Program 781: Potsdam; Emperor of Rome; On the Hippie Trail

It housed the summer palace of Prussian king Frederick the Great. And was a hot spot during the Cold War. On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we explore Potsdam, a short ride away from Berlin.

British historian Mary Beard tells us what she's learned about the lives of the Roman emperors. She explains their day-to-day realities of running a vast empire.

And Rick re-traces his post-college adventure along the legendary Hippie Trail. It took him from Istanbul to Afghanistan and India, all the way to Kathmandu.

• Berlin-based tour guide Jim McDonough
• Classicist Mary Beard, author of "Emperor of Rome" (Liveright)
• Gene Openshaw, co-conspirator in Rick's "On the Hippie Trail" adventures

• Jim McDonough provides custom tours in Berlin and Potsdam and can be contacted at [email protected].
• Dame Mary Beard explores day-to-day life at the head of the Roman Empire in her book "Emperor of Rome." She writes an online column for the Times Literary Supplement (TLS). Her latest entries, "A don's life," are written from the vantage point of her current posting with the National Gallery in Washington, DC, and compare the change of administration in the US government with how the Roman Empire operated.
• Rick's memoir about his 1978 adventure is called "On the Hippie Trail."
• Gene Openshaw is the author of "Michelangelo at Midlife: Chasing the Tomb of Julius II," and co-wrote with Rick "Europe's Top 100 Masterpieces: Art for the Traveler."

• SON_SCD_0047_01401_Canope_APM
• 4 Wings, "Penelope," Café del Mar, vol. 5 (collection) / Fontana MCA
• CEZ_CEO_2069_00101_Les_Cercles_du_Pouvoir_APM
• Nor Elle, "The Real Thing," Berlin Lounge-Berlin By Day (collection) / Wagram  (France)
• KPM_KPMCS_0047_00501_String_Quartet_No_21_in_D_Prussian_K_585_I_Allegretto_Excerpt_A_APM
• Gisela May, "Zu Potsdam unter den Eichen (Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, et al) (from Weill's 1927 'Berliner Requiem')," Brecht-Weill songs / Capriccio
• KPM_KPM_0409_01401_The_Open_Freeway_APM
• * Husikesque, "Wonderland," NPR Music Sampler (collection) / NPR Music
• CEZ_CEO_2123_00201_The_Mechanics_Of_Progress_APM
• Alex North Orchestra, "Training the Gladiators (Main Title-part 1)," Spartacus (original film soundtrack) / JB Production CH
• CEZ_CEZ_4077_01401_Hadrian_s_Wall_APM
• MEZ_MEZ_0009_00501_Antiche_Architecture_APM
• PRM_PRM_0085_01301_Siberian_Land_APM
• Tingstad & Rumble, "Immigrant," KTCZ Cities Sampler, vol. 6 (collection) / (custom)
• * DuOud, "Racine d'Énnéade," Wild Serenade / Label Bleu (France)
• CEZ_CEZ_4042_00101_Wildstreets_APM
• Nor Serount Dance Ensemble, "Alblouzit," Armenian and Caucasian Folk Dances / Hollywood Music Center
• Imade Saputra, "Kathmandu Trip," Nepal, le Toit du Monde / Cezame
• BRU_BTV_0218_01201_Keep_On_Truckin_APM
• Jem, "Save Me," Finally Woken / ATO-RCA
• TCS_TCS_0021_00901_Neapolis_APM
• SON_SCD_0637_02501_Kashmir_Vision_A_APM
• Jean-Luc Ponty, "In Spiritual Love," Individual Choice / Atlantic

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• In the resets at 24:17 and 27:00, Rick notes that "Emperor of Rome" is Mary Beard's most recent book and her "latest work."
• At 36:25, Mary recounts visiting the remains of the Imperial Palace in Rome, and being shown a not-yet public room where Roman slaves drew graffiti on the walls.
• At 40:30 in the open to segment C, and in a reset at 46:36, Rick calls "On the Hippie Trail" his "latest book." At 51:25, Rick adds that "the new book is being released February 4."
• At 46:23, Rick mentions Gene's "latest book" is "Michaelangelo at Midlife."