Rick chats with three former Communists who share what it was like being raised in different types of Communist countries at a time when half of Europe was under the thumb of the Soviet Union.

Jennifer Wilson explains what it was like to relocate her family from the Midwest to the Croatian mountain village of her ancestors.

Two guides from Hungary explain the delights of the Hungarian countryside, including thermal spas and a rich winemaking culture.

Rick talks with two Hungarian tour guides about the "Paris of Eastern Europe," the hot springs, and Hungarian food.

Rick and Budapest-based tour guide Péter Pölczman explore options for getting beyond the busy capital of Budapest to visit the scenic Danube Bend, Lake Balaton, and the winemaking town of Eger.

Rick revisits Hungary with Elteka Parine Berecz, a teacher and tour guide based in Hungary. She offers advice on visiting the hot springs and enjoying the hearty wine and cuisine.

Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria and Greece get ready for Easter.

Polish tour guide Kasia Derlicka offers ideas for travelers investigating genealogical roots. Cameron Hewitt, coauthor of Rick's Eastern Europe guidebook, was in Krakow when word spread that Pope John Paul II had died. He describes the scene and its place in modern Polish history.

Two tour guides based in Prague offer advice on avoiding the summer flood of tourists, give budget tips, and recommend day trips into the Bohemian countryside.

Amir Telibecirovic, Sarajevo-based journalist and tour guide, describes what it was like to live through the Siege of Sarajevo twenty years ago and what it's like to visit the city today.