Ha! Ha! Blacktie, that last post was amusing! And Suze, YES, where IS artlover living-out on one of the offshore islands? I don't live in Seattle, but I don't have to to know that there are many, many excellent hair salons in that fair city, not to mention excellence in just about every other category!

thanks, airlawgirl, but you're taking a chance, given all the RS retainers about. I too was shocked that residents of Seattle area are limited solely to a RS tonsured cut. What is the clerical or monastic attraction, do you suppose?

oh, Blacktie, I do like to start the day off with a few laughs...thank you for that! (I have so little to laugh about these days....) however, "encore au boulot," as they say in some parts!

Hmm, I watched a 5 year old rerun of one of his England tours last nite and suspiciously noticed that Rick's son doesn't bear any resemblance to him. The kid also had nice hair. Rick sticks out his pinky finger while drinking tea and later stated he "needed" a beer. Very flaky.

However, Rick does have a very good website, especially the Grafitti Wall section.

airlawgirl, you are more than welcome ... and do hang in there. If I can think of anything else funny, I'll try to direct it your way. Take care and have a good day.

...and yes, the Royal Orchid Sheraton is terrific (saw an earlier posting about Bkk).

So what happened to the RS guide? I packed one on my last trip to Italy because it was small & had just the basics in it. Left the biggies at home. But, in looking at the newer versions, they seem to have supersized...

I don't think I noticed anyone mentioning RS's "endearing" feature-his lisp! Well, I guess he can't help it...

Fodors gets better all the time! Not only do I get great travel advise here, but now maybe I can find a place to go for a good haircut.

Suze,PLEASE tell me where I can find a good haircut here. We live in Bellevue, but I went in to Seattle last time, so am willing to do so again. We moved here from L.A. and I had a fantastic guy there, so maybe I was spoiled there (that and my best friend are the only things I miss about L.A. now that we have Trader Joes here.)

Back to RS--I also want to add that he gives free seminars at his Edmunds office and they too are very worthwhile.
So, anyone in the Seattle area, if you don't know about them, check out his website (which, though not as terrific as Fodors, can also be helpful.)

The series just ending on Vermont Public Television is copyrighted in 1991, with references to what is happening in the 20th century, etc. Still there were interesting scenes of London and Salisbury Cathedral that we have visited. But there is so much new in Europe in the last 13 years!

I sort of wish it was on our local television. I like to mute and watch the sights whilst working on other things.

Adams, you can go to Rick's site and check out all his shows spanning the past 13 years or so.

Adams: If you look at his website, you'll see that there are many newer episodes than those from 1991. In 2004, there were 13 new ones produced, including episodes on Madrid, Castile, Normandy, Belfast & Northern Ireland, London, Paris, Belgium, Provence, the French Riviera, Poland, Budapest, Lisbon and Sevilla. In 2003 there were 14 produced, and I've seen most of them on my PBS station.

People can knock him all they want, but his TV show and travel guides were what gave us the courage to take our first trip to Europe (3 countries) two years ago, and do it independently. We went to Paris, Provence, Cinque Terre, Rome and Corfu, Greece. I made all of our hotel, train and ferry reservations online, and had no fear because Rick convinced us that it was easy, and guess what? It was!!!

... now I truly am confused about the haircut situation in Seattle: it seems like your only choice is RS's, while attending the seminar, or on aisle three at Trader Joe's. Is that the two-buck chuck? Just an aside, but my goodness, those entertainment values of people hungry for thirteen years of Rick!

Blacktie, us worldly folks in Montana like to watch PBS supershows like RS so we can better educate ourselves and expand our world vision. A mind is terrible thing to waste.

ec, it airs in Boston on Sunday mornings at 10 or 10:30. on Ch2. I was sad to see they removed Rudy Maxa who's show followed RS.
The haircut: RS or Donald Trump. Is that a no choice? :)

PBS! Bring back Bob!

Speaking of RS's hair, topping!

I think of RS as the new Arthur Frommer. Frommer made a million writing about traveling in Europe on a few bucks a day. Steves and Frommer both are travel for the common folk.