My TV Happy Place

About a year ago I discovered my favorite TV show of all time.  Great British Railway Journeys on BBC2.  Michael Portillo, who was a former Conservative MP and Cabinet Minister (and also on whom I have a teeny bit of a professorial crush) follows the guidebook that George Bradshaw put together in the 1860's to help Victorians navigate the new railway system.  Every season he travels several main lines, and in each show he'll visit two or three stops along the way, exploring how much of Bradshaw's England is still recognizable.

This is my favorite show because it combines so many of my Happy Places:
- England

- Trains

- Exploring

- Exploring England by Train

The first time I stumbled upon it on TV I almost lost it.  If only he made a little stop at the AMT Espresso Bar before hopping on each train; then it would be really complete.

If you're in the UK, by all means, watch this show when it's on.  If you're not @TelevisionBritish uploads most of them to YouTube.  Even if you're not into England or trains, the show would be worth watching if for no other reason than to see what pastel color combinations of shirt and jacket that Michael Portillo can carry off.  

Below is one where he goes to Scarborough.  But for nostalgia's sake, before that, here's a picture of me in Scaroborough in 2001.  I was very hung over as I'd been out drinking very late the night before with my friend Natasha.  I remember this very clearly because when I'm drunk I turn into an Angry Feminist. We were walking back to the station and stopped at a kebab shop for grease.  A guy was in the queue ahead of us, and his girlfriend/wife was holding flowers.  I went up to her, poked her shoulder, and promptly announced, "whatever he did to you, don't you let him buy you off with flowers.  You deserve more than that!"  The guy got really mad, and Tasha skedaddled me out of there.  While she was trying to hail me a cab, I decided to lay down on the ground by the station because it looked so appealing (I was very drunk).  I dozed off, and must have looked homeless because when I woke up, to the cab she had so helpfully called for me, there was about two pounds in change next to me.  I was so pleased with myself.  I held the change up, and said, "Look Tasha!  Two pounds!"  The cab driver almost didn't take me because he was afraid I was going to puke in his car.  The next day I woke up, had a Burger King breakfast at King's Cross, and went to Scarborough.

Good times.