Rick Steves is a freakin' National Treasure y'all
I went to go see his show today, partnering with the Phoenix Symphony.
It was fantastic! What a great guy!
He started out the show talking about how we don't like "kings" in America.
The crowd went wild!
I get that the Rick Steves crowd might self-select, but still, I was impressed!
He spent a lot of his time between the selections talking about European freedom movements in places like:
Italy, France, Czech Republic, etc.
After the show, he came out and signed autographs for anyone who wanted them. He said ahead of time that he wasn't going to personalize them or pose for pictures, but to take pictures freely. He said it would take too long to have people line up and wait for a "one-on-one" session. He said just form a mosh pit with him in the middle and he'd rotate around and sign whatever was put in front of him.
He was still really gracious about responding to quick questions or accepting thanks for people who told him he'd changed their lives.
Just a really great guy!
= new reply since forum marked as read
but I heard an interview with him today on NPR, and he was talking about keeping them employed during Covid. One thing he had them do was to dig up and type the old handwritten travel journal from his fresh-out-of college "hippie trail" excursion, Istanbul to Kathmandu, and he has just published it as his latest book.
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/03/04/rick-stevess-new-travel-memoir-examines-wild-times-on-the-hippie-trail/
… he’s a serious cannabis advocate. Granted, I haven’t had TV access since I ditched satellite like 12 years ago, but I don’t remember that was ever a fact they mentioned on PBS. 
Thanks for that info. If I can ever put my Kindle down, I’ll have something fun to decompress with. 
