Program 616a: Zagreb; Natchez; Leave Only Footprints

Author Richard Grant tells us why Natchez is called the quirkiest town in Mississippi, and how the rest of America might learn from its racially charged history.

TV reporter Conor Knighton tells us about visiting each one of the U.S. National Parks in a year.

And hear how Croatia's capital city Zagreb is a hidden gem of Central Europe, and a respite from the tourist crowds of other more-famous cities.

It's on the next Travel with Rick Steves.

• Zagreb-based tour guide Darija Gotic  
• Historian and guide Benjamin Curtis, author of "A Traveller's History of Croatia" (Interlink)
• Richard Grant, author of "The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi" (Simon and Schuster)
• CBS-TV correspondent Conor Knighton, author of "Leave Only Footprints" (Crown)

• Tour guide Darija Gotic in Zagreb can be contacted through the Zagreb Guides website.
• Ben Curtis has written "A Traveller's History of Croatia" and "The Habsburgs: The History of a Dynasty." 
• Publications Richard Grant writes for include Smithsonian magazine and the New York Times.  He is the author of "The Deepest South of All."
• The website for Visit Natchez.  
• Richard's friend, Chef Regina Charboneau, is known as the "Queen of the Biscuits" and offers cooking classes in Jackson, Mississippi.
• Richard Grant talks with Rick about his experiences renovating a farmhouse on the Mississippi Delta on Travel with Rick Steves program #434a, in July 2018.
• He also describes touring options in the Mississippi Delta region on program #449 from July 2016.
• Conor Knighton writes about visiting each of 59 US national parks in one year, in his book, "Leave Only Footprints." Since writing his book, the Park Service has expanded to 63 parks, with the latest one, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, near Conor's hometown in West Virginia.

• "Why aren't more people aware of this gem? We were stationed for two years. A bargain. Surprised more people don't visit this wonderful part of Europe from Slovenia all the way through Albania." (e-mail from Henry in Silver Spring, Maryland)

• Intro to Nina Simone, "Feeling Good (Joe Claussell remix)," Verve Remixed  (various artists) / Verve
• Fanfara Tirana, "Merre lehte (Take it Easy): Neighbors' Music is Cool, Part 1," Brass Noir: On the Trans-Balkan Highway (collection) / Piranha
• Vatra, "Bunjevacko Kolo-S One Strane Dunava (On the Other Side of Danube)," Deep Polka (collection) / Smithsonian Folkways
• Milan Ilic Micko, "Brankova Setnja," Gipsy Music Collection, vol. 1 / Ton 4 Records
• Instrumental orchestral intro to Gretl Theimer, "'So lang' nach durch Wien die Donau fliesst' from 'Johann Orth der verschollene Habsburger'," Chronik deutscher Filmmusik - History of German Film Music, vol. 2: Melidie der Liebe (1931-1933) (collection) / Jube
• Balkan Transit, "Bulko Erinko," Balkan Transit / Gega (Bulgaria)
• Klapa Nostalgija, "Mila Mi Je Govorila Majka," Dalmatinske Pjesma Dinka Fia / Best Music (Croatia)
• * Xavier Puertas, Hespèrion XXI, Jordi Savall, cond., "Biljana," Esprit des Balkans (collection) / Ali Vox
• Etta Baker, "One Dime Blues," Blues Routes (collection) / Smithsonian Folkways
• R.L. Burnside, "It's Bad You Know," Come On In / Fat Possum
• Americus Brass Band, "Kingdom Coming Quick Step," Music of the Civil War / Summit Records
• Henry Kaiser, "Autumn Waltz," Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster (collection) / American
• Mose Vinson, "Darktown Strutter's Ball," Piano Man / Center for Southern Folklore (Memphis)
• Sonny Treadway, "Jesus Will Fix It For You," None but the Righteous: Masters of Sacred Steel (collection) / Rope A Dope Records
• Tina Turner, "Mississippi Rollin' Stone," Ike & Tina: Sexy Seductive Provocative / Paula Records
• * Nina Simone, "Summertime," The Very Best of Nina Simone, disc 2 / Disconforme
• Keith Frank, "Everybody Get Up," What's His Name? / Maison de Soul
• Robert Mirabal, "Yellow Ram's Song," Song Carrier / Silver Wave
• Mark O'Connor and the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, "Fall" (from 'Seasons of an American Life' for violin and orchestra), The American Seasons / Sony
• Matt Flinner, "The Narrows," Compass Records Sampler, vol. 2 (collection) / Compass
• Adelicia Ensemble, "'Connecticut Country Fair' from 'New England Suite' (Vally Weigl)," Music for the Appalachian Trail / Gasparo Records 
• Matthias Gohl, "Across the Missouri (Oh Shenandoah!)," Ken Burns' 'The West' (soundtrack) / Sony
• David Arkenstone, "Yosemite," KTCZ Cities Sampler vol. 3 (collection) / (custom)
• Herb Ellis, "America the Beautiful," Texas Swings / Justice Records-Fontana
• Mike Toppins, "American Pie," Original Dueling Banjos: The Sequel (collection) / CMH Records

* Indicates filler music used during breaks

• At 9:34, Ben says Zagreb's "star is rising on the tourism front," but it remains less crowded than Dubrovnik and Vienna. At 12:33, Darija describes the "Zest is the Best" street art festival in Zagreb, held in late May/early June.
• Rick says at 18:40 that Zagreb's Museum of Naïve Art is closed "for the next few years" for renovations, but that some of its exhibits are on display at a nearby gallery.
• At 26:15, Richard describes the "Spring Pilgrimage" tourism events of Natchez. He adds that there is a more honest assessment now of Natchez' wealth, generated by the slave trade.
• At 36:20, Rick refers to recent demonstrations in the US over racial issues and "conversations about race."
• At 47:28, Rick notes that Conor is "socially distanced" at his home studio.
• Rick notes that Conor visited 59 national parks, at 57:25. (Their number has now climbed since his national parks year, to 63 designated parks.)