Join me online this Saturday (March 22nd), from 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. (Pacific Time), for a full day of free live streaming lectures on my latest European travel discoveries. You can also attend these talks for free in person. Learn more on my website.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
In 2009, public television stations across the country aired a one-hour special I produced about Iran. My goal: to offer a candid and humanizing look at a powerful country that most Americans know little about. Since I knew next to nothing about Iran before filming this special, I knew this project would be as much a learning experience for me as it was for my viewers.
Since then, I’ve enjoyed giving my talk about Iran all across the USA — and especially in famously conservative corners of our country. Earlier this year, I gave my Iran talk in Oklahoma City to a wonderful crowd for the public television station there. I was really happy with the talk, and thought I’d share it here.
The time and energy we invested in Rick Steves’ Iran reached a huge audience, and I think it was totally worthwhile. In the spirit of that project, this year we’re producing a special called Rick Steves’ Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today. It will air early September 2014.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
For about twenty years, I’ve hit the road every pledge season (March and early December) to remind people who enjoy public television that we need them to support it financially. I say things like this: “Public television is not a charity — it’s a service. If you’re enjoying consuming it but can’t afford to help, that’s fine. That’s the beauty of public television. But if you are consuming it and can afford to help support it, that’s a classy thing to do.”
I like to remind people that “public television is the one oasis on the dial 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.”
People respond by calling in — and that’s how we fund the one place on our media dial that’s not advertiser-driven. I was in San Francisco last night (KQED), Chicago the night before (WTTW), and started this little trip on Saturday night in Minnesota’s Twin Cities (TPT), where I was charmed by this little red-headed public television fan and travel enthusiast. (I told him I looked just like him when I was in 2nd grade.)
If you like what’s happened to the Travel Channel in the last decade (where so many thoughtful travel shows have been bumped by reality shows, binge-eating programs, and the like), then you apparently enjoy the impact of corporate-owned media — where the volume is cranked up and the shrill button is stuck on high in a frantic attempt to goose viewership and keep advertisers happy.
If, on the other hand, you recognize the value of the one station that is not a publically held corporation (in other words, that isn’t legally obligated to maximize profits in the short term for its shareholders), than you probably appreciate the existence of public television and what it contributes to our society.
Sorry for the pledge pitch. But I’m just in that mood. And I’ve been enjoying some great BBC productions lately (“Planet Earth” and “Rome”) that came from a continent where they value public broadcasting but don’t mess with “voluntary contributions from viewers like you” — they simply have “TV taxes.”(In much of Europe, a corner of broadcast media is kept public. When you buy a TV, bring it home, and plug it in, you also plug in a TV tax and pay about $10 a month for the service. But isn’t that a small price to pay for high-caliber programming like “Downton Abbey” and “Sherlock”?)
For those of you who recognize the value of public television in our society, kick in a little money to help by going to your local public television station’s website. Thanks a lot. As I’ve been signing off on my shows for two decades now, “Keep on travelin’!”
As part of our annual guidebook updating process, we assemble a series of “what’s new” articles for each region in Europe. This is the last in a series of these articles I’m posting to my blog. Today we’re going to Germany. If you or your friends have a trip coming up, get up-to-date with the help of these bulletins. We hope you can share them with anyone heading out, and that they will bring a little extra travel joy.
While Germany sits in the driver’s seat of Europe’s economy, it doesn’t take a cultural backseat either. Here are a few of the latest developments for 2014:
In Berlin, a multiyear renovation project continues at Museum Island, filled with some of the city’s most impressive museums. Beginning in the fall and continuing until 2019, the star of the Greek antiquities collection in the Pergamon Museum (www.smb.museum)–the Pergamon Altar–will be closed to visitors. The museum’s north wing (formerly home to other Classical antiquities) is already closed. In the meantime, some Classical Greek artifacts can be seen at the nearby Altes Museum. In other Museum Island news, reserved timed-entry tickets are no longer required at the Pergamon and Neues museums.
Although Berlin opened its new main train station (Hauptbahnhof) in 2006, construction is likely to begin again in 2014 to extend its roof. Many travelers may be diverted through other stations–such as Bahnhof Zoo and Ostbahnhof–for the duration.
Berlin is also trying to finish construction of its new, €5 billion airport: Willy Brandt Berlin-Brandenburg International (www.berlin-airport.de). But the project has been perennially delayed by a faulty fire-safety system, glitches in the baggage-sorting equipment, and other technical problems; even a partial opening in 2014 is not likely.
Each year it seems Berlin, the scene of so much tumult in the 20th century, has new memorials. Near the powerfully evocative Memorial to the Murdered Jews is a memorial dedicated to the homosexual victims of Hitler’s rule, and a new Roma and Sinti memorial. The latter is to remind all who mourn the slaughter of six million Jews during the Holocaust that Hitler aimed to exterminate Europe’s Roma and Sinti (a.k.a. Gypsy) population as well. While Berlin has done what it can to keep the focus off of Hitler himself, the parking lot that sits over the site of Hitler’s bunker is a few minutes’ walk from these other memorials. The site (where he committed suicide just days before the end of World War II in Europe) comes with an information board to explain the significance of the spot.
Hamburg is not your Grandmutter’s port town: The northern metropolis is one of Germany’s wealthiest cities and a major financial, commercial, and media center. As is the case with port cities all over Europe, Germany’s leading port saw its docklands abandoned as freighters needed to be accommodated in a more modern setting outside of town. The run-down (yet central) real estate of the old harbor has been given new life with a massive renewal project–HafenCity (www.hafencity.com). Its shining glory is the new Elbphilharmonie concert hall, which looks like a glass palace resting on top of an old warehouse. However, like Berlin’s airport, the concert hall has hit major snags–it’s about €270 million over budget and won’t be opening until 2017–about seven years late.
To the south, travelers sleeping in the Bavarian town of Füssen are now entitled to the Fuessen Card, paid for by the hotel tax. This card allows free use of public transportation in the immediate region (including the bus to “Mad” King Ludwig’s famous castle–Neuschwanstein), as well as discounts to major attractions. Similarly, the Aktiv-Card for the Reutte area just across the border in Austria includes free travel on local buses and free admission to some attractions. Also new in Reutte, the Alpentherme Ehrenberg is an extensive swimming pool and sauna complex, featuring two indoor pools and a big saltwater outdoor pool, as well as two waterslides.
In Frankfurt, the new European Central Bank building, with its glistening twin towers topping out at 607 feet, is scheduled to open in 2014. The “New Frankfurt Old Town” construction project, stretching from the cathedral to the city hall, is also under way. It will include up to 35 new buildings, several of which will be reproductions of historic structures destroyed during WWII air raids.
In Nürnberg, the Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) has reopened after a restoration. Visits to the castle’s “Deep Well” (which, at 165 feet, is…well, deep) are now accompanied by a guide. Wittenberg’s Town Church of St. Mary’s–which was Martin Luther’s home church for many years–is being renovated. From early 2014 to early 2015, the nave of the church will be closed, and no organ concerts will be held. By the way, Germany’s many Luther sights (especially in the Luther cities of Wittenberg, Erfurt, and Eisenach) are gearing up for a very festive 2017 (on a Lutheran scale anyway)–the 500th anniversary of Luther kicking off the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
Despite a few construction-related delays and closures, Germany remains one of the easiest places to travel–offering efficient public transportation, state-of-the-art museums, and locals who are ready and willing to give travelers a hearty “Willkommen.”
As part of our annual guidebook updating process, we assemble a series of “what’s new” articles for each region in Europe. This is the third in a series of these articles I’m posting to my blog. Today we’re going to Great Britain. If you or your friends have a trip coming up, get up-to-date with the help of these bulletins. We hope you can share them with anyone heading out, and that they will bring a little extra travel joy:
For travelers, Great Britain is a work in progress, richly rewarding those who visit with up-to-date information. Here are a few important changes to be aware of for 2014.
London continues to grow and thrive post-Olympics. Free Wi-Fi is everywhere, bus transportation is more efficient than ever, and the city’s freshly scrubbed monuments have never looked so good. Some of the biggest changes are in East London, where backhoes and bulldozers buzz around busily turning the 2012 Olympics site into what is now Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (great for Londoners, but a bit far from the center for most tourists).
The Shard, a shimmering glass pyramid that soars 1,020 feet above the Thames in central London, started welcoming visitors to its observation decks last year. Perched in the building’s pinnacle, the decks offer great views of the Tower of London (directly across the river), St. Paul’s, and the South Bank (underfoot). But a visit to the top costs a jaw-dropping £25 (for advance tickets)–not worth it for most visitors.
Years ago the venerable Tate art gallery (www.tate.org.uk) split in two, with the original site dedicated to British art and the new site–the Tate Modern–filled up with modern art. An extensive renovation at the Tate Britain has wrapped up, which means even better gallery spaces in the oldest parts of the building. Now the Tate Modern is adding a new wing (currently under construction yet opening bit by bit), allowing the museum to expand beyond its current European and North American focus with exhibits on Latin American, African, and Asian art. A new space called the Tanks (formerly underground oil tanks) is already open and hosts live performances, film screenings, and installations.
Hold onto your codpiece: Shakespeare’s Globe now boasts an indoor theater, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It’s an intimate space designed to use authentic candle lighting for period performances–and allows the Globe to stage plays year-round.
Greenwich’s famous Cutty Sark, the last and fastest of the great tea clippers, was gorgeously restored in 2012 after a devastating fire. It’s now suspended within a glass building, allowing visitors to walk on its decks, through its hold, and below its gleaming golden hull. Multimedia and hands-on exhibits bring the ship’s record-breaking history to life.
Finally, after nearly 5,000 years, Stonehenge has a decent visitors center (www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge). The new center features artifacts found at the site and a 360-degree virtual view of what the stone circle looked like back then. The highway that once ran adjacent to the iconic edifice has been closed. Instead, people start at the visitors center–located more than a mile west of the stones–then take a shuttle or walk to the stone circle. Advance reservations are required, and tickets feature a timed entry window (though a few walk-up tickets are available each day).
In the Georgian city of Bath, the Georgian House, which gives an intimate look at life in the 18th century, has reopened following an extensive renovation. The American Museum (I know, you need this like you need a Big Mac) on the outskirts of town is now easier to visit, thanks to a free hourly shuttle that runs from the town center.
In Portsmouth, the Mary Rose Museum opened last May (www.maryrose.org). The £36 million facility, shaped like an oval jewel box, preserves the hull of Henry VIII’s favorite warship, which sank in 1545. You can view the hull (through protective glass, for now), but the highlight is the collection of Tudor-era items that were found inside the wreck, such as clothes, dishes, weapons, a backgammon board, and an oboe-like instrument. There’s even the skeleton of Hatch, the ship’s dog.
In York, the renovation of the Minster’s Great East Window continues, with temporary exhibits that explain the project, such as the painstaking process of removing, dismantling, cleaning, and restoring each of the 311 panels. The Minster’s new undercroft museum focuses on the history of the site and its origins as a Roman fortress. Thirsty tourists will appreciate a new activity in town: an intimate, tactile, and informative 45-minute tour of the York Brewery, a charming little microbrewery.
In 2014, Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games July 23-August 3, with 6,000 athletes expected to compete.
The Battle of Bannockburn–Scotland’s most significant military victory over the English–will mark its 700th anniversary in 2014. In honor of the occasion, the Bannockburn Heritage Centre in Stirling (www.battleofbannockburn.com) is being spiffed up with an interactive 3-D battle simulation and 360-degree film. A three-day festival called Bannockburn Live will take place June 28-30. Activities include music, highland games, re-enactments of the battle, and themed Scottish villages.
Whether you’re interested in Scotland, Stonehenge, Shakespeare, or all of the above, having–and using–good information will put the great into Britain on your next trip.