Hi from Rick: Summer Smörgåsbord
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| Filming in Granada...with my shortest haircut in 40 years. |
Dear Back Door Traveler,
I've just arrived home from six great weeks of traveling through Europe. It was fascinating to be over there at a time when so much of America's news has been Europe-focused, from financial crises to volcanic ash plumes.
I luckily flew out of London and into Venice the day before the first eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, which I wrote about in last month's Tour News. After a few more days of book research in northern Italy, I spent the rest of my trip filming new TV shows in Spain and Morocco. While I was in Tangier, I spent some time with our tours' local guide there. He was ecstatic at the enthusiasm of this year's groups, and thankful that we are finally including a tasty bite of Morocco with every Spain tour. Hearing his feedback was the perfect ending to this trip. I flew home from an airport that was closed due to ash just two days earlier, so my trip had volcanic bookends, but no real hassles.
Back in Edmonds, I'm polishing scripts for new TV shows I'll be filming this summer in Scandinavia and the Baltics — the region we're featuring in this month's Tour News.
I'm looking forward to spending the best part of summer in Europe's Nordic nooks, as everyone should sometime. And this month's smörgåsbord of articles, tour member raves, guide interviews and video — taking you from Tallinn to Bergen to St. Petersburg to the Isle of Ærø and beyond — should whet your appetite. You'll also find information on how we're helping tour members in the event of a volcano disruption, some level-headed thoughts on Greece, and no shortage of eloquence from Ireland.
Through the past few weeks of ash anxiety, unrest in Athens and euro-zone financial jitters, we've had scores of tours operating all over Europe — and everyone is having a ball. And with the euro more affordable right now, their pocket money is getting a nice boost as well.
It's looking like a fun summer to be in Europe after all. Come to think of it, when hasn't it been? I hope you can join us.
Happy travels,
Rick Steves