It could be that the parties over in Amsterdam, a new political power structure is cutting social services,

defunding the arts and revamping the famously tolerant laws of the Netherlands.

Right now, if you asked a lot of gay gay people if Amsterdam were in fact the gay

capital of Europe they'd say you know we're not so sure anymore.

Hi I'm Rick Steves. In the hour ahead radio journalist Jonathan Grobear

assesses the social changes taking place in the Netherlands.

NPR's Stephen's keep tells us how he found a simple proverb like a bird in the hand

came to life in the bustle of Karachi.

The last of those four birds settled down on my palm as if it did not

know that it was free. And a Norwegian ski team checks in from Antarctica on their arduous

trek to the South Pole.

But it's all about one set before the next one, hour after hour, and doing that enough many days

you will get to the pole eventually.

Get acquainted with the world. That's our mission on Travel with Rick Steve's.

Now that the world's population has passed 7 billion, uncontrolled mega cities where millions

scramble to make a living are popping up all over the developing world.

In just a bit, we'll explore one of them, Karaji Pakistan through the observant eyes of journalist

Steve Innskip. And a European journalist shares news on how tensions in Holland are

turning its famously tolerant society upside down and how they're attempting to put the clamps

on at least one of the distinctive activities that so many tourists travel to Amsterdam to

enjoy.

Let's start today's travel with Rick Steves in a completely different environment.

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