Happy Fourth of July

World Hum’s Most Read: June 28-July 3

What We Loved This Week: Def Leppard in Greece, Austrian Competence and Freedom in Colombia

The LAX Theme Building, Then and Now

As a Woman, Can I Really Travel Without Much Fear for my Safety?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

Inside Slum Tourism

With mixed feelings, Rob Verger recently signed on for a tour of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. He looks back on the experience—and the photos he was allowed to take.

Break Bread and Brie in France

Great cheese abounds in the land of Gaul, but dig in and you risk committing any number of faux pas. Terry Ward explains how to partake of the nation’s famed fromage with savoir faire.

10 Wanderlust-Inducing Summer Concerts

Call it world music or global pop or the sound of the world hum. Ben Keene reveals 10 acts on tour that are sure to transport you. Plus videos.

Bryan Mealer: ‘War and Deliverance in Congo’

The former AP correspondent traveled up the Congo River. Frank Bures asks the author of “All Things Must Fight to Live” about following in the wake of Joseph Conrad. 

A Journey Into ‘The Second World’

Some bureaucrats joke that they would never claim expertise about countries they had not at least flown over. In an excerpt from his new book, Parag Khanna argues that real global understanding can only come from serious travel.

‘The Worst Guidebook Writer Ever’?

Lonely Planet author Robert Reid reviews Thomas Kohnstamm’s “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” and weighs in on the controversy surrounding it

Rick Steves Blogs From Iran

Hi Rick and Jim:

I’m a big fan of making friends with former enemies. It’s amazing what a neat stack of treaty papers and trade handshakes can do for the morale of local populaces. Because of my English-German heritage many people ask me what side I would have been on during “Dubya Dubya Deux” (the working title of my upcoming breakthrough speculative fiction novel.

My usual response is, uh, you mean Allied or Axis? I guess both. War is a terrible thing.

I think we should be careful.

I’d rather drink imitation cokes and fiddle with parchesi pieces with the Ayotollah in a caravanserai, wondering how the world can give peace a chance, than set myself up as absolute dictator of the planet, and like the character in “A Boy and His Dog” (played by the star of “Miami Vice")--repopulate the planet!

Thomas Malthus! Interesting character. . . .

Iran is a beautiful country with tremendous variety.  It has a wonderful and ancient culture and the people are delightful. The food and music is wonderful. The image portrayed in news clips is a very limited and narrow view and does not reflect the character and thinking of majority of the people.
I’m thrilled that Rick Steves is doing a program there.  I wish he would lead a tour there.  I would be very interested.

Delighted to hear you, Rick, are traveling
to Iran. I was there in 2004, with Global
Exchange. I read about the country for 18
months before leaving, and ever since returning, also. This trip was a peak experience in my life for many reasons. I
discovered a love of Islamic architecture.
I loved the people, and have remained in
regular e-mail contact with one of them.
I now have dear Iranian friends here. I hope to return. Ruth