An audio guide to the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Co-founder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters explore a new wonder every day, Monday through Thursday. In under 15 minutes, they’ll take you to an incredible place, and along the way, you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Our theme and end credit music is composed by Sam Tyndall.
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The French Instinct
”Parle, pense, vis en français et découvre d‘autres horizons”. Hello, I‘m Katy Beauvais, native French as a Foreign Language Instructor. I feel passionate about languages myself and I speak 5 languages. This podcast will be entirely in French as it‘s dedicated to Intermediate and Advanced French students. You‘ll immerse yourself in authentic French and I‘ll help you improve your Language skills in context, through comprehensible input, in an enjoyable, relaxing, creative and inspiring way. We‘ll talk about everyday life in France, French Language and Culture but also about language learning and travelling. Follow my everyday life in France on Instagram http://instagram.com/thefrenchinstinct/ Check my website for more info about my free resources or to get in touch with me http://thefrenchinstinct.com/ I hold a Master‘s Degree in second language acquisition, with emphasis on French teaching, and another one in Spanish.
Easy Russian: Learn Russian with native speakers | Учим русский с носителями языка
Maybe you’re already learning Russian with us on YouTube? On this podcast, we talk about the Russian language and the culture of the Russian-speaking countries from the perspective of our two hosts who left Russia in 2022. We also explain words and expressions and answer your questions. Members also get interactive transcripts, early access and bonus content for each episode. Learn more at www.easyrussian.fm.
Send Dylan Your Questions!
We’re looking for questions for our next mailbag episode. Maybe you’re looking for travel advice, maybe you want to hear more about a weird thing that Dylan alluded to briefly in an episode, or maybe you want him to settle some sort of travel dispute with your partner. Anything goes! Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com. Or simply write your question in an email.
Songs of Ice with the Places Team (Classic)
Stories of how giant monuments built for a specific site sometimes need to go on a journey to get there. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yakhchalshttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/snowflake-bentley
Paul Scheer’s Life in Three Places
Dylan talks with actor and comedian Paul Scheer about three places that have shaped him. And to Dylan’s surprise, Paul doesn’t pick good memories. Instead he chooses three deeply embarrassing stories – because as he puts it, “trauma is the fire in which we are forged.”
Ben Franklin’s Musical Invention
Dylan tries his hand at playing a “glass armonica,” a musical instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin. Its high-pitched, eerie sounds were rumored to cure all kinds of illnesses – or even, sometimes, cause them.
Africville
Africville was a Black-Canadian community north of Halifax, Nova Scotia. But when the Canadian government decided it wanted the land the community sat on, Africville was forcibly removed in the 1900s. We’ve covered other stories of Black displacement on the show before, including Lake Lanier and District Six.
First Travel Dates
Listener stories of traveling with a significant other for the first time – for better or for worse. Plus: We want to hear your stories about traveling to see an event that you’ve been wanting to experience in person. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us your story. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.
Medfield State Hospital (Classic)
This abandoned hospital outside Boston, Massachusetts was originally conceived as a place to help people with mental health issues. But it wound up doing a lot of harm. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/medfield-state-hospital
Joe Magarac: The Other Man of Steel
Joe Magarac is a folk hero that allegedly was born from the stories of immigrant steelworkers in the early 20th century. He is the Paul Bunyan of Steel Country. But is the legend of Joe Magarac an American immigrant folk story or is he the product of the imagination of writers and the steel executives?
More First Trips Abroad
Last month, we asked you for stories about your first trips abroad. That really struck a chord – we got too many great stories to fit in a single episode. So today, we’re sharing MORE of your stories from your first international trips. This time we hear about traveling abroad for the first time to Italy, Slovenia, Canada, and Norway.Plus: We want to hear your stories about traveling to see an event that you’ve been wanting to experience in person. That could be last year’s Olympics in Paris or visiting New Orleans to experience Mardi Gras for the first time. Or something totally different, like going to a special convention with an esoteric concept. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us your story. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.
The Diving Horses of Atlantic City
For half a century, horse diving was one of Atlantic City’s biggest attractions. One day in August 1964, a young girl attended one of these shows, and witnessed something that would change her life forever. Read Diana Hubbell’s story about horse diving in Atlantic City.
Dylan’s Mailbag: Tough Trips, Controversial Airplane Etiquette, and Tattoos
Dylan and producer Johanna take your questions. Have a question for Dylan? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply send your question via email. And if you want to listen to Dylan’s episodes about getting shipwrecked in Antarctica, check out Beechey Island Graves Part I and Part II.
Buckley’s Cave (Classic)
One of Australia’s greatest stories of escape and survival centers around this rock formation in Point Lonsdale. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/buckleys-cave
The Mystery Man of Marree
In 1998, a giant drawing of an Aboriginal man mysteriously appeared in the Australian Outback. Some locals were thrilled. Others wanted it destroyed. Producer Elah Feder goes looking for the culprit, and is led to a key piece of the puzzle – but not one she expected.
Mobile Bay’s Tidal Wave of Fish
Every summer, along a 15 mile stretch of the Alabama coastline, an almost magical natural phenomenon washes up on the beaches. Hundreds of fish and sea creatures usually hidden in the deep swim towards the shore. Locals call it the Mobile Bay Jubilee – and the jubilees are hard to predict and activate a different side of these coastal communities.
Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: To the Platinum Blonde DJ On Her Way to Laos
A traveler in Vang Vieng, Laos writes a letter to a fellow traveler. This essay was edited by Lenora Todaro and originally appeared in Off Assignment.