Program 682: Europe by the Book; Berlin Day Trips; Mexico City 2022

On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we'll hear what life is like in Mexico City this year, from an expat American who's made it his home.

German tour guides offer tips for great day trips from Berlin, where historic towns and countryside retreats can show you many facets of Germany's past.

And a Harvard professor of comparative literature recommends classic and contemporary titles you can enjoy reading, for a taste of life in far away places.

• Harvard professor David Damrosch, author of "Around the World in 80 Books" (Penguin)
• German tour guides Caroline Marburger, Holger Zimmer, Fabian Rueger
• David Lida, author of "One Life" (The Unnamed Press) and "First Stop in the New World: Mexico City, the Capital of the 21st Century" (Riverhead Books)

• David Damrosch chairs the Department of Comparative Literature at Harvard University, and heads the Institute for World Literature. He's written "Around the World in 80 Books" to recommend classic and modern works that "are in conversation with one another and with the world around them."
• Caroline Marburger's Facebook page includes her contact information.
• Fabian Rueger has been working on an app called Packupine to help you plan how to pack for a variety of trip scenarios.
• Holger Zimmer can be reached for custom tours at [email protected]
• David Lida is the author of "One Life," loosely based on his mitigation work on behalf of undocumented Mexicans charged with capital offenses in the US. He also wrote "First Stop in the New World," to describe how Mexico City is poised to be the Western Hemisphere's most important city in the 21st century. 
• David spoke with Rick about living as an "expat in Mexico City" on Travel with Rick Steves program #523a in September 2020. He and Rick also discussed his work with Mexican nationals charged with a capital crime in the US as a legal mitigation specialist on program #498 in September 2017.

• "Is there a way to find sites near Berlin that are related to WWII?" Caller asks specifically about Dresden, and development of the V2 rocket. (Richard in Denver, Colorado)
• "While in Berlin we visited Sachsenhausen. This little-remembered camp was the test camp for so many of the horrors that followed in other concentration camps. It was a sobering, if toned down, and accessible, introduction to this kind of experience." Caller adds that he found it a preferable introduction for younger travelers to the concentration camp history. (Tim in Milaca, Minnesota)

• Los De Abajo, "Vuelvo a Comenzar," Cybertropic Chilango Power / Luaka Bop
• Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ), "Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, III-Allegro (BWV 1051, J. S.  Bach)," For Thy Pleasure:  J. S. Bach and Other Baroque Masters / Delos
• Infernal, "Mizkett," 'Sun' by Claude Challe, disc 2 (collection) / Chall'o Music-Wagram (France)
• Tapiola Sinfonietta, Hanna Juutilainen, "Suite paysanne hongroise: Vielle Danses XI-Allegretto (Bartok)," Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Divertimento and Other Works / Bis 
• Budapest Strings, James Balint, Imre Kovaks, "Il Carnevale di Venezia, op. 78 (Giulio Briccaldi)," Carnevale di Venezia / Capriccio
• * The BBC Concert Orchestra, "Around the World in 80 Days," Music from the Silver Screen / Chapel Music
• Bob Telson, "Calliope," Bagdad Café (soundtrack) / Great Jones-Island Records
• Funkhaus, "Funkhaus Soul," Berlin Lounge-Berlin By Day (collection) / Wagram
• Munchener Bach Orchester, Karl Richter, conductor, "Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, III: Allegro (J.S. Bach)," Bach: 6 Brandenburg Concertos, 4 Ouvertures, Tripel Concerto BWV 1044 / Deutsche Grammophon  
• David Fray, "'Presto' from Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056 (J. S. Bach), J. S Bach Keyboard Concertos / Virgin Classics
• Turk Murphy, "Moritat Vom Mackie Messer (from 'The Threepenny Opera')," Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill:  The American Theatre Songs / Sony Classical
• * Ensemble Sones de Mexico, "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, 2nd movement (Bach)," Esta Tierra es Tuya / Sones de Mexico
• Orquesta Filharmónica de la Ciudad de México, Alberto Chibras, cond, "Danzón N2 'La Valentina'," México Sinfónico, disc 1 (collection) / PMD
• Tin Tan, "Piel canela," Germán Valdés Tin Tán a 40 años / Sony Music (Mexico)
• Charanga Cakewalk, "Carmela," Latin Lounge / Putumayo
• Unspecified street musicians, "Ya Volverás," Mexique - Mexico / Air Mail Music
• Trio Mexico, "Tehuantepec," La Canción Oaxaqueña: Dulce, Amante, Romántica / Producciones Mexicanas Discográficas
• Missa Mexicana, Arturo Quezadas, conductor, "Gloria (comp. Jesus Echevarria)," Missa Mexicana, op 172 /  Conaculta (Mexico)
• Carlos Gardell, "Yira Yira," Kahlo, Passion and Music (collection) / Museum Music
• Orquesta Filharmónica de la Ciudad de México, "Me he de comer esa tuna," México Sinfónico, disc 2 (collection) / PMD

• Rick refers to "this year in Mexico City" and "summer day trips" from Berlin in this week’s billboard.
• At 8:15, Rick says "Around the World in 80 Books" was just released.  He also discusses how reading literature helped with enduring the pandemic shut-downs.
• In the reset at 29:32, Rick mentions that the conversation was recorded "pre-pandemic."
• At 42:16, David Lida lists some of the progressive social changes instituted by the mayor of Mexico City, who served from 2006-2012. 
• Rick cites the population of Mexico City at 9-million, and more than 20-million for the metro area, at 47:13.  He later adds that 1% of Mexico controls 40% of its wealth, after David mentions that half of the city’s economy is "informal."