Tour Tales
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| The Alps really did make him leap like that. |
Every month we feature funny, offbeat or inspiring anecdotes. If you have a true tale to tell, send it to stories@ricksteves.com. If you have a photo that illustrates it, please attach it. Don't forget to tell us which city and state you live in. We'd love to hear from you!
Leaping into a quarter-million inboxes
Imagine my pleasant surprise when I opened my inbox to find a picture of me!
My first Rick Steves trip was the three-week Best of Europe tour in 1998. On the tour was Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, a professional photographer hired to take pictures on our tour. We became friends (we still are) and as a result, I'm in a lot of his photos. Many of them have appeared on your website and in your books — and now I'm leaping across an Alpine meadow in your latest tour promotion email!
That trip — ten years ago — ignited my love for travel. My wife, Pam, and I have since traveled throughout Europe several times. In 2004, we took a Rick Steves tour through Provence, and loved it.
On another trip, as Pam and I were eating dinner at a restaurant in France, I noticed a finely-dressed man posing for a picture with his dog. But I could see that his camera wasn't working. I told the waiter to tell him that we could take his picture and send him a copy, and the man happily agreed. Later, towards the end of the meal, the waiter returned to tell us that the gentleman wanted to buy us a bottle of Champagne, with the condition that he share a toast with us. As the dog rested his head on our table, we toasted our new friend, who spoke not one word of English. The maître d' gave us a special menu to take home to remind us of our meal. It was a special night, one of many pleasant memories I've had while traveling.
When I travel, I feel connected and alive. Thanks for providing the spark.
— Stephen in Fairfax, VA
Note: You'll find another photo of Stephen on this month's Tour News menu page.
Fine print: We reserve the right to edit and post all Tour Tales submissions. Please provide us with your full name and city/state. We will not print your last name or email address in Tour News.