Rick Steves said something like this once, about trying to get the essence of a place. I think maybe there’s no use avoiding that wherever you go there you are.

Rick Steves said something like this once, about trying to get the essence of a place. I think maybe there’s no use avoiding that wherever you go there you are. I remember his adamance that he would never drink a beer in some Italian place, because people there drink red wine. Meanwhile I’m pretty sure you can find plenty of people around Italy who enjoy a beer, or slivovitz or whatever. Not only that but you’re not a local- and so what? Travel, that is to say seeing other parts of the world than one’s own, need not involve an attempt at escaping into some other life.