Program 767: Eastern European Folklore; Unknown Balkans; Milan

On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we'll look at the narratives that people in eastern Europe have been telling about themselves for generations in their national folklore.

We'll also hear how three of the smaller nations of the Balkan Peninsula are emerging as "backdoor" tourism destinations.

And for an encounter with high-fashion society, guides from Italy recommend where to go for cocktails and people watching in Italy's business capital, Milan.

• Jacob Mikanowski, author of "Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land" (Pantheon)
• Stefan Bozadzhiev, tour guide based in Sofia, Bulgaria
• Alfredo Vitale and Donald White, tour guides based in Italy

• Jacob Mikanowski is the author of "Goodbye Eastern Europe."
• Jacob spoke further with Rick about the "Vampires of Eastern Europe" on Travel with Rick Steves program #732 in October 2023, and they discuss recent challenges in the eastern half of Europe on program #746 from March 2024.
• Stefan Bozadzhiev blogs about Bulgaria travel on Facebook, and offers tours of Bulgaria and neighboring countries through Lyuba Tours, based in Sofia.
• Rick blogs about visiting Kosovo, and he explored first impressions of Albania on Travel with Rick Steves program #372 in 2014. He also got impressions of visiting Macedonia before it officially was renamed "North Macedonia" from Australia-based tour guide David Willett on Travel with Rick Steves program #484 in 2017.
• Alfredo Cafasso Vitale offers private tours in Naples and Italy's Campania region, and hosts the Cooking with Alcavi page on Instagram.
• The Rick Steves destination guide to Milan.
• Information for making reservations to view Da Vinci's "The Last Supper."
• English-language guide to performances at La Scala in Milan.

• "The best fashion viewing is at aperitivo time in Milan. My favorites are the Bulgari Hotel and the Dolce & Gabbana establishments. Killer outfits on the patrons and more upscale treats to go with your drink. Go at 7pm to get a seat then watch the show as the natives come in a bit later. Views are at Rinascente department store on the top level, where you are eye to eye with the sculpture at the top of the Duomo." (Lynn in Kew Gardens, New York)

• LQC_INSD_0095_03201_Man_in_Moscow_APM
• Rembranzas, "Amor en Budapest," Queridos Viejos / EPSA Music
• Muzsikas, "Dunántuli Ugrosok (Transdanubian 'Urgos')," Bartok Album / Hannibal
• Lee Ritenour, Gil Shaham, Dave Grusin, et al., "Six Romanian Folk Dances (Bartok, SZ 56)," Amparo (soundtrack) / Decca
• Arvo Leibur, "Suite on Estonian Dances: II - The Shephards' Tune" (Eduard Tubin), Tubin: Complete Music for Violin, Viola, and Piano / BIS
• Paul Hillier, Tallin Chamber Orchestra, "Linu Druva (Estonian folk song 'The Flax Field')," Baltic Voices 1 / harmonia mundi
• SON_SAS_0038_03201_Romanian_Gypsy_A_APM
• * Minnesota Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, cond., "Dance Suite: Moderato (Bartok)," Dalí: Música Surreal (collection) / Museum Music
• Hot Strings, "Swing from Berne with Love," Swingin' Round Switzerland (collection) / Swiss Radio International-Musica Helvetica
• MYMA_JUSTE_0010_01301_Vojvodina_-_Dance_Banat_APM
• KPM_KPMWM_0057_00301_Promoroaca_a_APM
• Fanfara Tirana, "Merre lehte (Take it Easy): Neighbors' Music is Cool, Part 1," Brass Noir: On the Trans-Balkan Highway (collection) / Piranha
• Balkan Beat Box, "Sunday Arak," Gypsy Groove (collection) / Putumayo
• SOHO_SOHO_0198_05001_Bazaar_Market_-_Osman_Aga_APM
• CEZ_MAG_6058_00901_Balkan_Fever_alternate_instrumental_APM
• Grup Balkan Ekspres, "Roman Oyun Havasi," Balkan Messengers / Kalan Ses (Turkey)
• Magnifico, "Hir aj kam hir aj go," Export Import / Sony (Slovenia)
• 2FM_2FM_0049_04301_Slick_&_Suave_APM
• * Bela Fleck, "Mazurka in F-sharp minor (Chopin)," Perpetual Motion / Sony Classical
• Paul Speer, "Mediterranean Highway," Oculus / Rainstorm Records (paulspeer.com)
• Thievery Corporation, "Barrio Alto," ESL Soundtracks - Modular Systems (collection) / Eighteenth Street Lounge Music
• Fiamma Fumana, "Check In," Euro Groove (collection) / Putumayo
• Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala (Riccardo Muti, cond.), "Va pensiero (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, from the opera 'Nabucco' by Verdi)," Aria: A Passion for Opera (collection) / EMI Classics
• Soul 'n' Soda, "Mokkascience," Nikki Beach vol. 1 (collection) / Loungism Recordings
• Intro to Chris Rea, "On the Beach," KKSF Sampler for AIDS Relief, vol. 5 (collection) / (custom)
• Il Canto Gregoriano di Milano, "In a Landscape, for piano or harp," A Choir of Angels / Civic Classics
• Jellyfish, "Appreciation (radio mix)," Cafe del Mar, vol. 5 (collection) / MCA
• FDH_FDHLP_0126_00201_Las_Vegas_Lady_APM

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• The segment B topic centers on tourism growth and sites to visit in the "undiscovered" southern Balkan nations of Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.
• Caller Lynn mentions the Bulgari Hotel and the Dolce & Gabbana café as recommended places for a cocktail, appetizers, and people watching, starting at 46:47, and later describes Bar Basso (where the "aperitivo" originated). 
• The guides in segment C mention a number of recommended restaurants and shops at various points in the interview. At 54:08, Alfredo mentions the "new" Fondazione Prada as a beautiful setting for contemporary art and Fashion Week activities.
• The three haiku, read at 57:15, are all about warm, inviting beaches.

Pgm #664 By the Water Haiku Awards

Adventure beckons.
Umbrella rainbow. Sparkling
Waves. Warm sand. Cold Beer.

— Staci Backauskas, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Heavenly footprint
Coral reef turquoise lagoon
Baskets, shark teeth, shells.

Sapphire, indigo
Lapis, turquoise, cobalt blue
Water is heaven.

— Sandra Van Dam Anderson, Tucson, Arizona