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Music that transitions between segments
Rick: Your production folks have kicked it up a notch for sure. The music that transitions between segments really resonates with me and this seems new. Glad to see that the sounds of Motown have a place on hour show.
Douglas B
Orlando, FL USA 06/09/2013
Interview with C A Ramsey
Just taught this lesson. Informative and useful. Ruth and the Green Book.
Use this wonderful book with 8 th grade students. Their projects were fantastic. Thanks. Wish I had known about this interview.
Pixi Phillips
Manchaca,, Texas USA 06/09/2013
The Green Book
Ruth and the Green Book sounds like it would be good to pair with The Watson's Go to Birmingham, 1963. Thanks for letting us know about the Green Book.
Renee
CA USA 06/09/2013
Gettysburg's New Seminary Ridge Museum
For travelers to Gettysburg this summer, see the *new* Seminary Ridge museum at Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary (61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325) opening July 1, 2013. It features advances in medicine, the role of women, and the place of the faith in the battle. If you've been to Gettysburg before, you haven't seen this. It's opening for the 150th anniversary. http://www.seminaryridgemuseum.org/
Ann Hafften
Weatherford, Texas USA 06/08/2013
The Green Book
I am sitting in my very hot car in a parking lot unable to leave because of this fascinating episode with Mr. Ramsey. Please please please consider writing a book for *adults* about the Green Book and AA Travel during Jim Crow. Informative beyond words. Thank you, thank you, and thank you.
Mary E Cronin
Miami, FL USA 06/08/2013
Terry Tempest Williams
Just started listening to your interview with Terry Tempest Willams and am insulted at her comments on mormon women in UT. Just because HER family silcenced her doesn't meant that is the culture. I am a mormon women who has always spoken her voice, as do all my friends and associates that are LDS and not one of them feel they are here two do "two things, keep a journal and bare children"!!! Shame on her for forcing her own expericence on the whole lot of women in the LDS church! I couldn't even listen to the rest of the show.
Jesse
Springville, UT USA 05/29/2013
TT Williams and Utah public lands
I just heard Terry Tempest Williams on Rick's show on NPR. She courageously mentioned several of the many threats to Utah's stupendous public lands. Among them were possible tar sands development in UT and Utah's attempt to take over the Federal lands (except the National Parks, thank you) and sell them off.
If you haven't been to Utah, please consider visiting and falling in love with it. Then, become an advocate for protection of these unparalleled lands that belong to us all! Please go to SUWA.org or greatoldbroads.org for more info.
Veronica Egan
Mancos, CO USA 05/19/2013
Carl and Lorena
It is just great to hear Carl and Lorena. I hope your listeners take advantage of their knowledge and really discover Mexico. It is what I try to impart myself.
'Mexici' Mike Nelson
McAllen, TX USA 05/04/2013
Palestine/Israel radio show and blog
The recent radio show on Israel/Palestine made it sound like visiting the Occupied West Bank was a tourist lark, the only problem being sure to have a car with Israeli plates. Not a word about what happens to the wrongly plated Palestinians. Now, on his actual visit, Steves is sending back Israeli propaganda. When I complained, his staff said it's a new place for him, so please forgive any "human errors." Come on, Steves would thoroughly research any new travel and his article some time ago in the Huffington Post showed that after being duped for years (as he himself basically put it), he had realized that Israelis were not the victims, and criticized their treatment of the Palestinians (whose land Israelis have militarily occupied for over half a century in violation of international law). Did Steves get pressured by AIPAC and other Zionists after his article in the Huffington Post? And, if so, why is he caving in?
Sibyl James
Seattle, WA USA 05/03/2013
recommendations for the West Bank
Listened to the show and wanted to recommend to Rick the family guesthouse in Jifna, outside of Ramallah, I stayed at when I visited the West Bank recently:
http://www.ramallahquakers.org/pdfs/6-brochure-for-b&b.pdf
Lovely home and family, and the husband is also a tour guide. His brother operates the nearby Taybeh brewery.
I also stayed a two nights in Hebron's old market. Went to visit the Women in Hebron handcraft cooperative and when I offered to volunteer there, shopkeeper Layla invited me to stay with her and her family.
Palestinians are extremely hospitable, you will be so glad you went.
Lisa
Denver, CO USA 05/03/2013
Microbreweries in the Middle East
Pamela Olson refers to the only microbrewery in the Middle East. In fact, Israel has a thriving microbrewery scene, described in a 2012 article, Israel's top 10 microbreweries: http://israel21c.org/culture/israels-top-10-microbreweries/
Michael
Miami, FL USA 04/28/2013
Macedonia
We have friends from Macedonia and would love to hear your take on travels there! Thanks!
Cortney
Bloomington, IL USA 04/23/2013
Gopnik and Pizza
Listening to the show right now featuring Adam Gopnik while making homemade pizza and my boyfriend turns to me and exclaims (regarding Adam), "I like this guy, I want to buy his book at full price!" Thanks for the great dinner conversation.
Jacquie Lillard
Ilwaco, WA USA 04/14/2013
gerneral positive
Hi, just caught your show (wwno, New Orleans) and loved it! thx & good work
aj
new orleans, la USA 04/07/2013
Poland, yes!
Just listened to the caller talking about travel in Poland. After graduating from college a couple years ago, one of my girlfriends and I went to Poland for two weeks. Our friends thought we were crazy because, who goes to Poland? Well, I was curious and it's one of the few places in Europe that is affordable, even a bargain! We had such a fun time. The youth was very friendly and loved chatting with Americans (once again, unusual for Europe!). Warsaw was one of our favorites, particularly the gardens. Gdansk was great too. Also the medieval forest near Belarus was a treat. Encourage all to visit. Amazing food!!
Ginny
Henryetta, Ok USA 03/22/2013
St Patrick's wkd show
I just want to say thank you very much. I hope some day to get to Ireland, where 3 of my grandparents were born. My maternal grandmother came from County Cork around 1900 and died shortly after giving birth to my mother in 1908. It really was a pleasure to listen to your broadcast at the closing of my St Patrick's Day. I am always amazed at how a travel show can be so enthralling on the radio but the reason it works is because of you Rick Steves. May the wind always be at your back!
margaret sohar
san diego, USA 03/17/2013
Historical fiction
Are their any historical fiction books about any of the travel areas that you would recommend that would give you the idea of what it was like to live their.
Stella Lovegood
West Lafayette, In USA 03/02/2013
Italy's Deep South
Thank you for your program on Italy's "Deep South." My family is from Calabria and I have been back twice to visit in the past 10 years. It is absolutely beautiful, relatively inexpensive, and the people are so warm and friendly. You can find beaches, as well as mountains, and wonderful cultural sites - such as ethnic Albanian villages.
It can be a bit of work to communicate if one doesn't speak Italian, and getting around can be challenging with very windy, mountainous roads in the interior and limited public transportation options - but "vale la pena," as the locals would say - it's worth the trouble. This show just reminded me that I need to plan my next trip. Ciao!
Elena Bianco
Mount Vernon, WA USA 02/27/2013
Flirting with the CIA in Israel
Elaine Sciolino: CIA & Flirtation is a perfect point of view. My husband flew for Air America/CIA & "flirtation" indeed. I visited France in 2010 [with my gorgeous niece--yes, indeed]; then again in 2011 alone--at 67, yes indeed. The men flirted & were helpful. In 2010 my niece, brother, & I drove Israel for a week. Perfectly safe. My 101st Airborne/Special OPs brother loved chatting up the young guards, guns & ammo info; and my niece & I walked the beaches at night when we partied. Our Moslem guide in Bethleham pushed my brother in a wheelchair to the Western Wall and then invited us to spend Eid with his family. Israel is safe and I can't wait to return. And women are the safest--with Jews & Moslems. In the US we're STILL too possessed with the Puritan blowback. A work ethic is one thing--but loosen up, US.
Kay Merkel Boruff
Dallas, Texas USA 02/23/2013
Sicily chaos
My memories of a trip to Sicily in 2006 center around the completely crazy drivers on the road, and trash everywhere on the side of the road!
I would call it complete chaos, not controlled chaos!
Of course the food was fabulous and likewise the scenery but the chaos and trash everywhere were overwhelming!
Martha
Ames, IA USA 02/16/2013
Sicily
Great program. My grandfather came from Vita, Sicily in about 1903 with $10 in his pocket. I found the last remaining relative there and have visited twice now. It is so beautiful there!!! It was so much greener than I thought it would be. Really recommend going there - felt very safe and well taken care of. The ruins, cathedrals, scenery, food, beaches mountains, art is spectacular!
Maggie Fimia
Edmonds, WA USA 02/16/2013
travel scrapbooking
discovered a mixed media artist in Victoria bc who spends part of the year traveling Israel, Tuscany etc collecting items she then integrates into her jewelry
unusual forms of travel 'scrapbooking' would make an interesting show with artists like this as inspiration. Ps I believe her name is Jill Rockwell
karen luna
eugene, or USA 02/10/2013
Africa 54
Just a note to inform others that although when one thinks of the continent of Africa, one likely envisions hot temperatures and sun, there are parts/countries that experience cold temperatures and SNOW (lelhoa!). As a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, I learned first-hand that the white stuff can make for some interesting adventures...like getting stuck in a snowdrift for 22 hours on a public bus in the highlands of the Mountain Kingdom! Travelers beware and pack appropriately!
Amy
Galion, OH USA 02/05/2013
Repeats
I love the show! It's my favorite podcast. Occasionally there is a repeat, and it's not announced so it takes a while to figure out. I haven't gone in to the archives to check, but I think next week is a repeat. If so, that should be stated in the description. Small complaint!
Ella
Rochester, NY USA 02/02/2013
Rheinland session missed mark
Disappointed that the discussion, purportedly about travel in Rheinland, focused entirely on economic, financial and taxation policy in the EU. What about comparing experiences of visitors who travel by car, train, or river cruise? Which cities or sites are "Must See"s?
Dave
Cadillac, MI USA 01/09/2013
British Family's German Roots
Changing the name from the House of Hanover to the House of Windsor was an attempt to distance the British royal family from their German roots. The museum at Hanover is of particular interest to those with connections to the British Commonwealth of Nations.
F A R
Saskatoon, Sk USA 01/08/2013
Novels to read about Tuscany
A few weeks ago I was a caller on open phones with Rick and the caller before me was talking about visiting Tuscany. She asked Rick for any suggestions on a novel to read about Tuscany before she visited there. I wanted to suggest the book, The House of the Wind by Tatania Hardie. It is a great historical novel, following the story of peoples living in Santo Pietro during the middle ages and in 2007. It tells quite a bit about the Etruscan history of the area and about Volterra, the valley of serenity and San Galgano. And follows two great love stories as well. I highly recommend this book.
Kathi
Oxford, Oh USA 01/06/2013
Wine expert, Paris,
For the show today December 29, there was a segment witha wine expert from Paris. Your Website does not mention his name. This was among your best shows but you fail to name him.
Paul Rutter
Mount Olive, NC USA 12/30/2012
French wine expert
Wonderful program! Jam packed with helpful info.
Cool red wine, warm white wine...who knew?!
Buy small, local rather than mega-vinters. What a thought!
Then there are the hints on selecting wines of great value!
Thanks!!
Art
Portland, OR USA 12/30/2012
Paris rental
I rented an apartment in Paris for two weeks in November. While there the real estate agent told me that the local politicians want to end the rental of these apartments to tourists. Their argument is that due to the shortage of Paris apartments for the Parisians this decision would be one answer. The real estate agents argue that there is also a shorage of hotel rooms in Paris and further, the Parisians that work in Paris cannot afford the rents and therefore live in the suberbs now and would continue to do so even with increased apartment space. Sounds like there's more debating down the road.
Caroline Blainey
Portland, Me. USA 12/27/2012
Art on the Paris Metro
You mentioned on the 11/24/12 show that there is performance art in the Paris Metro when someone gets on and tells a tale of woe. Generally they are annoying but I once was astounded.
I was riding home from work and a guy got on with a loud "Mesdames et Messieurs!", the traditional start to a beggar story. I started to tune him out and then realized what he was saying: "I am a poet." He told us a little about himself and his work and invited those who might like to buy a poem to please come see him at the front of the car. He sat down and several people consulted over his handwritten works, paid him and took home a written piece of art. Awesome.
Ed D
Loudoun, VA USA 11/29/2012
Sanctioned Graffitti
You don't have to go to Europe to see graffitti sanctioned by major cities. Miami, FL has a tremendous amount of legal graffitti in it's artsy Wynwood Section just north of downtown. Two weeks from now (12/6-12/9) The Basel Art Festival will also be in town. That's one of the major art festivals on Earth! Well, many people do say that Miami is the capital of Latin America, so it's almost like traveling abroad!
Sara Leviten
North Miami, FL USA 11/25/2012
Dams on the Columbia
Thanks for your Columbia River story. As an engineer, I was irked a little by your b/w treatment of the engineers vs the environmentalists. As you surely must know, it was the politicians who budgeted the project and limited the funds. Mostly the engineers did their best with the funds available. So making them the whipping boys seems unfair to me. You forget that this was the depression, and environmental awareness, native peoples was not even on the radar. Hindsight is almost always very good.
Charles Byers
Georgetown, tx USA 11/24/2012
Art in Europe outside the museums
With respect to your show on art in Europe outside the museums, in the main cemetery in Turku, Finland, is a section devoted to the men (and boys--the age range is 15-50) who died resisting the Russian invasion at the start of World War II. The major monument is not military symbolism, but a black marble figure of a grieving woman. Seeing it was one of the deepest emotional experiences I have ever had with any work of art.
Eric Jakobsson
Urbana, IL USA 11/24/2012
GPS Usefulness - a rebuttal
Rick and Ferenc Mate made a disparaging comment about GPS (and Rick has said similar about smartphones). I just want to rebut. My wife and I just returned from several weeks in Germany, Flanders, and Normandy following the WWI/WWII trails. I used my phone GPS to track where we went - no service, no data charges, just a free Google app to turn on the GPS and record our track as we drove and sometimes as we walked. When the trip was done, I downloaded all those tracks into Google Earth, which shows very nicely the paths we traveled (in some detail - you can follow us winding up Mont St. Michel). It makes a great souvenir and supplement to a journal. When we did have a cheap data plan in Germany, we used the smartphone to research places on the Internet before we got there - not possible everywhere, but certainly useful when we had it. GPS and smartphones aren't all bad!
Brad Hurte
Woodinville, WA USA 11/15/2012
Travel in Germany -- in 1960
In 1960, I was 17, traveling by bicycle from London thru Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, & Germany to Heidelberg. I learned earlier NEVER to point with fingers, use the whole hand. Different fingers meant different things in different lands - East Frisia was not the same as West Frisia, nor like Holland, Flanders, Jutland, Brabant, Flanders, etc. Even cities had significant differences in gesture customs - let alone languages.
Jim Harris
Freeport, FL USA 11/11/2012
Iran's Sanction
I am an Iranian who have seen Rick's documentary about Iran and I want to thank you for your truthful story.I will appreciate if you send a copy of this video to the president of the USA and foreign minister and senates and tell them that these people who like Americans are the one who suffer most from the sanction.Thanks
Mohammad
Los Angeles, CA USA 10/25/2012
confessions of a spaghetti killer
Oh, no. I just heard Rick's interview with the pasta expert. I am no only an 'sk' - spaghetti killer. It's a massacre at my house. I break it when I put it in the water. I cut it with fork & knife when it gets on my plate (so I can eat it with a spoon). Next time I make spaghetti I'll leave it whole and enjoy more of an authentic experience and ensure future unhindered travels to Italy.
Kathleen Smith
Fresno, CA USA 10/20/2012
Northern Germany travel
My grandmother came from northern Germany, and I'm lucky to have a relationship with my cousins still there, who are from Oldenburg. Among the wonderful pleasures of touring northern Germany and the North Sea are the Auslander museum in Bremerhaven and the Clima Haus.
The Auslander museum helped me understand the waves and waves of emigrants, mostly to the US, that left through there and what their experience was. You can do genealogical research there on the computers. (I realize every German must have American cousins!) Clima Haus is a cultural travel (not scientific or preaching) through the world looking at the effects of climate change, from the Bavarian Alps to the deserts of Niger (dress in layers that you can take off).
The "end of your world" trek at Clima Haus ends at one of the nearby North Sea islets that may be endangered by climate change and rising sea levels. Don't miss the actual nearby North Sea shore. These are the most expansive tide flats in the world, and it's amazing to watch the tide recede and come in so remarkably. The residents of these small islets traditionally went back and forth to the mainland on wheeled carts with sails, which "sail" over the mudflats at low tide. Tourists can take a horse-drawn carriage to visit some of these at low tide. It's an amazing experience.
Penny
Cleveland, OH USA 10/08/2012
ATMs in Europe
We have just returned from Spain and found out that most of the ATM machines would not work without a chip-type card. Last year we had no problem with our typical American debit card with the magnetic strip, but it was quite different this year. I heard that it is similar now in all EU countries. It is also difficult to find a bank that will issue a chip card here and now....maybe next year, but if you are thinking about traveling soon, beware!!
Glenn
Frankfort, KY USA 10/07/2012
Art in Ireland
Don't forget the wonderful current Irish artists. A few years ago, my wife, daughter and I took a road trip around Ireland. We bought some great paintings from an artist in his studio in Kinsale.
Dwight Groce
Columbus, Ohio USA 09/09/2012
Ireland and The Pale
I found the show on art and Ireland fascinating, and I want to add a small multicultural note. "Beyond the Pale" has completely different origins for descendants of Eastern European Jews than for those who are descended from the Irish. Jews of the Russian empire were limited to living only in the "Pale" region of imperial Russia, well into the 20th century. Beyond the Pale may mean the same thing however: to go to an unfamiliar place where one is not welcome.
Robert Kraft
Columbus, Ohio USA 09/09/2012
Understanding Asian Art
In order to be prepared for Asian Art and culture when travelling I visited my local museums and went to the Asian art areas. The Museum of Fine Art Houston has a delightful interactive explanation of Hindu and Buddhist symbols directly related to the art within a few feet of the interactive feature. My granddaughters and I were fascinated and entertained with the animated interactive explanations. We also visited a local Buddhist Temple and were guided about by one of the monks there. It was a very positive experience I recommend for anyone wanting to learn more about Asian art and culture.
Winifred
Houston, TX USA 09/08/2012
Harry Clarke stained glass window
A quick note about the Harry Clarke stained glass mentioned on the Dublin section of today's show: It was mentioned that the window is currently at the University of Florida. Being a student here, I was instantly intrigued and looked into it; but I finally discovered that it is actually at the Wolfsonian Museum at Florida International University in Miami (alas for me, far from Gainesville).
Marie Halvorsen-Ganepola
Gainesville, FL USA 09/08/2012
Ex-pats in Europe
I am an American ex-pat who spent 20 years in Germany, half of the time in Berlin and half in a small town in Bavaria. I had a music career playing my songs with an East German band; a journalism career working for Deutsche Welle TV's English service and being The Hollywood Reporter's German correspondent; and I married a German and gave birth there to a binational and bilingual daughter.
I am Jewish, and my Jewish mother always told me that I would rediscover my roots when I had children. I hated it when she said that, but now I have to admit she was right. (I'm looking forward to being always right myself some day.) Unfortunately, my daughter and I seemed to be the only Jews within a radius of about 50 miles of our Bavarian town, so in the end my need to give my daughter a CHOICE of cultures, American Jewish or Bavarian Christian, became a major factor in my decision to return to the U.S.
There are many ways in which I am sure my time in Germany will always influence me: I plan much more in advance, I shop more often and buy less (like your Parisian ex-pat guest earlier today), and I insist on "old-fashioned" behaviors like accompanying my guests to the door and waving goodbye to them until they are out of sight. But after three years back in the States, and a new career as an author of Jewish children's books (http://exodus4youngreaders.com), I remain grateful for the celebration of diversity I find in this country and for the willingness of Americans to embrace the new. Sometimes I still wish that, like Europeans, we weren't quite as willing to throw out the baby with the bathwater. But I find that the U.S. has become quite Europeanized in the last quarter-century - I can get just as good a cup of coffee here outside of Cleveland, if I know where to go, as I can in Munich - and I love my new community.
From my own experience, I can emphasize one aspect of your guests' advice to Americans considering emigration to Europe: Pick a CITY you love. Living in the European countryside, lovely though the landscape may be, is much tougher than adapting and blending in when you've moved to a major metropolitan area.
Bonnie J. Gordon
Shaker Heights, OH USA 09/01/2012
Taxes for Overseas Residents
Expats in Europe
My husband and I have just returned from 3 and 1/2 years in Switzerland. And, yes, we did have to pay taxes in both countries.
The important thing for US citizens to remember is that the IRS claims first right to tax your income, regardless of taxes you've paid in any other country. In some cases, exemptions and deductions will mean you will not have to pay US taxes in addition to tax paid in your country of residence. Even if you don't owe the US any taxes, you will still need to file a US tax return, and there are now additional forms to file that report on your overseas bank accounts.
There are so many variables, and the US tax code is so complicated, that it's best to consult a tax advisor with expertise in international taxes before you move.
Kathy
Seattle, WA USA 09/01/2012
I-75
Where can I get a hold of "The Ballad of I-75"? I use to live in the Detroit area and our family would drive down to Clearwater in Florida to see my grandpa often. I have many memories of the I-75. That song would bring back memories and be great fun to hear in its entirety and own. I googled it but very little came up.
Christian Layow
Santa Barbara, CA USA 08/17/2012
Civil War Sights
Listening this afternoon about Appalachia and Civil War Battlefield parks. I would add that as a non-buff, it is deeply moving to be walking on ground where so many died.
And, there is also a John Brown site in Crawford County Pennsylvania. His first wife and an infant son are buried there.
Lisa
Urbana, IL USA 08/11/2012
Fracturing the UK
I listened intently this weekend to your show on fracturing the UK. I was surprised that Northern Ireland was not mentioned. It would have been interesting to hear your panel opine on the effect that Scottish independence might have on this oft-forgotten part of the UK. While it seems obvious that a vote for Scottish independence would change the UK political calculus, the ramifications for Northern Ireland may not be appreciated by many of your American audience. The effect on Northern Ireland could be profound, possibly much more so than may be the case for Scotland, Wales, or England. This in fact would be an interesting tie to your upcoming show on Appalachia, since so many of that region's settlers came to America via Ulster. One other note of irony in the silence afforded Northern Ireland in your show -- when the British athletes entered the Olympic stadium, they did so under the banner of Great Britain, not the UK, so one wonders if the fate of Northern Ireland is already cast in some deep sense.
Ben
Seattle, USA 08/06/2012
I 75
My father Jon Shulenberger wrote the Ballad of I 75 as you mentioned. I was 7ys. old at the time. Thank you for recognizing him on your program. As was said - he had not heard it since 1977! Many thanks, Kristen
Kristen Bendheim
Nashville, TN USA 07/31/2012
Respect community boycotts when traveling
I was disappointed that you failed to respond to Richard Bangs' assertion that we should ignore boycotts when traveling. That is like saying that we as outsiders are in a better position to judge a region's needs than the people who live there. How condescending.
Bangs cited Paul Simon's Graceland project and said that even in the case of South Africa under apartheid, foreign travelers knew better than the leaders (and rank and file) of the democratic freedom movement.
During the late 1980's, the ANC and all other major freedom organizations called for a boycott of South Africa. Polls at the time showed this was supported by a vast majority of South Africans.
Paul Simon's project was opposed by the ANC and most groups at the time, though it was supported by the UN Anti-Apartheid Committee. Some may argue that Simon did more good than harm, some would disagree; many would say his legacy in South Africa was tarnished by his actions.
But Paul Simon's experience in South Africa isn't really relevant for most of us travelers. In fact the boycott in South Africa had a huge impact on politics there. The fact that people like us did not invest or support the racist government in South Africa had a great deal to do with that country winning it's freedom.
I'm not saying we should mindlessly support all boycotts. But please, let's consider that local people may have something to tell us about how we can help them find justice on this planet we all share. Mr. Bangs makes his living getting us to travel. But principles matter also, and he (and you) should not take this so lightly.
Michael
Portland, Oregon USA 07/29/2012
US WWII Bomb Groups
So I'm way behind - I was listening to the podcast from 2009 about D-Day. A listener called about American Air Museums in Britain. Duxford is best to see planes. The US Military Cemetery at Cambridge has some of the best American archives.
Thurleigh, 15 miles north of Bedford has a small museum in an original building that was put together by the 306th Bomb Group and which their organization still maintains with the help of a local who was a child during the war and later an RAF test pilot (Thurleigh became an RAF test field). The 306th was the first bomb group to begin running raids over Germany.
First Over Germany is a book detailing their exploits, out of print but available from many libraries and occasionally on E-Bay or Amazon.
Bilstr
Davidson, NC USA 07/28/2012
Today's show with Pico Iyer
Today's show was excellent! It was so calming and it also validated something we have done in our family: find time to be quiet, to be alone, to reflect and to be silent. We have never needed a "vacation from our vacation." Whenever we travel, we love to sit in a cafe, with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine quietly and watch the locals and listen to the rythem of their lives. Pure music, pure poetry and very soothing to the soul!~ Happy Travels and "Buen Camino"
Maria Gomez
Miami, FL USA 07/22/2012
Your Story on Paris 7/15/12
It would be hard to describe how just plane dumb your show was today about Paris. That fool who's book you were promoting just bubbled on the same old steriotypes about Paris. I don't give him an once of credit about his ability to comment, based on his family's living in France or not. He is simply an arrogant fool, and yet you gave him so much air time to perpetuate the same old stupid stories. What a couple of asses you both were.
When we were last in Paris, there were strikes going on it seemed like everywhere...airport baggage handlers, museum employees across the board, and metro engineers. Yet all the locals of Paris that we ran into were extremely apologetic and did everything they could to help us out. The wonderful lady at the Hotel Port Royal in the 5th where we stayed was just in tears at her inability to get us comfortably, me, my wife, and daughter (16 YOA) to the train station on time, so that I could make my committment to make a presentation at a conference in Brest the next day.
Nontheless, as we lugged our baggage for three miles down the streets on a really warm May morning, we had to ask several times about the quickest directions to the train station. We only ran into one jerk, who just ignored our inquiry, but then two wonderful ladies saw his bad behavior and came out of their seats at the restaurant that we were passing by to ask us what we had been needing, and gave us explicit directions to the station, which we made on time. I'm sorry that we were in such a rush that I did nor get their names to write them a note of thanks. They were like two Aunts coming to to help us out.
Also, once when we had been hiking all day over Paris one day...the museums all being on strike, we were famished and wound up in the late afternoon near a nice, but not formal, looking restaurant, we went in and had a wonderful and expensive sea food dinner. I did notice that we were somewhat underdress and I apologized to the manager. He said he could not care less and only asked if we were happy with our dinner, and would we please return some time.
I can't tell you what an arrogant, elitest fool you hosted, and you need to apologoze to the citizens of Paris. In closing, I'd like to add that in our last trips to New York City, which your guest had an obvious fetish about, no one embraced us in a group hug but were just as civil as any other places that I have visted: Washington, DC, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Ottowa, Copenhagen, Maui, Wellington and Christ Curch, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Hobart, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Stockholm, Hesinki, Goteborg, Reykjavik, Hamburg, Thule and last but not least, Iqualuit, Broughton Bay and Clyde. (look those up in your Funck and Wagonels). In all of these visits I have never incountered anything but normal human civility. This joke of Parisian arrogance is more of a reflection of the arrogance of the person expression that opinion, most likey reflected by the locals perception of a jerk when they see one, and treated him accordingly. I'm really surprised and dissapointed in your entertaining that fools opinions, and although my wife and I are planning a long vacation to France next Spring, we have thrown your travel guide in to the trash.
George DuPree
Juliette, GA
George DuPree
Juliette, GA USA 07/15/2012
Stuff Parisians Like
I had to laugh when Mr Steves asked Mr Magny about Parisians' view of American tourists. I'm from Arizona, and we don't like most American tourists, either. We like the ones who appreciate our history and natural wonders, like the Grand Canyon and the Sonoran Desert. We don't like the ones who come to golf, gamble, drink, complain, and call us "stupid Southern rednecks". They think we can't live without their tourist dollars, when in fact, we had a better economy before tourism took over in the 1990s and would happily drag their tourist behinds to the state line and kick them across.
Linda Wilson
Belton, TX USA 07/14/2012
Iditarod is cruel to dogs
Rick's sister raced dogs in the Iditarod. Now he's shamelessly hyping this cruel race. What happens to dogs during the Iditarod includes death, bloody diarrhea, paralysis, frostbite - where it hurts the most - bleeding ulcers, lung damage, pneumonia, ruptured discs, viral diseases, kennel cough, broken bones, torn muscles and extreme stress. At least 142 dogs have died in the race, including two dogs who froze to death in the brutally cold winds.
Veterinary care during the Iditarod is poor. Veterinarians have allowed dogs with kennel cough to race in the Iditarod even though dogs with this disease should be kept warm and given lots of rest. It's dangerous for the dogs with this disease to exercise with any intensity. Strenuous exercise can cause lung damage, pneumonia and even death. Kennel cough is a highly contagious disease that normally lasts from 10 to 21 days.
Iditarod dogs are beaten into submission. Jane Stevens, a former Iditarod dog handler, describes a dog beating in her letter published by the Whitehorse Star Feb. 23, 2011. She wrote: "I witnessed the extremely violent beating of an Iditarod racing dog by one of the racing industry's most high-profile top 10 mushers. Be assured the beating was clearly not within an "acceptable range" of "discipline". Indeed, the scene left me appalled, sick and shocked.
During the 2007 race, eyewitnesses reported that musher Ramy Brooks kicked, punched and beat his dogs with a ski pole and a chain. Jon Saraceno wrote in his column in USA Today, "He [Colonel Tom Classen] confirmed dog beatings and far worse. Like starving dogs to maintain their most advantageous racing weight. Skinning them to make mittens. Or dragging them to their death."
Jim Welch says in his book Speed Mushing Manual, "Nagging a dog team is cruel and ineffective...A training device such as a whip is not cruel at all but is effective." He also said, "It is a common training device in use among dog mushers." Former Iditarod dog handler Mike Cranford wrote in Alaska's Bush Blade Newspaper: "Dogs are clubbed with baseball bats and if they don't pull are dragged to death in harnesses."
Iditarod dog kennels are puppy mills. Most mushers have more than 50 dogs. Some have more than 100. Mushers breed large numbers of dogs and routinely kill unwanted ones, including puppies. Many dogs who are permanently disabled in the Iditarod, or who are unwanted for any reason, including those who have outlived their usefulness or have no economic value, are killed with a shot to the head, dragged, drowned or clubbed to death.
FOR MORE FACTS: Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://www.helpsleddogs.org
Margery
Miami, FL USA 07/13/2012
running with the bulls
I was listening to your program this am on WEKU and was appalled by what I was hearing. This glorification and justification of running with bulls and bull fighting is so archaic, I was really surprised to hear such talk on NPR which usually shows a certain degree of intelligence in its programs. I am not a tree hugger, a vegan or animal rights activist and will also be the first to defend good traditions and cultural differences. However, any human entertainment, anywhere and by anyone, created by the abusing, suffering and killing of animals is simply barbaric. Period. No 'ifs" and 'buts'. Tradition, culture, whatever reason one might have no longer qualifies. It has been outlawed in most places and needs to be outlawed where it is not. A bad tradition is not a good thing to protect. To promote it is as criminal as doing it. We have a brain, we need to use it.
John
Lexington, KY USA 07/07/2012
European impressions of the US
I have hosted 3 French exchange students. They told me they were surprised by the portion sizes in restaurants here. They had never heard of a 'to-go' box, but had to use them here because they were served so much food.
Cynthia Corbitt
Louisville, ky USA 06/24/2012
European impressions of America
Listening to the show about European impressions of America -- once again Steve's straightforward questions and open style win us profound insights. Thanks so much for helping us see ourselves as others see us.
Scott Miller
Juneau, AK USA 06/24/2012
Ballpark Boys
Today's show with the Ballpark Boys was one of the best you've done. The enthusiasm and joy heard in their tales achieving their travel project capsulated what travel truly should generate whether it be around the world or following one's passion in a sport. Thank you.
Jo Douglas
Monroe, WA USA 06/16/2012
Abruzzo
Wonderful to hear my former Italian teacher Virginia Agostinelli today on your program! I'd love to go to Pacentro someday. We were in Abruzzo in 2007, visited Scanno and other charmining villages, and stayed in Opi. I highly recommend Hotel Fresilia in Opi, which is a very tiny town not far from the more developed Pescasseroli. Un abbraccione a Virginia!
Philip Dickey
Seattle, WA USA 06/12/2012
Abbruzzo Beaches
I loved your segment on Abbruzzo, but was surprised that Ms. Agostinelli didn't say much about the beaches. It seems to me that from Pescara south is where the best beaches in Italy are. Very sandy (not rocky). North of Pescara, almost to Ravenna, has now been built up, similar to Spain. I think that the more southern parts have still been spared that fate -- but I was last there in 2005. Maybe we could get an update?
Mike Cassidy
Oakland, CA USA 06/10/2012
Barcelona
How could you have a show about Barcelona, talk about artists, and not include even a mention of Miro and the wonderful museum of the Joan Miro Foundation in the Parc de Montjuic (if not for the art, at least for the wonderful view of the city).
JL McClure
Iowa City, IA USA 05/27/2012
Origin of word gaudy
Please tell your guest to look up gaudy in a Webster's dictionary. It's been in use since 1582. Nice tour guide story and it would have been impolite of you to correct her on air, but it just SOUNDED wrong when she said it, so I looked it up.
JW Looye
Cincinnati, OH USA 05/26/2012
Sick in Europe
Rick, I think you have been overly optimistic on the low or no cost of medical treatment in Europe, and in France for that matter. A regular doctor's appointment in France cost around $35 and if you are part of the EU you are reimbursed 70%. There is no free free lunch, even in France.
Gilles Germain
Chartrettes, France 05/20/2012
Pompeii
Enjoying the conversation about Pompeii. I was there several years ago with my daughter, her husband, and three grandchildren. My youngest grandson was 3 and riding in a stroller, singing at the top of his voice, "Bob the Builder! Can we fix it? Bob the Builder! Yes we can!" Just give us a couple of days and we'll have this place as good as new, LOL!
Katie Jaques
Chula Vista, CA USA 05/19/2012
Glasgow Scotland
Please let your listeners know that Glasgow Museums have a great website. At Bellahouston in the south side is the Artlovers house which has been built from plans left by MacIntosh
Jessie McKirdy
Nashville, tn USA 05/18/2012
Rick honoring his late mother
I was born in a country that celebrates Mother's day on Dec. 8th. (Immaculate Conception), and for 25 years since I moved to America the second Sunday in May did not mean too much to me. I lost my mother in 2011, and listening to Rick's segment on how he began traveling with his mother made me understand that Mother's Day is not necessaryly a part of a calendar, but rather a part of your own heart. Mothers bring you to this world to travel, not only methaphorically, but as in my case, and Rick's too, to go places and enjoy cultures while staying attached to your ancestors' place of origin. Thank you Rick for the segment today. It brought tears to my eyes.
Aris Cedeno
Louisville, KY USA 05/13/2012
Mother's Day Story of San Francisco
The commentary on the Mother's Day Show about being in San Francisco, brought back memories of my mother when I was a child. My father was a professional officer in the Air Force, hence we saw our share of the world. My mother's family lived in The City, what Northern California's call San Francisco. Whenever we would go to Sunday dinner at the Officer's Club in Japan, she would request the band play "I Left My Heart in San Francisco. Mom would dance with my father with a distant content look in her eyes. It made a young boy feel good.
Ned
Talent, Or USA 05/13/2012
Croatia
the reason Croatians were so anxious about the US opinion of them is because of their deep involvement w/the holocaust
their presidents have apologized for that several times.
E.Krybus
Dallas, USA 05/12/2012
Passports With Purpose-- a great cause!
Rick, I just came across a fantastic way that we avid world travelers can give back to the very countries that we delight in visiting it is an all volunteer, non-profit organization called "Passports with Purpose", started by 4 amazing women travel bloggers from right there in your home town of Seattle, and they raise money via auctions for worthy projects in developing nations around the world. Their website is-
Carl Davis
Portland, Oregon USA 04/19/2012
Ireland and Andrew McCarthy
I love ya, Rick, have bought many of your books and found them wonderful. But the show with Andrew McCarthy verged into dangerous territory when it seemed like he (and perhaps you) were somehow happy that Ireland was in economic difficulties, as now the wait staff in pubs was Irish again, and your experience of the country somehow more 'authentic.' Well, I wonder if that charming local waiter was working in the pub now because he could no longer afford the college he was attending back during the Celtic boom. We must be careful not to confuse poverty with charm...
Glenn Mercer
Shaker Heights, Ohio USA 04/07/2012
Yugoslavia
In the fall of 1989, I was on a solo bicycle trip from Paris to Athens and was going though the former Yugoslavia. My only regret about the Yugoslavia portion was that I did not recognize the importance and history of the Mostar bridge when I passed over it. If I had, I would have taken more time and pictures there before it was destroyed in the war.
Bill Pike
Hillsboro, OR USA 04/01/2012
The "Canterbury Tales"
I'm afraid there may have been an erroneous conception created during the discussion in "The Pilgrim's Italy" - mainly, that the Via Fragencia had much to do with Geoffrey Chaucer's famous "Canterbury Tales" - or that the "Tales" might have been the reflections and observations of the pilgrims on that road, related to their travels...
Chaucer wrote the "Tales" in the Late 14th Century, and it deals with a group of English pilgrims, who were on their way to Canterbury to visit the site of the martyred Thomas Beckett's death [ the spot had become a favorite pilgrimage site in England after Beckett's murder there in 1170 ]...
The pilgrims came from varied walks of life, but they had not trekked across Europe to get to Canterbury - indeed, they were embarking from a borough of London...
Also, their stories were just that - stories - the premise of the "Tales" was that there was a story-telling contest amongst the pilgrims, and these were not soul-searching meditations, but some of them were quite earthy, indeed.
Andrew F. Cannon
Oakland, CA USA 03/27/2012
Living with the Arab awakening
Thanks, Rick, for another interesting and important discussion. Yours is certainly not just another travel show and I make it a point to listen every week. While i like the travel segments, I really appreciate the international political and philosophical discussions.
Terry Cox
Oregon City, OR USA 03/11/2012
Arab Spring-Tunisia
My husband and I had an amazing two week in Tunisia this past October, traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel. We traveled from the north, in Tunis, to well within the Sahara. We felt completely safe during the entire trip. We were there for the first election and were so impressed with the pride the Tunisians had in their election, as well as with the incredible turn-out of voters. The country desperately needs and welcomes tourists and travelers!
Patricia Looney-Burman
Fresno, CA USA 03/10/2012
Arab Awakening
Considering the general American ignorance of the nuances of the Arab Awakening, thank you for your important program today. I suggest regular [INVALID]s on this subject, interviewing natives, especially women, from countries of the region. Thx.
Jeff Garrison
Bellingham, WA USA 03/10/2012
North American road trip
RE: Rick's current US travels-please ask him to not think of the US as merely a few hundreds years old but to watch for the amazing clues of the cultures who preceded the European immigrants. Cahokia in Illinois, and the petroglyphs and Pipestone quarries in southwestern Minnesota are two we have loved visiting.
Nancy
St Paul, MN USA 03/05/2012
European Union
The show on the European Union was very disappointing, leading me to reluctantly conclude that Rick should be more careful about plunging into politics. Before reciting all the conventional "wisdom" about the crisis in the E.U., Rick and his guests should have read today's column by Paul Krugman in the NY Times (and I quote): "...false stories about Europe are being used to push policies that would be cruel, destructive, or both. The next time you hear people invoking the European example to demand that we destroy our social safety net or slash spending in the face of a deeply depressed economy, here's what you need to know: they have no idea what they're talking about."
Mickey O'Brien
Portland, OR USA 02/27/2012
State of European Union
I thoroughly enjoyed the broadcast on the European Union. It was insightful and opened my eyes to the similarities that we face here in the USA, and how much we need each other. Interesting and informative discussion. Thank you, Rick.
Sue Flowerday
Salem, OR USA 02/27/2012
Johnny Jet Show
One of the topics on the show, was best connection cities for overseas travel. Charlotte NC was not mentioned. I fly through there all the time, it is a very nice airport and a hub for US Airways with flights to Dublin, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Rome
Tom
Beaverton, OR USA 02/26/2012
Racist?
I am I totally crazy or were there major racist, xenophobic overtones during the discussions re the European Union piece.
Seriously surprising.
It was like "those Algerians should be grateful to be here and assimilate.". And Rick went along with it! I thought "god of this piece ran on some conservative media, the "liberals" would be all over it and Rick would at least be issuing an apology.
Jenna
Ca USA 02/26/2012
flights
I changed in Toronto on a trip from Boston to Tel Aviv in 2000, and it was a nightmare. They made us get all our luggage and take it through customs, involving lugging it up and down stairs, no escalators, one elevator. They did not make it easy at all.
Merry Foxworth
Houston, TX USA 02/25/2012
health care
You said European countries are paying too much to provide their residents with health care. It is just the opposite. We pay more than twice per capita in the US and we have millions not receiving health care. If those countries were to take away their nationalized health care programs, they would end up where we are; millions not receiving health care and going bankrupt as in the US, and the private health insurance companies would encroach on these countries (which is already happening) and
Merry Foxworth
Houston, TX USA 02/25/2012
The EU and EUrope
Another one-sided propaganda piece about the marvels of the EU. It's unfortunate that Mr. Steves chose not to include an [INVALID]native view, not totally besotted with the EU to give a more balanced picture. A less biased person would have pointed out that a country does not have to be a member of the EU to enjoy Free Trade - Mexico, Korea, Chile, S.Africa etc. all have free trade agreements with the EU.
In all the eulogizing, although it was mentioned that 80% of all member nations' laws are now made in Brussels (by a remote, unelected, unremovable body) no one suggested this might create a real democratic deficit, making national elections pretty superfluous. In many parts of Britain, it is known as the EUSSR, which ought to raise some eyebrows amongst American audiences.
As for the assertion that Europe needs even more immigration to pay for its pensions, has Mr. Steves been traveling with his eyes closed? The level of immigrants in major cities has already reached proportions that are causing serious unrest, partly because of the lack of assimilation and clash of cultures mentioned on the program. But what happens when these immigrants themselves reach retirement age? Is the remedy for Europe to just keep on importing more and more ad infinitum?
Totally agree with Merry Foxworth re. healthcare but one of the main reasons why it's becoming unaffordable is that it is being provided to millions who have not contributed towards the system. Health tourism is very popular. Unfortunately, the stress on healthcare systems is working to the detriment of the indigenous populations.
alexei
Seattle, WA USA 02/25/2012
The EU and EUrope
there's a misprint in the above comment which makes no sense and which should have read :-
"It's unfortunate that Mr. Steves chose not to include another view..."
(this comment system doesn't seem to recognize the word "alternative")
alexei
Seattle, WA USA 02/25/2012
Reviews of Hotels
RE: Hotel review site I have had excellent results by comparing reviews from venere.com, booking.com and tripadvisor. I don't depend on just one site for some of the reasons stated by your guest on 2/24. I have traveled all over Europe, some of Australia and most of New Zealand using this comparison. I've had only 2 not so great experiences. They weren't bad; they just weren't what I expected.
KEN
Tulsa, OK USA 02/24/2012
beer
Well stated Nate! (from an Oregon home brewer.)
Roger
Dundee, OR USA 02/19/2012
beer
Well Said Nate! That is exactly what I wanted to say. I have sampled many beers of the world and my favorite can be found right here in the pacific northwest. American craftbrews are wonderful and not to be overlooked.
mike s
portland, OR USA 02/19/2012
Holy foreskin
The word, "papal" was regularly mispronounced. The first "a" is not pronounced as in apple, but with a long "a" as in ape. The creed from Nicea is not the Nicean creed, but the Nicene creed, two syllables, Ni-seen.
Catherine Deming
Iowa City, IA USA 02/18/2012
European beers are great, but don't overlook your homeland
The first caller on your European Beer show stated that European beer is far superior to American beer. That's horribly incorrect and shows an ignorance of modern American beer. I love European beer including many of the beers you discussed, but American beer is not inferior to European beer. Thanks to the legalization of home brewing, American craft brewing started a huge comeback in the 1980's. American craft beer is very high quality and much more creative than European beer.European breweries now look to Americans for new styles and inspiration. Missing out on American craft beer is even more shameful than missing out on local beers while traveling Europe.
Cheers,
Nate
Nate
Seattle, WA USA 02/18/2012
Bulky and heavy shoes: solved
Instead of packing an extra pair of shoes (a common recommendation), just take a second pair of insoles and swap the two every day.
Cameron Wiley
Porand, OR USA 02/03/2012
Irony
I find it very ironic that Rick would interview an author concerned with the extinction of the polar bear due to global warming while advocating recreational travel, which is known to account for somewhere around 10% of our carbon output. Apparantly, saving the polar bears isn't going to stand in the way of Rick going wherever, whenever. We could entirely solve global warming if recreational travel stopped. But I don't hear any discussion of that solution.
Michaael
Portland, OR USA 01/29/2012
lost luggage
Before leaving home I take a digital pic of my luggage just in case it is lost. I always carry my camera with me, not in my luggage. There is no more accurate description than a photo, and when in foreign countries there is no language barrier either.
Olivia Stone
Onalaska, Wa. USA 01/29/2012
washing clothes with shampoo
Shampoo makes great clothes washing liquid. It is especially good at taking out grease stains.
Elaine
Galveston, TX USA 01/28/2012
Bus Tours
My wife and I had a wonderful bus tour of Scotland with about 1/3 Americans (Yankees and 1 Texan), 1/3 Australians (Aussies), and 1/3 New Zealanders (Kiwis). While the tour was great, the give and take on the bus between stops was hilarious. We all had a great time!!
Ed Adcock
Fort Worth, TX USA 01/28/2012
Polar Bears
RE Polar Bears, in August a British teen was killed in his tent by a polar bear;
so it seems they can be dangerous
W C
Tulsa, OK USA 01/27/2012
Ararat sites
On Mt Ararat: Interestingly, there is an asteroid strike site, to the southeast of Madagascar, that by tree rings matches the biblical date within 2 years. So the flood doesn't seem to match the filling of the Black Sea. However, the flooding of the Black Seawould cause the Ararat glacier to melt, and bring about the river of Eden, which was one river that split into 4 in the mountains. There is an area on Ararat that is identified by the locals as Eden, and in the local language, Eden is their word for a garden.
Michael Rudmin
Portsmouth, Va USA 01/21/2012
Art in Ireland
Re: The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife by Daniel Maclise at the National Gallery of Art of Ireland. My husband, Hugh Baskin, was contacted on Friday, January 13th for the art in Ireland segment to discuss this painting. It currently is being conserved and is not available to view at this time. There is a timeline of conservation( started in October 2011) on the websiteof the National Gallery of Ireland, and it might be mentioned to listeners when it will be available to view. Thanks Patty Baskin
Patty Baskin
Salem, Oregon USA 01/14/2012
Travel to Armenia
We 4 are going to Armenia quite soon, leaving Michigan on 31 Jan. My wife found this program about Armenia and I'm so very glad. Very informative and we are so happy we made this decision.
Hajovastoon! (I think that's how you pronounced Thank You!) Dave Abbey
David Alan Abbey
Saint Joseph,, MI USA 01/06/2012