Just because I don’t
have cable doesn’t mean I can’t watch travel shows. I sometimes forget that since I don’t watch too much TV. But I’ve
got to start tuning into some of these shows more often. Between Rick Steves, Rudy Maxa and Globe Trekker, I’ve already got a nice selection to choose
from. Then, over the weekend, I caught an episode of Passport to
Adventure, another fine public television travel offering. (A special nod to my mom for introducing me to this
one.) The show we saw followed hosts Julie Conover and Mark Jennings through Romania. They visited Bucharest, once known as the
"Paris of the Balkans" and parts of Transylvania. Along with their local guides, the pair went biking in the
Carpathian Mountains, visited a religious icon museum in Sibiu and toured Peles Castle in the Prahova Valley. I gotta
admit, I really like how they flash the names of the places they visit on the TV screen. It makes it so much easier to
learn the names and proper spellings of unfamiliar locations and attractions. As the hosts toured, they also shared
background info about the country’s oppressive history, and efforts to rebuild its spirit and economy since the reign
of Ceausescu’s dictatorship ended in 1989. This adventure duo has traveled to over 30 destinations, but I’m not sure if new
episodes are in the works. If you can’t find the show on your local public TV station, check the library for videos or
buy them online.