Michael Palin of Monty Python fame also has a long-standing career as a travel documentary writer and host and I recently re-read the book accompanying his documentary “New Europe”. Apart from being super interesting and highly informative, I believe there are further reasons the book (and documentary) should be more well known. Read on to find out why!
The “New Europe” documentary first aired in 2007 and at that time, Palin took the imminent eastward expansion of the EU as a reason to visit many countries in Central and Eastern Europe that had been hidden behind the Iron Curtain for most of his life.
Even though I myself can’t say I grew up in constant awareness or fear of the Cold War, it was still something that was always lurking in the background. The odd conversation overheard between acquaintances who had relatives or friends living on the other side of the Wall, scary news items, occasional tank movements between army bases near us, the general fear of someone finally pushing the red button. And then of course the fall of the Berlin Wall, which sent the whole of Germany and much of the Western world into some sort of frenzy.
People living in the member states of the Warsaw Pact seemed at once so similar and so very different. But in all honesty, I never found out that much about the area and inhabitants until long after the fall of the Iron Curtain. And to be fair, I know I still have much to learn. This is one of the reasons I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary and book.
Palin has such a refreshing way of visiting a place, poking about and meeting the loveliest people and finding out the most astonishing things. Some of the most fascinating persons he meets are not famous and well-known. On the contrary, I think the documentary works so well precisely because he mostly meets people like you and I, just going about their lives. It goes to show that everyone has a story to tell and experiences and cultural heritage to share. He has this distinct way of shining a light on wonderful stories and pointing out hilarious idiosyncrasies, without ever coming across as disrespectful. His curiosity, warmth and openness are contagious.
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I just cannot imagine the book and documentary to have turned out as well if it had been written by anyone else, even if they had covered the exact same route and met all the same people and done all the same things. Is this Python magic or is it something inherently Palin? Maybe both. And how did Michael Palin set about making the documentary in the first place?
He does visit some of the obvious places and sights, and he gives a lot of what I’d call general information on each of the countries he visits. No need to do more than a little basic research and then set up an itinerary. But then again, he covers so many unusual, quirky episodes that you can’t help but wonder how the heck he manages to encounter all those interesting people or find those curious places.
I mean, does he have a team of researchers hounding down the most secret, unique, lovely events that are going to happen while he visits a country?
Maybe he even does that himself? Does he just fly over and then go wherever whim or chance take him? (Not likely, considering the film crew, I know.) Do people ring him up and ask him to do a story on themselves, their club or their event? It’s a complete mystery to me.
People ringing him up is a nice thought, actually. I can just about imagine someone planning an event and thinking
“Hmm, my really interesting but highly eccentric little event needs some advertising. What can I do? – Oh, I know, I’m going to ring up that travelling Monty Python chap!”
Quite possibly, though, it is just some dry business transaction, brought about by agents. Well, I don’t suppose I’ll ever find out. If you have any ideas, feel free to enlighten me!
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A lot may have changed since 2007, it has been quite a while. However, the book and documentary are still important to me. Considering the Brexit debacle, increasing nationalist tendencies in many countries, fascism openly rearing its ugly head again, journeys and books such as this one may be more important than ever.
Pondering this thought, I remembered a quote by American writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou:
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
Travelling gets a lot of criticism nowadays and often rightly so, considering overconsumption of resources, disresepctful behaviour, the impact of overtourism on communities and such like. In many ways, travelling showcases privilege. But I still think that if done thoughtfully and respectfully, travelling can help forge connections, awareness and empathy – and that is something we need more of.
Thus, having re-read “New Europe”, I decided it’s time to do some more travelling and getting to know the world a little better. And really, what more can you ask of travel literature? Full marks, Mr. Palin. Well done (if I may say so).