Joanna Lumley - Abenteuer Seidenstrasse

What a great travel guide J Lumley is. She has a plomb about her but still makes wonderful contacts with people wherever she travels. Pity the Chinese would not let her complete the journey as she really is a peacemaker who could have helped reduce divisions between China & the West. But what she travels of the Silk Road is fantastic & makes learning history so interesting & attractive. Now I want to travel! But alas lockdowns continue! After watching this, I discovered 'Race across the world' traversing some similar locales :-)

I stumbled across this series by accident. One minute I was channel hopping and before I knew where I was, an hour had passed, the programme was over and I felt like I'd been to Iran. Joanna has such an easy, respectful, elegant way about her. The cities are stunning and the production is first rate. And it's so good to see an older woman presenting a travel show....joanna, you are a Queen.

Actress Joanna Lumley decides to follow the Silk Road starting in Venice and finishing near the Chinese border. She can be too obsessed with shopping but it does lead to some interesting side roads. It's the type of group level travelog that is sometimes more fascinating than the big monuments or famous locations. By contrast, she gives us a heavy bread that lasts years, and K-pop fans in central Asia. It's a four episode trip. Joanna is refused filming in China which was probably meant to add an episode or two to the series. All in all, this is a light fun side trip down a famous road slightly different from other travel shows.

I absolutely love this Series, very Educational in terms of where the Silk Road really went, and how the Countries that it passed are now. Also a lot of Strange, Exotic, Majestic Landscapes / Architecture / Culture.

Travel is always an Adventure and it is the best kind of Adventure there is. There are some slow spots for me personally like when they talked about Rugs, Poetry, etc., but fortunately there aren't that many.

Overall a Must See Series for me.

J. Lumley is absolutely an engaging host with a theatrical flair which is expected because she's a seasoned actress and presenter. For the average person, this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. It's an exciting travelogue that features fantastic landscapes, truly memorable places and interesting people.

Via Egnatia that begins in Durres and ends in ancient Constantinople, Cappadocia with its hundreds of caves akin to "termite mounds," modern Baku, Kashan and the charbagh that's the Fin Garden, the ancient Persian capital of Isfahan with its huge square known as Naqsh-i Jahan, Yazd which is the most beautiful desert city, and Tamerlane's Samarkand.

Lumley's interviews with local interesting people give depth and color to her show: young wine producer Shota Lagasidze in Kakheti, Iranian actor Bahram Kadan, silk producer Lamara Bezshash in Magaro, pop star Rayhon in Tashkent and the lovely couple Valeri and Maro Vibliani of Kichkuldashi up in the Caucasus mountains.

It's rare that you come across a show like this that explores the ancient Silk Road and the rich history behind it told by a sprightly 72-year old presenter.