Many years ago, I traveled through Japan — and one of my most vivid memories from that trip is was the toilets. In the middle of one January night, I got up, needing to go down the hall. The rocks in the Zen garden were covered by snow. There was no central heating. I could see my breath. A kimono had been put out for my trip to the bathroom, but it was comically small, and my slippers ended at the start of my heels. Shivering as I shuffled, I made my way to the shared bathroom of my ryokan. Pulling down my pants, I sat slowly…dreading the chill of the seat. It was heated — one of the most delightful surprises I’ve experienced over a lifetime of travels, the memory of which I still cherish. And before I made any noise, a playful trickle of water played a soundtrack designed to mask any noise I might make. There’s nothing like traveling in Japan.
That was a long time ago. Just last week, staying in a five-star Asian-themed hotel in Boston, I enjoyed another amazing toilet. It knew when I was coming, welcomed me warmly, and provided a trickling soundtrack. Delightful déjà vu.
Are you comfortable sharing your toilet-on-the-road story with me? If so, it’s your turn.
Talking short is harder than talking long. I had eight two-minute talks to give as my part of a Boston Pops concert last week, and I worked hard to get it right. I practiced in my hotel room, on stage before people arrived, and then did it for real — in front of a sold-out house. Each time I introduced a piece, it was an opportunity to show off the value of a tour guide who can set the scene to help you appreciate European culture.
I was reluctant to distract myself by playing with my phone, but the thrill of being part of a Boston Pops performance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and an amazing conductor was a highlight of my tour-guiding career, and I had to share a snippet of the experience with you.
We debuted this concert with my hometown orchestra several years ago, but just this year other orchestras have been booking it themselves. After Boston, I’ve got Colorado (Sept. 15), Houston (Oct. 12-13), and Seattle (Jan. 17) booked. If you like history, music, and travel, this is a fusion of those delights, resulting in a delightful experience. (You can watch the original concert here.)
I’m still buzzing from a thrilling experience I had last week in Boston. For two nights, I teamed up with the Boston Pops and conductor Jacomo Bairos to host a live performance of my public television concert “Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey.” Together, we shared seven stirring anthems from the Romantic era that celebrate how different European countries mix a love of music with patriotism. I got to be the tour guide, setting up each piece with historical and cultural context — and then, as gorgeous images were projected on a huge screen, the orchestra took us there musically.
In this clip, I bring you with me on stage an hour before the show — and then I share a few of my favorite moments as the night unfolds.
I just enjoyed a very busy day on Capitol Hill, meeting with key members of Congress and advocating for an end to the federal prohibition on marijuana.
My host for the day was Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer, and we packed a lot into our schedule. Take a peek here as we work with lawmakers to find a path forward for marijuana legalization, I join forces with Bread for the World — and even bump into Jon Stewart.
I had breakfast this morning with some of my friends from NORML, and we were marveling at how dramatically the national mood on marijuana has shifted. These days, virtually every leader in the Democratic Party understands the need for change — and many Republicans also see the wisdom in ending prohibition. It’s exciting to see democracy in action.
When we travelers fly, we contribute a lot to climate change. And as a promoter of travel and a tour organizer, I’ve long been aware that my business is a part of the problem. I’m excited and proud to announce that Rick Steves’ Europe is taking action to make our tours climate smart.
As travelers, we often see and experience climate change: floodgates installed to protect medieval lanes in the south of England from rising seas; no more summer skiing in Switzerland; massive storm surge barriers built to protect Rotterdam; retreating glaciers in Norway; and Italians crowding into Sweden each August to escape their record-breaking summer heat. And in the poor world, I’ve seen it too: Guatemalan families whose “hunger season” traditionally started in May now begins in March; Ethiopians adapting with new drought-resistant seeds; life-sustaining topsoil across the Global South threatened by rain that now comes in violent torrents.
Climate change is real. It hurts poor people in poor countries the hardest. And as travelers, we need to be honest: We’re contributing to it. One roundtrip flight to Europe emits as much carbon, per person, as six months of driving. (Fortunately, mitigating our impact is not a huge deal. Anyone who can afford to travel can afford to travel climate-smart.)
My colleagues and I have decided it’s time to take responsibility. So, starting this year, Rick Steves’ Europe will invest $1 million a year in a portfolio of nonprofits that fight climate change and help the people it’s hitting the hardest develop in a climate-smart way.
That’s right — we’re taking one million dollars out of our profits, every year from now on. Scientists and development experts figure it takes about $30 of careful investment in environmental initiatives in the developing world to mitigate the carbon emissions created by one tourist traveling from the United States to Europe and back. We take about 30,000 travelers on Rick Steves tours each year…but we’ll round it up and “owe” $1 million annually to be a climate-smart tour company.
Now, Rick Steves travelers have the peace of mind that they’re supporting a climate-smart tour company. And together, we can help the next generation enjoy the same happy travels we have.
I believe it’s time we take responsibility — both personally and politically — to fight climate change. And for our business, this is a big step in the right direction. Read more about our innovative Climate Smart Commitment — and our thinking behind it — at www.ricksteves.com/climate.
