April Travel News
Hi from Rick: TV That's Thinking, Not Sinking
For about twenty years now, I've hit the road every pledge season to remind people that public television is an oasis on the dial — a place that doesn't dumb us down, but engages us. It treats us not as shoppers, but as neighbors and fellow citizens. It respects our intellect, assumes an attention span, and brings us programming driven not by a passion for keeping advertisers happy, but by a passion for bringing us a better understanding of our world.
To lend a hand to this mission, I recently visited public television stations in San Francisco (KQED), Chicago the night before (WTTW), and also Minnesota’s Twin Cities (TPT), where I was charmed by a red-headed public television fan and travel enthusiast. (I told him I looked just like him when I was in second grade.)
If you haven't been disappointed by the sinking standards of... Read more
In this issue
Navigating European Airports
Sometimes I wonder why I lug my bag through airports, following my own recommendation to pack light enough to carry on and avoid checking any bags on international flights. It can be a drag, dragging your bag through airports. But when scrambling with last-minute changes in flight plans... Read more
Rome's Inspiring Baroque Sights
Rome is a showcase of Western civilization, layered with elements of the city's 2,000-year history. Among the traffic-choked 20th-century boulevards, you'll find marble ruins of ancient times, early Christian churches, grand Renaissance buildings and statues, and a wealth of Europe's most sumptuous... Read more
Glasgow: Scotland's Second City
Lately, I've really been enjoying what I consider to be the "second cities" of Europe, such as Naples in Italy, Marseille in France, and Hamburg in Germany. These places often have a rough, Industrial Age heritage and a rust-belt vibe that keeps them honest, unvarnished, and nonconformist... Read more
Dazzling St. Petersburg
The last time I visited St. Petersburg, in the 1990s, the Russian city was gray and depressing. But during a recent visit, I found a town that sparkles. Three hundred years ago, St. Petersburg was a dismal swampland. But that was before Tsar Peter I — better known as Peter the Great — came along... Read more
Video of the Month: Rome's Borghese Gallery
More than a museum, the Borghese Gallery is a beautiful villa in a delightful urban-park setting. Visitors get to see great works of art in the setting for which they were commissioned by the Borghese family. Masterpieces by Baroque masters Bernini and Caravaggio are among the many highlights... Watch the video
Rick's Charity Rail Pass Offer
Here's an exciting chance to support a good cause as part of your upcoming travels! Rail Europe has provided us with 30 Eurail Global Passes (specifically 15-day flexipasses) regularly priced at about $1250 — and Rick will give these passes for free to the first 30 travelers who each send us a $925 donation check for Bread for the World… Read More