Enjoy exotic travel by remaining home
TV series, films bring the wonders of the world to your couch
With much of the globe closed to tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic, leisure travel has become frustratingly out of reach, at least for the immediate future.
No more weekend getaways to New York City to visit family and friends, or weeklong jaunts to Rome. No more bucketlist trips to Bolivia’s Madidi National Park, Peru’s Machu Picchu or Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Gorilla Reserve.
If you’re anything like me, who used to spend any extra money I had on travel, this lack of access probably has you feeling perilously cut off not only from the people you love, but also from the wonders of the world in general.
But no matter. As we’ve discovered during these long months of mostly stationary living, there are other ways to explore and learn about farflung places, even if you’re still in your jammies.
Look beyond the welltrodden “Before Sunrise,” “Out of Africa” ( both available to stream on HBO Max) or “Motorcycle Diaries” ( Amazon Prime Video) and check out these five TV series and films that highlight all the glorious things about travel. While some, like the first two, are done in more of a guidebook-friendly format, the other three might appeal to your wanderlust because they’re filmed in picturesque settings.
Bon voyage!
“Kedi”: If you’ve ever been to Istanbul ( or Athens, Japan’s Aoshima or most places in Italy), you know the city is overrun with friendly ( read: very hungry) felines. So how about a tour of one of the world’s greatest cities from ( literally) a cat’s perspective? In Ceyda Torun’s awardwinning documentary, seven furry tour guides — feral, semihoused and street cat alike — take you along on their daily excursions, from a corner restaurant where the owner doles out turkey parts in exchange for rat murder to a seaside pier to a cozy apartment where the window’s always open and snuggles are on offer. This simple yet deceptively expansive film reveals so much about what it means to live, struggle and thrive alongside others — humans or otherwise. Even if you’re a dog person, I promise you’ll love this 80minute visual treat that’s thoroughly engaging for filmgoers of any purrsuasion.
⏩ Watch it: Stream on Kanopy ( free with a library card).
“Eater’s Guide to the World”: By now, everyone has watched the late Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” TV series ( available on HBO Max), in which the acclaimed and famously outspoken chef takes viewers on a culinary and cultural tour of the world. For those hoping to scratch that itch who have already watched David Chang’s “Ugly Delicious” ( Netflix) and “Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi,” ( Hulu) try Eater’s version of the foodthemed travelogue. In seven episodes, you’ll visit holeinthewall standbys in New York City and Los Angeles and finedining establishments in Tijuana and Casablanca, Morocco. The twist? The series is narrated by pottymouthed Maya Rudolph, who’s always ready with a quip.
⏩ Watch it: Stream on Hulu.
“Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands”: Hankering for a dram of whisky on Scotland’s Queen of the Hebrides, the Isle of Islay? Ditch the guidebooks and plan a future trip by bingewatching this incredibly addictive and quite lovely fourseason series about just a few of the nearly 800 Scottish islands. Paul Murton, your trusty and often windblown guide, will take you on a whirlwind tour over land and sea, treat you to sweeping views and introduce you to the many locals who have made this region their home. Lore and geographical maps included. ( Hooked? Watch “Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs” next, also on Amazon Prime Video.)
⏩ Watch it: Stream on Amazon Prime Video.
“Fisherman’s Friends”: Warning: This 2019 film about a hotshot A& R guy from the big city who discovers a band of seafaring crooners while on holiday and ushers them to worldwide stardom is super corny. The story line is also incredibly predictable. ( Yes, he falls in love with a local gal who runs the hamlet’s only inn.) But if you’re looking for something that will make your jaded heart ... uh ... sing while capturing the essence of smalltown life in Cornwall, England — complete with jawdropping scenery — this movie is it. Plus, the film is loosely based on a reallife choral group that still sings in Port Isaac to this day. Bonus: The cozy bar’s still there too.
⏩ Watch it: Stream on Netflix.
“Winter Sleep”: Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan famously said in an interview about his work that he
“doesn’t like to laugh.” That attitude certainly shows in his bleak films like “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” and, more recently, “The Wild Pear Tree” ( both available to rent on various services, including Amazon Prime Video and Vudu). But aside from their somber tone, the other aspect that stands out in Ceylan’s movies is their breathtakingly stark and hauntingly beautiful landscapes. Based on Chekov’s “The Wife” and “Excellent People,” “Winter Sleep” takes place in Turkey’s vast Anatolian steppe and that, coupled with the movie’s sharply observed story about a retired actor and his wife who inherit and attempt to run the family hotel while ingratiating themselves in the closeknit rural community, is reason alone to give it a whirl. One caveat: The film’s title in Turkish means “hibernation.” At more than three meditative hours, it’s a big commitment. But for the purpose of taking in a place not often visited by the average traveler, the time investment is more than worth it.
⏩ Watch it: Stream on Kanopy ( free with a library card).