Modern Travel | The Other Grand Tour | 2
Summary
Hosts Peter Frankopan and Afua Hirsch explore the overlooked participants of the Grand Tour, including Black diplomats, Indian intellectuals, and servants. They discuss how these travelers critiqued European materialism and family dynamics while sustaining luxury brands like Louis Vuitton. The episode reveals a complex global exchange that challenged traditional narratives of Western cultural superiority.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The Grand Tour and unseen travelers
Black diplomats and abolitionists on the Grand Tour
Classical education and the legacy of slavery
Asian travelers: Diplomatic missions and cultural critique
Dean Mohammed and the origins of shampoo
Asian critiques of European morality and family life
Gender roles and the perception of European women
Indian Maharajas and the rise of luxury travel brands
Colonial hotels and the legacy of luxury in Asia
The end of the Grand Tour and modern tourism
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