rick steves' problem
 

why are many of you on this forum so against Rick Steves?

But anyhow, in answer to your question... perhaps sixty percent of the "crowd" her is against Rick Steves' for precisely the same reason that 40% would quickly acknowledge all the reasons he has been so successful. It's a fundamentall American thing to proclaim that "we could do it better", in regard to people who have risen to positions of prominence in what they do.

60% of people you ask would surely say they could do a better job as the vice president of the United States, or as senator from New York, or as host of "Survivor", or as judge on "American Idol". It's a combinaton of jealousy, and our national passion for being backseat drivers.

It's a good thing. (and oh yes, Rex Bickers Living Omnimedia would be better than ... well, you know...)

Rick who?

Dear Rex,

Your first post made me giggle. The movie Chicago was showing multiple times on TV around Thanksgiving. One of my favorite songs is when Vera describes her sister vaudeville act. The lines are "First she.... Then we..."

When I read "First see...Then see... I could hear Catherine Zeta Jones singing in my head.

LSM, welcome. Actually, a number of people here recommend the Rick Steves guidebooks and a number are silent on the subject. Hope you enjoy the info here. SusanEva

... but I should have carried on from above to say - as for Rick Steeves, yes I think you've summed it up correctly. For the first time traveller wanting a 'condensed highlights' taste of a destination, Rick is good value.

Well, I'm a Brit and it took this board to teach me who Rick Steves was :-)

I still haven't watched his programs.

Ism8931, Since this is your first post I have to ask - Who are you? His marketing department? because I don't think he needs you, he seems to be popular enough.

the "for Ricks" -the newbies,people that read books for dummys,ex-backpackers,the budget challenged,the practical.the easily amused,boomers,and
midwest and westerners

the "against Ricks"--well traveled. obsessive compulsives,self- proclaimed sophisticates,Conte Nast subscribers,foodies,people that spend 300+ for a hotel room , people from the norhteast and map obsessives

the "ambivalents" ---all the rest
LOL

I don't own any of Rick's books, but I enjoy his show. I've also been to one of his travel workshops when he came to my city a couple of yrs ago. Especially when I was a student and was going to Europe by myself for the first time, his advice and attitude toward travel gave me a lot of confidence to do it alone. I like Rick and I respect him for what he's been able to do. I think he has a great attitude about travel and about travel being for everyone, NOT just "the well traveled. obsessive compulsives,self- proclaimed sophisticates,Conte Nast subscribers,foodies,people that spend 300+ for a hotel room , people from the northeast and map obsessives." ;-)

I rented his DVD on Rome before we went last year and found it very helpful giving directions and trains to Ostia.

I don't always agree with everything he has to say, I don't like how he only focuses on areas that he deems worthy in each country (therefore skipping many great places), and his itineraries usually include way too much jumping around for my taste. However, I will say that I find his books helpful and usually read them, in addition to many others, when planning a trip. He gives decent descriptions and good directions, especially for a first-time visitor to a country or city.

I do like his television shows, but then again I like most travel shows.

Tracy

I like his books as a starting point-- or if you only have a day or two, he tends to give concise highlights, and some good food and hotel info. His books are not generally "al encompassing" for a country, but I don't think they claim to be either.
Never seen the show, but hey, I like to read all kinds of travel books-- you just have to find the one that suits your style of travel.

Count me amoung the RS fans. His show and his philosophy was what got us to be independent travelers and frankly I think our life is better for it.

As much as I like to travel I make it a point to watch any travel shows I can find on TV so Rick and Rudy Maxa are regular events at our house as well as The Thirsty Traveler, Cash Peters and that cute girl who does the shows on the swankey hotels. We even watch the Amazing Race for the scenery they are running through.

Do I agree with all those folks on everything they say, of course not. I don't agree with everythiing I hear from anyone.

As for Rick Steves, I appreciate his low-budget, no hype approach. He has introduced us to a lot of places we would never have thought of to go. Keep on traveling.

Some of us don't like him because he is so self-righteous.

In a recent 60 Minutes interview, for example, he stated that he deliberately subjects his tour guests to at least one uncomfortable hotel per trip in the hope that it will cause them to have more empathy with global poverty.

In an essay on his website (I believe it was titled "Innocents Abroad"), he states that, compared to Europeans, Americans are "distracted," "dumbed down" and "ignorant." We also have bad taste in food and are sexually frustrated.

He aggressively perpetuates the notion that loving Europe means hating America.

This type of rhetoric may play well with the more radical PBS viewers and a few snobbish European elites, but the average traveler has little use for it.

Rick Steves hates America? Oh, *that's* rich! smueller, can't you understand that one could believe the things Steves said and still love America? I happen to agree with the things you say Steves said, even though I've never heard that he'd said/written those things. I do love his books, though!

Andrew

Read:

http://www.ricksteves.com/about/pres.../innocents.htm

It does have a very pronounced "them good, we bad" slant. Rick doesn't really believes what he is writing, it just soothes his liberal guilt for all the capitalistic money he earns.

Rick is an expert on foreign policy, drug policy, global warming and many other subjects. He also is the best source of information on European history, culture and cuisine. He knows more about hotels and restaurants than anyone. When I travel in Europe, I only stay in hotels recommended by Rick and I only eat in restaurants recommended by him, because if I stray from his recommendations it is possible I will be disappointed. I will travel exlusively to Europe until Rick tells me what to see and where to eat and sleep elsewhere. If Rick ain't saying, I ain't staying.

Vedette, I hope you were being ironic...

That is the greatest problem I have with Rick Steves: He pre-chews everything for the fearful traveler; he does not frighten them with choices but tells them exactly where to go, to sleep and to eat.

And his readers follow him like sheep - or lemmings.

I am one who watches the Rick Steve's shows and will look at his books for information BUT.......the reason that I cannot stand him is more because of what the he has done to the American tourist in Europe.He has made it possible to "dumb down" the American public into sheep who cannot possibly think outside of his box/way of thinking.I know that I am going to get some slack for what I am about to say but here goes........... Everywhere you go in Europe,you can pick out the American tourists who are Rick Steves devotees with their white tennis shoes,fanny bag and inappropriate sayings on their sweatshirts with their Rick Steves books in their hands.(Or as my daughter and I call it-"Bob and Ethel from Des Moines" syndrome!)Please accept my apologies if you are named Bob or Ethel or are from Des Moines as it is a joke.Anyway,Rick has made it possible for thousands of people to go overseas without doing an hour of research on their own. This has caused the traveling public to become extremely lazy and not even try to enjoy or appreciate the foreign culture.No matter where you travel in Europe you see everyone walking around with their blue Rick Steves books and QUOTING him;eating where he tells you,sleeping where he tells you and only seeing the towns or sights that he thinks are worthy?It is actually quite sad to see. I know that because I go overseas every week my perspective is different and I also would like to say that the people on the Fodors board are different as they are on here for research,etc.Could I do any better than Rick? Probably not but to me half the fun of going on vacation is the weeks of research and "gathering" before you go.I think that most of you would agree that this forum is so wonderful because you learn alot more than what is in the regular travel books ie. those special restaurants,cheaper ways to travel within a country or even a special place to shop.So use Rick but please don't quote him on everything and think outside of the box occasionally.Thank you- I will not get off my soapbox!

I've always avoided these rick bash posts until now.

I don't like him because:

1. He is arrogant.
2. He is patronizing.
3. He perpetuates the ugly american stereotype when talking to people in their own countries.
4. He boasts about his language limitations and urges statements like 'auto kaput' to describe a problem.
5. He offers terrible advice. (I believe the entire moneybelt fiasco originated with him.)

I watch his program to pick up valuable tips and do the opposite thereby assuring I will have a good time. For instance, each year Rick packs lighter; I pack heavier. Now I can visit nice places in other countries without looking like a hayseed in wrinkled or filthy clothing that I've suds out in the bathroom of the zero star hotel I claim to have stayed in for tv purposes while I actually rented a nice apartment far away from the dump I urge viewers to stay at. In my impressionable youth I once made the mistake of staying at a hotel he recommended. Matress was packed cotton, no springs, like sleeping on bricks. Carpets were FILTHY, bathroom covered with mold.

I recognize there are a lot of people who like him. That's okay with me as long as they're willing to let me think is contemptible and say so from time to time.

Sorry it was supposed to be "now get off my soapbox"!