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Resourceful traveler: July 20
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More from Lifestyle"Rick Steves' Eastern Europe" (Avalon Travel, $22.95)
Eastern Europe is not what it used to be and, for travelers, that is a good thing. As Rick Steves notes, freedom in this part of Europe is now a generation old and "for better or worse ... McDonald's, MTV and mobile phones" are here, too. What's more, some of the countries described in the book are already part of the European Union. The countries covered are the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Austria and Yugoslavia. As anyone familiar with his work knows, Steves is the ultimate supporter of local culture. He encourages folks to travel with open eyes and minds.
In this fifth edition, Steves discusses the sights of each city or country, often with an acute eye to historic events and landmarks while recommending a range of activities. He discusses each country's food and language as well as customs and traditions. He includes sidebars that comment on specific aspects of the area (such as the "gypsy question" — a discussion of the 6 million to 12 million people mostly found in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and part of Slovakia and now referred to as Roma — or the life and death of Pope John Paul II. He touches on controversial subjects with sensitivity (concentration camps) but is just as comfortable discussing Vienna's wine gardens and traditional cafes.
— Chicago Tribune
