Program 627: Guanajuato & Querétaro; Patricia Schultz Places to See; Where I Really Want to Go

Even while a global pandemic plays havoc with our travel plans, on the next Travel with Rick Steves, we'll take refuge in our fondest travel memories, and start looking at the places we're eager to visit.

We'll explore what the picturesque cities of central Mexico have to offer, a few hours north of the capital. And the author of the "1000 Places to See Before You Die" series recommends some of her favorite destinations. Plus, listeners tell us the first places they hope to visit, once it's safe for them to travel overseas again.

• Julie Meade, author of the "Moon San Miguel de Allende" guidebook (Avalon Travel)
• Patricia Schultz, author of "1000 Places to See Before You Die" and "1000 Places to See in the U.S. and Canada Before You Die" (Workman Publishing)

• Wikipedia calls Mexico's Bajío one of the fastest growing regions in the country.
• Julie Meade is the author of Moon Mexico City and the Moon San Miguel de Allende guidebook, which includes extensive sections on Guanajuato and Querétaro.
• Julie tells us more about San Miguel de Allende on Travel with Rick Steves program #596 from March 2020, and about Mexico City on program #577 from September 2019.
• The "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" book series by Patricia Schultz includes a recently-issued large coffeetable deluxe edition, illustrated with more than 1,000 scenic photographs she selected.
• While Rick hasn't featured Slovakia on his TV show yet, he does feature information about its capital Bratislava on his website.
• Caller Judy is using the Greenways Travel Club for a self-guided hike from Vienna to Prague.
• Caller Jack is also the author of several novels and mystery books set in Italy, including the three-part "Milan Thriller Series."

• "We have traveled in several of the Eastern European countries and keep coming back to Slovakia. This is someplace you have not been to other than Bratislava and there is much more to see. They have some of the oldest Castles in Europe, Wooden Churches, the Tatra Mountains and especially very friendly people." (Steve in West Chester, Pennsylvania)
• "I traveled to Vienna and Prague about four years ago and enjoyed both so much that I thought I would like to return to each of them. In Vienna I loved the coffee shops and the sausage stands after dark for people watching; in Prague I fell in love with the architecture and the history, especially the Velvet Revolution. I'm planning to return to both Vienna and Prague next year with a hike through the south of the Czech Republic in between the two cities via Greenways Vienna to Prague hiking trail." (Judy in San Jose, California)
• "My first place I'll go to will be Paris to see a special friend and celebrate my 60th birthday, then to Germany to visit my nephew and his family, and finally England to see old friends I met when living there." (Caroline in Lake Forest Park, Washington)
• "I'd love to return to Stresa on Lago Maggiore (Italy). Stresa is on the southern shore, surrounded by mountains and in the distance, the Swiss Alps. Offshore are three small islands, Isola Pescatori, Isola Bella, and Isola Madre. You can take a hop on - hop off ferry to each island, stroll around, visit museums and gardens, and enjoy an authentic Italian meal on Isola Pescatori before returning to Stresa." (Jack in Monterey, California)

• Companie Chez Bousca, "J'ai un petit coq," Chants de Quete de la periode de Pâques / Ocora-Radio France
• Orquesta Filharmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico, "Sones de mariachi," México Sinfónico. disc 4 (collection) / Prodisc
• Grupo Siembra, "La Rosita (son arribeño de Querétaro)," Geografía Musical de México, vol. 2 / Agave Music
• intro to Linda Ronstadt, "Por Un Amor," Canciones de Mi Padre / Asylum
• Don Tosti, Mariachi Los Caporales del Norte, "El Bracero y la Pachuca," Pachuco Boogie: Historic Mexican-American Music, vol. 10 / Arhoolie
• Mariachi Sol de Mexico, "Caminos de Guanajuato (from "Homanaje a José Alfredo Jiménez" medley). Leyendas de me Pueblo / Serenata
• * Mariachi Sol, "El jarabe," Kahlo, Passion and Music (collection) / Museum Music
• Brooklyn Funk Essentials, "Keep It Together," In the Buzz Bag / DoubleMoon (Turkey)
• Faramarz Aslani, "Palapal," Roozhaye Tahraneh Va Andooh / Caltex Records
• intro to Cantus, "Benedicta Sit Sancta Trinitas: Introit," Cantus / (self-released)
• Nexus, "Palta, variations on a theme for percussion," Dance of the Octopus / CBC Records
• Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, "Legend of Herlen," Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble:  Silk Road Journeys / Sony
• Bliss, "Kalimantan (feat. Lotus)," Blue / (self-released)
• The Blue Nile, "Headlights on the Parade," Hats / Linn Records-A&M-Virgin
• Sergio Mendes, Brasil '66, "Pretty World," Greatest Hits / A&M
• * Songhai, "Pozo del Deseo," Songhai 2 / Hannibal Records
• intro to Amparanoia, "Don't Leave Me Now," Latin Lounge / Putumayo
• Prague Castle Orchestra, "Maly Myslivecek," Ta nase pisnicka ceska / Bua International (Czech)
• Michel Legrand, "'Generique' theme from the film 'Les Parapluies de Cherbourg,'" Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (soundtrack) / Sony Music Entertainment (France)
• Bill Withers, "Lovely Day," Living Legends: R&B Soul (collection) / Music World Music

• Rick refers to "before the shutdowns" in referencing a Patricia Schultz quote in this week's billboard. He opens segment A, encouraging that travel will resume, "eventually."
• At the start of segments A and B, Rick notes that the interviews were recorded "prior to the Covid outbreak."
• Rick also refers to the global pandemic and its effects on travel plans throughout the segment C open phones segment.
• At 41:10, Rick tells caller Steve that he's produced 100 TV shows, but yet to feature Slovakia.