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| Nikos runs Albergo Doni, one of my favorite hotels in Venice. He and I have a ritual of taking our photo with our last photo each time I drop in. We just get better looking every year. Enlarge photo |
The Barber of Venice. For 20 years Benito’s been in my guidebook — the only barber I recommend in Europe. He gives lots of my readers, young and old, a wearable souvenir. Enlarge photo |
Anywhere in Italy, surveying the luscious vegetables in the market is a kind of gastronomic foreplay warming you up for a fine dinner tonight. Enlarge photo |
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| Taking a break from my research chores in Venice, I tested a few of our audio tours. They worked like a charm which made me very happy. They are clean, easy to follow, and make the sightseeing experience a joy…if I do say so myself. Our new Rick Steves Audio Europe program—with scores of free audio tours and trip-related interviews — is just about ready for prime time (see iTunes/podcasts/Rick Steves). Enlarge photo |
A ritual grounding — barefoot on the pavimento alla Veneziana (my hotel’s traditional flooring) and my soul knows it’s back in Venice. Enlarge photo |
Stuck in Venice because of the volcano’s ash…let’s drink to Iceland! Enlarge photo |
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| My Ravenna guide took me to the barber who does her little boy’s hair. I said “just a trim” in my best Italian and he proceeded to give me the shortest haircut I’ve ever had in my entire life. Enlarge photo |
Eating dinner with Franklin, we embraced life with gusto (and our mouths). Enlarge photo |
Chef Giuliano gave me and Franklin a meal we’ll never forget. Enlarge photo |
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| There’s a new hit show on Sky TV in Italy. It’s by some American hotshot and called Europa di Rick. Enlarge photo |
What a crazy experience: sitting in an Italian living room with Italian friends watching me with a deep and raspy Italian-dubbed voice telling Italians about their own country. Enlarge photo |
Simon Griffith and Peter Rummel join me to shoot a piece of the Rock. We just wrapped up a great two week shoot in Spain, Gibraltar, and Morocco. Stay tuned for an hour-long special on Andalucia in October. Enlarge photo |
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| Flying from Gibraltar directly to Indiana, I joined our family to celebrate our son Andy’s graduation from Notre Dame. Degrees in Italian language and literature and industrial design from a great school. Congratulations Andy Steves! Look out world! Enlarge photo |
Comments
Wow! Great photos! And the picture you were holding at the Albergo Doni was the photo that greeted me from behind reception when I checked in back in 2006. A great recommendation, and at 60 Euros a night (at least then), a fantastic value. Thanks Rick!
Choice photos, Rick! Along with your captions, they provide even more insight to your recent posts. I wonder whether Sky TV dubs the Italian into your out-takes at the end of each episode? Until next time, welcome home.
Congratulations Andy and congratulations Mom & Dad.
Rick you look great with your Italian haircut next to your son on his graduation. A proud father, indeed!
According to the book The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara-Wearing, Book-Sharing Guide to Life by the owner of Beauty And The Book (a salon/bookstore in East Texas)http://www.beautyandthebook.com/, you NEVER have your hair cut on your first visit to a salon. Always get a shampoo and blowout to make sure you and the stylist are on the same wavelength. I bet she would say the same thing about going to a barber. Perhaps you should have taken the photo of you and Nikos to show the barber what you wanted. ;-)
What a “hoot”! L’Europa di Rick! Watching yourself dubbed in Italian must have been a surreal experience.
Congratulations to Andy and the Steves family. Takes a lot to get to graduation these days! Really like the haircut, I think you were ready for a change. Makes you look even younger!
Rick I love the high and tight hair cut. And I am so excited over Andy’s graduation you and Anne must be over the moon proud. Congrats to Andy for all his hard work.
Tantalizing Cordoba – Planning a trip for 2011 – where can I find the calendar dates for festivals next year (2011) to create my itinerary in Andalusia?
Keep the haircut Rick – best you’ve ever looked!!!
Definitely keep the haircut! Easier to maintain while on your travels… Congrats to Andy and your family, too! My wife and I are saving up to go to Europe with our 2 kids, now 8 and 10, and your family has definitely been an inspiration! My son, the 10 year old, and I love to watch your show together. Peace!
I too like the new hair cut it makes you look more professional and young it was money well spent. Sometimes we need to go and try things outside of our boxes!!
Congratulations Andy!! I am a Hoosier transplanted to California. Met your dad (though he won’t remember me) at his travel classes in Edmond, this past February. Have followed your family through your dvd’s and have enjoyed getting to know all of you from a distance. I am looking forward to moving to Europe, to teach in the very near future. Jobs are so scarce for teaching in the U.S. for those of us with lots of experience. 46,000 layoffs alone in California. So I hope to see many of the sites that the Steves Family has been blessed to see over the years. I am grateful for your inspiration and wit and passion for traveling Rick. I feel more prepared having read and studied your books, dvd’s and blogs. Thank you! Sincerely, Diane Dye
Congratulations to you and Congratulations to Andy on his graduation from Notre Dame. A great school and a great school to be from with Alumni worldwide if I do say so myself as a graduate from the Class of 1992. Italian languages and industrial design sounds like an interesting combination and that he will have interesting opportunities. Rick – I am loving Travel as a Political Act as I prepare for my European vacation in late July. Your world view is informing my own and I find your writing wonderful and full of truth.
Hi Rick! I thought I saw you at Notre Dame. My son and his fiance’ graduated with architecture degrees this year. We visited him in Italy during his third year of studies. We took three of your books with us to get the most out of our visit. It was worth every penny and all of your recommendations were perfect! Thanks and keep up the great work. Currently, I have a visit to Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany planned for Sept/Oct and am reading your books again.