Program 723: Fragile Countries; Hiking with Children; Exploring Romania

Travel outside your familiar comfort zone, on the next Travel with Rick Steves:

Journalist Sophy Roberts explains why she travels to countries that most people would have a good reason to avoid.

Hiking guide Cassandra Overby tells us how she takes her young children with her, as they explore the historic hiking trails of Europe.

And tour guide Tim Tendick reports in from Romania on what he enjoys most about that country's less-traveled Old World scene.

• Journalist Sophy Roberts, author of "The Lost Pianos of Siberia" (Grove Press)
• Cassandra Overby, author of "Explore Europe on Foot" (Mountaineers Press)
• Tour guide Tim Tendick

• Sophy Roberts is a freelance journalist, whose articles appear in the Financial Times and other international publications.
• Sophy describes her search for a decent piano to give to a Mongolian pianist in her book "The Lost Pianos of Siberia."
• Cassandra Overby is the author of "Explore Europe on Foot," which includes mile by mile information for 15 long distance walking trails.
• The Wilderness Society offers tips for hiking with children.
• Cassandra spoke with Rick about hiking the historic trails of Europe on Travel with Rick Steves program #709 in April 2023.  She also talked about long-distance hiking in Europe on programs #562 and #575 in 2019, and program #598 in 2020, which you can find in the show archives.
• Tour guide Tim Tendick leads a 13-day tour of Romania. He posts photos from his excursions in Romania on his Vagabond Urges website.

• Country Fair, "Der Froliche Wandersmann," Oktoberfest / Columbia River Entertainment
• Marcel Budala, "Hora rudarenolor," Sounds of Romania (collection) / World Wide
• Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Lorenz and Watson," BTTB / Sony Masterworks
• Balafon Marimba Ensemble, "I Already Have A Husband," The Best of World Music, vol. 2: Instrumental (collection) / Putumayo
• English Chamber Orchestra, Paul Goodwin, cond., "Nursery Suite for Orchestra, III: 'Busy-ness' (Elgar)," A Classical Odyssey (collection) / NARM
• Manu Chao, "Sone Otro Mundo, " La Radiolina / Nacional Records
• Shantel, "Bucovina," Gypsy Groove (collection) / Putumayo
• * Los Ultrasonoros, "Baja," Rebel Burlesque! / Brano Media
• CEZ_TBX_0101_01101_Afternoon_Tea_APM
• Rob van Kreeveld, "@ My Age," Rob van Kreeveld / Radio Netherlands Music
• Psychograss, "Love on Three Levels," Windham Hill Sampler '94 (collection) / Windham Hill
• SON_ISCD_0212_01601_Highly_Delighted_APM
• Willie & Lobo, "Alegría," Gypsy Boogaloo / Mesa-Blue Moon Records
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2009, "Comin' Through the Rye," The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2005-2009 / Bob Frank Distribution
• Milan Ilic Micko, "Brankova Setnja," Gipsy Music Collection, vol. 1 / Ton 4 Records
• Johnny Mercer with The Pied Pipers, "Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah," Small Fry: Capitol Sings Kids' Songs for Grown-Ups (collection) / Capitol
• * Symfunny Orchestra, "Summertime (Gershwin)," Jazz Classiks on Toys / Atma
• KPM_KPM_0102_01401_Transylvanian_Festival_APM
• KPM_KPMWM_0057_00301_Promoroaca_a_APM
• Musicians of the Mezoseg Region, "Hallot-Kisero," Globe Trot: Music of the Earth Sampler (collection) / Music of the Earth
• Lee Ritenour, Gil Shaham, Dave Grusin, et al, "Six Romanian Folk Dances (Bartok, SZ 56)," Amparo (soundtrack) / Decca
• Roberto De Brasov, "Eté Indien," Les musiques du Sud / Al Sur (France)

* Indicates filler music used during breaks

• In a reset at 12:05, Rick notes that Sophy is "working on a new book about Central and East Africa, due out in 2024."
• Rick mentions Cassandra's daughter June as being 4 1/2 years old at 22:22, and again at 26:06, when he adds that Ginger is 2 1/2 years old.  Rick notes at 23:08 that he has a new grandchild, Atlas.
• At 30:21, Rick says that Tim Tendick is working out details of a Romania tour he's organizing.
• In the open to segment C, Rick calls Romania "surprisingly untouristed" and uncrowded.
• In a reset at 45:20, Rick states that Tim has been leading tours for a decade, and has lately been exploring Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia.
• Tim says at 56:42 that the neo-Renaissance Peles castle gets about 300,000 visitors a year, and that most of them are Romanians, contrasted with annual visitor counts in the millions for a popular castle in Germany.