We just finished watching the New Europe seven hour DVD series that Michael Palin did in 2006 – 2007. Having watched just about everything that he has done ( Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole, Full Circle, Sahara, Himalaya) and loving them all, I must say that I wasn’t expecting this series to be at the same level. After all, it’s only Europe, not Africa, Asia or an around the world journey against the clock. Boy, was I surprised and greatly entertained.
The series covers travels in 20 countries, ranging from Turkey to Romania to Poland to the former Yugoslavia. I was impressed with the people that Palin met on the journey as well as the incredible scenery and settings, ranging from simple but beautiful farms to spectacular mountains and wide open land, something I didn’t expect in a densely populated continent. After watching this, we have now added several more countries, that we had not given a second thought to before now, to our travel list. It was an enjoyable series and a great surprise indeed.
The DVD set also includes an interview with Michael Palin himself, and watching him reflect and add his own perspective to the journey reminds one of the joy of sharing travel with others. If you are interested, check it out at: Michael Palin – New Europe