Program 387: Surviving Sinterklaas; Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey

Experience vicarious time travel as actress Joanna Lumley describes the memorable connections she made at the iconic sites of ancient Greece, then hear about some of the holiday traditions that get the season underway in the Netherlands and Sweden. Plus we’ll discuss how easy it is to enjoy the grandeur of great churches all over Europe, no matter what your beliefs.

• Jonathan Groubert, host of the "What's Up Amsterdam" podcast 
• Marita Bergman, tour guide based in Stockholm
• Actress Joanna Lumley, presenter of "Joanna Lumley's Greece"
• Gene Openshaw, co-author of Rick Steves' "Europe 101" 

• Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey is distributed on DVD by Acorn Media. Acorn.TV also provides streaming of the series. 
• Joanna Lumley's career is outlined on Wikipedia.  Her human rights work includes campaigning on behalf of indigenous populations with Survival International.
• Joanna describes to us what it was like to meet Greek international singing legend Nana Mouskouri at Epidauros.
• Gene Openshaw co-authors the Rick Steves Europe 101 book on art and history for travelers.    
• Visitors can stay at the monastery at San Giorgio Maggiore church, which Rick and Gene describe as a short ride across the water from the crowded Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice.