Smaller text Larger text

Destination: Uncategorized

Posted on

Walking the Cotswold Way, You Find Historic Delights

We’re making a new TV show about England’s charming Cotswold villages, and that gave me a few moments in the Stanton village church. Stanton is one of those once-upon-a-time-wealthy little towns that owed it all to sheep’s wool. After all, in the 12th century, they said, “In Europe, the best wool is English. And in England, the best wool is Cotswold.” This church offers a fun opportunity for a tour guide to demonstrate how, when you know where to look, there’s plenty of history hiding out.

This is Day 71 of my 100 Days in Europe series. As I research my guidebooks and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences and lessons learned in Vienna, the Alps, the Low Countries, England, and beyond. Find more right here on my travel blog.

Posted on

Top Ten Reasons I’m with Her

As a traveler, I’m excited to have a president who respects and enjoys our world (and I prefer a president whom the world respects and enjoys).
As a writer, I want a president who reads.
As a pragmatist, I wish idealism worked…but have learned to be patient, collaborative, and incremental.
As a Christian, I care about the world’s poor, and believe people of every nation are of equal worth.
As a thinker, I want someone who celebrates being thoughtful.
As a capitalist and a job-creating entrepreneur, I want a government that will give my peers and me clear parameters for being good corporate citizens.
As a father, I want a president who will inspire my children.
As a member of a diverse society, I need a president who respects people who see things differently.
As a man, I’m excited to have a president who’s a woman.
As a voter, I want to be not ruled, but governed.
I posed for this photo with Hillary as a Democrat. Today, I support her as an American.

Rick Steves and Hillary Clinton

Posted on

Video: The Highland Games of Airth, Scotland

We are producing a new one-hour special on great festivals in Europe. To represent Scotland in the line-up, we flew to Edinburgh to take in the nearby Highland Games at Airth. It was a delightful, charming, and homey carnival of delicate lassies dancing and giant blokes tossing heavy things. And foreign visitors were welcome to join in. I did not win the lifting of the 250-pound Smithy Stone. But my personal victory: not to get injured trying. What are your Highland Game memories?

This is Day 70 of my 100 Days in Europe series. As I research my guidebooks and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences and lessons learned in Vienna, the Alps, the Low Countries, England, and beyond. Find more right here on my travel blog.

Posted on

My Talk with Peter the Cabbie

Travelers often struggle to find someone interesting to interview to better understand local issues. I find cabbies are a great resource. I was wondering why Belgium finds it challenging to keep its Flemish- and French-speaking regions from splitting up the country. Here’s my cabbie’s three-minute take on things as he drove me to the Brussels airport. How do you find cabbie chat while on the road?

This is Day 69 of my 100 Days in Europe series. As I research my guidebooks and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences and lessons learned in Vienna, the Alps, the Low Countries, England, and beyond. Find more right here on my travel blog.