January 2008
Our required reading series features books that capture the essence of a place, experience, or simply, the joy of travel.
We're big fans of Rick Steves, but that wasn't always the case. Our first interaction with the travel guru was though the throngs of American tourists we saw plodding around Europe with his books in hand, as if to say, "Look at me, I'm an American, and I don't like to think for myself." We swore we'd never look at one of his books. But time has changed our minds, as we have discovered that Rick Steves is a veritable fountain of knowledge when it comes to the European continent. And, while his guidebook users might not share our sense of travel adventure, Rick is a kindred spirit in the quest for the real travel experience. His book, Rick Steves' Postcards from Europe: 25 Years of Travel Tales from America's Favorite Guidebook Writer, is his recollection of his past twenty five summers spent in Europe as he revisits the formative places of his travel empire. Anyone that has been to Europe will appreciate his "true to life" anecdotes, and for the uninitiated it gives you a heads up on what to expect when you make your first trip. And the biggest revelation, despite his goofy exterior, Rick Steves is indeed a pretty cool guy.
This is so notorious, that I have yet to find someone who has been to Rome that doesn't have a taxi horror story. In fact, I typically advise friends to avoid the taxi queue at the train station, and walk to their hotel, if possible. So, when I spied a local's guide to avoiding the notorious taxi rip off, I took notice. Shelley, an American expatriate living in Rome, gives some really good advice on how to keep those crooked taxi drivers at bay.
Sometimes beauty can be found in unlikely subjects, one of our favorite "monuments" in the city of Berlin is it's TV tower or Fernsehturm.
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