About five months ago I got the digital converter box so my TV doesn't become a piece of expensive decoration next february. And with that converter comes all sorts of new digital subchannels. Since all the TV stations went digital they have much more room on their airwaves for more channels. These are subchannels. A few of them are just 24 hour weather, sports and traffic with a little box on the side for infomercials and stuff. And then there's ION, PBS and TBN(The Jesus Network, all Jesus all the time) that have upwards of four or five. PBS has the main programming and PBS-2 is CREATE which is mostly cooking and DiY type shows. PBS-3 is WORLD and is mostly documentaries about war and science and other worldly type things. And PBS-4 is just a classical radio station from ASU where the local PBS beams in from with pretty pictures of the Arizona desert.
Of those four subchannels I watch CREATE the most. And one show I really love to watch is Rick Steves' Europe. It seems like it's on 3 or 4 times a day with only one as a repeat(usually). Rick Steves is a professional traveler but he also looks like your typical tourist, he could be a high school biology teacher or an accountant. In other words; kind of nerdy. An average episode has him dressed in pair of comfortable shoes, kahki pants and polo shirt with a back pack slung over his shoulder and a small grin. A grin that seems to say, "I can't believe I'm being payed to do this."
He's been all over Europe and knows all the special tourist tricks and just enough of the local language to buy things, ask for directions and where the nearest toilet is. He also knows all the hidden spots that aren't big tourism draws but are still damn beautiful just the same. Each episode has him exploring a different city and the areas around it. He'll pick up a friend who knows the city or sometimes a random but helpful native and explore the best that city has to offer. We're also treated to a little history lesson at the same time. The show is kind of a DiY in the sense that Rick Steves gives you all this info as if you're about to fly out there the next day. But each episode is also like a post card, you know... the one that say's, "Wish you were here." By the end I feel jealous that he's out there exploring different cultures and I'm just sitting at home in my boxers watching him. But one day I'll get out there and see the world.
Japan first, though... for Kt.
Coming up is part 2: America's Test Kitchen, hosted by Dwight Schrute's Father.
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