The so-called "Final Tour" happens in September and, truthfully, I'm feeling a bit sad about it.

It's not as if the show has been on that long, relatively speaking. And it's not as if I'm its biggest fan, or an ardent follower of Anthony Bourdain. Heck, I don't even own any of the seasons on DVD (just a couple episodes downloaded from iTunes on occasions when they've been offered for free).

Still, my attraction to the show was consistent, and I've seen a number of episodes in my more fatigued afternoons or early evenings. Sometimes I felt like I was learning something about another country's culture, while other times I would scoff at the veracity of the historical facts presented. Often, I adored Tony's brusque approach to certain dining and travel experiences, complete with wonderfully colorful sentiments and vulgarities. And yet there were shows where I wished for him to behave less like a caveman and more like the educated, compassionate gentlemen he surely is. The duality of his character, indeed, of human nature was well represented in this bit of "reality" programming.

I'm sure that all episodes that can legally be re-run by the Travel Channel will continue to be, ad infinitum, but I suppose that this means that I won't even have the less intriguing but still fun show, The Layover, to keep me occupied. I also didn't hear about Tony's intentions to have a show on CNN until today, but knowing the style of their programming, I can't imagine that it will pack the same bite as NR, by any stretch.

Here's to you, Tony. I wish you continued success, and good food, wherever you decide to go from here.