It’s that time of year when flowers bloom and travel dreams morph into reality. I’ve enjoyed a flurry of emails and chance meetings in the last few days — crossing paths with friends and neighbors who are Europe-bound, and helping them sort through all their options.
And today I fly to London. I’m kicking off 40 days and 40 nights of travel learning. Our mantra here at ETBD is “content is king,” and that’ll be my focus in the next month and a half as I update our guidebooks to London, Venice, and northern Italy. (I’ll spend the day after tomorrow with a London Blue Badge guide learning all about London’s 2012 Olympic plans and its thriving Docklands.)
After the guidebook research, I fly to Granada to meet my TV crew as we produce an hour-long prime time special on AndalucÃa that will air nationally to kick off our new 11-episode series on public television this fall.
And, even more than all of this, the travel teacher in me is most excited about our new Rick Steves’ Audio Europe podcasts — an extensive array of audio files now available for free via iTunes. We’ve gathered and sorted all our audio tours and radio interviews by city and country, so wherever you’re heading, you can log on, grab, and go.
I just downloaded our new audio tours of London’s top sights. And, just for fun, I’ll be guiding myself (via one my audio tours) along Venice’s Grand Canal and through the Frari Church (one of my favorite artistic experiences in Europe).
They say consumer confidence is picking up. America is getting back to work. America is embracing life. And, for many, that means exploring our world. Maybe I’ll see you in Europe.
Thanks for the upbeat post, Rick — I’m looking forward to traveling vicariously through your blog. I hope you’ll be visiting Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Dolomites, a seriously underrated region of Italy.
Sounds great – hope you have a good trip. I’m planning to go the other way – back to Asia in the fall.
I really enjoy your blog over the next few months as you get back on the road. We are going to Ireland on May 5th. I see a lot of people going to Ireland this spring and summer, and wonder why you haven’t done anything new (books,shows) on Ireland in a long time?
Finally! Your blog posts are much more interesting from the road. See you in Germany or Belgium if you’re there over the next three weeks.
Good Luck Rick I hope your amble to spend some QUALITY time in Amsterdam God bless and travel safe
Even though I am an Ex-Brit and Londoner, now Floridian, I still have your books, DVDs and podcasts on London and Europe. I look forward to seeing and hearing the updates on your return. If you ever get a chance to check out a great village just in from the SW Coast, look at Bosham, Sussex. I have been a visitor to Sussex all my life and stubbled on this village in 2007 and loved its charm. Also check out my London Visitors blog http://londonscallingvisitors.blogspot.com/ . Have a safe trip Rick.
Rick, we’re right behind you! leaving for Italy soon. Our roots are in a small Northern Italy village called Crespano del Grappa, BUT our hearts are in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany. have a super trip.
Ah. The signs of Spring; Opening Day Parade and game in Cincinnati, Robins chirping frantically, Rick Steves back on the road. It is officially here. I look forward to vicariously enjoying some traveling with you over the next couple months Rick.
I’m over here now for business and (coincidentally like the previous poster) from Cincy. Will be using my Rick Steves’ guide over the weekend for a quickie side trip to Berlin.
Have a good trip! Can’t wait to watch this series.
Maybe you can patch up our relations with the Brits that our noble president has so soundly trashed.
Amazing! The signs of Spring; Opening Day Parade and game in Cincinnati, Robins chirping frantically, Rick Steves back on the road. It is officially here. I need more about this topic. ===================== Holidays