Hidden Cities

In and around Asia's most bustling cities lay hidden worlds filled with forgotten palaces and temples, abandoned towns and disused underground fortresses that shelter unbelievable relics and untold stories.
Hidden Cities returns with eight episodes across Asia – covering Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and China.
With the help of local experts that will include writers, historians, archaeologists and scientists, presenter Anthony Morse attempts to investigate and unearth these places, and reveal the tales they have hidden for so long.
In Thailand, Morse uncovers the temple relics of the ancient city Wiang Kum Kam where once the majestic kingdom of Lanna stood ground. In Vietnam he investigates the fascination the Vietnamese have for turtles – and the powerful symbolism of wisdom attached to the creature. In Sumatra, he unravels the dark past of a mining community during the Dutch occupation. And in the Philippines, he rubs shoulders with former First Lady Imelda Marcos in the very same presidential palace she once housed her infamous shoes collection. While in China, he finds out that ancient imperial musicians faced the threat of beheading if the note they played were out of tune.
In each of these countries, he meets with experts – historians, scientists, archaeologists, and storytellers. They will be his guides on this journey throughout Asia.
But the series will not just unravel these hidden gems in the city. It will also peel layer by layer the historical contexts of each story. We seek to examine the reasons why some things occur in history, or more importantly how history has shaped a people, a place, a city. (forgalmazó hivatalos szövege)