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Rick Steves’ Travel Blog

Here you can browse through my blog posts prior to February 2022. Currently I'm sharing my travel experiences, candid opinions, and what's on my mind solely on my Facebook page. — Rick

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The People Have Spoken: Doubling the Number of States with Legal Marijuana

The people have spoken — the voters in two more states, plus the District of Columbia, say, “Stop locking up pot smokers.”

After last night’s election, drug policy trends in the USA are clear: Let’s regulate, tax, and legalize adult recreational use of marijuana and put an end to a huge black market and a racist and counterproductive prohibition.

Last month I enjoyed doing a 10-city barnstorming tour of Oregon to help explain why this is good public health and smart law enforcement policy. And yesterday, 55 percent of Oregonians agreed. Alaska voted the same way. (Four states down, 46 to go.)

To get a quick glimpse of the excitement of our work in Oregon, check out this little video clip:

http://youtu.be/N7RBZAYY3I8

I’m bringing this up to encourage caring citizens in states where legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana seems like an impossible dream to realize that the end of our federal government’s war on marijuana is well within reach, and there are organizations that need your help in your state. Because of the work my friends and I have invested in this cause, 5,000 fewer people in my state of Washington and 13,000 fewer people in Oregon are being arrested each year.

If you’d like to help spearhead a new approach to marijuana laws in your state, consider joining me as a member of NORML. As my personal challenge to you, I’ve donated a thousand DVDs of the film Evergreen (the documentary that tells the exciting story of how we did this in Washington), which you’ll receive as a “thank you” for becoming a member at the $50 level. Just click here.

Thanks… and happy travels!

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Booo!: Vote With Wisdom Rather Than Fear

Rick Steves and scarecrow

Booo!

I was out taking a walk, turned a corner, and nearly ran into a scarecrow. We were both startled, and I remarked at how much fear there is in our society these days — even apart from Halloween.

The scarecrow said, “Let me buy you a cup of coffee with a nice plate of cornpone,” and proceeded to give me an earful. He said that the most fearful people he sees are those who don’t travel and dig themselves deeper into America. Then he said, “That’s ironic…it seems to me that if we just stay here on the farm and hunker down, we’ll never understand the rest of the world — and eventually we’ll all be as scared as my friend the cowardly lion.”

My scarecrow friend then proved he had more than hay for brains. He said that the flip side of fear is understanding. And we gain understanding by venturing away from our homes. He said, “When we get out of our comfort zones and engage with the other 96% of humanity, we gain empathy for people who may seem scary, but really aren’t.”

Fear-mongering politicians and ratings-crazed news is giving us Halloween 24/7 these days. Don’t let that rewire your outlook and sway your vote. Stakes are high. Take it from the scarecrow: If you care about a strong and free America, vote with wisdom rather than fear.

Here’s to a really scary Halloween (and a less frightened electorate next week)!

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Vintage Video: Our Pilot Series

Reviewing this 25-year-old clip from our pilot series, I’m impressed by several things (beyond how young and gawky I was back then): The tips are still good. The sights are still there. And, anywhere in Europe, the fun is still ours to have — if we know how to travel smart.

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“Guidebook selfies” on the road

Everybody loves to snap “selfies” on the road these days. But what about your guidebook? At home, a man’s best friend might be his dog. But on the road, if your guidebook’s any good, it can be your best friend, too. On my last trip, I was in Dresden and realized the view I was enjoying was on my guidebook’s cover. It was as if it had come home to spawn.

Rick-Steves-Germany-guidebook-in-Dresden.jpg

 

Do you find yourself taking “guidebook selfies” while on the road? If so, let’s see it! Please share your photos with me on Facebook.

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Hitting the road in Oregon

I’m out of the office this week, traveling across Oregon. I thought Washingtonians were cool, but we’ve got nothing on Oregonians. I’m meeting wonderful people at each stop.

I just have to share this interview with KGW-TV’s Reggie Aqui. Reggie is the first reporter who has managed to find out how many pairs of underpants I pack on a two-month trip.

 

KGW interview with Rick Steves
KGW interview with Rick Steves

I’m here on a ten-cities-in-six-days barnstorming tour, in support of Vote Yes on 91. The campaign hopes to regulate, tax, and legalize marijuana use for adults in next month’s election, as Washington and Colorado did in 2012. It’s a very busy time at Rick Steves’ Europe and I should be selling tours and working on our guidebooks…but this is actually much more important work from a citizenship point of view. In addition to speaking about the skills and fun of good travel, I’m also talking to Oregonians about the importance of ending our government’s war on marijuana.

My time between lectures is filled with interviews. In our first two days, we generated a storm of newspaper, radio, and TV interviews.

Tuesday was Portland, yesterday was Beaverton and Salem. Today, it’s Corvallis and Eugene. And then…heads up Medford and Ashland.

And, if you’re not in Oregon, you can still join the fun. I’ve donated several hundred DVDs of the amazing documentary Evergreen, which tells the story of how we legalized marijuana in Washington State, as a thank you gift for people donating to or joining NORML.