Historic document
Sunday afternoon, and we've found Michael Palin's 'Around the world in 80 days' on one of the higher-number channels.
We found it partway through the episode in Hong Kong. He says, 'all anyone can talk about is 1997.'
He reaches Shanghai, and walks through a Victorian-looking customs office where his crew is allowed to film.
He comments on the purposeful movement of the Chinese, as the camera pans across the cyclists. 'Just imagine if everyone here traded in their bicycles for Hondas?'.
At the end of the credits, I see this programme was made in 1989.
Pre-1997, for Hong Kong.
Pre-September 11.
Pre-George W. Bush's wars.
It's like a historic document all on its own. He couldn't have known what he was recording in a travelogue, not for 100 years from now, but just 25 years later.
Amazing.
We found it partway through the episode in Hong Kong. He says, 'all anyone can talk about is 1997.'
He reaches Shanghai, and walks through a Victorian-looking customs office where his crew is allowed to film.
He comments on the purposeful movement of the Chinese, as the camera pans across the cyclists. 'Just imagine if everyone here traded in their bicycles for Hondas?'.
At the end of the credits, I see this programme was made in 1989.
Pre-1997, for Hong Kong.
Pre-September 11.
Pre-George W. Bush's wars.
It's like a historic document all on its own. He couldn't have known what he was recording in a travelogue, not for 100 years from now, but just 25 years later.
Amazing.