Program 373: Isles of Britain; Scottish Secession; Challenges for Working Women in Europe

On the next Travel with Rick Steves, the star of the Doc Martin TV series — Martin Clunes (CLOONS) — tells us what he discovered while filming a documentary on the far flung outposts and islands that surround Great Britain.

We'll also look at the issues voters in Scotland are considering, as they get ready to vote next month on whether or not to secede from the rest of the United Kingdom.

And working mothers from Sweden, Slovenia, and France contrast the challenges they face in their countries.

Hear about the issues our European neighbors are talking about, on this week's Travel with Rick Steves.

• Actor Martin Clunes, host of "Islands of Britain" (ITV Productions)
• Scotland-based tour guides Anne Doig, Colin Mairs, and Liz Lister
• Ylva da Silva, tour guide based in Stockholm
• Tina Hiti, tour guide from Lake Bled, Slovenia
• Julie Sonveau, American-born tour guide based in Burgundy, France

• Gig rowers in the UK have their own website, including the annual World Pilot Gig Championships in the Scilly Islands each May. 
• The small island of Sark in the Channel Islands is the first island designated as a "dark sky" destination.
• The Guardian has an interview with Martin Clunes about his family life, and a review of his recent nature documentaries.  
• BBC News coverage of the Scottish independence campaign.
• The dominant party of the current Scottish Parliament is the Scottish National Party, which favors independence from Britain. 
• Here's a link to a dictionary of unfamiliar words to most English speakers from the Scottish vernacular.   
• Colin Mairs' website is called Excursion Scotland.

• "As a bit of an Anglophile, I especially enjoyed Martin's "Islands of Britain" series. Often when planning vacations we tend to look to destinations abroad rather than discovering 'gems' closer to home. Where is one place Martin hopes to travel beyond Britain, and one he'd like to visit within Britain?"  (Kris in Valencia, California)
• "What advice do you have for women travelling on their own to Europe? Are there things that women may do in North America which may be viewed as inappropriate or place her in 'trouble' in Europe?"  (Kathryn in Toronto, Ontario)
• "I am interested in comparing the present day experiences of European vs. North American women.  For example, education level, gender roles, occupations, etc."  (Kim in Farmington, Utah)

• Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Gavin Sutherland, cond., "Giocoso (Albert Cazabon)," English String Miniatures, 5 / Naxos
• London Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, cond., “Sea Interludes from 'Peter Grimes': Dawn (B. Britten),” Out Classics (collection) / RCA
• Catherine Ann MacPhee, "Canan Nan Gaidheal," Celtic Women from Scotland:  Songs of Love and Reflection (collection) / Greentrax
• Baltimore Consort, "Scotch Cap," The Dorian Stereo Morning Sampler (collection) / Dorian
• Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Gavin Sutherland, cond., "Renaissance Suite:  II-Pavana e gagliarda (Francis Chagrin)," English String Miniatures, 5 / Naxos
• The King’s Singers, “Skye Boat Song,”   Annie Laurie:  Folksongs of the British Isles / EMI Classics
• The New England Music Collection, “Skye Boat Song,” The Wind In the Rigging / North Star Records
• * London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox, cond., Howard Shelley, piano, "Suffolk Morris:  Ritmico (Carwithen),"  Doreen Carwithen:  Piano Concerto, Bishop Rock, ODTAA, Suffolk Suite   / Chandos
• Edward Flower and Joel Brown, guitars, “The Death of Queen Jane,” CBC Stereo Morning Sampler (collection) / Dorian
• Capercaillie, “Kepplehall-25 KTS,” Beautiful Wasteland / Ryko - Survival Records 
• Martyn Bennett, “Rye,” Bothy Culture / Rykodisc
• Jim Malcolm, "Both Sides of Tweed," Still / Beltane Records
• Jim Malcolm, "Queen Amang the Heather," Still / Beltane Records
• * Alexander Brothers, "Flowers of Edinburgh, Lass O'Patie's Mill, Teetotaller's Reel," Scotland We Love You / Scotdisc 
• David Fray, with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, “'Adagio' from 'Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1055',”  J. S. Bach Keyboard Concertos / Virgin Classics
• Nino Rota, "La Dolce Vita (Finale)," La Dolce Vita (soundtrack)  / Creazioni Artistiche Musicali (Italy)
• David Arkenstone, "No Rain, No Rainbows," Echoes of Light and Shadow / Domo Records
• Instrumental intro to Marlene Dietrich, "Lili Marlene," The Anthology 1930-1949 / Screenland Records
• Soul ‘n’ Soda, “Mokkascience,” Nikki Beach vol. 1 (collection) / Loungism Recordings
• Michelle Sell, “Arroyo,”  Secret Harbor / Sugo Music
• Pompon Finkelstein, “Lost in Reflection (based on ‘La Forza del Destino’ - Verdi),” Buddha-Bar, vol. 8 (collection) / George V Records

• In the billboard, promo, and segment A open and close, Rick refers to the segment B topic on the upcoming independence referendum in Scotland (Sept. 18, 2014) . 
• At 9:24, Martin Clunes mentions the World Gig Rowing championships.  He says he thinks they're in August, but are actually held in May.  He adds he is an official of the Port Isaac gig racing team.
• In the discussion of the island of Sark in the Channel Islands, Martin notes at 11:00 that the government of the island has just changed, including its "droit du seigneur" tradition. 
• Discussion of the Shetland Islands includes, at 12:16, how North Sea oil has brought money and infrastructure improvements to them.
• At 13:37, Martin notes that tourism to the Isle of Man took a hit when low-cost air travel within Europe made it possible to fly to warmer climates cheaply.  He adds that the island is now a banking center. 
• At 15:13, Rick says you can find the Islands of Britain documentary on You Tube. 
• The segment B interview will be outdated as of September 18, 2014, when the vote on independence is held in Scotland.  Early in the segment, Liz Lister notes that polls are showing that remaining with the UK has been leading in the polls, but trends are turning in favor of secession.  The guides also refer to the "Better Together" campaign to persuade voters to vote "no" on independence, and discuss possible implications with the UK and the European Union. 
• Jim Malcolm's song "Both Sides of Tweed" (at the end of segment B) was written by Dick Gaughan in the 1970s, and touches on the issue of Scottish secession.  The lyrics refer to the Act of Union in 1707.   
• At 42:32, Tina Hiti notes that a negative of the post-Communist political system is the financial insecurity Slovenians have over jobs and paying for school. 
• At 43:00, Julie Sonveau says she has been living in France for ten years now.   She adds there has been a recent legal change in France about contributing to the financial security of the wives of farmers and artisans. 
• At 44:07, the guests from Slovenia and France figure that women average around 75% of men's salaries, as in the USA.  Ylva points out that there is equal pay for equal work between men and women in Scandinavia, but that there are few women in top management with corporations.   At 45:08, she adds that 13 of 24 government ministers in Sweden are women, with  50% female parliamentary representatives, and 53% women on the city council of Stockholm. 
• Tina and Julie concur that there are also more women in politics than in corporate leadership in Slovenia and France.
• At 46:49, Julie says the French government provides financial help for mothers. 
• At 47:41, the guests discuss the parental leave policies in their countries. 
• At 49:14, Julie reports the law was just changed in France to prohibit beauty pageants for girls younger than age 16.
• Tina mentions there is a "Day for All Women" in Slovenia at 56:18.  (International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8.)