January News from Rick: Fireworks South of the Border
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| Mexico City rings in 2011 with a bang! |
Dear Traveler,
There are more people packed into Mexico City than in all of Texas. And that energetic city is where I wanted to say "adiós" to 2010. Sure, lots of people are saying, "Mexico is dangerous!" But I'm not in this world to let other people tell me where to ring in a Happy New Year.
On the city's Plaza de la República, where I was one of tens of thousands of revelers, the scene was polite as the minutes ticked down. An aging pop star with a big cowboy hat performed on stage. There was lots of singing in the crowd, lots of police standing by, no alcohol — just a playful, innocent joy. At midnight, the sky burst with fireworks.
Just two days before, one of the world's biggest cities and greatest capitals was a mystery to me. Now, in the wee hours of 2011, with the smell of spent fireworks wafting through the air, I hopped into a hotel-bound cab and left the happy mob, feeling comfortable as if the city was a new friend.
Mexico City is just part of my mid-winter trip that also included the capitals of Nicaragua and El Salvador. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing my eye-opening adventures, blog-style on Facebook. To see a slideshow from the Mexico part of my trip, visit my wall on Facebook. To receive each of my trip updates in your Facebook newsfeed, click the "like" button.
This month's edition of Travel News features another exotic city — Tangier — with an article and video clip from my newest season of TV shows. (These new shows can now be seen on Hulu.) You'll also find valuable tips on finding good restaurants in Europe, readers' thoughts on the value of travel insurance, and a fascinating look at a booming city that's not yet on the radar of many travelers: Bratislava.
Finally, I'd like to invite you to join me this week (Wed. 1/12 thru Tue. 1/18) as I interview many of my European tour guides for my radio show. No one knows the ins and outs of Europe's most interesting places and cultures like this gang. You can listen-in on the live, unedited feed. And you can be a big help by emailing in your questions for these interviews. Visit my radio page for details.
I hope your New Year, like mine, has already begun with dreams of stepping out...and turning unknown cultures, cities, and people into new friends.
Happy Travels
Rick