Post by radovic on Oct 22, 2007 10:30:58 GMT -5
The beauties of Belgrade in the most popular BBC show
Monty Python on the Danube
Author: A. Novakovic | 19.10.2007 - 12:00
The first episode of Michael Palin’s travel accounts, the former member of the “Monty Python’s Flying Circus“, describes his travel through Serbia and other ex-Yugoslav countries. It was broadcast on Sunday evening on BBC1 and it has been estimated that over 7.5 million of the British watched the show.
According to the “Guardian“, Palin’s serial “New Europe“ had the highest rating on BBC1. In his trvavel journal, Palin describes his two-day visit to Belgrade, spending time with Braca Petrovic and Rambo Amadeus...
The first day in Belgrade
This is how Palin described his first day in Belgrade...
“I am approaching the Danube in a car as old as myself. The driver is Braca Petrovic, born in Belgrade in 1948, a composed man with short grey hair. I am looking at him a little bit nervously, since we are only at half-meter distance from the river, but he does not halt. I did not even manage to say anything before he tightened his lips,snached the wheel and rushed into the Danube. While water was rising around the car, Braca turned right in an incredibly relaxed manner and headed towards the opposite river bank. Fortunately, our car is produced for these situations. It was designed by Ferdinand Porsche for the German invasion on Russia in 1941. It can reach the speed of 13 km/h going through water and 80 km/h by land. ‘Schwimmwagen’, as it was called, was used for passing the Volga. However, these cars are very vulnerable. The number of 15.000 produced cars has suffered great losses. Our four-seat car without roof has been taken out from the Volga by the Russian army, painted red and brought to the Danube in 1944. Braca bought it, restored it and became very proud that he is the owner of the unique car that can be driven in water and by land. Braca is infatuated with mechanics, just as all Serbians are. Only later did I find out that he runs a family cafe, puppet show and deals with theatre production. I met him for the first time this morning in his garage located just opposite the police station in the center of Belgrade. Almost shy, he showed me his own collection of cars. He is especially proud of his “Mercedes 300“ from 1955, named after the German Chanceller Konrad Adenauer, the synonym for the after war renewal of Germany. „With this car, Germans sent a message to the rest of the world that they were back,“ Braca said. In order not to be taken too seriously, he showed me two dolls sitting in the car, while Tito was on the back seat and Slobodan Milosevic on the driver’s seat.“
Rambo as a host
On the second day, Palin’s host was the musician Rambo Amadeus.
“Most of the day Rambo Amadeus and me spent jachting on the Danube. We raced in cold wind with others from the jacht-club in Zemun. My captain named himself Rambo Amadeus. A great man with a great name. He is leaning towards me and winking, so I am never sure whether I should take seriously everything he says. He claims that he has invented the term “turbo-folk“, loud, kitch, dance music that he describes as “The Balkans gangster type, but without rap“. He is exclusive when it comes to other attitudes as well. “Television is stupid, internet is cool“. But he is not a man that you can actually relate to jachting club, but he is convinced that he would have won if I hadn’t asked him so many stupid questions. In his opinion, the wars of the nineties were merciless and inevitable process in which great part of the national economies were involved in the preparations for the attack or diffence during the war. The situation in Belgrade was difficult. “Had you thrown the TV through the window, nobody would have noticed it,“ Rambo said, but he soon changed his mind: „Actually, nobody ever did that.“ I asked if it was too precious, and Rambo answered: “Exactly“.
Rambo’s disappointment
“I watched the episode which has left a bad taste in my mouth, because my sentences were not properly translated. I said that the siutuation in Belgrade was pretty calm during the war, because nobody watched TV, and we we were not informed about the war. However, it turned out that I said that there was chaos in Belgrade... I am disappointed in BBC, since I thought that they are real professionals. As far as Palin is concerned, he was very reserved and focused on his assignment. I was so looking forward to meeting him, but I did not get anything,“ Rambo Amadeus said for “Blic“
Monty Python on the Danube
Author: A. Novakovic | 19.10.2007 - 12:00
The first episode of Michael Palin’s travel accounts, the former member of the “Monty Python’s Flying Circus“, describes his travel through Serbia and other ex-Yugoslav countries. It was broadcast on Sunday evening on BBC1 and it has been estimated that over 7.5 million of the British watched the show.
According to the “Guardian“, Palin’s serial “New Europe“ had the highest rating on BBC1. In his trvavel journal, Palin describes his two-day visit to Belgrade, spending time with Braca Petrovic and Rambo Amadeus...
The first day in Belgrade
This is how Palin described his first day in Belgrade...
“I am approaching the Danube in a car as old as myself. The driver is Braca Petrovic, born in Belgrade in 1948, a composed man with short grey hair. I am looking at him a little bit nervously, since we are only at half-meter distance from the river, but he does not halt. I did not even manage to say anything before he tightened his lips,snached the wheel and rushed into the Danube. While water was rising around the car, Braca turned right in an incredibly relaxed manner and headed towards the opposite river bank. Fortunately, our car is produced for these situations. It was designed by Ferdinand Porsche for the German invasion on Russia in 1941. It can reach the speed of 13 km/h going through water and 80 km/h by land. ‘Schwimmwagen’, as it was called, was used for passing the Volga. However, these cars are very vulnerable. The number of 15.000 produced cars has suffered great losses. Our four-seat car without roof has been taken out from the Volga by the Russian army, painted red and brought to the Danube in 1944. Braca bought it, restored it and became very proud that he is the owner of the unique car that can be driven in water and by land. Braca is infatuated with mechanics, just as all Serbians are. Only later did I find out that he runs a family cafe, puppet show and deals with theatre production. I met him for the first time this morning in his garage located just opposite the police station in the center of Belgrade. Almost shy, he showed me his own collection of cars. He is especially proud of his “Mercedes 300“ from 1955, named after the German Chanceller Konrad Adenauer, the synonym for the after war renewal of Germany. „With this car, Germans sent a message to the rest of the world that they were back,“ Braca said. In order not to be taken too seriously, he showed me two dolls sitting in the car, while Tito was on the back seat and Slobodan Milosevic on the driver’s seat.“
Rambo as a host
On the second day, Palin’s host was the musician Rambo Amadeus.
“Most of the day Rambo Amadeus and me spent jachting on the Danube. We raced in cold wind with others from the jacht-club in Zemun. My captain named himself Rambo Amadeus. A great man with a great name. He is leaning towards me and winking, so I am never sure whether I should take seriously everything he says. He claims that he has invented the term “turbo-folk“, loud, kitch, dance music that he describes as “The Balkans gangster type, but without rap“. He is exclusive when it comes to other attitudes as well. “Television is stupid, internet is cool“. But he is not a man that you can actually relate to jachting club, but he is convinced that he would have won if I hadn’t asked him so many stupid questions. In his opinion, the wars of the nineties were merciless and inevitable process in which great part of the national economies were involved in the preparations for the attack or diffence during the war. The situation in Belgrade was difficult. “Had you thrown the TV through the window, nobody would have noticed it,“ Rambo said, but he soon changed his mind: „Actually, nobody ever did that.“ I asked if it was too precious, and Rambo answered: “Exactly“.
Rambo’s disappointment
“I watched the episode which has left a bad taste in my mouth, because my sentences were not properly translated. I said that the siutuation in Belgrade was pretty calm during the war, because nobody watched TV, and we we were not informed about the war. However, it turned out that I said that there was chaos in Belgrade... I am disappointed in BBC, since I thought that they are real professionals. As far as Palin is concerned, he was very reserved and focused on his assignment. I was so looking forward to meeting him, but I did not get anything,“ Rambo Amadeus said for “Blic“