Transcript / SSoP Podcast Season 5: Announcing 12 Exciting Destinations

This is a transcription of ‘SSoP Podcast Season 5: Announcing 12 Exciting Destinations’

[cheerful music]

David: Hello and welcome to a special edition of Strong Sense of Place. We are here today to announce the beginning of our fifth season. Season five starts Monday, February 6th. If you’re listening to this episode on the day we released it, that is a one week from today.

Melissa: So now we’re going to walk you through the destinations that we’ll be covering over the next six months. We polled our patrons for destinations they wanted us to cover and boy, did they come through.

David: They did. And then we put all of that information through the Strong Sense of Place schedule-o-matic and our fancy AI system applied rules about visiting every continent or region on the world and weighed in with books we’ve been wanting to tell you about, and through an awaited analysis of important world events and holidays and — Season five.

Melissa: We now have an exciting list of nine geographical destinations and three themes.

David: So first up, February 6th, episode one, Spain.

Melissa: The very complicated, serious reason we’re talking about Spain is that we just went there in October, and we have things we want to tell you about it.

David: It was really fun. We had a good time. And then on February 20th, we’re getting curious about New Orleans. We’re going to cover New Orleans because February 21st is Mardi Gras. Then on March 6th, we will cover Jamaica.

Melissa: I have to say that one of the books I’m reading for Jamaica is the kind of book that makes me happy we’re doing this Strong Sense of Place project. I would never have picked up this book for myself based on the description, but I’m listening to the audiobook and it’s read by the author and it is fantastic. I can’t wait to share this book with people.

David: Episode four is bookshops because everybody loves bookshops.

Melissa: And then on April 3rd, we’re going to Sri Lanka for our Asian destination. Sri Lanka got put into consideration because there’s a very well-reviewed book I’m considering for the episode. But if I’m completely honest, we’re also covering Sri Lanka because Duran Duran set three iconic videos there in the eighties and I’ve been obsessed since I was 16.

David: I don’t think I knew that was why we were covering Sri Lanka.

Melissa: It was my secret.

David: After Sri Lanka, our 50th Strong Sense of Place episode airs. It is Lebanon. We chose Lebanon as our Middle East destination because Mel’s families From there.

Melissa: My great great grandmother, who I called Sitti, is from a village called Toula up in the mountains.

David: On May 1st. We get to London, in part because Charles’ coronation is that week.

Melissa: And also because our patrons were clamouring for us to cover London, and that seemed like a perfect confluence of events.

David: Also, I’ve heard that London has a little bit of a literary scene.

Melissa: Interesting.

David: I haven’t heard much, but I’m excited to learn more.

Melissa: Then in mid-May, we’re taking a trip in our imaginations, to Maine.

David: Yeah, we kick off the summer on the east coast of the US. Maine is ranked high with our Patreon group every season. It is not just Stephen King.

Melissa: There’s also Murder, She Wrote.

David: There are other books to read there.

Melissa: Next up is the theater, which has such good books, it’s going to be really hard to choose the ones we talk about.

David: I have already picked some good candidates for this episode. I’m excited to read them.

Melissa: And our theatre episode is going to come out just about a week before the Tony Awards so you can get in the mood.

David: After that, we’re going to do our African episode. We are headed to Kenya, home of the Big Five. Kenya is one of the most popular safari destinations in the world. And then June 26th —

Melissa: Argentina.

David: Home of the Tango and Evita and Patagonia. And we haven’t been to South America since our Peru episode in season two.

Melissa: Covering Argentina also gives me an excuse to sneak in a manor house story.

David: Always looking for an excuse for a manor house story.

Melissa: 100%. And finally, we wrap up the season and send you into the summer with amusement parks. Dave is very excited about reading for amusement parks.

David: It’s true.

Melissa: I’m excited about all the popcorn I’m going to eat while I read the books. Maybe some lemonade.

David: Oh, caramel apples, maybe some ice cream. And that’s season five.

Melissa: We are super excited about it, and we hope you are too. If you want a reminder of these episodes, you can head over to strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts where we have the whole schedule posted and beautiful photos of each destination.

David: Also, if you have reading ideas for these destinations, drop us an email. We’re at mel@strongsenseofplace.com and dave@strongsenseofplace.com.

Melissa: And if you’d like to be reminded when we launch a new episode, join our mailing list. That’s at strongsenseofplace.com/signup.

David: Our new season starts February 6th. Thanks for listening, and we’ll talk to you soon.

[cheerful music]

Top image courtesy of Birger Strahls/Unsplash.