Program 410b: Marrying an American; Flatlands; Sightseeing Communist History

It's been a generation now, since the nations of the former Warsaw Pact emerged from living under Soviet Communism.  On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, learn about the sites you can visit in Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to get a feel for the Communist era in central Europe.

We'll also explore the allure of a road trip in the flatlands of Mid-America, where the unobstructed view makes the sky seem closer. 

And hear what kind of cross-cultural issues can emerge when Europeans marry Americans.

• David Tordi, tour guide and musician, based in Orvieto, Italy
• Roy Nicholls, tour guide and historian, based in the Dorset region of southern England
• Travel writer / TV host Robert Reid
• George Farkas, Katerina Svobodova, and Beata McCommas, tour guides raised in former Warsaw Pact communist countries of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Poland.

• David Tordi provides custom tours of central Italy, in person and on line.
• Roy Nicholls offers custom tour guiding in Britain.
• Robert Reid wrote "How to Fall in Love with Flatlands" for Transitions Abroad in 2014.
• Robert hosts "Gallery America" on OETA in Oklahoma. Episodes are also available to view on the PBS website.
• You can listen to Robert's road trip recommendations along the Lincoln Trail on Travel with Rick Steves program #328, and Rock and Roll Sites on program #333 from the summer of 2013.
• In Budapest, Memento Park (also known as Statue Park)shows the large Soviet style statues daily from 10am to dusk. The House of Terror museum includes files that were collected on Hungarian citizens.
• In Prague, the Museum of Communism is open daily. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism is a series of statues of "disappearing men."
• The European Solidarity Centre is in Gdansk, Poland.
• Katerina Svobodova provide custom tours of Prague.
• George Farkas offers private tours in Budapest.

• "My wife and I grew up in central Kansas - some pretty 'flat lands.' We both recall seeing brilliant flashing northern lights." (Max in Sammamish, Washington)
• "I prefer seas and mountains because I grew up in Illinois, which defines 'flatland.' Having said that, I have had some enjoyable prairie experiences. After I got my undergraduate degree, I had an internship in Springfield. I took a couple of extended bicycle trips, including to Lincoln's New Salem. These were great experiences, and I discovered some not-well-marked history." (Craig in Chicago)
• "Someone once observed that when you drive through Texas, you can see the farthest and, at the same time, see the least. How would your guest counter that observation?" (e-mail from Fritz in Philadelphia)

• Jordan de la Sierra,"Nimbu-Pani (The Lemon-Water Song)," Global Voyage (collection) / Global Pacific Records
• Ruth Laredo, "Etudes - Tableaux for piano, op. 39 no. 6 in A minor (Rachmaninov)," Rachmaninov Etudes-Tableaux:  The Complete Solo Piano Music No. 5  / Sony Classical
• Caroline Goulding, "Souvenir d'Amerique (variations on 'Yankee Doodle'), op. 17 (Henri Vieuxtemps)," Caroline Goulding / Telarc
• Adelicia Ensemble, "'Connecticut Country Fair' from 'New England Suite' (Vally Weigl)," Music for the Appalachian Trail / Gasparo Records 
• Caroline Goulding, "It Ain't Necessarily So (from 'Porgy and Bess') (Gershwin, arr. Heifetz)," Caroline Goulding / Telarc
• Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, Scott Yoo, conductor, featuring Mark O'Connor, "Strings and Threads, Suite X:  Queen of the Cumberland (composed by Mark O'Connor)," The American Seasons / Sony 
• Blossom Dearie, "You Fascinate Me So," My Gentleman Friend / Verve
• * Merchants of Moonshine, "Texas Toast," More Than Whiskey / (self-released)
• Connie and Babe, with Red Roberts, "Cruel Willie," Blue Trail of Sorrow  (collection) / Rounder
• Steve Roach, Kevin Braheny, Richard Burmer, "The Breathing Stone," Western Spaces / Chameleon
• Black Lodge Singers, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," Kids' Pow-Wow Songs / Canyon Records
• John Williams, "The American Process,"  Lincoln (soundtrack) / Sony Classical
• Mark Isham, "A River Runs Through It," from the original soundtrack to "A River Runs Through It" (Silver Screen edition) / Milan Records
• Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Aoneko No Torso," Smoochy / Milan
• Jay Ungar, et al, "Old French (Dancing with the Mandans)" (traditional melody, arranged by Ken Burns),  Lewis and Clark:  The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (soundtrack) / RCA
• * Mark Isham, "A Fine Fisherman and The Big Black-Foot River," A River Runs Through It (soundtrack) / Milan Records
• Magyar Nephadsereg Muveszegyuttes Enekes Zenekara, "Polyushka," The Best of Communism:  Revolutionary Songs (collection) / Gong (recorded in 1968 in Hungary)
• New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur, conductor, "Slavonic Dance op. 72, no. 2:  'Dumka' (Dvorak)," Sensual Classics, Too / Teldec
• London Festival Orchestra, "Hungarian Dances No. 8-La Menor (Brahms)," Hungarian Dances 1-21 / EMP
• London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras cond., Ofra Harnoy, cello, "String Quartet No. 1 in D major - andante cantabile (Tchaikovsky)," Out Classics (collection) / RCA Victor Red Seal
• Cleveland Quartet, "String Quartet No. 14-molto vivace (Dvorak)," Dvorak: Quartet No. 12 and 14 / Telarc

*Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• In the open to segment A, Rick says "it's hard to believe it's already been a generation since the fall of communism in Europe…"
• At 37:49, Rick says you can search the show archives to listen to Robert Reid's earlier appearances on Travel with Rick Steves, discussing the Lincoln Trail and Oklahoma City, in summer 2013 and November 2014.
• The segment C interview discusses many "new," or recently opened museums that highlight the Communist era in the Eastern Bloc countries.