.
- So, if you don't mind

- checking on those for us.
- Alright.

- Here's the work order. Thank you.
- Thanks.

I'll go get it done.

NARRATOR:The building
has 15 floors and 198 apartments.

Rents for the apartment
vary between

800 and 1,200 Euro per month.

- BTI maintenance.

Hey, Bob, you home?

NARRATOR:
Doors are usually not locked.

Everyone knows each other
and trusts each other.

The tenant isn't at home,
but Kurt and Nico,

the other two maintenance men,
come by.

They quickly spot the problem.

This is the 10th
radiator in the building

that has broken down this week.

- The actuator's not working,
so the heat is staying wide open.

So, when he come in here,
it's 90 degrees in here.

We don't like 90 degree weather.

-Yeah, this stuff's outdated.

And as it's going out
we're replacing it.

Sometimes we come across
something that's...

four generations out of technology.

NARRATOR:No wonder. The apartment
block was built 60 years ago.

Originally as an Army base,

defence against the Soviet Union
in the Cold War.

In the 1950s, it was
the tallest building in Alaska.

The US Army moved out in 1974.

The barracks were transformed
into individual apartments.

But to this day,
nobody except the military

can build anything in the town,

which is why there
aren't any new houses

or apartment blocks in Whittier.

So, the whole town
lives in one apartment block

with almost everything
you could need.

A recycling depot, for example,
in the middle of the building.

The city offices
are on the ground floor.

The mayor has his office here, too.

In the basement, we come across
a church used by

three different congregations
every Sunday.

And a tunnel takes you to the school

in the very next building.

35 children have
lessons here each day,

from 1st to 12th grade.

- (upbeat pop music)

NARRATOR:This footage of the school
is from the local TV station.

This week, there are vacations
here in Whittier.

That's why children,
like Nicole and Arvi, are at home.

- I love that it's small,
but at the same time

I don't like how small it is.

It... Yeah. I don't know how to
elaborate on that much.

But I do like having
such a very close community.

NARRATOR:Her mother, Veronica,
came here from the Philippines

eight years ago with her family.

She found a job here in Whittier,
round the corner, of course.

- See, I work on that farm,
which says "Great Pacific,"

if you can see
that sign right there.

That's the Great Pacific Seafood.
I work at.

If we want to see something,
like who's going to anchor in,

who's walking,
we use these binoculars.

We find out,
"Oh, he's going to the bar",

so we know who is going.
(laughs)

That's how bored we are.

NARRATOR:To combat the boredom,
we head two floors down.

- Oh, everybody is here!

NARRATOR:So the kids have
something to do in the vacation,

Veronica and her friends
rented an empty apartment cheap,

and turned it into a playroom.

But why doesn't anybody
play outside?

- I'm scared to go outside.

Because it's too windy.

- It's so windy we can't
throw a football outside,

or stuff like that.

Just sit in the lobby,
ride the elevator up and down.

- I'm not really much of a person
who goes outside,

so I guess it doesn't
affect me as much.

But when I do go outside,
I'm always like,

"Wow, this would be great
with a blanket right now."

NARRATOR:There is almost always
an ice-cold wind

whistling through Whittier,
with gusts of up to 70 km an hour.

Temperature with wind chill factor,
even in spring: -25 degrees.

No wonder the streets
here are deserted.

But there is also a yacht marina.

And plenty of shops all around.

Because the town is
transformed in summer.

For two months, the sun
virtually never sets here

and it's over 20 degrees.

Then, 3,000 tourists
turn up every weekend.

Which explains the hotel in the
building, up on the 15th floor.

June Miller opened it 15 years ago.

- This is the Presidential suite.

NARRATOR:June rents out
eight suites like this.

In the high season,
she can charge $350 a night.

Most of her guests
are deep-sea fishermen,

who often bring
their whole families.

So, in July and August,
June becomes a travel guide.

- In the summertime
versus the winter,

we have back-to-back reservations.

We have people
checking out in the morning,

and then we hurry up and clean,

and then we have people that come
and get keys, and get, you know,

parking instructions, and they say

"Oh, we're going here,
we're going there.

We're all gonna go catch this boat"

And I said, I tell them
how to park their car,

and what to watch out for today,
if there's a bear running around,

to watch out for the bears when they
go out to the parking lot.

NARRATOR:
Of course, June herself also lives

in the apartment block.
She's been in Whittier for 25 years.

And she's sort of
an unofficial mayoress here.

Everyone knows her,
and she knows everyone.

Even if June needs
something for dinner after training,

she doesn't have to go outside.

There's the Cozy Corner Store
on the ground floor.

Their very own supermarket.

- If I don't have to
leave the building,

I can stay here for months on end

without even having to go
into Anchorage.

Some people
pride themselves and say,

"I didn't have to go
to Anchorage for six months.

The only time I had to go is for
the dentist or the chiropractor."

So, people pride themselves
into staying here,

because we have everything we need.

NARRATOR:But there are also
genuine commuters in this town.

The next morning at 6:30,
Keith Pratt leaves for work.

His wife works in the City Office,

but he has to commute to the
capital, Anchorage, every day.

- Drive safe.

NARRATOR:
Keith's workplace is 50 km away,

almost an hour's drive.

If he gets to
the tunnel on time, that is.

- The tunnel opens in four minutes.

So, we'll be alright,
because it stays open for five

on cold mornings like this.

NARRATOR:
Whittier is surrounded by mountains.

The only way in or out of the place
is a single-lane tunnel.

Every half an hour,
the traffic direction changes,

but the gates at the entrance
only open for five minutes.

Otherwise the wind and the icy air

could cause a rock fall
in the tunnel.

There are just inches to spare
on each side of the car.

- There's been accidents in the
tunnel where somebody

hits a curb and not react properly,

wrecked their car,
they have to get towed out.

Last year,
there was a high speed chase,

that came from Seward,

and they came up in, and the guy
came down Portis road,

crashed through the gate at the
front, and drove into the tunnel.

The cops got him somewhere
in the middle of the tunnel.

NARRATOR:Incidentally,
the tunnel is only open

from 7 in the morning
to 10 at night.

After that, nobody can get
into or out of Whittier.

Only rescue vehicles
can use the tunnel then.

At 7:15, Keith is on the highway
heading towards Anchorage.

One of the finest
commuter routes in the world.

In Whittier, too,
a new day is beginning.

The high-rise block in the Gulf
of Alaska, a beautiful situation.

But the ravages of time

are taking their toll
on the former army barracks.

The facade has been
in need of renewal for years.

And there are even bigger problems.

The heating system in the cellar,
for example.

It's so old, maintenance man, Nick,

has to adjust the steam feed
by hand several times a day.

The building
is completely independent.

All repairs have to be approved
by the residents, who pay for them.

And there are some urgent needs.

- The building itself is in pretty
rough shape. We gotta...

We want to redo
our whole boiler system,

and we also have to redo the drains,

the main drain.

It's pretty corroded. I actually
have a picture here somewhere.

This is what one of the main drains
looks like right here.

If that doesn't get some and
something major busts there...

The whole building is gonna be out
in a honey bucket.

(laughs)
And we don't want that.

NARRATOR: The citizens of Whittier

could soon be in
for repairs costing millions.

It isn't at all clear
how much longer

the apartment block
will be financially viable.

Losing it would be a tragedy for the
unofficial mayoress of the town.

- The reason I love Whittier is
I love the water, I love mountains,

I love glaciers, I love just being
in this big building.

It's so secure.
It's so... comfortable.

NARRATOR:Despite the bad weather,
despite being trapped inside,

the people here are devoted
to their mysterious place

because it is home for them.

NARRATOR:
We find our next mysterious place

on the west coast of France.

Here, a very curious road
links an island to the mainland.

Apparently, we are
in the right place.

The nearer we get
to our destination,

the more warning signs appear.
In various languages, too.

Apparently,
extreme danger lurks here.

But why are so many vehicles
parked by the road?

What are they waiting for?

The GPS tells us to drive on.

But the road goes
right into the ocean.

Water as far as the eye can see,

apart from the island,
we can make out on the horizon.

So, is there no way
of driving across?

Or does the road reappear
at some point? We decided to ask.

- (speaking French)

NARRATOR:
So, back to the underwater road.

And sure enough, there it is!
Emerging from the Atlantic Ocean.

Up to 300,000 cars a year
use this road,

which is about 5 km in length.

Tourists in particular don't
appreciate the danger

on this unusual route.

- (tense dramatic music)

NARRATOR:Karine runs
a restaurant on the road.

She keeps a lookout with binoculars

for tourists who don't
make it to the land.

And in emergencies,
she raises the alarm.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:But what exactly
is so dangerous about this road?

On foot, we realise quickly:
the sea has left its mark.

There is algae everywhere.
The surface is wet and slippery.

That leads to the danger
of skidding on the road.

# LOST FREQUENCIES:
Are You With Me #

NARRATOR:
We meet a road maintenance team.

They tell us that they check the
road every time the tide goes out

and, as far as possible,
clean it up.

Jean-Charles is with
the volunteer Fire Brigade.

He and his colleagues regularly have
to turn out for rescue missions.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:But what can you do
if the way back is blocked

and the water is getting closer?

We notice some strange towers at the
roadside, rising up into the sky.

Surely this local fisherman
can explain.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:So, if somebody
is cut off here by the water,

they can reach a safe place.

And there is certainly a fine view.

People do get stuck out here,
up to 10 times a year,

despite the warning signs.

There are three towers along
the road, almost 5 km in length.

So, in emergencies, the distances
between the life-saving platforms

would be much too great.

That's why there are
also these posts.

It's obvious at once
that old people and children

would find it hard
to climb them in emergencies.

But why do cars
sink beneath the water

and people get stranded so often?

After all,
there are plenty of warning signs.

And the times of high
and low tide are easy to find out.

- (speaks French)

NARRATOR:The people who
underestimate the powerful force

of the ebb and flood tides
are mainly tourists.

The problem is that they park
on the sandbanks next to the road.

If they wait too long, the water
rises, and the sand becomes soft.

The wheels sink in,
and they can't get away.

Are tourists really so foolhardy?

The region is well
known for its mussels.

Visitors dig for them in the sand.

In about two hours, everything here
will be swallowed up.

But do the tourists know that?

- (speaking French)

NARRATOR:
The lady is a whole hour out.

And relying on other people
is also dangerous.

The tide is starting to come in.

Slowly, things are getting hectic
all around us.

Cars are leaving the road.

The warning signs
at the entrance are turned on.

When the water comes,
it comes quickly.

But still there are drivers who take
their chances and try to get across.

The first parts of the road
are already underwater.

There is simply no way through now.

In a matter of minutes, the road is
swallowed up by the Atlantic again.

At least,
until the tide goes out next time.

From France, our journey
continues to Switzerland.

In Switzerland, there are houses
which conceal a secret.

- (ominous music)

NARRATOR:The window frames
are only glued in place,

and the curtains are painted
on concrete.

These sheds look
suspiciously like dummies as well.

What's the secret
behind these curious buildings?

Maybe the locals can help us.

We show them some photographs
of the curious buildings

and ask what they are.

Does anybody live there,
and if so, who?

But we soon establish
that nobody has any idea.

- (speaking German)

NARRATOR:Finally, we do meet
somebody who can help

and, most importantly, is allowed
to talk about the subject.

Silvio Keller is going to
initiate us into the secret

of these curious buildings,

of which there are
many more in Switzerland.

There are even some
in the middle of the forest.

Just a few years ago, Keller
would have been thrown in jail

for these revelations.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:
It's the same with this villa.

And this inconspicuous barn
is in fact the entrance

to a secret underground kingdom.

It looks from the outside as though
it would just about have room

for a couple of farm implements ,

but in fact,
it's a military labyrinth

extending over several floors.

In the middle of the 1990s,
there were 26,000

military bunkers in Switzerland.

Several thousand of them
are still active today.

Most of them date back
to the Second World War.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:Switzerland,
the only neutral country,

is surrounded by lands
that are at war.It'sfrightening.

The government develops
a radical plan in case of invasion.

Part of Switzerland
will be abandoned.

The army and the population
will withdraw to the mountains,

where they will dig in
using bunkers like this.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:The Swiss
didn't just plan to bury themselves.

They made sure they could really
carry on living in their bunkers.

For example, there's an electrically
powered ventilation system

that also works during war.

Active charcoal filters
clean the stale air.

Fresh air can be obtained
not only from above

but, in the case of a gas attack,
also from below,

from the underground area.

The fumes from the cannons
can also be filtered,

so the soldiers don't suffocate
while they are firing them.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:Each bunker
has enough food for several weeks.

A carefully-planned schedule ensures
that the soldiers remain fit.

In this case, the facility
was manned by 18 soldiers

and a commanding officer.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:Guns, and not only rifles.

All sorts of weaponry
was hidden in the rocks...

..including a big cannon
in the middle of the village,

which is still there.

Although the Swiss were spared
direct involvement in the War,

they maintained their bunkers.

More than that, the camouflaged shed
with painted wooden planks

was only added in the 1960s.

The reason: The Cold War.
Fear of Russia.

The Swiss wanted to be
able to defend themselves.

With this, for example.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:
The cannons are almost 70 years old.

They were never upgraded,
with thousands of bunkers,

it would have cost too much.

But there was never any question
of abandoning these positions.

It's hard to believe soldiers
were stationed here up to 1993,

long after the fall of the Berlin
Wall and the end of the Cold War.

Apparently,
mistrust of their neighbours

is deep-seated for the Swiss.
Like the yearning for security.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:The Swiss are famous
for their defensive measures.

But are the rumours true? It's said
that every man has a gun at home.

And submarines cruise at the bottom
of the lakes, unnoticed.

- (speaks German)

NARRATOR:Bunkers aren't
only for the Armed Forces.

Some private houses
also have their own shelters

with thick concrete walls.

- (speaks German)

NARATOR:But this law doesn't enjoy
universal approval in Switzerland.

- (speaking German)

NARRATOR:
In contrast to the civilian bunkers,

the Swiss army installations have
been cut back a lot now

for cost reasons.

Since the mid-1990s,

the army has given up
over half of its facilities,

like this artillery emplacement
in the mountains, for example.

But like many others,
this is being kept

in working order by enthusiasts.

- (speaking German)

NARRATOR:
There are still several thousand

active Army bunkers in Switzerland
which are military secrets.

But today, many of the mountain
bunkers have been decommissioned,

so they're no longer confidential.
Some are open to the public.

There is even a book showing
the best camouflaged buildings.

There is little danger
that they will disappear

in the immediate future.
Because ultimately,

it's cheaper to maintain
the camouflage

than demolish
the concrete fortresses.

And this way, the Swiss get to keep
their mysterious bunkers.

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