Name 20 countries from the European Union. Imagine the “typical” citizens of those countries–their features, their demeanors, their gestures, their accents. Now picture a collection of 120 people from those countries who are passionate aficionados on the history, art, culture, politics, and people of those motherlands all descending on a small town just north ofContinue reading “Scenes from a Guide Summit”
Tag Archives: Rick Steves
Dale Chihuly’s Garden and Glass Museum: Art Rivaling Nature
Imagine columns of aqua blue starfish, seashells, and kelp bulbs. Visualize ceilings of tire-sized flowers of every color hovering above you and radiating a rainbow of sunlight with your body as the canvas. Picture rowboats piled with Technicolor orbs, wispy rods and belled vessels, floating atop a sea of black glass, reflecting the surreal masterpiecesContinue reading “Dale Chihuly’s Garden and Glass Museum: Art Rivaling Nature”
Being a Tourist in Your Own Town
I love Seattle, and after nearly four years of living here, it finally feels like home. It’s a dynamite town. It’s small yet metropolitan. Neighborhoods like Ballard, Capitol Hill, Freemont, and Magnolia boast distinct personalities yet feel cohesively Seattle. We have a good baseball team, a stellar soccer team, and a phenomenal football team (GoContinue reading “Being a Tourist in Your Own Town”
Hungry in Reykjavik
When you think of Iceland, you might think: cold, Leif Erickson, Nordic, thermal energy, big volcano with unpronounceable name, or Björk. I’m not so sure that good food would be among the first things to pop into your head. But perhaps it should be. It’s easy to find top-quality, innovative cuisine using locally sourced ingredients. Continue reading “Hungry in Reykjavik”
Life in a Volcanic Landscape
No trip to Iceland is complete without a visit to the highlands. With the help of an expert guide–equipped with a “Super Jeep”, Rick and I made the four-hour trek from Reykjavik to the rugged and almost other worldly landscapes near Eyjafjallajökul (pronounced EY-ya-fyad-luh-YO-kuld, a.k.a. E15–starts with “E” has 15 letters). You’ll recall that thisContinue reading “Life in a Volcanic Landscape”
Iceland Iceland Baby
What do you do in Iceland when you only have two days to visit? Lots, that’s what. Instead of flying directly from St. Petersburg to Seattle, my partner Rick Steves and I decided to take advantage of spending some time (for the first time) in Iceland. We hoped to break up our jet lag andContinue reading “Iceland Iceland Baby”
Never Judge a Babushka by Her Head-cover
We walked hand-in-hand, wondering aloud to each other, “When was this built? What do you think that sign says? What was this place like just before the fall of the Soviet Union?” It was the first time in three days in St. Petersburg that we had actually just wandered around. We had been going atContinue reading “Never Judge a Babushka by Her Head-cover”
Cultural Eye-candy in St. Petersburg
“Dobryy den’,” I said to the Dorothy Hamill-coiffed customs agent. I was eager to practice the little Russian I knew. She must not have heard me because she didn’t respond to my greeting. “Dobryy den’,” I repeated, this time with a smile. Maybe I was pronouncing it wrong. The third time I wished her goodContinue reading “Cultural Eye-candy in St. Petersburg”
Scandinavian Slices of Life
Leaving our ship that morning in Stockholm–and leaving 3000 tourists–Rick Steves and I found ourselves alone in the middle of a great city with only 5 hours until we needed to be back on the ship. Abba, the harbor walk, the National Gallery, Swedish meatballs…how would we pack all the experiences into our memory banksContinue reading “Scandinavian Slices of Life”
Cruising? Why?
In doing research for his newest guidebook, Northern European Cruise Ports, Rick Steves’ primary task is to double-check and update logistical and sightseeing information in port: how to you get from the ship terminal to the city center, what are the operating hours for TIs/museums/churches, what’s new, what’s no longer around, and how do youContinue reading “Cruising? Why?”