Fredbargate

Unfortunately I missed the first 20 minutes, but it is repeated on BBC2 Wed at 11:20 PM UK time.

I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw.

Lynn R

I enjoyed it, thought it was a good advert for Spanish tourism too. Everywhere he went looked beautiful and helped to disprove the view seemingly held by some people that the whole of Spain is a mess and littered with abandoned building sites.

I liked seeing the Sorolla museum again, we went there last year whilst in Madrid. It's one of the less visited museums and galleries there, and all the more enjoyable for it.

jackytoo

Yes, I thought it was good..except for the stupid bit with the horse

Where is his luggage, he just steps on the train with a different jacket and a book

agoreira

You're probably correct, but there are references in the press to the line closing.
I can certainly testify to the goods trains, we stayed just outside Ronda in a hotel near to the line (didn't realise when we booked it, our normal hotel was full) and the long goods trains seemed to rattle along ensuring a restless night!

stuboy

I too rate him very highly. And yes I have met him.

I like his railway journeys but mainly I admire his huge intelligence. I also follow him on the Thursday night programme with Andrew Neil.

In my opinion one of the best Prime Ministers we never had.

johnnyone

Agreed. Surely people don't pay good money to watch that?
Absolutely ridiculous.
Liked the programme though.

Larana

When in Rome... Was a bit odd, however, I'd concede that. It's probably a cultural difference thing, that's all.

Domino

Sorry DD but also find him an excellent presenter.
He has a "memorable" speaking voice as does Matthew Parris, both of whom have very clear and precise manner of speaking.
Which is good for the UK and International Broadcasting.

~

guirijohn

It was good to see Spain in a positive light and it made me want to visit Andalucia again soon. The programme was well researched with interesting new facts, at least to me. Remarkable what has been achieved with Anglo Spanish cooperation in the mining, rail and sherry industries. Quite ironic that MP should end up in Gibraltar!

Dick Dasterdly

Maybe he made the right decision in turning to something else outside of politics.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/536170.stm

"A darling of the Tory right and a favourite on the conference podium, his opponents saw him as smug, arrogant and patronising."

That's the way I always read him and to a certain extent still do.

That is despite the fact that I had similar political leanings at that time myself and certainly wouldn't have regarded him as a political opponent.

I don't doubt his knowledge and reporting abilities regarding his travels, especially with his Spanish background, but there was always that impression that stuck with me and still does.
No great crime in itself, but he still has that very obvious smug upper-class background, education and attitude that always shows through as in the above characteristics in contrast to numerous other politicians and ex politicians who seemed to shake it off much better.

crookesey

Folk tend to fall into politics, Gyles Brandreth has done far better out of politics than he ever did in them, the same could be said of Edwina Currie and Geoffrey Archer must be the daddy of them all. I never cared much for Portillo as a politician, but thought that he was excellent in the last TV documentary about Spain and his family.

I appreciate that my late mother's ex boss Roy Hattersley was deputy leader of the Labour Party, but he became very wealthy as an author when he threw in the towel on politics. There was the exception in respect of Winston Spencer Churchill, who became just as good an author as he was a politician, that being great.

jackytoo

What I have noticed with Portillo is that when he was in politics his Spanish parentage was very much played down. I once read an article years ago which indicated his Spanish father had played a small part in his life. Now he is into TV presenting as in last nights programme he very much plays on his Spanish background

Kezar

just watched on bbc iplayer really enjoyed the programme.

We now fancy visiting Seville

crookesey

Yes I must agree with you, but he was MT's little lad wasn't he?

entrepinos

But the bigger question is - where in Spain did he buy a house? He mentioned that he had bought a property near to Seville in a walled roman town. My money is on Alcala de Guadaira. Anyone any ideas?