Has anyone been watching this ? I missed it as at work but a mate gave me heads up on it. Michael Portillo travels Europe with a 1913 Bradshaws guide. He mentions WW1 alot through the series . Even Hitler gets a mention in the last episode in the forest of Compiegne in 1940 (just to get a WW2 link into this post) I loved the series as it brought back memories of Interrailing in 1990 & other European trips. It's full of other historical interest too. I've been watching it & going ''Been there...and there ...'' It's all on iPlayer for awhile though I'd like to get it on DVD. BBC iPlayer - Great Continental Railway Journeys: London to Monte Carlo BBC iPlayer - Great Continental Railway Journeys: Hungary to Austria BBC iPlayer - Great Continental Railway Journeys: Berlin to the Rhein BBC iPlayer - Great Continental Railway Journeys: Switzerland BBC iPlayer - Great Continental Railway Journeys: Amsterdam to Northern France
Owen did the train journey from Toronto to Edmonton a few years ago - fantastic trip - did the rest by car to Vancouver ....unforgettable ! Cheers
My Dad did a rail 'tour of Europe' a few years ago including Vienna, Budapest, Berlin and many other destinations. As he was well into his 70s at the time and speaks no foreign languages I thought he was rather brave but he thoroughly enjoyed the tour and had very few problems, even finding accomodation along the way. Personally I prefer flying and driving but I can see that trains are probably the best way to appreciate the scenery passed through.
Owen Been watching this series. Excellent. The last programme focussed more on WW1 and in particular about Pte Godley VC and Lt Dease VC. There is a thread about them here: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/prewar/46477-bravest-last-stand-pte-sidney-godley-vc-1914-a.html Lesley
Am enjoying the new series. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rdqn7 Germany last night, lots of places I've been .
Particularly enjoyed the visits to Budapest & Prague, both places where we have holidayed. Great Series ! Ron
If anyone fancies their own copy of Bradshaw's guide get a reprint of it. paperback https://www.middletonpress.co.uk/books/bradshaw/bradshaws-continential-guide-1913.html or hardback. http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/large_image.aspx?ID=3334
I like to watch most things he does, he's done well since losing his Enfield seat all those years ago when Blair first cam to power. He went to my senior school too, only 10 years before me.
Watched Chris Tarrant's Spanish train trip the other day He covered similar ground to Portillo. A bit about the Spanish civil war & visited the abandoned station at Canfranc. Portillo had the edge over Tarrant with that one with the records on his father they showed & sharing a trench with George Orwell's son.
He is very proud of his Spanish roots, quite rightly. The only problem with Michael is his taste in clothes! He looks like someone who bought out all the unsold stock from the Boden catalogue in 1999.
His clothing colour choice fitted in perfectly during the Dala horse painting segment, and you'd never mistake him for anyone else on camera (his swimming skills could do with a bit of work though!) Kind regards, always, Jim.
