What's Your Travel Style?
Jul 30th, 2008, 03:26 PM
#41
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During my younger years, Rick Steves PBS program inspired my desire to travel. I'm still a fan, and would say I identify with him more than the others. Yet, a dash of Samantha Brown here and there is a welcome treat.
Jul 30th, 2008, 03:59 PM
#42
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Love to watch all the travel shows mentioned including Burt Wolf.
http://www.burttravels.com/ We used to use Rick's books to travel but now we follow the info on Rick, Foders, Frommers and tripadvisor and make our own decisions. I didn't like standing on a Paris streetcorner reading Rick Steves book with other people reading the same book.
http://www.burttravels.com/ We used to use Rick's books to travel but now we follow the info on Rick, Foders, Frommers and tripadvisor and make our own decisions. I didn't like standing on a Paris streetcorner reading Rick Steves book with other people reading the same book.
Jul 30th, 2008, 04:13 PM
#44
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<i>I didn't like standing on a Paris streetcorner reading Rick Steves book with other people reading the same book. </i>
Good point, but if it weren't for one of Rick's books, I wouldn't have known that you could take a lift up and walk from one town to another in the Alps! I also wouldn't have known how to do a super-short visit to the Sistine Chapel (long story). He really has some excellent suggestions, even if hotels aren't among them!
Good point, but if it weren't for one of Rick's books, I wouldn't have known that you could take a lift up and walk from one town to another in the Alps! I also wouldn't have known how to do a super-short visit to the Sistine Chapel (long story). He really has some excellent suggestions, even if hotels aren't among them!
Jul 30th, 2008, 04:31 PM
#45
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dmlove You are right about Rick he gives some good info that has helped us many times. But I don't go by his hotels or b&b selections anymore. Some of his info is outdated by the time it comes into print. He has helped more Americans travel in Europe independently than any other person.
Jul 30th, 2008, 06:45 PM
#47
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Aw, thanks to LJ for mentioning Ian Wright. I also like the response about who you'd like to travel WITH. Bourdain is irreverently hunky, but I'd pick Ian Wright any day! (And I think the Geico gecko must have been modeled after him -- this may only make sense to US posters.)
Jul 30th, 2008, 10:04 PM
#48
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Samantha Brown - not that I could afford 5* hotels - love her series on China. I want to hug a panda even if it costs $250. Have been to China - Beijing, Xian, etc. but now want to return because of the information on the series.
Jul 31st, 2008, 01:14 AM
#49
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<i>He really has some excellent suggestions, even if hotels aren't among them!</i>
I'm not really a fan of Rick Steves, but I would say his coverage of the major museums is the best of any of the big guidebooks.
<i>I don't understand this fascination with eating weird/different food. How many people go on vacation wanting to eat wood worm (Phlippines) or strange meat?</i>
But you might like it. And weird is such a relative term. Does grilled octopus count? Escargot? Raw (which are actually still alive) Oysters? Objectively, I would think these are pretty odd foods. It is only that they are common in the west that we think them weird.
I don't go that far out of my way to eat obscure foods like wood worm, but if a food is highly regarded in a region, I don't see a reason to not give it a try.
I'm not really a fan of Rick Steves, but I would say his coverage of the major museums is the best of any of the big guidebooks.
<i>I don't understand this fascination with eating weird/different food. How many people go on vacation wanting to eat wood worm (Phlippines) or strange meat?</i>
But you might like it. And weird is such a relative term. Does grilled octopus count? Escargot? Raw (which are actually still alive) Oysters? Objectively, I would think these are pretty odd foods. It is only that they are common in the west that we think them weird.
I don't go that far out of my way to eat obscure foods like wood worm, but if a food is highly regarded in a region, I don't see a reason to not give it a try.
Jul 31st, 2008, 04:17 AM
#51
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macinpy:
If you go to Asia you will be surprised you might just be able to afford 5 star hotels and the service you receive is outstanding!
To get the same in Europe you would have to spend maybe 3 or 4 times that much!
If you go to Asia you will be surprised you might just be able to afford 5 star hotels and the service you receive is outstanding!
To get the same in Europe you would have to spend maybe 3 or 4 times that much!
Jul 31st, 2008, 04:29 AM
#52
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Well I'd only heard of two of the four until some kind poster enlightened.
As I don't travel to eat, (3) is out. As I think spending mega amounts on somewhere to sleep is idiotic (1) is out.
I don't need Rick Steves to tell me where to go, and would probably avoid anywhere he suggested.
In other words - none of the above, but I appreciate the inventiveness of the question.
As I don't travel to eat, (3) is out. As I think spending mega amounts on somewhere to sleep is idiotic (1) is out.
I don't need Rick Steves to tell me where to go, and would probably avoid anywhere he suggested.
In other words - none of the above, but I appreciate the inventiveness of the question.
Jul 31st, 2008, 08:07 AM
#56
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BillT - We did stay in 5* hotels for our tour in China about 8 years ago. Accommodations were wonderful! Although part of a prepaid tour we were able to figure the cost of the hotels and they were low by comparison with Europe and the US. China is on our list for a return visit...after we do a few more "must see" and "first time" places.
Jul 31st, 2008, 10:01 AM
#58
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I'm probably like Rick Steves but I'm not a Rick Steves zombie - the people who travel with his book, go exactly where he suggests, stay where he suggests and eat what he suggests.
I do one carry-on only, stay at a variety from hostels to pensions and budget hotels (unlike Samantha), eat local food only (but don't go out of my way to make it wierd like Zimmern) and I like to try the local beer and wine (but don't exist between a hangover and stupor like Bourdain). I also don't spend a lot of time shopping like Samantha Brown. I'd rather spend the time seeing things that are of historic, artistic or architechtural significance.
I do one carry-on only, stay at a variety from hostels to pensions and budget hotels (unlike Samantha), eat local food only (but don't go out of my way to make it wierd like Zimmern) and I like to try the local beer and wine (but don't exist between a hangover and stupor like Bourdain). I also don't spend a lot of time shopping like Samantha Brown. I'd rather spend the time seeing things that are of historic, artistic or architechtural significance.
