[Idyllchat] Rick Steves Books

Mon Mar 12 15:31:44 EST 2007

We have also learned that our pace is slower than Rick suggests in  
his guidebooks. After using his books for a few trips, I think you  
learn how well your own pace matches his and adjust the planning  
accordingly.

We have been on several RS tours and found that they are pretty fast  
also, but there is usually part of each day on your own and a totally  
on your own day every 3 or 4 days. Of course, the problem is that  
even on the "on your own" days, you rarely slow down! The one thing  
the tours do is help with the logistics. Since your are typically  
traveling by coach, it is much easier to optimize arrival times at  
major attractions. Also, almost never waiting to get admission  
tickets and a lot of major attractions have separate entrances for  
tour groups.

Russ

Russ Crum
rrcrum at sbcglobal.net

On Mar 12, 2007, at 16:13, Jay Cloidt wrote:

> I agree. Rick Steves encourages people to get to know the local  
> culture and customs. He advises people to learn a little bit about  
> where you are going before you get there, and gives great advice on  
> how to get around on your own. His books also contain out of the  
> way places that you would not have thought of going to on your own.  
> I saw his show on Le Cinque Terre, and I had to go. It was fantastic.
>
> The only problem I have is that his itineraries are too fast paced  
> for me. I like to take it slower and wallow in the local culture. I  
> use his own advice to justify this, and that is, "Don't assume that  
> this is a once in a lifetime trip. Assume that you are going to  
> come back." He uses it to justify hitting 4 cities in a week. I use  
> it to say that I'll hit 2 cities this time, and I'll hit those  
> other 2 when I come back.
>
>  - Jay
>
> On 3/12/07, Russ Crum <rrcrum at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> I completely agree about the popularity of RS books when one is  
> traveling in Europe. On the other hand, they have probably been  
> responsible for thousands of Americans striking out on their own on  
> European forays.  I also think that  RS's travel philosophy, to the  
> extent it has rubbed off on us tourists, has done a great deal to  
> help most of us get to know and understand a bit better the people  
> in the countries we visit.
>
> Russ Crum
> rrcrum at sbcglobal.net
>
> On Mar 12, 2007, at 14:12, GRAYGOOSE at aol.com wrote:
>
>> I chuckled at the ideas that folks seem to be "bound" to the Rick  
>> Steves books. We are guilty to an extent as we don't always rely  
>> on them to get about. However, when we on the Paris Untour we did  
>> have it with us. We decided to take in the Impressionist  
>> collection at the Musee d'Orsay but opted to have lunch first in  
>> their resturant. A young woman seated us and lingered a bit  
>> looking at the RS guide book I had in hand. She finally asked the  
>> question that was on her mind. "Pardon, Madame, what is that book  
>> you are carrying? I believe every American that I have seated here  
>> has one". I explained to her what it was and she thanked me and as  
>> she left said, "Ah,but there is too much in Paris to be in one  
>> book". Truer comment could not have been made.
>>
>> A few days later we went up to Montmarte. We stopped for lunch in  
>> a small Rick Steves recommended restaurant which was quite  
>> crowded, with what seemed to be, locals.We were seated at the last  
>> available table (for 4) which happened to be by an open window. I  
>> placed the guide book on the table next to the window. Soon a  
>> couple strolled  by and then came back to the window. The woman  
>> held up her copy of Rick's Paris guide and said, "I knew you were  
>> Americans because we saw the guide on the table" She then held up  
>> her copy and asked, "Would you mind if we came in and joined you?"  
>> Of course we invited them in. They turned out to be a very lovely  
>> couple from Oregon and we had a great conversation with them.
>>
>> Just two examples of Rick Steves popularity in Paris.
>> '
>> Nina
>>
>>
>>
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