Rick Steves might love Bellingham as much as your grandmother loves Rick Steves.
“Bellingham is just a place where, I think, Kathmandu (in Nepal) is a household word,” the popular travel writer said in a phone call with the Bellingham Herald. “People are outward-looking, prioritize travel and are thoughtful.”
This last detail is particularly important for the “Europe through the back door” author, who considers his work a source of inspiration for thoughtful journeys.
“Foolish travelers just walk down the main street of Amsterdam, Damrak as it is called. And right there, between Hooters and the Hard Rock Café, they find a ticket office selling tickets for commercial gimmicks,” Steves said. “They will buy these tickets and think this is what there is to do here in Amsterdam: the torture dungeon, the wax museum and the Dalí exhibition.”
Steves arrives in town on April 4, for a conversation hosted by Village books at Bellingham High School. The Edmonds-based author has a history of commuting an hour's drive north, dating back to his days as a self-published author in the 1980s. Most recently, he has lectured at Village Books , which he called “one of the most beloved bookstores in the United States.”
“For about 20 years or more, I think, I've been coming to Bellingham to give a talk with Village Books,” Steves said. “We try to do this every year and share the latest news about traveling in Europe, so people can learn from my mistakes rather than theirs and travel smart.”
How COVID changed travel in Europe
Steves, who just returned from a trip to Italy, said he plans to focus his speech on how travel in Europe has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Europe is constantly changing, my job is to make mistakes, to take notes,” Steves said. “When I get scammed, I party, they don’t know who they just scammed. I'm going to learn this scam and incorporate it into my speech, then go home and share it with people.
During the pandemic, according to Steves, tourist hotspots began to appreciate the controlled crowds caused by COVID-19 safety protocols, and many kept them in place.
“In Europe they are enthusiastically taking advantage of not having to deal with a pandemic, it's just wild and crazy. But one thing they've kept is that a lot of once-busy venues like being able to require people to have timed entry, so they don't have a crowd scene at their front door,” said Steves.
Travelers who have not adapted to these new protocols risk a trip full of delays and on-the-fly pivots.
“If you didn't know that, you might very well go to the Sagrada Família church in Barcelona, or the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, or the Borghese Gallery in Rome and think you could just walk in there “Steves said. “But no, you can’t buy a ticket at the door, you have to have it in advance at a lot of these places.”
That's a problem for Steves, who has made a career out of advocating for well-planned trips.
“A trip, if planned well, can be a life-changing experience,” Steves said. “I love the idea of transformational travel, which just involves a little planning.”
Where, when and how to get tickets
Or: Bellingham High School, 2020 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham
When: The event begins at 7 p.m. on April 4.
Tickets costs $10. Get them here.
