it's. my choice to be given the way to transplant the in. the i am the one. to. the in. a low and welcome to focus on europe with me lot about the lola it was a symbol of italy's engineering legacy that came crashing down one year ago the marandi bridge in genoa collapsed on august 28th team chilling 43 people it destroyed homes and uprooted families who had lived under it for decades the bridge

that gap in the country acclaimed when it was built now a symbol of neglect and tragedy. and of itto a new much ecto are sisters who lived under the more and you bridge and though they are grateful to have survived the collapse the road to rebuilding in general has been painful the sisters have to come to terms with their new lives as the past is demolished right before their eyes. not read the chart though has lived near them over on the bridge for most of her life she says seeing the last few pillars disappear didn't bother her it was more of a spectacle but now she has to watch as the house she lived in for nearly 60 years is demolished only pieces of the 1st floor remain the same thing and song on there . you can hear it because and jack thomas whacking away.

the sound is terrible. that affects you more than watching a. little bit. and i'm rita and her sister meanwhile we're lucky they own a flat in the center of genoa and were able to move there it's smaller than their home near the bridge but they had to leave a lot of their belongings behind anyway they were only permitted to return to their old home accompanied by officials a few times it lies directly under the bridge which at that stage was in danger of collapsing. and i'm going to sound. like grave robbers because there was no sign of life there anymore it's an awful feeling when you don't recognize your own home you know vehicle most in some ways going back was part of the process of letting go. some memories are painful for the 2 sisters but not all of them there were light moments among all the drama. that

you will find. funny when one of the firemen the one with the pasta opened a drawer and found some noodles from a good brand and he said you're leaving them here we said tad they're just noodles . and he said that they're noodles from money santa we've got they're good for another year. you can make some getting but. i said ok ok take them. a sense of humor can help when times are tough but not for marco a lawyer he was allowed to revisit his home just for a few minutes it was all too much for him. my heart was racing it was in my throat. fear it was turning to shit panic. and then i thought. i have to stop otherwise i'll have a heart attack need to. marco was in his flat when the bridge collapsed he ran for

his life the memory still haunts him today. in the midst of all the panic when you're fleeing you know you hope it's all just a bad dream. a nightmare something that will disappear in a moment and everything will be like it was before. but nothing is as it was before marco has been temporarily allocated a small flat by city authorities all 270 families who live near the bridge have been really how the market has also been paid compensation for his old flood but money will never replace the feeling of home made at all but i think they always feel a bit like how should i put this i just wish they'd think of us as a bit more than i'm in the. book you know people would then know why did she call

me maybe. the courts are currently debating who is responsible for the disaster local authorities or the private company in charge of the motorways the outer strada pal italia in a case that will probably last years the motorway company is currently refusing requests for interviews. gena was vice mayor is keen to point out all the work that has already been done but he avoids answering the questions of who is responsible. a i only consider certain things. it was a catastrophe and something didn't work. but i can't judge what happened technically the judge justify answers with the help of engineers who understand these things a lot more. a lot of that is passed in the meantime traffic is rolling again but infrastructure is in bad shape in many places around the country the bridge

which is now being used to redirect traffic to church i know rita i mean as old neighborhood has also seen better days volunteers at the committee that campaigns for victims of the disaster here weeks after the bridge collapse i was distraught to try to divide those affected. what saved us was that we all said no. we showed that we were united and that we weren't for sale. and that gave us power in negotiations and it was dangerous for the other side. for the victims it was a good lesson to learn that there's power in unity but they will still never get their old lives back.

the next part of our series takes us to hungary where the 1st fissure in the iron curtain appeared 30 years ago the country which was part of the eastern socialist bloc began removing its border fortifications with austria and soon after east germans fled across that border at the west will fast forward to today and hungry has again fortified itself in places like. instead of a fence to keep people in they've now built one to keep people out. is a remote village in southern hungry right on the border with serbia. dish barbed wire fences 4 meters high and razor sharp this is also the use external border and it's now closed to refugees. visiting the restricted access area in southern hungary. she was here in 2015 when the 1st big wave of refugees

arrived from syria africa and afghanistan. i remember these hordes of refugees on the border in 2015 and budapest we heard about the conflicts and problems arising here we brought hundreds of tennis and blankets with donation and it was september and the nights were already very cold. or. it wasn't easy to get past the armed guards protecting the border cutty help the refugees put up tents their feet were wrecked from walking long distances she recalls and no provisions had been made for them. 30 years ago at hungary's border with austria the world witnessed another wave of refugees. it was always so reporters applauding and here we are we can't believe it's. it was in the border town of shop run that the iron curtain began to crumble when $500.00 east germans fled to the west we're out of pod bella was one of the

soldiers guarding the crossing on the 19th of august 1909 a peace demonstration was being held what's gone down in history as the pan-european picnic hungry opened the border fence for 3 hours in a symbolic gesture agreed to by austria and hungary. suddenly droves of east germans appeared in the cornfield and fled across the open border it was an escape that had been carefully planned the border guards could have prevented the escape. dynamic it happened very fast the people only had to run 120 meters and they did it in 20 seconds we had to make a decision and that short time good about. that is what i wrote that article i don't under him. he's been called a hero. and of course of course that's only half true i don't feel like a hero not in the least but it's true that we turned

a blind eye we made sure we were looking towards austria and didn't see what was happening behind us evil doers to. the east german refugees were dazed but delighted. by him types who were free and were glad to have made it's. i can't really believe i'm here when i got off the bus to set up shop run and crossed over. the escape had been made possible by make last minute in 1988 he'd been appointed hungary's prime minister he decided it was no longer necessary to secure the border with austria. hungary was close to an airbase ongar he was bankrupt that time i am sitting in my room. not plays early bird in the u.k. you can see all these couple. in the budget for 1909 he came across

a line item identified with a secret code for you mediately big form and called up the interior minister and he told me that this is. the sum for the refurbishment for derry new rule of defense between hungary and austria and what did you do then then i deleted girls that make some out of the budget the 1st hole in the iron curtain the news spread around the world. on gone towards the day hungry began dismantling the border with austria which has been in place for 40 years electric signals were taken down along a stretch of the fence and barbed wire was torn down and all of them noted what was going on. and no. knocking on my door of the so then time

soviet them better there to budapest protesting what what do we know telephone call from most call it was flown for 2025 minutes and finally ended up just to end in a phone call soviet leader mikhail gorbachev pledged to support it until i am sitting in this chair that revealed be no repetition of 56 which is not a verse was a clear cut message that miklos. your hands are not tied up anymore. now hungry has rebuilt expensive to keep refugees out the right wing government is anti immigration to the dismay of the book which then put them on manual i mean i wonder how many people these days would be happy to see the iron curtain that stood 1030 years ago rebuilt i mean that

would have been a neck and neck. many hungry and have the same opinion as the owner of this ice cream parlor. great back of a car we had no idea what was going on. but imagine we didn't know who they were there were no more more of them kept on coming and we were afraid many for children about america we didn't know what direction is wanted to forget and we got a taste of what awkward. ironically now that the border is closed business has dried up the ice cream parlor it's closing this year. as most in the spotlight would agree being a social media star has its perks but it also has its downsides crim you and paris is having a tough time navigating its little found fame well the streets colorful facades

have become a paradise for instagram and a nightmare for residents they're angry at the influencer invasion and are calling on the authorities to step in. anyone who has anyone in the world of social media has to visit this little street in the 12th after the symbol of paris if ever they find themselves in the french capital. there are already more than 36000 photos with the hash tag who came here on instagram. kelly and tami a live an hour away from paris they're hoping to pimp up their instagram feed. if it's so colorful so we're taking color pictures it's prettier the pictures come out nice or. something a lot is it pretty well you're from no not at all that. there are just buildings it's not pretty like paris. but the local residents are sick of people taking

pictures of their homes. day in day out people just turn up and start snapping away so they've taken to hiding inside. the residence used to take their tables to eat outside with not know or understand why everyone is here because of instagram not to take a picture of the streets because it's become fashionable to go to recruit new day on the news most of the locals refuse to talk about the subject in front of the camera they say that each report just makes things worse journalists are no longer welcome here. for their it's annoying we're sick of it why is he filming me anough already i'll break your damn camera. rappers and dancers make videos here there are drunken stag parties. a

local residents' association has put up a sign banning photos and videos but it's all in vain so long as the police don't interfere tourists just keep coming. down here when this photo was uploaded 8 minutes ago this 110 minutes ago another 25 minutes ago. the world of instagram is about imitating if something goes viral people want to do the same thing they want to have as many followers as possible. amanda here from india doesn't need a guidebook all the information is online so i sort of like them as both in here like if they were on the spot or follow from some travels around the world. you're saying why since i think and i saw i saw a lot of pictures in here so i was curious and i went to the locals have demanded

areas that the entrances at either end of the road they would like to close them at least at the weekend. no barriers yet but some rest fights might ironically come from the world of advertising there who commune has become a mainstream moneymaking phenomenon which could put the instagram is off when i'm going to use an account with pictures of true crime here and you if you click on the dress you see the brand is my outfits you going to cook again you go to their account and see they're selling clothes. if you look crimea is already becoming less fashionable because everyone knows it so people are already looking for the next place not just or not for you the locals might be able to come out of their homes soon and get out their tables again the instruments meanwhile will surely have invaded another quited in extreme. cities

across europe are struggling to deal with housing shortages while wages are stagnating as real estate prices continue to rise and it's a trend that's making city living unattainable for many but one small idea in the netherlands is gaining big traction the tiny house would have meant here and said how can boss people like stan napkins are taking matters into their own hands and embracing the less is more concept. steinmetz this works as a music producer but lately he's also started honing his skills as a builder because he's putting together his very own miniature 26 square meter house near the dutch city of saratov and boss. the 38 year old is glad to move out of town where he can lead a more independent and affordable life. cone it's a feeling of being weighed down by all kinds of things. you still.

i want to reduce my living costs so i can do more what i like so. there are lots of people in the netherlands and the rest of the world who get stressed because they need to pay off their mortgage. but why. i think this undermines their sense of freedom at the cost of. the net we're no longer taking risks. so. the materials for his new modular home cost $36000.00 euros steinmetz pieces all the elements together himself which helps reduce costs. buying it preassembled would cost twice as much. this is many topia of former rubbish dump that's been converted into

a tiny home settlement dutch authorities say living here is perfectly safe. these residents feel they're the trailblazers of a progressive housing movement every house has unique architecture but they all have one thing in common they're incredibly small. getting a permit from dutch authorities to set up one of these homes is relatively easy because they can be swiftly removed if necessary. last year ranson 11 european countries rose so much in city centers that middle class residents were priced out of the market affordable tiny homes are becoming a great alternative. stein merton's currently lives in subsidized housing in the city at $75.00 square metres it's 3 times the size of his new tiny home computer. but it costs him $500.00 euros in rent each month he'll need to get rid of some

things before he moves into mini topia. yeah you know as you can see i have precious stones all kinds of books. that are like a. load of furniture because. this piece here is very dear to me is my mother's desk she recently passed away maybe i can give it to my sister so it stays in the family all along so over later this. is over like a for. you know i'm a bit of a hoarder. i have lots of things with sentimental value. i guess they got that from my mother. she always told me to hold on to things. and the biggest lesson i can learn from this is to let go. if everything i own can also be a burden. in this new home we'll only have a mini bathroom

a kitchenette and one relatively big room to live in a. dog fair thank you it will require some self-discipline living here. in the mornings i love the fold the way the bed and clear away the bed sheets even though i do like to sleep in. other words oklahoma after work to a house of chaos. there's even a roof deck on his new house he'll pay just $200.00 euros a month for the land but he could also move his house if he wanted to. house a foreman i spend a lot of time searching for a place close to nature. usually in town there are houses everywhere you can't even see the sun rise or set but here we've got swans and i feel so lucky to work. 60 percent of people in the netherlands on their own homes soon stein merton's will

be one of them. well those who enjoy living in tight quarters might also enjoy traveling in them turkey eastern express processed through the country's north and offers locals a reliable means of traveling through the snow a region but the lack of a wider interest left the line on the brink of closure then photos of the train passing through beautiful landscapes began picking up steam and in an age of cheap and fast travel the nostalgia is proving a big draw with younger generations. it's party time on the eastern express tickets for the overnight passenger train are often sold out months in advance. honest journey across the whole of turkey it never goes any faster than 70 kilometers an hour. it takes 24 hours to get from hungary to the armenian border. to say in china because the sleeping car attendant

he's there to ensure that all passengers are as comfortable as possible. or probably good that i have fun with these young people they're not annoying it's a long trip and whether we want to or not we have to travel together. i want a trip to go well for us all and that only works if i get on with the passengers and the jetsons gives it us. through takes in the euphrates river and several gorgeous landscape looks as if it's from a 1000 or more nights. this couple is on the way to visit relatives in the east to live apart so they're happy about the trains leisure pace it's a chance to spend some time together. kind of experience the new birth we don't see each other very often just a few days a month we think the longer the trip lasts the more we'll see each other that's why we like making trips like this. that being known. as

a landscape changes between central and eastern anatolia so does the temperature it's. 20 degrees celsius cooler these meant in a series than an uncovered. local children like to greet the train is upon us is if these ones run fast enough they might get a gift some passengers have thrown books up the window. so that we can go and they say i want to come back when i get married i'll take this journey with my wife at the moment i'm enjoying my life as a single man in a blue moon for. the eastern express is not just a train. it's an experience that transports passengers across turkey's enchanting landscape. well tickets for the train are hard to get especially for the sleeping compartment they can go for as much as 10 times the price on the black market so be sure to book them early thank you for watching

a focus on europe if you have thoughts or questions about our show do get in touch with me on twitter don't forget you can also watch our show on line dot com i'll see you again next week here's a. i'm

. going. to. enter the conflict zone confronting the powerful. my guest is week here in berlin is the qatari foreign ministry spokesperson mo ma off the top of the master years the gulf strains of qatar has been blockaded by a quartet of our states which have jews it i'm supporting terrorism she has always denied the charges for. conflict so few minutes on

t.w. . war. the quiet melody resounds by the lighten the mood. and in summary. resonate within its. the moonlight and the music. beethoven fest 12019 from september 6th to september 29th. first day at school. the 1st climbing lesson. doris grandmother arrives. joining a regular jane on her journey back to freedom. in our interactive documentary tour

an orangutan returns home on e.w. dot com tanks. closely. carefully. don't see. this to be a good. match. discoverable. subscribe to the documentary on to. frankfurt. international gateway to the best connection self road and rail.

located in the heart of europe you are connected to the whole world. experience outstanding shopping and dining offers and try our services. biala gassed at frankfurt airport city managed by from a bought. police in hong kong have again fire tear gas have pro-democracy protesters hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside a police station the latest clashes followed 2 days of protests at hong kong's international airport that at times turned violent beijing has condemned the unrest calling it terrorists like. tens of thousands of women have taken to the streets of brazil's capital to denounce president gerry year both. the march of the mar.