Program 617: Dutch Masters; Where I Want to Go; Bird Brains

Find out what the art of the Dutch Masters can reveal about the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, and why Holland and Belgium were so different from the rest of Europe.
Learn about the intelligence and personalities of different bird species around the world, and what they might teach us about what it means to be human.
Plus listeners share where they want to go next, after their travel plans have been postponed by this year's global shutdowns.
It's all on the next Travel with Rick Steves.

• Nico Favoreel, tour guide from Belgium
• Jody van Engelsdorp, tour guide from the Netherlands
• Bird expert Noah Stryker, author of "The Thing with Feathers" (Riverhead Books) and "Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America" (National Geographic)

• Examples from Dutch art masters are included on the Holland.com website.
• The massive Muller organ at St. Bavo church is the largest in Haarlem, which offers free concerts in the summer months.
• Rick blogs about filming some of the great art of the Netherlands for his TV show.
• Many of the Europe-based tour guides that Rick interviews are hosting online touring experiences during this year's closures. We have links to their offerings on our website.
• Noah Strycker's website includes information about his books and his work as a global birder.  Noah is also a contributing editor at Birding magazine.
• Noah notes that Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, Oregon is one of the best places in the Lower 48 to observe puffins, from April through August.
• Noah points out that there are a number of videos showing starling murmurations on You Tube, as well as evidence of a crow playing on a snowy roof.

• "Ten years ago in August, my husband and I traveled to Belgium and Germany on our honeymoon. We went from Bruges to Brussels to Rottenburg, Munich and Bavaria, and back to the US. We visited parks and monasteries, drank delicious beer and ate marvelous food. This year we were going to re-live that first trip to Europe as a married couple, a little older but a lot more travel savvy. As soon as its safe for everyone, we look forward to retracing our steps and enjoying Belgium and Germany." (Elizabeth in Media, Pennsylvania)
• "Ikaria, named after Icarus who flew too close to the sun and washed ashore on this little Aegean island, is where we want to go next. Why? For hundreds of years, Ikarians are known to live long full lives. They are very social, the coffee shops open late so the farmers returning from their labors can visit. Besides beautiful beaches, the tiny island is also known for religious festivals that include eating, drinking, and dancing that go into the wee hours of the next day, and enjoyed by the whole family" (Miguel in Olympia, Washington)
• "My husband and I have dreamed of going back to Edinburgh for years. We spent one day there in 2005. We were planning on going this past April. We're hoping for another attempt in the spring of 2021. We've been reading up, watching videos and dreaming of the day we can visit Edinburgh Castle, and daytrip to Luss where my ancestors were from." (Mary in Wilder, Kentucky)
• "When travel to Europe becomes available again, I would like to take my family to Italy. My wife and I did a pre-honeymoon to Rome and Florence back in 2015 and fell in love, and would love to take our two young kids. We have done the train before in Europe with the kids; but it was a struggle. For this trip I am considering renting a car." Rick recommends using a car in the Italian countryside, but not in the bigger cities, and to travel in the shoulder season. (Andy in Buford, Georgia)
• "We had to cancel our long-planned 2020 October trip to France and Belgium and I still need to cancel some of the lodging reservations (sigh)… so we may just rebook." Caller notes that she's enjoying online tour guide city explorations in the meantime. (Carolyn in San Diego)
• "We've loved seeing puffins on Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, Oregon in the summertime, and bald eagles, early in the morning, at Sparks Lake in the Cascades near Mt. Bachelor. Do you have any recommendations for a good pair of binoculars that would help us see them close-up?" (email from Ali in Spokane, Washington)

• Uman, "Bird's Eye View (Rhythmic Remix)," Traveler '99 (collection) / Six Degrees Records
• Ostraka, "Recercada Segunda sobre el passamezzo moderno (Diego Ortiz)," Sunday Baroque: Hand Picked, vol. 2 (collection) / WSHU
• Wout van Andel, "Skizze, op. 58 III: Lebhaft (Schumann)," Grote Kerk, Apeldoorn / P4Y JQZ
• Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood cond., "'Rondeau' from 'Abdelazer'" (Purcell), Editions de L-Oiseau-Lyre: The Original Sound (compilation) / L'Oiseau-Lyre - Decca
• Ralph Rousseau, "La montguichet," Chansons d'amour / Challenge Classics
• Wolfgang Boettcher, cello, "Sonate-Massig schell, Gemachlich (Hindemuth)," Dalí: Musica Surreal (collection) / Museum Music 
• Jean-Pierre Rampal and Wolfgang Schultz, "Echo for Two Flutes (Haydn)," Almanac 1992 Highlights of the Year (sampler) / Sony Classical
•  * Christopher Wilke, lute, "Sonata in E-flat major: III (Johan Adolf Hasse)," Sunday Baroque: Hand Picked, vol. 2 (collection) / WSHU
• Michel Legrand, "La Comedie Italienne (from 'Sports et divertissements') (Satie)," Erik Satie by Michel Legrand / Erato
• Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, "Les feuilles mortes," from the soundtrack to the Joseph Kosma film, "Les portes de la nuit," Musiques de films de Marcel Carné / EMI Classics  
• Bavarian Band, "The Way to the Heart," Bavaria-15 All Time Favorites (collection) / Medacy
• intro to Haris Alexiou, "Tampakiera," Live '92-'97 / Mercury-Polygram (Greece)
• Lynne Arriale Trio, "Red is the Rose," Come Together / Motema Music
• Leandre Ethier, "On Court Toujours," Prendre Le Temps / Audiogram (Quebec)
•  * Vince Guaraldi Trio, "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," The West Coast Jazz Box (collection) / Contemporary
• Joaquin Lievano, "Parrot Talk," Global Voyage (sampler) / Global Pacific
• Katia and Marielle Labeque, "'Voliere' from 'Le Carnival des Animaux' (Saint-Saens)," Carnival! (various artists) / The Rainforest Foundation-RCA Victor
• Ian Pooley, "Sundowner," Berlin Lounge-Berlin by Night (collection) / Wagram (France)
• Ketama-Diabate-Soto, "Pozo del deseo," Songhai 2 / Hannibal
• Paul Winter, "Meadowlark," Crestone / Living Music
• Penguin Café Orchestra, "Perpetuum Mobile (2008 digital remaster)," Signs of Life / Virgin
• Beaux Arts Trio, "Trio No. 1 in D-minor, op. 49, 3-Scherzo (Mendelssohn)," Dvorak & Mendelssohn Trios / Guilde Internationale du Disque 
• Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia, "The Healing Bird," Six Fables - based on the writings of vardan aigektsi / Pomegranate Music

• Rick refers to "waiting for the world to open up safely again" at 6:49 in the segment A open, and "putting your travel plans on hold this year" at the end of segment A, and throughout segment B this week.
• Jody says at 8:58 that the church with the largest organ in Haarlem has concerts every Thursday in the summertime.
• Segment B consists of calls from listeners outlining their thwarted travel plans "this year" (2020), and discussing with Rick where they are eager to visit in Europe "when the world opens up again."  
• Rick tells caller Carolyn near the end of segment B that we have links to many free tour guide online virtual tour experiences on our website.
• At the end of segment B, Rick notes that we are observing 15 years of Travel with Rick Steves, by occasionally airing favorite interview from past years, in setting up the Noah Strycker interview for segment C.