Hi from Rick: The Delightfully Diverse East
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| Loud and clear from Heroes' Square: you wouldn't want to mess with the Magyars. |
Dear Back Door Traveler,
I love how ethnic groups have proudly put down deep roots here and there in Europe. Hungarians seem as distinct today as I imagine they seemed a thousand years ago after they trekked from Asia and landed on this scenic bend in the Danube. On my last visit to Budapest, I was munching on a langos (the local fried bread) marveling at what seems like an impossible language, and looking up at a statue honoring those rough-and-tumble Magyars who established this nation. And it occurred to me those half-pilgrim half-hooligan pioneers looked a lot like their language sounds...uniquely and proudly Hungarian.
Our half-dozen Eastern Europe itineraries all deliver a rich goulash of cultural thrills. For a tempting taste, check out this month's Tour News, which features this rewardingly complex side of Europe.
And speaking of rewards, would you like to enjoy pretty good odds of winning a free tour? If you went on any one of our tours in 2009, you qualify to enter our online Tour Scrapbook Contest (go and check out the competition so far). But hurry, the deadline to dazzle us is March 1st.
Here at home this month, our economy and the dollar are digging out of their slump, and we are filling tours at a record clip. I hope you can join us.
Happy travels,
Rick Steves