While my days are filled enjoying our Best of Europe in 21 Days tour, I’ve spent a couple nights writing this op-ed piece in my hotel room. I’m glad I was in Europe while I wrote this article because being away from home makes it clear to me: While we are a compassionate society, we can be oblivious to the consequences that some of our choices have on struggling people. When we travel, we see how relatively small, wonkish changes in U.S. policy can have serious consequences for struggling people outside our borders. I thought you might find this opinion piece interesting–and maybe you can even share it with your friends and let your legislator know your thoughts on this topic.
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
Into the Swiss Alps
On our tours, we do whatever we can to save time. For example, room numbers are assigned on the bus as we approach our hotel. Today, we gave the mic to 12-year-old Annaleise who made sure each tour member knew exactly where they were sleeping.
On a Best of Europe in 21 Days tour, we get two days in the Swiss Alps–and the weather is critical. I remember in the early, youth-hostel days of our tour company, we’d wait until morning before deciding if we’d ride the expensive lift to the top of the Schilthorn in the Berner Oberland. It depended on the weather. I’d wake up at the crack of dawn. If it was cloudy, I’d go back to bed–and we’d all sleep in. If the weather was good, I’d wake everyone up, and we were off for the summit. Any guide knows it often clouds up by late morning. Today, we caught the early gondola, were blessed with glorious weather, and enjoyed this view from 10,000 feet.
Tour groups love group shots. I find the regimented “short people in front,” soccer-team-type photos boring. And, invariably, the stranger you pick to take the photograph frames it crazily, and the shot is too much feet and sky. Lately, my antidote to that is a group selfie. For some reason, as we all try to crowd into the shot (and I hold the camera high to make our chins seem nice and tight), everyone looks as happy as we are.
Cinque Terre Lemon Festival–Anything But Sour
The Cinque Terre towns love their festivals, and we hit Monterosso during its lemon festival. The town was decked out in lemons and rather than sour, the mood was happy as can be.
Looking Good for the AARP
Occasionally a publication wants to run an article about my work and they need a photo of me. While I always offer them fine shots from our press department, many have their own specs. I’ll be featured with some travel tips in July’s “AARP Bulletin,” and they hired a Danish camera crew to fly to Italy to take a few shots.
Amphora
After a day of hiking the Cinque Terre, enjoying endless Mediterranean vistas, we work up an appetite for the fruits of the sea. At Monterosso’s Ristorante Belevedere they cook up five or six ancient-style jugs (amphora) filled with today’s catch. It really is a grab bag of whatever the fisherman brought into port. But it’s always delicious.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.