He begins by weaving among the capital city's landmarks on the back of a 1950s Vespa, before boarding the train south to Naples, where he finds out about the first railway to be built in the country, and ventures into the crater of Mount Vesuvius. Season 2. Today, the route remains a chequered one but for a happier reason - a new European railway network is being constructed and engineering work is underway. At the Skoda factory in Pilsen he investigates how the machine products of peacetime gave way to the manufacture of armaments for war and test drives a state of the art passenger train locomotive made there today. Season 2. Heading north to Gargnano, Michael discovers the romantic hideaway of one of Britain's most famous writers, DH Lawrence, whose affair with his professor's wife scandalised his home country. Michael Portillo continues his journey through Germany, guided by his 1936 Bradshaws Continental Railway Guide. We get it. At Martigny, Michael puts his faith in St Bernard after he is buried in snow. With his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo ventures east to a land which a century ago was part of the Russian Empire and today is the independent state of Ukraine. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) He begins in the truly international city of Basel and travels east to visit industrial Zurich. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. :https://www.buymeacoffee.com/journeysPlease Subscribe to Motivate:)This Will Enable me to Optimize my Creative Production to Showcase Journeys of Various . One newspaper commented that only Eric Morecambe was funnier. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, today Michael journeys through a prosperous pre-war Europe of emperors, kings, pomp and elegance. Coming back down to earth, Michael samples the amber wine of Georgia and learns about its role in Georgian national culture. In Palermo, Michael takes in the art and architecture of the Futurists and feasts on spaghetti and sardines in the citys Ballaro market. Michael Portillo uses his 1913 copy of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide to venture beyond Europe as he travels through the Holy Land. At the Bolshoi Theatre, Michael performs an important role in one of Russia's most dramatic operas. At a private museum dedicated to the life of the most infamous Georgian, Joseph Stalin, Michael asks how Georgians today feel about the former dictator of the Soviet Union. The scenery was unrelentingly, heart-swellingly beautiful the golden sandstone of Salamanca; the best of Roman, Christian and Islamic art and architecture poured into Zaragoza; the enclosed medieval citadel of vila seemingly glowing with centuries of stored sunlight. In Spains beautiful capital city, Madrid, Michael visits the 1930s art deco Telefonica Building and discovers what happened there during the civil war. In a vast stadium, Michael hears how new rail lines were constructed to transport crowds of spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games of 1936. Fingers crossed there will be no more . And there was a mercifully brief attempt at learning a few steps from the Aragonese folk dance la jota, but, for the most part, he stuck to limning Spains history and detailing the horrors of the civil war. His first stop is Paris, where he absorbs the atmosphere of La Belle poque, before he travels south to the Cote D'Azur, where he samples the Edwardian highlife and learns why the area attracted the rich and artistic alike. Steered by his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo heads for the Netherlands, where he operates a crane in Europe's largest container port in Rotterdam, and experiences the power of Kinderdijk's picturesque windmills. Crossing the border again into Norway, Michael discovers how in 1913 this young nation expressed its own distinctively modern identity in plays, paintings and polar exploration. The first series was originally broadcast on BBC Two in 2012, and the seventh series was first aired in 2020. Aboard the high-speed Sapsan to St Petersburg, Michael discovers the history behind the line, once the longest double-tracked railway in the world. [2] To avoid offending Spanish sensitivities, the line was built concluding in Algeciras, a town in Spain on the opposite side of the Bay of Gibraltar, rather than at the Gibraltar border. Michael Portillos 1936 Bradshaws Continental Railways Guide brings him to the Italian 'treasure island' of Sicily, full of natural beauty and 'scenery of the greatest charm'. Michael Portillo follows his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide to continue his journey through the Netherlands. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Great Continental Railway Journeys, Portillo, Michael, Used; Good Book at the best online prices at eBay! Research of a more sombre kind leads Michael to the roots of our modern welfare state in the work of an early 20th-century . From the Grand Hotel, Europe, advertised in his Bradshaw's, Michael explores the beauty and history of St Petersburg, from the great Nevsky Prospekt to the magnificent Winter Palace with its Hermitage Museum, then rides the first railway ever built in Russia between the city and the Tsar's village - Tsarskoye Selo. In Palermo, Michael takes in the art and architecture of the futurists. Great Canadian Railway Journeys is a BBC travel documentary series presented by Michael Portillo and aired on BBC Two. Heading further into Andalusia, Michael arrives in Seville, the city he has made his Spanish home. 2022-12-27 06:12:03. Over the border in the former imperial territory of Slovenia, Michael discovers how an earthquake in Ljubljana encouraged its citizens to assert their national identity in architecture and art. But whilst the facades are beautiful, behind the buildings were cheaply constructed warrens. Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in his Bradshaw's guide, journeying from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, on this journey Michael Portillo explores the once-great empire of Austria-Hungary, domain of the famous Habsburg monarchs. Plucking up Dutch courage Michael takes to two wheels in Amsterdam's fast moving cycle lane and heads for the Indies district, where he samples a delicious "rijstafel" of dishes from the Dutch empire. Michael Portillo's 1936 Bradshaw's Guide brings him to the Italian 'treasure island' of Sicily, full of natural beauty and 'scenery of the greatest charm'. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Scandinavia and discovers the royal roots of early 20th century British travellers' close dynastic ties with the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. All seven of the 1980 Series 1 programs, including Palin's Confessions of a Train Spotter, were released in 1986 in cooperation with the BBC on VHS tapes by Pentrex, a California railroad video company. Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in his Bradshaw's guide from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast. At Goettingen University, Michael discovers two sides of student life at the turn of the 20th century - the duelling fraternities and the groundbreaking scientists, who laid the foundation for Germany's world-class transport technology today. Among its cobbled streets and classical buildings Michael discovers the seeds of Ukrainian nationalism in song. Heading east to Avila, Michael overnights in a historic parador and learns how 1930s Spain positioned herself as a tourist destination. He refers to a 1913 copy of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, as he describes how the places he visits have changed since Edwardian times. It detailed railway journeys in mainland Europe, following a 1913 Bradshaw's guide to European rail travel. English musician and sound artist Chris Watson worked as an audio recorder for the fourth episode "Los Mochis to Veracruz" of the fourth season. There he wrote music that posed a threat to the established order as surely as Bolshevism. And he discovers a beautiful art nouveau Palace of Music with an emotional history. But the interwar guidebook also tells him that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini. Along the way, he recreates the famous Italian Job on an historic Fiat test track and follows fashion in Milan before investigating the early 20th-century British love affair with Lake Como in a seaplane. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael's journey through Germany begins in Berlin, which at the beginning of the 20th Century was a powerhouse of science and technology. Crossing the border from Bohemia to Bavaria, Michael encounters a fire breathing dragon in Furth-im-Wald and in Nuremberg he rides German railway history - made in Britain. In Poznan, at the heart of former German Poland, Michael takes in the view from the kaiser's balcony before climbing aboard what is possibly the last steam-powered commuter train. In Carrara, he finds out how the marble used by Michelangelo is still quarried today and is invited to chip away at a contemporary sculpture. His journey ends in the Rheingau to taste the wines of its age old vineyards. In a vast stadium in Berlin, Michael hears how new rail lines were constructed to transport crowds of spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games in 1936. In 1983, the BBC made a further series on rail travel entitled Great Little Railways, this time exclusively featuring narrow gauge railways. Braving the force of the Goettingen wind tunnel, Michael investigates the track where model trains are fired at up to 360km per hour. Leaving London behind, Michael follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. He had a go at slicing an ibrico ham, while the seller hovered anxiously in the background watching his livelihood literally being shredded. His rail journey takes him from the grasslands of the Steppe to the shores of the Black Sea. Packing tip: The springtime climate can feel cold at times. Arriving in Italy at the empire's southern port of Trieste, Michael savours the imported coffee which fuelled the cafe culture of its elegant capital, Vienna. Among the golden onion domes and icons of Tula, Michael is moved by the sound of a Russian Orthodox choir. Moving south to the city of Arles, he learns how its light and the famous mistral drew artists from all over Europe. Italy's most famous ingredients, parmesan cheese and parma ham go down well in Parma, as does a trip to the exquisite Teatro Regio opera, where the company is rehearsing work by the hero of Italian unification, Giuseppe Verdi. Books have been published to accompany the first three series, with a chapter by each of the presenters on their particular journey: A similar book was also published on Great Little Railways: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Put some tweed and some Churchs brogues on and relax. Great Asian Railway Journeys. Steered by his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo continues his journey through Romania, tapping into the nation's musical soul in Bucharest and loading cargo from a 100-foot crane in Constanta. At least they dont make him do too much in the way of Activities. In high spirits, with the help of the local liquor, Michael says 'Nosdraviya' to Slovenia and heads south. I was drawn to it because when Jonathan Harker first encounters the vampire he is reading "of all things an English Bradshaw's guide" (studying the timetable between Whitby and King's Cross, the line that will carry Draculas coffins of earth!). Toronto is at its best during this beautiful spring season. Backstage at the legendary Folies Bergere, Michael asks the 'enfant terrible' of fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier, about his homage to the black American dancer, Josephine Baker, and goes backstage to meet the stars of the show. Often available in a six-pack of programs, though also out-of-print, they are commonly found for purchase online. Glinka: Travelling Song (The Train Song), 1840. From Tbilisi Michael takes a trip along the 120-mile Georgian Military Road, built by the colonising Russian army in the early nineteenth century. The title Great Continental Railway Journeys has led some to believe that the series is designed solely for train spotters. The dance is complicated and long, and wearing turquoise trousers with a hat that repeatedly slipped from my head, I cut a poor figure. . Making history in contemporary art at the Venice Biennale, Sensationalists: The Bad Girls and Boys of British Art. In Vienna, he encounters a pre-Cold War spy and hears for himself the concert that caused a riot in 1913. He visits the Reichstag and the city's Olympic stadium, site of the 1936 Summer Olympics. Forsaking the saddle, Michael takes to the skies and pilots a light aircraft as he learns of one of France's pioneering aviators. This will follow Michael as he journeys from Berlin to Stuttgart, soaking up all of Germany's history. Having spent between five weeks to a month on the train, Watson used field recordings of the journey for his 2011 album El Tren Fantasma.[1][2][3]. But the interwar guide book also tells Michael that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini.