Alright so just who is this Rick Steves geezer and how come I've never heard of him?
Jan 22nd, 2002, 06:33 PM
#141
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He definitely does seem to be a North American phenomenon as he is a complete unknown here in Australia - our bookstores here are overflowing with a heap of different 'brands' of guidebooks but I could not find a single Rick Steves one to take to Paris last year which I went searching for after reading about him on this site & others laregly populated by Americans. Some people here seem to be very quick to jump to defend him which is a little odd given he hardly needs it given how obviously successful he is so he must be doing soemthing right ...& besides anyone who gives people the confidence to travel must be a pretty good bloke (or geezer or git!!) so good on him.
Jan 22nd, 2002, 06:35 PM
#142
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He definitely does seem to be a North American phenomenon as he is a complete unknown here in Australia - our bookstores here are overflowing with a heap of different 'brands' of guidebooks but I could not find a single Rick Steves one to take to Paris last year which I went searching for after reading about him on this site & others laregly populated by Americans. Lonely Planet are teh most popular here I think although my presonal prefernce is for a combination of DK eyeswitnesss & a frommers. I'm a bit surprised here how some people have been so quick to jump to defend him which is a little odd given he hardly needs it given how obviously successful he is so he must be doing something right ...& besides anyone who gives people the confidence to travel must be a pretty good bloke (or geezer or git!!) so good on him.
Jan 22nd, 2002, 07:16 PM
#143
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Lucy-I don't think that people are actually "defending" Rick Steves...they are defending themselves,because they read his books/like his programs/whatever,and feel defensive about it-no one on this board actually knows Rick Steves, knows if he is really a "nice guy", we all do know that he has a good job and must be doing well...
Jan 22nd, 2002, 08:17 PM
#144
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I am not a first-time traveler, but I still refer to Rick Steves when I want detailed information about practical things: how to get to and from airports, subway/bus systems, laundromats, how to get to sites, etc. Like Joe, I usually take his guides just for that reason.<BR><BR>And I've always thought (hoped?) that any reference to not needing to know the language (other than politesses) was an attempt not to intimidate newbies.
Oct 16th, 2003, 11:12 AM
#145
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Topping this old thread 'cause Mr. West's geezer made the Seattle Weekly's "Best of Seattle 2003: Celeb Picks" list, as the "Best-Traveled Celebrity."
Check it out to see if you can correctly guess what he says is the "Best Surefire Way To Gross Out an Italian."
http://www.seattleweekly.com/feature...itics_rick.php
Check it out to see if you can correctly guess what he says is the "Best Surefire Way To Gross Out an Italian."
http://www.seattleweekly.com/feature...itics_rick.php
Jul 14th, 2004, 07:18 AM
#148
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Hmm. Interesting. We just don't have 'personality' travel guides in the UK in the same way. Our package tour companies often started off identified with individuals (who were Erna Low and Wallace Arnold, I wonder? - oh and Thomas Cook who begat the lot), but they were all conglomerated and corporatised years ago. Media travel writers (if specialists) tend not to run their own businesses (they wouldn't get into most of the media as experts if they did), while our TV holiday programmes long ago stopped using experts to present and instead went for general purpose presenters or a whole range of actors and 'celebrities' off and on (does any other UK reader remember Jilly Goolden taking pole-dancing lessons?). They relapse into their own clichés of course. Everything has to be a bit jokey: no-one ever says '[x] is what they encourage you to do but it's not my cup of tea' or 'this place is only for [y] type of people and you can get better quality elsewhere', which is what they used to do, still less serious investigation of airline and tourist agency policies and practices.
So things are not perfect for us here; but I suspect there's a cultural difference, that inexperienced UK travellers trust a big tour company and a brochure rather than a named personality...?
So things are not perfect for us here; but I suspect there's a cultural difference, that inexperienced UK travellers trust a big tour company and a brochure rather than a named personality...?
Jul 14th, 2004, 07:38 AM
#150
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I think that was rather the point - I think she was a general sort of journalist (whatever became of her, I wonder?), and while Sanke Guha does family-oriented travel shows occasionally, I'm sure he must have some other day job somewhere. But I did enjoy those shows, and I do use the Rough Guides for introductory information to a place. I just don't let any guidebook dictate, though.
Jul 14th, 2004, 07:53 AM
#151
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Magenta deVine rocked! Where is she now?
Rough Guides had really good bottom-of-the-screen astons (telecaptions) . . . Americans don't like to read , ) we don't get them Stateside.
I think Americans who venture to travel beyond North America are usually quite good about cobbling together diffferent sources of travel info. And, we hate RS because 1)we'd like his job, 2)he's just off the mark in so many ways, so often IMO.
Rough Guides had really good bottom-of-the-screen astons (telecaptions) . . . Americans don't like to read , ) we don't get them Stateside.
I think Americans who venture to travel beyond North America are usually quite good about cobbling together diffferent sources of travel info. And, we hate RS because 1)we'd like his job, 2)he's just off the mark in so many ways, so often IMO.
Jul 14th, 2004, 08:51 AM
#152
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Funny to see that photo of him in the Seattle Weekly profile. I think that's the only time I've seen him in something other than his classic blue shirt.
<i>Hasn't anyone got a kind word for Arthur Frommer? He was there long before Rick Steves.</i>
On my third visit to Europe -- a 3-week, 6-country, Eurailpass trip in 1987 -- we relied primarily on Frommer's <i>Europe on $xx/Day</i>. Back in '87, the "xx" was -- hard to believe now -- $25. I think that was the first trip where I used a Steves' book.
Ironically there ended up being a tie-in between the two. In Frommer's "Reader's Recommendations" for Paris we read about this "incredibly inexpensive budget no-star hotel" in Paris. Back then it was, I think, about $25/night, or maybe even less. A few years later I discovered that this hotel, which has now been remodeled and upgraded, was where Steves' tour groups stay in the Marais. It's the Hotel Castex.
<i>Magenta deVine rocked! Where is she now?</i>
Don't know who she is but that name rocks!
<i>And, we hate RS because 1)we'd like his job, 2)he's just off the mark in so many ways, so often IMO.</i>
for #1.
<i>Hasn't anyone got a kind word for Arthur Frommer? He was there long before Rick Steves.</i>
On my third visit to Europe -- a 3-week, 6-country, Eurailpass trip in 1987 -- we relied primarily on Frommer's <i>Europe on $xx/Day</i>. Back in '87, the "xx" was -- hard to believe now -- $25. I think that was the first trip where I used a Steves' book.
Ironically there ended up being a tie-in between the two. In Frommer's "Reader's Recommendations" for Paris we read about this "incredibly inexpensive budget no-star hotel" in Paris. Back then it was, I think, about $25/night, or maybe even less. A few years later I discovered that this hotel, which has now been remodeled and upgraded, was where Steves' tour groups stay in the Marais. It's the Hotel Castex.
<i>Magenta deVine rocked! Where is she now?</i>
Don't know who she is but that name rocks!
<i>And, we hate RS because 1)we'd like his job, 2)he's just off the mark in so many ways, so often IMO.</i>
for #1.
Jul 14th, 2004, 09:13 AM
#153
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Capo:
For Magenta Devine go here (and you can hear her voiceover for a few adds too! - bizarre?!?!)
http://www.speak-voices.com/managed/...%20Devine.html
Dr D.
For Magenta Devine go here (and you can hear her voiceover for a few adds too! - bizarre?!?!)
http://www.speak-voices.com/managed/...%20Devine.html
Dr D.
Jul 14th, 2004, 10:24 AM
#157
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Is Magenta the one that wore the Chanel sunglasses and great outfits while cruising in a Range Rover? I thought she was great!
nocinonut- my husband used to work someone... ( whom I shall call X here) At least he was funny ~
example:
Client: Look at the Fairy.
X: Madame, If I were a Fairy I would take out my wand and fix your nose.
nocinonut- my husband used to work someone... ( whom I shall call X here) At least he was funny ~
example:
Client: Look at the Fairy.
X: Madame, If I were a Fairy I would take out my wand and fix your nose.
Jul 14th, 2004, 10:43 AM
#158
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Yes, Scarlett that is she, I liked her too, she was offbeat.
My co-worker has his funny moments such as calling someone mutton dressed as lamb, but usually he is bitter towards women. Frankly, he could be posting as mkingdom2 as far as I know !!
My co-worker has his funny moments such as calling someone mutton dressed as lamb, but usually he is bitter towards women. Frankly, he could be posting as mkingdom2 as far as I know !!
Jul 14th, 2004, 11:11 AM
#160
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Thanks, Dr_DoGood. There's almost a Separated-at-Birth thing going on with her and Anna Wintour.
http://www.vogue.co.uk/whos_who/Anna...r/default.html
<i>Hotels are one group that takes Rick Steves quite seriously.</i>
In addition, although there's so much contempt for him here for "spoiling" places in Europe, I can assure you than any European whose business has boomed due to Steves is very grateful to him. The people (mother and son) who own the wonderful family-run hotel I stay at in Nice are very fond of him and the business he has brought their way over the years. And I remain indebted to him for turning me onto this hotel and these delightful people.
http://www.vogue.co.uk/whos_who/Anna...r/default.html
<i>Hotels are one group that takes Rick Steves quite seriously.</i>
In addition, although there's so much contempt for him here for "spoiling" places in Europe, I can assure you than any European whose business has boomed due to Steves is very grateful to him. The people (mother and son) who own the wonderful family-run hotel I stay at in Nice are very fond of him and the business he has brought their way over the years. And I remain indebted to him for turning me onto this hotel and these delightful people.
