In 1985, Wham! became the first major Western pop act to perform in communist China. Watching the story brought back memories of my own visit to Beijing in 1999, and of a country changing rapidly as it opened to the wider world.
Recently, I came across a fascinating BBC Two programme about Wham! — the hugely successful pop duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. Their string of memorable hits included **Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go**, **Freedom** and, of course, **Last Christmas**, all released in 1984. Wham! may have broken up in 1986, but one remarkable episode in their short career still stands out: their groundbreaking visit to China in 1985.
That year, Wham! became the first major Western pop act to perform in communist China. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley travelled to Beijing and Guangzhou for concerts that were about far more than music. China was only beginning to open itself to the wider world, and for many of those in the audience it was their first experience of seeing Western pop music performed live.
Watching the programme was particularly fascinating for me because I visited Beijing myself in 1999, fourteen years after Wham!’s historic tour.
CLICK HERE for a link to the BBC recording of the tour. You can also watch it on Amazon Prime.
A great trip which took us to Paris, the Pyrenees, Perpignan, Figueres (Spain) and the Dalí Museum, Béziers near the Mediterranean coast, Nimes with its Roman colosseum and through the through the beautiful hills of Languedoc and the Massif Central.
Including a night train from Paris to Latour-de-Carol in the snow-clad Pyrenees!
23rd February to 1st March 2024
A great trip which took us to Paris, the Pyrenees, Perpignan, Figueres (Spain) and the Dalí Museum, Béziers near the Mediterranean coast, Nimes with its Roman colosseum and through the beautiful hills of Languedoc and the Massif Central.
We journeyed over 2000 miles (3000 km) by train through France and Spain, (incl 250 miles on cross Channel journeys and in England).
After an evening meal at the Bistrot de la Gare near the Gare du Lyon we boarded an overnight train with the Intercités de Nuit from Gare d’Austerlitz, in Paris departing at 9:40 pm. By just after 10am the next day we were about 850 km south in the Pyrenees! The night train was a bit of a letdown as the sleeping compartments were really no more than cushettes with a light duvet. If we had booked earlier enough we could have been travelling for about €30 but we left it too late and had to pay a lot more. However, I’m very grateful to the English speaking service of SNCF for actually getting us on to the train because of its popularity. I had forgotten that in February the Pyrenees is quite popular for skiing and the train would be quite full. Sleeping cars consist of 6 berth for 2nd class and 4 berth for 1st class. The other dissapointment was that the buffet car had been disconnected at Toulouse, so no morning coffee and croissant for us! Thankfully we were able to have our petit dejeuner at the station café in Latour-de-Carol. Despite these inconveniences the journey we arrived on time in the heart of the beautiful Pyrenean snow-topped mountains, bathed in sunshine!
Click HERE for the photos of the journey including the Pyrenees
Below are some photos of special interest: (click the heading of each section for photos and or the link in the text for more information)
The Ligne de Cerdagne, usually referred to as Le Petit Train Jaune, (the Yellow Train) is a 1m gauge railway that runs from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg in the French Pyrenees.
I had miscalculated things in my researches as I thought the Little Yellow Train was operating but when we got to Latour-de-Carol I found it was closed for winter maintenance. However there was a silver lining. We were soon able to board a bus costing only €1 which would take us on a road parallel to the train route so we could see all the many amazing railway viaducts cut into the mountainside. When we arrived at Villefranche-de-Conflent we were able to see these wonderful little trains all sitting in sideings ready for use in the spring and summer. Our onway train journey to Perpignan was also only €1 !!
This heavily fortified village in the Pyrénées-Orientales is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When the territory was ceded to the French in the 17th C the town became an important French defence against possible Spanish incursions. We had a great lunch in a restaurant which was had very thick stone walls. Atmospheric and very welcoming!
This was the highlight of our trip! – I was blown away by the number of artistic pieces, their variety and quality! See the special page for photos on the link as above.
Through the beautiful hills of the Mediterranean in the Languedoc region to the Massif Central leaving behind small stations and villages with red terracotta roofed houses and far ranging views into the hills, some with beautiful limestone escarpments and fast flowing rivers in gorges lined by trees below us. In the far distance I even caught sight of the snowy tops of the Massif Central mountains.
This was the highlight of the train tour through France and Spain which my friend Norman Baker and I took in February. I was blown away by the number of artistic pieces, their variety and quality.
Dalí Museum – Figueres, Cataluna Spain 25 Feb 2024
This was the highlight of the train tour through France and Spain which my friend Norman Baker and I took in February 2024. We were blown away by the number of artistic pieces, their variety and quality. It is the best art exhibitions I have ever seen in the whole of my 78 years on this planet. You have just got to go and see it to believe the fantastic art!
I quote from one guide “The Dali Theatre Museum is definitely something worth experiencing, if not to get a better understanding of Dali, then at least to enjoy the opportunity to witness the creative eccentricity of an artist like no other”.
Figueres is the birthplace and final resting place of iconic Surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The town is also home to the Dali Theatre-Museum, a masterpiece of surrealism that the artist designed himself.
