Destination: Uncategorized

On this Thanksgiving, so many of us have so much to be thankful for — yet so many around the world are struggling. Today, I’m grateful that 820 of you have responded to my “matching challenge” to empower Bread for the World, which works to fight hunger in the halls of our government.

As of today, you’ve raised $101,000. And with my match, together we’ve raised $202,000 to help Bread for the World be a strong and compassionate advocate for hungry people around the world.

But we’re not finished yet! There’s still plenty of time for you to take part. Here’s how it works: You make a $100 gift to Bread for the World at www.ricksteves.com/bread. I will match your donation — and send you my European Christmas gift pack or my Complete Collection DVD Box Set as a thank you. (Or donate $200 and get both.) This year, my personal goal is to match all gifts up to $250,000.

If you’re one of the many who have responded so generously, thank you. Consider sharing this challenge so we can further leverage our concern and give this season of thankfulness and joy more meaning.

Thank you. And Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s a travel host cage match! (Don’t show this clip to small children.)

For a couple of decades, Samantha Brown was America’s travel partner through her popular shows on cable TV. I’ve long thought she’d enjoy spreading her wings and sharing a little more of her own passions and personality on public television. And now Samantha is joining our gang in public broadcasting. We were both just at a national convention of public television programmers in Salt Lake City and it was fun to give her a big, warm public broadcasting welcome.

Samantha’s new series, Places to Love, debuts in January with 13 episodes that celebrate the innovation and passion of people and the soul of off-beat places all around the world. I’ve followed Sam for many years and I think this show will give you the best Samantha Brown you’ve ever seen. Don’t miss it!

To add meaning to the holiday season, every Christmas our traveling community works together to help hungry people around the world.

Here’s how it works: You make a $100 gift to Bread for the World at ricksteves.com/bread. I will match your donation — and send you my European Christmas gift pack or my Complete Collection DVD Box Set as a thank you. (Or donate $200 and get both!) This year, my personal goal is to match all gifts up to $250,000.

I see Bread for the World not as a charity, but as a service. With our help, they are able to go into the halls of our government and speak up (or “lobby”) for hungry people in our country and around the world. Go to ricksteves.com/bread to get on board — and please let your loved ones know about this challenge too. Imagine: As an extended family of caring (and traveling) people, together we can empower Bread for the World’s work with $500,000.

I’ve learned from my own school of hard knocks that life is too short to work with people you don’t enjoy. I want to work hard, collaborate with great talent, and have fun in the process. And I’ve found that, from a practical point of view, if you’re not having fun when producing a travel show…the actual show will suffer.

Here’s a peek at some of the laughs we shared while filming Season 9 of Rick Steves’ Europe. You’ll see me getting photobombed by an Italian, sucking in my gut, begging a Romanian local for brandy, napping in a hammock, almost mastering the dramatic pause, having a staring contest with the camera, and laughing more than I speak.

Watching this, I’m thankful to everyone behind the scenes who makes this work both gratifying and enjoyable. And I’m thankful to you for traveling — and laughing — along with us.