Program 784: Rhineland Karneval; WMF 2025 Watch List; Top Alaska Experiences

Look at what's behind Carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations around the world, by learning about its origins and customs in Germany's Rhineland.

Hear what's been added to the World Monuments Fund's latest "watch list" of endangered cultural sites around the world.

And a guide from Anchorage recommends the must-see experiences in Alaska, with tips for planning adventures across the Last Frontier.

Expand your view of the world each week, on Travel with Rick Steves.

• German tour guide Fabian Rueger
• Gene Openshaw, co-author of the Rick Steves art guide books
• Bénédicte de Montlaur, President & CEO of the World Monuments Fund
• Anchorage-based travel writer Lisa Maloney

• 2025 Karneval events in Cologne, Germany were scheduled to start on Thursday, February 27.
• 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."
• 2025 is the 60th anniversary of the World Monuments Fund.
• The complete 2025 Watch List of endangered cultural sites, issued in January by WMF.
• Several sites along the east coast of Africa, known as the "Swahili Coast," are included on the 2025 Watch List.
• Lisa Maloney writes the Alaska guidebooks "Moon Alaska," "50 Hikes Around Anchorage," and "Day Hiking South Central Alaska."
• Lisa also maintains the "Come to Alaska.net" website to help with tourism planning.
• Chena Hot Springs Resort is located 60 miles from Fairbanks.
• The Iditarod sled dog race has relocated the race restart to Fairbanks in 2025, due to insufficient snow conditions on part of the usual trail routes. 2025 also marks the centennial of the original serum run dogsled relay to Nome.

• TCS_TCS_0049_00101_Springtime_Walk_APM
• Chas Justus, Jesse Lege et al, "La Danse de Mardi Gras," Tremé, Season 2 (soundtrack), Rounder
• Tom McDermott, Evan Christopher, Lucia Micarelli, "Heavy Henry," Tremé, Season 2 (soundtrack), Rounder
• Bateria Nota 10, "Sai da Frente," Beyond Boundaries, vol. 1 (collection) / EarthBeat!
• Vadim Repin, violin, Berlin Philharmonic, Mariss Jansons cond., "Variations for Violin and Orchestra on 'Il Carnevale di Venezia,' op. 10 (Paganini)," A Night of Encores: Summer Concerts from the Berlin Waldbühne / Euroarts
• The Radiators, "Long Hard Journey Home," Tremé: Music from the HBO Original Series (soundtrack) / Rounder
• Henri Rene, "Hansel and Pretzel," Cocktail Mix, vol. 1 (collection) / Rhino
• SEL_SEL_5086_01801_Ecossaise_APM
• Peter Hurford, "Fugue in G Major, BWV 577 (J S Bach)," The Art of Peter Hurford, disc 1 / Decca
• * Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra, "That Happy Feeling," James Last and Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra: Back to Back / Universal Music Beyond
• CEZ_CEO_2131_00301_Threat_in_the_Arctic_APM
• JMP_JMP_0036_00201_Much_Above_Us_a_APM
• Aphex Twin, "Blue Calx," Selected Ambient Works, vol. 2 / Sire-Warner Bros.
• Orchestre de l'Association des Concerts Colonne (Georges Tzipine, cond.), "'L'Allée des Marmousets' from the Jean Françaix film 'Si Versaille m'était conté'," Le Film Français: Honegger, Françaix, Sauguet, Thiriet / EMI Classics
• BRU_BCC_0026_02501_Le_Roi_S_Amusi_-_Passepied_APM
• Aar Manta and the Urban Nomads, "Dardaar," (single) / (self-released)
• Sting, "Fragil," Nada Como el Sol (Selecciones Especiales en Espanol Y Português) / A&M
• * Mobius, "Song of the Black Swan for violin and harp (Villa-Lobos)," Villa-Lobos Chamber Music / Naxos
• BRU_BTV_0260_00801_Gentle_Rivers_APM
• SON_STTV_0010_02701_Adventure_Vacation_A_APM
• Mark Isham, "Raffles in Rio," Vapor Drawings / Windham Hill
• Davol, "Mystic Waters," The Best of Silver Wave, vol. 2 (collection) / Silver Wave
• PRM_PRM_0134_00401_Eskimo_Fellah_APM
• Soundtrack to The Kentuckian, "Saloon Piano," The Kentuckian-Williamsburg (The Complete Bernard Herrmann Scores) / Tribute Film Classics
• Matt Hammer, "The Alaska Flag Song," Alaskasongs / (self-released)
• Intro to Suzanne Vega, "The Long Voyage," Hector Zazou: Songs of the Cold Seas (collection) / Columbia

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• This week's segment A largely deals with the historic reasons behind Mardi Gras and Carneval celebrations, with a focus on Germany. Mardi Gras is mentioned in the billboard and segment A open, and Fabian notes particular pre-Lenten dates that are observed in Germany, such as the parades held on Rose Monday.
• The 60th anniversary of the World Monuments Fund is noted in the segment B open, and in the reset at 30:00.
• This week's segment B interview describes places listed on the "just released" 2025 World Monuments Fund Watch List (January 2025).
• At 24:27, Benedicte says "as we are entering into a new era of space exploration" to explain the Moon sites being included on their latest Watch List.
• At 25:09, Rick notes that the World Monuments Fund has "just released" their biennial watch list of endangered heritage sites. Benedicte adds that climate change was cited as the biggest threat to most of the sites nominated for the list this year, particularly those in Africa. Later, she notes that urbanization was cited as the largest threat to heritage sites in India.
• At 34:48, Rick brings up the threats to cultural sites experiencing war. He adds that Gaza and Ukraine have sites included on the latest Watch List.
• Rick and Lisa mention the primary Iditarod trail running through the village of McGrath at 52:14. However, for the 2025 race, starting March 1 in Anchorage, race organizers announced on Feb. 17 that the race restart will be from Fairbanks on Monday, March 3. Teams will run a modified Northern Route, due to a hazardous lack of snow on a portion of the traditional Southern Route for the race.