Has Travel Changed You?: 2006
Rick Steves wants to hear from people who had never left the country before using Rick's guidebooks or going on a Rick Steves tour. Please let us know how your worldview changed as a result of Rick's influence on your travel . Did you meet someone abroad who made a dramatic impact on your life ? Has traveling overseas changed your views on America?
Please note: We may contact you based on your comments posted here. Please include your email address if we may contact you.
Europeans opinion of the US
My daughter and I spent 8 weeks last summer in Europe and visited the following countries: Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and Czech Republic.
Prior to our vist, we were under the impression that Europeans did not like the US or Americans. That was not the case except for a foreign born Parisian that actually did not like France either. When talking to people in each country I always asked why do Europeans dislike the US and Americans. None of them had a negative opinion of the US or Americans. Many said one cannot believe everything they read, etc. Many extended their thanks and gratitude for the English and Americans liberating their country in WW2.
Many many years ago I read Europe Through the Backdoor by Rick Steves when it 1st came out. I knew then the one day I would be able to visit Europe without spending $110/day on hotels. I have seen all of his shows on TV throughout the years. In my opinion, Rick Steves kept the hungar alive to visit Europe. At the age of 64 and retire.....my dream came true.
THANK YOU Rick!!
JB
CA USA Wed 12/20/2006
No change
Scott and others: Take a trip and camp or stay at a very, very budget lodging. Ask a "local" where they'd recommend to a friend visiting - or where to eat good, cheap food that's not for tourists.
And please try venturing out from the big cities and also from Western Europe. It's a huge world out there! Stretch your imagination and try to feel a little fear - use your mind to solve problems and really connect.
If traveling doesn't change you, try a different way of traveling. But obviously it has changed you since you do see the problems out there.
Edmonds, USA Tue 12/19/2006
Scott: I agree that traveling to other countries, then just associating with people like yourself is really self-defeating. But when WE travel, we look not only at what's different or better, but what's the same or even worse. We DO talk to the people who live in housing projects or poorer sections of town - they are usually the sales clerks in stores, the waiters and busboys in restaurants, the bus drivers, the tour guide aides, the people who clean your room at a hotel, the person who sells food at a sidewalk stall, teachers, firefighters, police officers, etc, etc.
We also talk to people as different from us as we can find (business people), and also those like us - public or government workers sympathizing and commiserating over lousy pay or too much work/too few workers. If travelers do make an effort to communicate and make contact with all types of people, the experience is worth it. America should not have to be more like Europe...we should all strive to be more human.
Try traveling to other countries on other continents and you may really enjoy the experience: Asia, Russia, Latin America - you sound like the perfect type of person who could make a difference in other peoples' perception of Americans, but you have to give it a chance...
Edmonds, USA Tue 12/19/2006
You're not going to like this one
I've been to Europe about five times now, first on the 3-Week ETBD tour then on my own.
Looking back on my trips, I ask myself "what was the big attraction?" I suppose, like many people, Europe was something I had to get out of my system.
I enjoyed the travel and experiences, and have nothing against Europe, but have no interest in going back.
Probably the most important conclusion I've come to is that it is completely ludicrous to think that America should be more like Europe. This makes about as much sense as complaining that England should be more like Italy.
I've also realized that when Americans go to Europe, they mostly end up associating with people like themselves--those who can afford to travel. I'm sure we would get a much different persepective if we would spend some time talking to the folks who live in the housing projects that we pass on the way from the airport to the "historic city centers" where our hotels are located.
Scott <email>
Seattle, WA USA Mon 12/18/2006
Life changes
Travel taught me that I don't know as much about myself as I thought I did.
Cassandra
Seattle , WA USA Sat 12/16/2006
travel
My father once had an elderly female friend who was quite wealthy and she told him that a person could not be well rounded until they had traveled around the world. So my father paid for me and my family to take a 12 day trip to Western Europe. Since then I have been back 4 times the last when I took my wife and her mother to Wales for a week. I really enjoy the task of tour guide the time spent researching and planning is almost as fun as the trip itself. I can't possibly begin to tell you about all the fantastic and wonderful things that we did and had happen to us. And a special thank you to my collage art appreciation teacher for she was the one that opened my eyes to the wonders of the world and with the help of people like Rick Steves and Rudy Maxa and Frommers I have been able to see the great works of art and the birthplace of great people. I usually have at least two guide books in my pocket as we tour they are a great help that way I don't have to waste my time making simple mistakes. Still one of my favorite memories is sitting in Paris with the tour group (By the way there were 2 Americans 1 Welshman 2 from Singapore and, 2 from India and 1from England) having a drink talking about the world affairs, their country, my country it really was a small world and I was embarrassed that I didn't seem to know as much about theirs as they knew about mine since then I have made it a mission to learn more about the world around me.
Phil Maxey <email>
Kalona, IA USA Thu 12/14/2006
Not necessarily a comment on how travel has changed me, though it has shaped my life since birth. Just an observation that the posts on this portion of the "Wall" are so insightful and well-written - much more so than some of the other parts of the "Wall." Does this mean travel improves us...or do "good spellers" just naturally gravitate towards travel? :-) a gentle "tongue-in-cheek" only...
USA Thu 11/30/2006
Change in world view
I just spent a week in Holland and then a week in Spain. The short synopsis - it's a very small world. Here are a few thoughts - My first week included 2 days in AMS walking and visiting 2 museums. The people in AMS are fabulous. I would like to spend more time there. I spent 5 days at a business conference. Conf was mainly attended by Europeans (900). I met colleagues from other offices. Many spoke English well, others struggled. Those that struggled avoided running into me thus having to speak with me. Not everyone enjoys or finds it easy to speak English. Colleagues respresented 5 other countries. All were curious and wanted to address Pres. Bush, Iraq. At the conference, (on nonprofit fundraising) the speakers were mainly from England, they often referred to the U.S. as a standard. People would yell out, "Why would we want to be like the U.S.?". You hear about Europeans disliking the U.S. I never thought that I would hear comments like this in a business conf on fundraising. I learned about political activities occuring in our country on Euro TV that are not being reported here in the U.S. Also, important information that should be reported to Europeans, is not getting reported giving them a slanted view of our country and its people. I met a young waiter in a restaurant in Barcelona that was extremely well informed, more so than my educated colleagues. To my first point, we need to change our educational system - we need to become more fluent in world cultures and language. Our young people will need this in the future. Also, it was interesting to hear people say that the "US is a country in decline".
Lynne Forbes
Mission Viejo, CA USA Fri 11/24/2006
What I have learned from travelling
What I have learned from travelling is that people are grateful if you recognize and show respect to them and their culture and customs, that smile will usually get a smile back, that people like to eat delicious food, listen to great music, meet new people and make new friends, have a good time, party, be exposed to new things and ideas, have a friendly debate over politics, sports or showbusiness, laugh at funny stories and jokes, be mesmerized over stunning scenery or art or architecture, that, despite all the different nationalities, languages, religions and cultures, people, when you get down to it, are not all that different.
Yuji Banno <email>
New York, NY USA Fri 11/17/2006
Magic
My friends tell me that I'm a dramatic idealist. I cannot disagree. I'm not sure if travel affects me differently than it does them, but I am sure that since I've come home from my first trip to Europe, everything has changed.
I got on a flight to London from Toronto, terrified. I was terrified because the experience was so much bigger than me and even though weeks, days before I was trembling from excitement, at that very moment I finally realized the gravity of what I was about to do. It was not a sorority trip, nor was it a whirlwind tour of museums and famous sights and pictures in front of the Eiffel tower. For me, it was a pilgrimage. I had little money, a few clothes, and a ripped up and stapled copy of The Best of Europe.
In the very early morning I awoke in my seat to find that the plane and I were descending over the English countryside, the flight attendant who I got to know very well over the last 11 hours in the seat behind me pointing out the little peculiarities in the landscape in her thick German accent. I admired her, she had seen so much more than me. 6 hours later I was on the Metro in Paris, squashed into a corner of a very full car, waiting for my stop, anxious to breathe in Paris. I took an escalator up to the night sky and promptly dropped to my knees, not from exhaustion (although my limbs were numb and my body was still swaying as though I were still in the air) but because I couldn't actually hold the idea that I was in PARIS, FRANCE in my mind. It was too much, too much. Before I even gave myself a chance to look for a bed that night, I sat with my hands pressed hard against the concrete, intent to feel every moment of arriving /being in Europe.
The rest of my month long journey was the same. I was in a constant state of amazement (with the culture, with the land, with the idea that the longer I was in Europe the easier it would be for me to forget all about America) the entire time. Even the things that would make most people boil with anger (getting charged an insane amount of money for a meal that tasted like a reheated bowl of Chef Boyardee in Milan, sleeping in a cramped train car on the way back to Paris and being awoken in the middle of the night by the police in Switzerland so they could search through my belongings) were, to me, incredible stories that were weaving their way into my life. Travel is poetry, it is living, it is breathing, it is becoming a conscious member of humanity and being aware of your surroundings. Travel is my life now. I can see no other way to live.
g <email>
seattle, wa USA Tue 11/14/2006
Life changing
I go to Europe about once per year. Picking a different place everytime. My first trip was to Ireland in 1997. I did not go with the idea that I was going to see and experience what most American's want, which is to have everything be like home. I went with the notion that I am not at home and things are going to be different, look different, taste different and sound different. That made all of my trips that much better. Trying to communicate a little bit in the language of the country you are in helps. I find that the French are really friendly people, the Italians are warm and endearing. If we are open then they are open. I have met so many wonderful people I cannot even begin to tell you. I always have wonderful stories to tell when I get home and that is the best part. So, yes, travel has changed my life
Kim
Brooklyn, NY USA Wed 11/08/2006
Travel; Yes!
Has travel changed my life? Absolutely! When my wife and I were married just two years, we worked our tails off in Alaska, and then traveled for seven months, and went around the world. This was in 1975, and after spending two months in Japan, Hong Kong, and Thailand, we were able to able to cross central Asia by bus; visiting Nepal,India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and on to Europe. In the years since, we have traveled extensively in Europe (with our children when they were in their teens). We have met so many wonderful people and have seen many extraordinary places. We live very comfortably in a modest home and drive used cars, and this allows us to travel extensively. When money is spent on things, the things wear out. But money spent on travel; the experiences remain in one's heart and mind forever.
Charles A. Robinson <email>
Lodi, CA USA Sun 11/05/2006
My Trip
Traveling this vacation made me realize how much my own country has to offer. It also "shrank the world", and the pond didn't seem as immense a flight as I thought. Amsterdam is a great place that I will get to again. Paris, once is enough, but I would enjoy another trip to the country instead. I found the country folks waaaay nicer, and was much more enjoyable, as it felt like vacation instead of "work". The food in Europe is expensive! Take whatever you spend here and double it, at least. Food here in the states is also more readily available, and has more types of food. The best food on my trip was the Appeltaart in Amsterdam! mmmmmm.
Tampa Tim
duh, FL USA Thu 11/02/2006
Value of Travel
Travel has greatly changed the lives of my wife and I. We married young, raised a family, struggled to establish careers, a home; and years later, looked back and realized that we never went anyplace. Sure, we had talked, dreamed, but always said "next year". Finally, for our 20th Anniversary, we just decided to go to Europe. I stumbled, literally, over Rick's Europe Through The Back Door in the bookstore and was sucked in. It really was the first guide I had seen on "How" to travel rather than just a list of sights and hotels. After months of planning, we took off for 3 weeks with only four nights of reservations and a railpass. Now this was my first time out of the US and my wife's first time on a plane, and first trip outside of the midwest. We had a blast traveling central Europe. It was on the breakwater at Vernazza, watching the sunset over a bottle of wine, that we made the pact to take a trip every two years. Six years and three more trips, we are keeping the pact. Life is too short to wait until, well, you fill in the last part. Something will always come up. Make travel a priority in your life, and it will change you. The several weeks of intense living that we do on a trip, energizes and makes daily life that much more interesting. We find ourselves seeking out the little experiences in our own town, and definitely have a different view on world events. We take the time now to be with our family, celebrate life, have a good bottle of wine, all skills we observed and learned in Europe. To that end, travel has not so much changed my life, but made me appreciate the life I have that much more.
Paul Slater <email>
IA USA Tue 10/31/2006
International Travel
Travel has definately changed my life. I met my husband on my first trip to Europe 22 years ago. For the last 6 years we have been going every year and taking our children. The education they have received is priceless. I have to agree with all who have said that it is addictive. We travel to North Africa (where my husband is from) and Europe and the people are wonderful everywhere where we have been. People who don't travel are really missing out.
Karla <email>
Sarasota, FL USA Thu 10/26/2006
An added perspective
Two years ago I went backpacking with a friend through Europe at the age of 19. After reading every Rick Steves' guidebook that I have could get my hands on, my friend and I took off with about 18 lbs. of stuff each, and a whole lot of prayers from our families.
The six weeks I spent in Europe changed me in so many ways. I learned that one needs so little to get by, and have fun; I learned that no matter where you go, people are pretty much the same; I also learned so much about myself and how I fit in the world. It was an amazing experience, and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. And thanks to Rick, I actually knew what I was doing!
Trudi <email>
MN USA Mon 10/23/2006
In love with Paris
I went to Amsterdam and Paris in February. I LOVED Paris, the French are welcoming and wonderful. They are not rude at all. I can't wait to go back to Paris. Europe showed me how to really live. America is so uptight compared to Europe.
This was my first trip to Europe and it was fabulous. I felt right at home in Paris, it was my favorite. I used the Rick Steve's Paris guide and it was a tremendous help. The Pere Lechaise map was so helpful, we would have been completely lost without it!! All of the suggestions and maps from the book were extremely helpful. We stayed at Hotel Leveque on Rue Cler, per Rick Steves' recommendation and it was lovely. It was located near the Eiffel Tower, to which we went every night. I highly recommed any Rick Steves guide book!
Sara Niehoff <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA Tue 10/17/2006
European travel
My family and I spent a month traveling all over Europe this past June; Spain, Itlay, Austria, Germany, France and England. This trip was our first abroad and has changed us forever. Europe is so very different from the US in many good ways. It was wonderful for the kids to experience the diverse cultural aspects of Europe. We used Rick's guidebooks for travel info, discounts and the like and were never disappointed. Next month we are going back to Paris (a place I fell in love with - and forget what they say about the French - they were wonderful!) for 2 weeks and are planning another trip to Italy with the whole family in May 07. As with anywhere, there are nice people and there are those who are not. The only less than stellar experience with the locals was in Sevilla, Spain. They are not very hospitable and make little or not attempt to help those who do not speak perfect Castillian...but the rest of Spain was wonderful. As a professor I loved the learning experience for my children!
Terri F <email>
St Louis , MO USA Tue 10/17/2006
Leaving the continent
I went to Europe for the 1st time for my 27th birthday to visit a friend who was stationed in Germany. It was a fantastic trip! I loved all the small differences, like how money is arranged differently in cash registers and driving on the Autobahn in a BMW and eating the best Italian food ever in Wurzburg. I went to London for New Year's the next year and met great people in the hostel and enjoyed spending way too much money seeing all the sites and walking along the Thames and ringing in the New Year with Big Ben. Next year it's off to Poland. It has made me really appreciate what we have here in the U.S., and also how we are viewed from the outside, which isn't as negative as I would have thought. And to be really proud of our public bathrooms. I used Rick's books and got great deals and excellent memories!
Sara
Atlanta, GA USA Sat 10/14/2006
Travel with a dog
I have taken three separate trips with only my miniature dachshund for my companion, and the experiences I've had are really truly priceless. Traveling with a little dog is a great way to meet people on a down-to-earth basis- who doesn't love a dachshund?? I also learned not to sweat the small stuff, and sure, there were various museums and other places where dogs were not allowed, but we enjoyed the simple things, long rambling walks through beautiful old cities and the amazing Alps. I learned to be more independent- minded, and how to keep things really simple in everyway. Sharing my experiences with my best little friend changed him, too! He was so well-behaved, I couldn't believe it! I'd do it again in a heartbeat, maybe next year....
karen <email>
chicago, IL USA Wed 09/27/2006
Travel with Children
We are HUGE fans of "the Rickster." His philosophy is exactly what we want out of travel -- experience where you are in an authentic way. We don't want to stay in some busy resort where there's no interaction with locals. Our family loves the off-the-beaten-path approach that Rick's books promote and TEACH. Yes, the Rickster's books have taught all of us HOW to travel.
We began traveling internationally as a family in 1999 when our daughters were 7 and 10 years old and have traveled overseas every summer since. Travel, especially the way promoted by Rick, has shaped our girls in ways that nothing else could have.
Because of our travels, our girls have a knowledge of and respect for other people and cultures that most adults, who have never traveled outside the US, will never have. They have seen amazing places like the Great Wall of China, Pompeii, and windmills in Spain that most people only read about.
We view our money spent on travel as an investment in our childrens' education and in their lives. They can talk about the contradiction that is China -- communist yet entreprenurial -- because they have experienced it first hand. They have learned that wine-making in France and Italy is not just a mega-company endeavor but a family tradition passed down through generations. And, don't forget history -- Pompeii, the Colluseum, the Acropolis, there are too many places to mention -- what better way to learn about and appreciate history than being there? Kids are never too young to learn.
We knew the impact our travels had on them when our younger daughter, as an 11-year-old sixth grader, had to write about her life through a theme. Hers was, "My Life Through Summer Vacations." She wrote about her experiences in China, Switzerland, and Greece, and the last line of her paper validated what I had always believed: travel gave them a perspective on life in a way that nothing else could. I paraphrase what she wrote as the concluding sentence in that paper because this was 3 years ago. "I learned that whether we have dark hair or light hair, dark skin or light skin, speak English or not, or eat deep-fried dog (China), deep down we are really all the same."
That is what travel has done for us.
Sherri <email>
USA Wed 09/13/2006
Trip two-Jen
Jen: Accept each trip as a gift - separate and distinct from every other. No comparisons, no judgements, just enjoy them as they come! Some will be more fun, some a little less, but all will be a learning experience.
Phoebe
USA Fri 09/01/2006
Has travel changed my life.
My, yes. Travel has been a major factor in my life.My first trip to Europe years ago turned a science major into a European History major and I never regretted the change.
While I was never interested in American history, more recent questions about America's foreign policy has piqued an interest in studying the history of my own country,rather late in life.
Oddly enough, my traveling through European has also given my a better eye for examining the regional differences when traveling in America. It has done a great deal to remove my own pre-conceptions about the people who live in various regions of America.
Most of the time I find that the same recommendations I have found useful In Rick's European travel guides are quite useful traveling in the States or anywhere else. Look down sidestreets. Stay in small local hotels rather than the big chains. Spend an afternoon in a small local park.
People anywhere are people. Show little interest in them, their local history and traditions and your travel experiences will be much more pleasant.
Nick <email>
Atlanta, GA USA Tue 08/22/2006
Has Travel changed Me?
Traveling extensively has made me understand that all the b.s. that we think is so essential to our "happiness" here at home: eating too much, drinking too much, shoppng too much, etc., having all the very latest gear, being seen as fashionable in all the right places, is really a trap, keeping us as "earthbound misfits" and little narrow-minded simpletons. So many Americans are so incredibly self-indulgent, and never venture beyond their expensive little comfort zones. But traveling has made me see that being free to experience the whole world instead of just my little slice of it here in Chicago has given me a much broader understanding of my own life, as I can put my own experiences in other, larger,contexts. I find that I have become much more practical ( as if I'm always on the move, packing light,) more open-minded and accepting, and alot happier and calmer because whenever life does get me down, I can day-dream or plan my next trip. I love looking at accommodations brochures, for example. What B+B's are available in, say, Muhlbach-am- Hochkoenig, should I decide to visit? Better send for a brochure! And when it arrives, I study it for days, and in my mind, I'm already there. It makes the rest of my existence more bearable.
karen <email>
USA Sat 08/12/2006
Trip two
I can relate to all the thoughts here, positive and negative. I'm about to venture out for my second journey. Last year I went alone for five weeks and had the time of my life! This year I'm going for two weeks, in only one country .. I can't help but wonder how it will measure up to my first experience??... And do I even want it to?
Jen <email>
USA Sun 08/06/2006
the real sights
Before I first traveled to Europe many years ago, I assumed that the seeing the sights would be my major source of enjoyment--now I know that the delight of travel is in the encounters with the people there. My fondest travel memories then (and now) are always about these interactions, never about the things that I planned to see.
tory <email>
houston, texas usa Sun 08/06/2006
Obiviously, travel changes you because it opens up one up to new experiences and cultures and that's how it was with me. It didn't change my views on America as I realize different places have different circumstances and do things differently. Differences make things more interesting. I do think some people here tend to take a vacation to Europe and look at it through rose colored glasses but I don't. Visiting is different than living somewhere and every place has its' good and bad.
Nina
TX USA Sun 08/06/2006
Italy in
My husband and I made our first-ever trip to Europe this summer. We visited Italy (Rome, Florence, The Cinque Terre and Siena) and researched for months ahead of time using Rick's books and website. I was nervous about many things and this was the most useful "homework" I have ever done.
Besides the increased comfort level by Rick's "demystification" of travel, he encouraged us to dig a little deeper and connect with locals more. We even learned a little of the language ahead of time, and chatted in Italian when we could.
I kicked a soccer ball around with a few local kids in Vernazza after dinner and talked about basketball! And in Siena, while doing a load of wash (we followed Rick's "pack light" advice), I encountered two women who only spoke Portuguese, and were nervously trying to figure out how this efficient, computerized laundromat actually worked. (Laundry instructions were only in Italian, English, and German.) Between the three of us (my English, intermediate Spanish and basic Italian, and their Portuguese, intermediate Spanish and basic English), I gave them instructions for doing a load of laundry in the middle of Italy: Fellow travelers in a strange land connecting and having a laugh together, bridging a gap and communicating with just a little extra effort.
My husband kept remarking that even though Rome is huge, it sometimes seemed like a small town--entirely new, yet strikingly familiar. The whole of Italy seemed that way to me. Rick's advice prepared us, but even more so, it encouraged us to be open to possibilities and truly travel more "in the moment."
Cheryl <email>
Boulder, CO USA Fri 08/04/2006
Traveling in Europe
Traveling has changed my view of American life. I feel that Europeans have it right. Their quality of life and respect for the planet is much higher than ours. I have never had anyone be rude in ANY country I have ever been in. (depsite certian reputations) The people have always been welcoming and engaging even if they do not speak English well. I respect their views on travel and work ethics. I have never had a bad experience anywhere. Whether I was traveling alone or with others. I always met people to talk to or travel with.
Kim
Brooklyn, NY USA Fri 08/04/2006
Italy
One of my first trips abroad was to Italy. We had planned the entire trip based on Rick Steves' Italy book. Because of his book, our trip turned out to be... magical. Rick suggested a special place in Sienna called Alma Domus. It was a convent at one time but now is a place for visitors to stay - though it is still run by nuns. His book said that Alma Domus will give the room with the best view to visitors from overseas. When we opened up the curtains of the room for the first time, there was the Sienna Cathedral. A spectacular view, indeed! From there, the trip continued to amaze us. We visited Milan, Florence, San Gimignano and our favorite - the Cinque Terra. We stayed in Monterosso. During the day we rented a paddle boat and toured the other 4 towns. In the evening, we enjoyed fresh seafood and watching the locals fish. I would recommend attending the Limone Festival where lemons are everywhere. The creme de limone is a must. At night, you can watch the fireflies and enjoy listening to a choir of toads. We even met another American carrying her Rick Steves book, too! Since my Italy trip, I have traveled to many other countries - and never without my Rick Steves book.
Cara <email>
Sandy, UT USA Fri 07/28/2006
Everything is different now...
After I went to Europe backpacking for the first time last year, so much has changed in my life. I was female, young, and alone with nothing but a backpack and a passport and it can be such a exhilirating experience. It's freedom in it's purest form. I'm so much more confidant than I ever was- I know that I can take care of myself in any circumstance. You have to appreciate history more, after wandering through wonderful places where people lived or worked hundreds of years ago. It's very hard to explain if you haven't traveled outside of America. It's just different, and you change. A part of you will never be the same. You'll never look at things the same way. You'll never interact with people the same way...(and you'll never drink a beer the same way either if you've gone to Ireland). I highly recommend doing it...and take Rick Steves with you in guidebook form. You'll never find a better guide.
Jessica <email>
Syracuse, IN USA Mon 07/24/2006
My ordinary could be someone else's charming memory
I definitely have an appreciation of gas prices, as high as they may be now. I find myself constantly thinking that I'm grateful I'm not driving in Europe right now. I also have a huge appreciation of public transportation and how much room for improvement there is in the US. What little public transport exists in my city I try to use as often as feasible.
Traveling has made me appreciate what I have. I work in a very quaint historic neighborhood in St. Louis. A few weeks ago, I was looking out the window next to my desk, and it occurred to me that I'd been in similar neighborhoods while on various trips, each unique, and at those times, I'd thought how wonderful it would be to live and work in a place like that. I realized that I do, even though it seems blase at times. There are probably people out there who envy what I have and what I do!
On a separate note, my husband came across an old Rick Steves Asia Through the Back Door. Completely unlisted is Cambodia, which, at the time, was neither safe nor accessible for travel. Tourism is now their #1 cash crop. Amazing how quickly things can change in 20 years!
Amanda <email>
St. Louis, MO USA Sat 07/22/2006
American Attitudes
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Thank you
USA Mon 07/10/2006
Travel definitely has changed me
After three trips to Europe, the first for 3.5 weeks and each after that longer, I can definitely say travel has changed my whole perspective. It's also made me wonder if I'm not a European at heart. Particularly in Germany, where we spent a lot of our time on all trips, I felt "at home" even though I am not German and have no German friends or relatives. I've always loved German art and culture however. German thinkers, from Goethe to Kant to Beethoven, have been my heroes. I've always been interested in the invention of the phonograph, which in the form we know it (flat disc) was invented not by Edison (who actually created something closer to the dictaphone) but by a German, Emile Berliner.
Since I was about six years old and saw my first Goodyear blimp, I've been fascinated by airships in general and Zeppelins in particular. On our first trip to Germany, though it wasn't in Rick's book, a mandatory stop for me was the Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen, where I was in a giddy heaven I cannot describe. But it only got better from there: for my birthday present, my wife bought me a flight on an actual modern-day airship made by the Zeppelin company. We retraced the original route taken by Count von Zeppelin in his first flights.
But that first trip to Europe was more like a vacation, and we felt like tourists. On the other trips it was different. Adapting the Rick philosophy more, as well as feeling more at home, we became "temporary locals." This is when Europe changed me.
Like Rick, I began questioning the concept of "quality of life." Like Rick, I had once believed America was the top of the heap and everyone wanted to be here. Or at least, that's what I'd been taught in school, as well as culturally through our U.S. media outlets. I don't know if I ever completely bought it, but after visiting Europe and seeing people living very differently, yet very happily, I could never listen to an American politician talk about America being "the envy of the world" again. Instead, I began to worry about America imposing its way of life on other cultures every time I revisited Vienna or Berlin and saw a new Starbucks sign.
As I rode Europe's magnificent rail and bus systems, I began to think that maybe we choose methods to measure quality of life to ensure we come out on top. From a GDP standpoint, I am on top because I own a $20,000 car to get around in. I spent that money that converted that much raw material into a car. But the European buys a railpass or buspass, hops on his tram, and gets off at his destination, day or night, cleanly and safely. He doesn't worry about insurance, parking, gas, oil, and registration fees. He is footloose and fancy free. In my country a car is a must because public transit, if it runs at all, isn's something you want to be caught riding at midnight. I have to work longer to pay for my $20,000 albatross, but we both get to our destinations just fine. So, whose quality of life is higher?
On my first trip, one of the first things I did when I checked into my first hotel was to check out the TV programs, just out of curiosity. I was surprised how bad most of them were, and how low-budget they seemed compared to American shows of the same type. Later I realized why: As I walked around in towns where the populace spent its evenings sitting cafes or wandering about, talking, laughing, having fun, I noticed that very few Europeans shutter themselves in their homes after a hard day and watch TV. As Rick says in his guidebooks, in Europe the best shows are free and the best seats are the cheap ones. He's right: what's going on at a beerhall or a restaurant or in a park is infinitely more interesting than what's going on with the Desperate Housewives or the latest American Idol. Of course, some Europeans, particularly the younger ones, are enamored with our culture and do care about Britney and Angelina. It makes me shudder a bit, it really does. (I recall an episode of Rick's show where he had dinner with a Germany family, and the teenaged son said he was into Germany rap. While I hate to impose my taste on anyone else, I felt like asking him why he would listen to any rap when he comes from the land of Bach and Mozart and Beethoven and Schubert and Brahms. Do youngsters appreciate the musical legacy of this giants? Visiting the graves of Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms in Vienna's Central Cemetery was one of the most moving experiences of my life. Here, I told myself, the greatest musical thinkers of all time lay buried. Their influence on music is incalculable. I hope every German and Austrian youth, bobbing his head up and down to the hip-hop rhythms of his iPod, knows that.
In Europe I saw a people who had mastered the fine art of capitalism yet kept it in perspective. They still took time to relax. They didn't work 12-hour days. They didn't skip lunch, or eat a burger perched on their knees while driving with their elbows and talking on a cell phone. (For all the talk about Europe's "crazy drivers," I saw driving that was far less crazy than in the states. Admittedly, I did not visit Italy.) Everyone who entered a store was greeting with a *heartfelt* "guten tag" or "bonjour" or whatever. It wasn't the toneless murmer "Areyoufindingeverythingokay?" that I hear when I enter a Macys or a Nordstroms. Mom and pop own and run this store, and probably have for generations. This isn't the hired summer help, slumming till they get that job they really want at the Dance Factory.
What I'm getting at here, I guess, is that I felt a sense of ownership in Europe. Ownership of the culture. In America I sense only a financial ownership. Americans are ready, at a moment's notice, to change how they do things if it will protect the financial ownership of their enterprise, but there's no sense of cultural ownership, of communal ownership. Heck, after spending very little time in Europe, you realize there's little sense of community, period, in America.
I am not blind to Europe's problems. I know unemployment is high, though I doubt the discrepancy between it and the U.S. is as big as we think, because our statistics manage to fudge the numbers better. I know the Europe Union is hardly friction-free. I know the 35-hour workweek is doomed, but I have to wonder if Europe is in fact being strong-armed into embracing more of American capitalism. (George Bush's mantra of "You're either with us or against us" applies as much to U.S. business practices as it does to the "war" on terrorism, and could lead, I fear, to equally catastrophic results.) As I said, every time I see a Starbucks, or a McDonalds packed with European youths, I cringe. Like Rick says in his "Postcards From Europe," I fear modernization, commercialization, and standardization. The late great Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter made a face of disgust whenever the subject of America came up, and said that everything was too standardized, everyone too naive. I never completely understood his vitriolic reaction until I traveled to some of the towns he adored, such as Prague. But now, thanks partly to Rick, and partly to my own love for things European that go back to my childhood, I am changed. And addicted to a way of life that, sadly, I can never experience at great lengths in my own country. I can only return as often as possible and drink from the culture of Europe, enjoying every drop.
John <email>
Oakland, CA USA Sun 07/09/2006
Don't wait!
Started traveling to western & eastern Europe in 1993 @ age 46. We go every year for 3 weeks. South America next year! Don't wait till you retire...plan carefully...It's cheaper that travel in the States.
Alice
Ventura, CA USA Thu 07/06/2006
I just returned from a short, perspective changing trip from Europe. This leg included a visit to the Netherlands as well as a trip to Deustchland (to check out the 2006 World Cup festivities).
One morning my friends and I chose to explore Zaans Schans, a small town just outside of Amsterdam. A native noticed that we were unsure whether we got on the right train (express or all stops). He went out of his way to ask others which train we should be on. When he realized that my friends and I were on the wrong train, he again went out of his way to check the timetable for us and stayed with us until we knew exactly which train we were to board. This was one of the many, many other examples of kindness and helpfulness shown to us while we were in the Netherlands and Germany.
Now I am back in Arlington, VA... about 4 miles from D.C...and its tourist season again. Lifestyle in DC can be busy and hectic. We tend to zip by and rush to our next meeting or appointment. I see a lot of tourists confused by our metro system and ticket machines but my trip was a good reminder to be considerate and welcoming to our tourists. I make more of an effort to help tourists use the machines and point them in the right direction.
Yvonne <email>
Arlington, VA USA Wed 06/28/2006
Time is ticking away
Life is too short for life to be just work, chores and home. And to wait 'till you retire to travel, you can't go and do everything you want while traveling. Even if you don't have much money, travel atleast once or twice a year because when you're sixty-five you'd wish you had done it earlier. I'm still young, but I wish I had started 10 years earlier. Time is ticking away and my list is getting longer
Ana
L.A., CA USA Mon 06/19/2006
Travel has made my regular life extremely boring. I think it has also made me very boring because now every story starts with, "Last summer, in Italy/Greece/London...." Traveling in Greece made me appreciate American toilets but despair at the pace of life. Traveling in Italy made me appreciate the simple joy of standing in an orderly line but despair the ordinary trip to the grocery store where everything is familiar. Reading Pausanias, Caesar and Xenophon among the ruins of their cities is so much more exciting than reading them at my dining room table. What happens when I become addicted to "intensified living"? Now all I can think about is how to focus my entire life on traveling, how to write my own guidebook, or how to win the lottery so I can travel, travel, travel.
Katharine <email>
Seattle, WA USA Wed 06/14/2006
Color, Color and More Color
I was taught by my mother that if you painted your walls white it would be "safe" for decorating. My husband and I traveled with ETBD in the summer of 2002 for our 30th anniversary (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Needless to say when we came home our house seemed so...blah. That trip transformed both of us. Now, there is color everywhere! Wall to ceiling! And flowers! I always put fresh flowers on my kitchen windowsill. We promised each other that for our 35th we would go back, and we're already booked for 2007!
Susi
Chicago, IL USA Thu 05/25/2006
Travel Dreams Never Do Die
I have to agree 100% with BettyG about her trips to Paris! I studied French as a 7th and 8th grader (over 30 years ago) and my French teacher lived in Paris during the summers in her off-time from teaching. She showed us SO many things from there that I have dreamed of seeing in person. I am almost 50 years old and just last fall was able to see them the first time in person! What a delight!! I took my husband of almost 30 years who has never travelled out of the States and he was equally impressed. I can truly say that not a single day has passed since our 16-day trip last fall (to Paris, Florence, and Frankfurt) that I haven't dreamed of going back! Paris especially has a hold on me...it is hard to explain, but I have a longing to return there and hopefully will someday soon. We even have a beautiful wall display/picture arrangement we made from the photos we took there and it has impressed many, many people. I agree with the other posters here...don't wait to travel! I did make one trip abroad as a senior in high school (to Spain with my Spanish class) and have never had the chance to return until this past fall. It was WAY TOO LONG to wait and I wish I had travelled more abroad since then. Now I know and will continue those trips as much as I am able to. It does change a person, for the better, I believe. It keeps your dreams alive, for sure!
Rural Wisconsin, USA Wed 05/24/2006
How Travel has Changed me
I travelled through Europe last summer using Rick Steve's Europe through the Backdoor book. Using this resource led me to many friendly people in Halstatt, Austria and Rothenburg, Germany. I even joined in on the English Conversation Club and met some amazing natives and travellers alike. I now see the world through different eyes and have caught the bug for travel, related to evangelical missions. This year I am going to Peru, next will be back to central Europe and after that Sicilly and Korea. I am connecting myself around the world and loving every minute.
Todd Williams <email>
Highwood, IL USA Wed 05/17/2006
Paris and the Pompidu
Dear Rick and friends, I hope that all is well with everyone and I wanted to say that my dreams of Paris are still happening! My friend and I recently got back from there and we stayed across the street from the Pompidu. How fun and charming...I got the best haircut of my life in the Marais district and the people were so interesting in the neighborhood. It was a lot more awake at night then the Rue-Cler area. :) The hotel was just as Rick had described it, and again all the resturants and bars were right on as far as description and ambience. My favorite was Pic-Clops! Well, until my next trip or fond memory persuades me....Travel Well, Erica
Erica West <email>
Denver, Co USA Sat 05/13/2006
Reflection on Travel
Travel *should* change ppl in some capacity. Down to its most basic principle, the very act of leaving one's own home/neighborhood/city requires a certain exertion of efforts and appreciation of others. I am always amazed at some fellow Americans who cannot even claim to have travelled to most parts, if not all, of our own country! They would find that my current hometown of Seattle is quite different from my homestate of New Jersey ;) Or that Texans and Hawaiians are world's apart.
And yet, the one thing that both domestic and international travel continues to teach me is that, for all of our differences, we possess so very much in common. Some areas of the world are more 'drastically' different, and yet I would argue that travelling to those parts of the globe actually bring you more of a sense of your own identity than you might have expected :)
I encourage everyone I know to get out- travel, explore, let your mind be open to new possibilities and ways of thinking. It does not always require personal change but it does require introspection of oneself and reflection of the world we create for ourselves.
Bonnie Boglioli Randall
USA Fri 05/12/2006
Travel and respect
I have traveled not just to Europe, but to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Over the past 10 years, I averaged 25% on the road. What travel has taught me is how "wealthy" I am compared to most of the rest of the world - I have learned contentment from seeing the rest of the world in ways I never dreamed before.
While travel has also taught me to be better tolerant of others opinion, it also has taught me that most non-Americans misunderstand the U.S. as badly as most Americans misunderstand other cultures. And while we need to be better understanding, so does the rest of the world if we truly want better communication. And we need to show the ultimate respect for opinions that differ from ours. Not agreement, but respect.
That is one reason I believe Rick's editorial on "real" threats is a betrayal of his core vision of "Travel through the Backdoor." While he is entitled to his opinion, he has miserably failed to show respect to those who disagree with his opinion by repeatedly posting it month after month, and denying those who disagree an easy way to post their disagreement and their opinions on the website (this was the only outlet I could find).
Those who preach tolerance and respect must show it as well. I do sincerely question his grasp of the facts of our "real threat" - perhaps his next travel book should be to Fantasyland? :-) - and feel he, like many before, have fallen into the easy snare of seeking conspiracies where none have ever existed. Travel for me has undeniably shown me God working in his world despite what we do. For example:
. Contemplating a blown out sneaker while exercising, then seeing a shoeless man sleeping on the beach in Rio de Janeiro
. Swarmed by begging children in Cameroon, and trying to help them all
. An English speaking Christian fundamentalist sitting in a Catholic mass in a French-speaking West African country
. Having dinner with a friend from church who happens to be in Lima, Peru for one night the same time you are.
. Driving through a beautiful mountain valley in Puerto Rico before realizing you made a wrong turn, haven't a clue where you are, and not sure you will ever find the same spot again.
. Watching people post written prayer requests in a cathedral in Lima along with a photograph so God will see their face and hear their prayers.
. Washing my dishes with hot water in an air-conditioned apartment in Lagos, then seeing a woman across the street washing her dishes in the backyard in a rain barrel.
. Meeting a couple from Norway while having dinner next to each other in Rome, and conversing in the language we both know - English
. Listening to WW2 stories with a friend who grew up and still lives in the Netherlands
Travel has made me more appreciative of what I have, and more desirous to see more of what God is trying to show me.
Alan <email>
Missouri City, TX USA Thu 05/11/2006
Envionmentally conscious lifestyle in Europe
In Europe, people are very environmentally conscious. They made a big effort in recycling and anything to do with reducing waste. I'm so used to having large trash cans everywhere in the U.S. not so with the friends I'm staying in Europe: in the whole apartment, there's only one trash can and it didn't get fill up until the end of the week (and there were 4 of us living together in the same flat). They were very thrifty on reusing plastic bags, for example, for doing grocery as oppose to getting new ones everytime. Some even stash a canvas tote bag everywhere they go inside their purse in case they need to do grocery.
The same is true with conservation of energy. Although they can surely afford it, my friends in Europe choose to shower with colder water than I use to in the U.S. They also set the thermostat a tad lower (they even believe that it's healthy to sleep in a cooler room, esp. in the winter).
I am very much impressed with how the European take it as part of their lifestyle to live environmentally friendly. So impressed that I'm doing it right now in the U.S.
Here in Texas, I'm used to driving pretty much everywhere. My friends were shocked to think of why I should be driving to a library about a mile away from where I live. Europeans are used to walking almost everywhere. Now I try to walk to nearby library instead of driving. It's such a shame that we do not have a good public transportation here in the U.S. (esp. in Texas) and people are not taking advantage when there's any. Imho, sooner or later, we all have to catch up to this type of lifestyle in order to conserve more energy and gasoline.
M.A.
Plano, Texas USA Tue 04/25/2006
Don't wait 35 years like I did!!
I am finally fulfilling my lifetime desire. When I was 8 I traveled through europe for 6 weeks with my family. Loved what I could remember.I always wanted to backpack through Europe and planned it when I graduated from High School. I was the only one who saved the money, none of my friends came through. I didn't have the nerve to go at it alone so I never went till 2002 when I was almost 50 years old. I traveled with my husband & son son 6 weeks in a leased car. Awesome. Again in 2004 I went with my mother to Prague, Budapest& Vienna. Now my husband and I are going for the big one this summer 6 weeks, to Eastern Europe, Netherlands and England. I want to stay some in hostels as a lifetime desire because I never did it when I was younger. Travel is the best thing you can do with your money. If you have to mortgage your house, do it, don't wait like I did for the right time or when I could afford it. I regret starting so late traveling to Europe and I tell anyone ,lifes experiences and memories are one of the most wonderful things in life!! Do it, don't read about it.
Helene <email>
Brentwood, ca USA Wed 04/05/2006
Has travel changed you?
Travel has definately changed me since I was in my teens and then started travelling out of my 'back yard' in my 20's and so on. I live in one the most culturally diverse cities (if not THE most per capita) in the world (Toronto) and it has given me a better understanding and interest in other cultures as to why they came here, and where they came from, since it's not unusual to ride the subway as I do each day, see and hear people from other countries and the languages they speak.
One thing,
I'm more willing to go into the many different ethnic restaurants in Toronto and try something new. For instance, when planning a trip to Japan a few years ago, I picked the brains of the local Japanese tourism and consulate people to tell me which local Japanese restaurant had the closest in food, look and atmosphere in the city, so I could get an idea of what I was in for when I went there, ate and learned something beforehand. I also went to the Japanese cultural centre and took part in a ceremony with a Japanese friend who was visiting in town. So yes, travel has made me more tolerant and willing to try new experiences which have only enriched my life.
I also think and love the american people, whenever I've travelled there to see friends and some distant cousins several times. You may see things on your news down there to the contrary about what we think of you up here sometimes, but the vast majority of Canadians consider Americans our best friend and ally, even if we don't always agree with your governments' (and ours for that matter) policy (ies), but at the end of the day we are good neighbours and friends and always watch out for each other.
It's too bad our so long undefended border and the envy of the world will require us to have passports to go back and forth after 2008, but that's today's world isn't it? Changes.
Scott Greenwood <email>
Toronto, ON Canada Wed 04/05/2006
Europe for the first time
I just got back march 28th from a month long trip to europe which was my first time out of the us. Apparantly just leaving Paris before the airport was shut down for the strike. I traveled to Scotland, Belgium, Germany and France with my parents and my sister. Europe was amazing and Rick Steves is a travel god!!!!!!!!!! I used all his books and they are right on about everything. Of course i had my own adventureslike staying a 17th century watermill in Dinan. We americans are very uptight people. Europeans are very relaxed and french people are very nice. That myth was just crap. It's pretty much standard if you show repect and kindness to other people you will recieve it back. I saw so much in Europe that writing about it is impossible to do. If anyone is thinking of going to Europe for the first time get a Rick Steves book or 2 or 3 because it's the best one out there!! Thankyou Rick Steves for your travel philosophy!!
heidi harrod <email>
louisville, nebraska USA Thu 03/30/2006
The Pantheon in Rome made an Impact on me
I think that when you travel you never return the same.
travel reveals us, it makes us stronger and more wise.
I was in Rome with my family.
You can view a new city as a tourist or as a poet. I am an artist so I saw it as a poet.
A great site, I mean a special place can impact your spirit on deep levels.
Even a hotel or rented apartment can be special to you for so long.
For me it was the Pantheon.
I saw it before with my family and alone. Had my moments there.
Then when its secrets were revealed to us I saw it with new eyes.
Not ot give too much away, you should just know that it is a special place.
Travel like this will change you but only if you are open.
Travel and Live Long
Sara Bohman
NYC, 0000 USA Wed 03/29/2006
travel dreams never die
I have posted my thoughts about how travel (the Rick Steves way) has changed me on this site before, but Erica's comments below really resonated with me. I just returned from my 4th visit to Paris, since 2001 -- the first time I went to Europe. It was a life-long dream to be there, which I didn't achieve until middle age, but I am making up for lost time (and bringing lots of my family and friends with me). As I was driving out to CDG airport through Paris after my last 2+ week stay in January, I though to myself that I was "sick" of Paris -- I'd seen all the top art, visited many cafes, shops, department stores, the Eiffel Tower many times, etc. -- so I figured I was done with it for a while. But a few weeks after being home, the good thoughts and the longing returned. If I had the where-with-all to return today I would in a minute -- what's up with that! I guess Paris is in my blood.
I've been to Venice and Florence also which I loved, and London 2 times - I long to return to them all -- but Paris will always be #1 and an inspiration to me.
BettyG
San Francisco, CA USA Sat 03/25/2006
Out and about with ETBD
My friend and I became comfortable with traveling in Europe due to ETBD. In 2000, we took a "if it's Tuesday it must be Belguim" tour. In 2002 we spent 1 week in London and 1 week in Paris (no tours) on our own. In 2004 we were in Italy for 1 month and we had a car for a week (!). This year we're planning 3 weeks England (with car). Rick's matter of fact attitude has encourage us to add just a little bit more to each trip.
Kathy Porter <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sun 03/19/2006
Traveling with Families, Educating Kids About Life Outside the U.S.
My wife, 2 kids and I went to Rome and Paris for the first time with "Uncle Rick" (the name our kids quickly gave Rick). The books gave us the courage to venture out with our children into the unknown, and to try and interact with the locals. Our best experiences and most wonderful memories always resulted from talking to those we met and from asking questions.
For example, my 15-year-old daughter Laura met two wonderful Sorbonne students from Turkey in Paris at the Shakepseare & Co bookstore near Notre Dame. My 10-year-old son Scott was curled up in a corner reading C.S Lewis, and the girls from Turkey (who spoke beautiful French, English and, of course, Turkish) asked if they could photograph my son. The resulting conversation lasted almost 2 hours. We just sat there overlooking the rain fallin on Notre Dame and the Seine, sharing snacks and our cultures. It is a vivid memory she will have for the rest of her life, and now she wants to learn French as well as Italian and Spanish!
As a result of Rick's book and our travels, my children have a much more "world-centric" view, and appreciate the true reality of being part of a larger world than the US. They are more intelligent, braver, friendlier and more tolerant as a result of our travels abroad. Thanks, Uncle Rick, for your wonderful guidebooks!
Ken Cardona <email>
Santa Clara, CA USA Tue 03/14/2006
Broader view
Travel has made my perspective so much broader. I find "American" news so limited now. We are so self-centered as a country. Europe, Asia and Australia (I haven't yet gotten to go to S. America)have such rich cultures,and often have much better ideas on how to do things like public trasportation. We started doing things "Rick's way" after our 2nd or 3rd trip and find that traveling light and looking for the back doors allows us to get to know people in a much more honest fashion. I hope to be able to retire before I'm 50 and be able to travel "full time". I love learning about the rest of the world!!!!
Toni Yates
Charlotte, NC USA Sat 03/11/2006
Travel well
I have read the previous comments about travel changing a person and I wanted to cry.
My mother and my grandmother both hoarded their National Geographics with such a desperation that I felt a huge sadness every time I went somewhere. Right now, I still have to convince my mother that time traveled is not a waste. I so want her to see the world and the many views that exist.
Travel changes you because you gain more in an evening of eating with the locals than you would ever get at a restaurant full of tourists. (God bless them though, they are us.)
Travel makes you new. It takes you away from the daily grind that is you and creates a personality. You can be the " American Traveller". Just represent us well. That is your job, as an American, to be a good representative.
Lorretta
Houston, Texas USA Wed 03/08/2006
My dream of foreign travel...
Dear Mr.Steves and like minded friends, I just want to let everyone know how wonderful and successful my travels to Europe have been. My lifelong dream of going to Paris and hearing true Parisian French was fulfilled the first time in October 2004. My dearest friend was gracious enough to take me with him. Seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time was unbelieveable. With the Paris guidebook and his fluent French we were on our way for a very memorable week! I planned everything that we did from the Rick Steves' book. The best part was that he was absolutely correct about EVERYTHING! We didn't stand in line very much and we pretty much covered the whole city.
When we returned to Europe last July we were thrilled to have the Spain and French Riviera guidebooks right by our side. What a relief it is to have a little bit of "knowledge" in that setting. I was even brave enough to take the Metro in Madrid by myself to a museum and back to the college without knowing any Spanish. My friend is fluent in Spanish, too, and it wasn't as challenging for him to get around and get things that he needed.:) While we were in Nice and Cannes for the weekend, we used the guidebook for every aspect of le week-end. I like the fact that it feels like Rick is right there with you and that you never have a fear of the unknown.
I believe that everyone in this country that hasn't traveled to Europe, needs to, to understand what all the fuss is about. My friend and I went to Paris in October and I found new things to do and see that I wasn't able to the first time. I cannot wait until the end of this month,too. I will be in Paris again and I can't imagine how wonderful it will be. I have a picture in my mind and I bet that it's even better when I get there. :)
I wanted to take a moment and tell Mr. Steves thank you, form the bottom of my heart. You have helped to make my dreams of Paris much easier to attain with all of your knowledge and love of the places that you have been. My best friend and I are so grateful for all of the thought and energy devoted to your life's work. God bless you for bringing Europe to more people, helping them to understand the quirkiness of travel, and making it fun for everyone! I am so pleased with all that I have learned from your tips and suggestions. We usually stay near the Rue Cler, but this time we will be near the Pompidu. I can't wait!
I look forward to updating this when I get back in April....Until then, au revoir, Erica
Erica <email>
Denver, CO USA Sun 03/05/2006
travel
Yes, travel has changed my perspective. I find customs and people the world over are more alike than different from one another.
I have a friend, a monk, who once said, 'the bigger the trunk the dumber the monk'
Sandra Simpson <email>
Olympia, WA USA Sat 03/04/2006
It's a Great Addiction
Traveling has become such an amazing part of my life, I don't think I could do without. My friends and I backpacked through Europe summer of '99. At the end of the trip my husband met up with me in Italy and we traveled for two more weeks. We were both hooked for good. Traveling to Europe has completely changed my life for the better, and has opened my eyes to the beauty of what truly living is. I wish to move there someday. Hopefully soon! But for now, we keep on traveling is what truly makes us happy.
Judy Gonzalez
Miami, fl USA Fri 02/24/2006
Traveling in Italy
Traveling in Italy, what an experience. I've been an art teacher for 25 years and just now getting the time and money to actually see where it all started.I can't believe that I never attended school there. I have so many regrets that I don't know where to begin. I always loved Claude Monet (french artist) and Picasso (spain) Van Gogh (Netherlands, France) and so forth and so on...but I craved to see the Coloseum, couldn't imagine the hole in the ceiling in the Pantheon, the dome at Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence or Michelangelos' Sistine Chapel. But turning the corner that first day while on a bus in rome and staring up at the walls of the Coloseum...i'm pretty sure my high pitched response scared a couple of little italian women holding their shopping bags. It took my breath away. Now I've gone back each year for the past 3 and plan another trip this summer. last year i went by myself,for 2 and a half weeks, with the help of Rick Steves book and stayed in Florence, venturing out each day a bit further to Lucca, Fiesole and surrounding towns. Each town I go to, I stay at a hotel or b& b suggested in one of his books and have never been disappointed. My suggestions to any young person is to travel, travel , travel...then get married and settle down with mortgages, bills and responsibilities of being grown-up. There's alot of world out there and I plan to make-up for lost time. kt
kat <email>
spartanburg, s.c. USA Thu 02/23/2006
Travel has improved my imagination
My husband and I traveled to Europe (England)for the first time last year. Even though I got sick as a dog mid-way through our vacation, I still LOVED the entire experience. Rick's booklet on London was a perfect travel companion as it made the museums and British Library much easier to navigate. The experience has sparked our travel bug and we will be planning more travels to Europe. England was the perfect place to step out and overcome any nervousness. We are still feeling the thrill of our trip- and I want to thank you all for this site. It served to assist us with packing hints, to proper shoes, and travel etiquette tips.
Ahh- travel is fabulous!!! I relive the memories and am imagining the next trips to come.
Hannah Claire
Pasadena, CA USA Tue 02/21/2006
Travelling changes, if you want it to
Absolutely travel has changed me. And it can for anyone if they are open to it. If you want it to change you and are receptive to what it brings you, you can change, or you can resist and decide not to learn more.
Before I knew about Rick Steves I went on a bus tour for young adults of Europe and had a great time, but wanted more time in each city. When I came home I really missed my time in Europe and found Rick's TV programs to bring back fond memories of my time in Europe. I watched his show daily on KCTS Seattle and read up on his webpage weekly. In 2004 I returned to Europe with my girlfriend and used his guidebooks to plan our trip. Everything from train tickets, to little hotels to restaurants to secrets and tips....All of it was greatly appreciated and made our trip so much more enjoyable and easier. We were both 24 and did not really know how to get around in a foreign country, and Rick helped us out a lot.
And because of the travelling on our own for almost 3 months, (at least for me), I became more mature, responsible, independent, confidant and thankful for everything I had in my life. A greater appreciation for living was achieved and a more well rounded character was developed in me. Unfortunately this wasn't such the case with my girlfriend and she grew differently once the 'travelling life' was over, so in a way the change was not all good. She's now an ex I still have trouble talking to comfortably.
But as I look inside myself and see that I have become more open minded, genuine, easy going, confidant, resilient, passionate, emotionally developed, can greatly appreciate nature and its beauty, never get angry, am more philosophical, and I strive for a good quality of life, I know that in my heart and soul my life is becoming more complete and I am becoming the person I want to be. Once you find this, and travelling alone may do this for you, you can find it in someone else, if you want, and get even more of what you want in life.
Thanks Rick for helping out along the road of life, you made my travels a lot more enjoyable and memorable. I still read up on Rick's webpage and would like to return to Europe again sometime soon. I am even thinking about living and working over there for a long time. We'll see where my road takes me.
May peace be with you!
Rob Cadorin <email>
White Rock, BC Canada Mon 02/20/2006
Has travel changed you
While my husband and I had lived in Europe for several years, that was BK (before kids). We always knew it had changed us forever, increasing our tolerance and expanding our world view, as well as giving us a more educated take on everything from politics to city management to art. It was a delight to take our son for a couple of months at age 16 and watch him go from kid to man right before our eyes. He is so much more aware of the whole world and so much more confident than his peers. He has since helped direct student groups in Russia and Italy and emails new friends all over the world.If we had done the regular tourist thing rather than traveling "Rick's Way," he would never have gained the self assurance the way he did. He's off to Italy on a dance fellowship this summer, and tells me he will buy a home in Cinque Terre when he wins his first Tony! We never worry a minute when he's gone, knowing that Rick's rules are firmly embedded in his mind, and that he will find friends and supporters no matter where he goes.
Becky Moore <email>
Katy, TX USA Fri 02/17/2006
I have been traveling to Europe for about 16 years, since I was in college. My parents (who'd never been out of the country except to go to a resort in Mexico) could not understand why I spent the time and money to go back every couple of years, even living in England for a few months. My father frequently commented, "What's better there than there is here?"
When my husband and I decided to get married in our mid-30s, we decided we wanted a small, destination wedding. We picked Gretna Green, Scotland, so we could marry over the anvil, since my grandfather was a blacksmith. We only invited our families, and my parents agreed to go.
They had the time of their life, particularly my dad. He found everything interesting and struck up conversations with many people. They even traveled on their own for a few days. The first thing my father said to me when we returned was, "Where are we going to go next?"
We are now planning to travel together to Italy in 2007 to celebrate our 5th anniversary & my parents' 40th. My dad also often comments that his only regret was that his father, the blacksmith, did not live to see me marry over the anvil. So I think that the biggest life change that travel did for me was to open the world up for my parents, especially my dad.
Cindy
St. Paul, MN USA Wed 02/15/2006
travel bug!
I first went to Europe when I was 19 (2000) to visit relatives in Norway. It definately opened my eyes and I got hooked! I went on another trip all over western Europe and it went off without a hitch and I saw so much! Now, in about a month I'll be moving to London for up to 2 years so I can work and finance for even more travel! I'm so excited!
M
Victoria, BC Canada Thu 02/09/2006
Yes, it has
Yes, traveling has most definitely changed me for the better. I am in my early 40's and started going "across the pond" in my early 30's. Nearly yearly I'd go to either England and/or Ireland and have also been to France and Amsterdam. I'd love to see a few more places too! It's become an addiction. I feel I have a more global attitude and appreciation for how I live here in the States. It's also given me a different outlook on life to realize I really dont need all the modern conviences to survive. One of the places I stayed in the wintertime didnt even have heating other then a coal fireplace!
It also made me realize that whereas I do think I live better here in the States then if I lived over there it doesn't necesarily mean it's better.
I like to "blend in" with the locals. I dont like to stand out and have them think "Who does she think SHE is?" I have had so many people from overseas tell me, "But you don't act like an American" Then I tend to wonder what they have seen to base their opinions on!!
Nora
Surprise, AZ USA Tue 01/24/2006
Far Away, So Much Closer
Each time I go to Europe, taking more chances and meeting diverse people, I paradoxically feel less separated from all people, even those from home.
There's something so WISE about Europe's civilisations of great antiquity, which speaks to me on the universally human level. We are not separate, we are all joined as part of what has gone before us over millennia.
Once truly away from home, one's home is truly everywhere.
Jonas K
Toronto, Ont CAN Mon 01/23/2006
Has travel changed you?
My husband and I started traveling to Europe 2 years ago. After experienceing different cultures and expections, I came to realize that Americans are always in a rush and complain about the smallest inconveniences. We have always used Rick Steves' guide books, and have met Rick in Italy last year. It is enriching to travel abroad, to meet different people and compare similarities and dislikes when traveling. I only wish Rick would do his travel guides for cities in America!
Thanks Rick for making our vacations more enjoyable, and am using your guide for Amsterdam, Brussels, Bruges for travel this October.
Adrienne Pollack <email>
Wellington, fl USA Mon 01/23/2006
travel on a budget
Good point about saving and priorities...my partner and I are facing this with a hugely reduced income over the next five years until one of can retire early, when our mortgage will be paid.
I have come to realize we will not be able to do our month long trip this year or maybe even next year but we I have made it a priority to do a week or two...and save and make this a top priority.
To me travel is what makes dealing with the everyday stress of life worthwhile. It gives me somethign to look forward to. It expands my knowledge, it expands my points of reference....
USA Fri 01/20/2006
Travel No Matter What!
Traveling is definitly an addicition. My husband & I are hooked to the point of starting the plans for our next trip to Europe while we are still on the plane coming back to the USA. We've adopted the attitude of "taking our trips no matter what!". Unemployment & putting a kid through college at the same time doesn't even stop us. The last 5 yrs when my husband has been unemployed for anywhere from 4 to 6 months each year due to the nature of his work & how the economy has been, & have been depending on my wages year around. This just made us budget every penny spent on living expenses throughout the year & the length of trips have changed. The trips have been shortened to 1 or 2 weeks, instead of the usual 3 weeks, but we still go & that's what matters. We view any daily or weekly expenses at its yearly cost & what the $$$ could be used for in travel. Things like taking lunch to work every day instead of going out(at least $20/wk savings X 48/wks a year = $960) is a plane ticket. We have not charged onto a credit card any vacation costs. Everything is paid cash via our ATM/Check card with the Visa logo on it, coming directly out of our checking account. A person doesn't have to be rich to travel, just frugal at least 48 weeks out of the year.
CA USA Mon 01/16/2006
Addictions
We know the feeling. It seems as tho we are either traveling or planning the next trip. Our neighbors took to calling our house our " vacation home". Travel can be so much fun that it becomes a habit!!!
Paul n Sara
USA Sun 01/15/2006
severe wanderlust
I have lived in Europe 3 times for school and "work" (military ski instructor;) ). I just took my girlfriend to spain, her first time to Europe and she is now as addicted as me! I will be in Sweden for language courses all summer and then we are headed to Athens and Crete. I left the trip choice to her and she has decided Greece over Russia. I have been to Greece a few time before, but love it so it sounds good to me.
I now have the problem of not being happy unless I am planning a trip! Going to Germany in March to ski with my brother, Sweden for school in the summer and the extension trip to Greece afterwards! It is now bordering on ridicoulous as I have developed quite the severe case of wanderlust.
Ethan <email>
Calgary (from MT), AB CA Fri 01/13/2006
Italy/Sicily
I had never left the US until last year(2004). I have been to Italy/Sicily now 3 times. I am in awe of the beauty of the country and it's people. I found communication very easy. I am more comfortable walking around Rome than some US cities. I will definitely travel more.
Mavis
Albia, IA USA Sat 01/07/2006