A few days before I was scheduled to travel to Bologna, Italy for my latest adventure, I saw Rick Steves at the Portsmouth New Hampshire Music Hall. This was a special occasion for me as I have long been a devoted follower of Rick Steves on PBS TV savoring his travel shows like a fine wine. I have accumulated all the show’s DVD’s to enjoy again as I plan my trips or just for the pure enjoyment they bring me. I watch his Christmas show each year along with “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I tripped over his show years ago on PBS and I was instantly hooked by his style and approach to travel. His philosophy of traveling Europe through the back door (his brand) had an instant appeal to me. Forget the large tours and expensive hotels, stay in family run establishments and travel as a “temporary local”.  Learning about how others live provides cultural insights and a better understanding of the world. As Rick Steves says” Ideally travel broadens our perspectives personally, culturally, and politically”. And I couldn’t agree more! Note: For those with no access to PBS see his shows online at his website.

Travel as a “Political Act”

For those who have not been whisked away on European trips from the comfort of your couch, Rick Steves is a travel book author and TV host who is an expert on European travel. He is also a philanthropist who donates to the needy of the world. His talk this night was on “Travel as a Political Act”  Even though I have seen this presentation on TV, I knew he would probably update it for the times plus seeing him live would make the talk more personable and timely.

Rick Steves

Rick’s talk reinforced what travel has meant to me – connect with other people and cultures, understand what issues they are facing – their baggage – understand the country’s current culture and political climate and accept the differences from ours. Your souvenir will be a broader perspective. What rang true for me the most was that history is happening all the time and being in other countries allows you to be right in the middle of these experiences.  History also repeats itself and as a student of history I well know this affords you a better understanding of current political trends.

Living history

And this is what I find so exciting about traveling here in Europe – to experience history in the making and to see how others perceive the United States as well.  Last year I landed in Scotland the day after Brexit and it was a time of angst for some and new beginnings for others.  I was in Italy last year during our Presidential election and was queried often on my thoughts as people here struggled to understand the outcome.  You learn how Europe values the United States as the leader of the free world and how closely they follow our elections.  It really does give you a different perspective on how you look at your own politics when attempting to explain them to others.  I was in Denmark for a conference when the Affordable Healthcare act was implemented and an airport ticket agent was aghast that we could not get the online registration system working in its first days.  After all, we were the USA!  People at the conference questioned why we wouldn’t want everyone to have access to healthcare- after all isn’t a healthy nation more productive?  And this trip I will experience the results of the French election which could have another major impact on the stability of the European Union.

In my blogs I strive to be an observer of people, culture and experiences but it is hard to not reflect my own personal feelings as well.  And listening to Rick it reminded me of some drafts that I have avoided posting for perhaps sounding political but I realize now that they are mostly reflections of history- the past often mirrored in today’s events or history in the making and I plan to finish those drafts I had started.

Learning to travel

I am a planner by nature so for me part of the excitement of travel is learning about places to go and sights to see. And guide books are a major tool for me in addition to the many online resources now available. And although I purchase an assortment of travel books, I usually turn to Rick Steves’s books for the inside info I have come to trust. I perused his Great Britain book when planning my trip there last year, taking day tours, staying at a guest house in Bath as well as joining the free tour of the city, all his recommendations. I stayed at Colmar as my base when visiting the Alsace region rather than the larger Strasbourg to enjoy more of the local flavor it offered.  And when I got off the train in Munich to visit the Christmas Markets there, I was not surprised by the feel of being in Times Square back in the ’80’s with the seedy characters and XXX flashing signs. Rick had assured me this was quite safe and indeed it was.  I love his Europe through the Back Door book for its wealth of travel information on topics such as health, packing, theft and scams, using electronic devices as well as itineraries.

Colosseum

And yes, I did partake in one of his tours. I wanted this experience as well as learn how to travel on my own. I thought taking a tour in a large city would provide me with a wealth of knowledge so I chose his Rome tour for a week. Not only did I learn about using public transportation, how to plan my days and when to best visit museums, etc. I also met some wonderful people.  We shared local meals served up with laughs and I have fond memories of those times and am still in touch with a few folks.

Support Public Television

I feel I must speak of the value of public television here in the US. Without PBS I would not have been inspired by the philosophy of Rick Steves that fostered my courage to travel on my own.  I have been a supporter of PBS since I graduated college.  I relish their programs, whether it be Masterpiece Theater, their wonderful mysteries or the educational Ken Burns specials. With funding currently in peril, I think of all that it has brought to us and hope you will voice your support if you agree.  Rick said that some of his shows may have never made it to TV if it were not for Public Television and his talks are often done in conjunction with the local PBS stations to foster support for them.

Support Public Television and Radio!