The world’s biggest island, Greenland, is a harsh and unforgiving place. Think minus fifty temperatures, three-month long nights and deadly storms. To have any semblance of control over this chaotic world, the native Inuits developed a belief system of spirits, monsters and taboos; ways to make sense of the senseless violence inflicted upon them by mother nature.

In modern Greenland these same spirits live on today, having survived colonisation, christianity and modernisation. But how? And perhaps more importantly, why?

In this episode of Passport, we journey through Greenland’s past and present with a monster hunter whose weapon is her paintbrush and a historian descended from some of the earliest Greenlanders - all to confront the ghosts, spirits and monsters that shape modern Greenland as it is today.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, plus a full transcript, visit: https://www.frequencymachine.com/passport

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| NO PIZZO, NO PROBLEM |

Palermo has the distinction of being the most conquered city in Europe. It’s been invaded, beaten up, and bashed about for two millennia. But all this foreign influence gave Sicily one great gift: truly spectacular food. Pastas, cannolis, pizza, biscotti, rice and fish and meat dishes, all layered with flavors brought from around the world. But Sicily’s modern enemy hasn’t inspired culinary greatness - maybe because this threat is entirely home-grown: La Cosa Nostra. The Sicilian Mafia. 

Outside Italy, the Mafia conjures images of Scorsese and Coppola films - of criminals that operate under a strict code of honor. Wise guys who love their mothers. There’s an allure, a sort of glamour. The truth for those who have lived under the thumb of the Mafia is much darker and bloodier.  

But now, on this island that is a melting pot of cultures and flavors, a grassroots movement is rising. 

This week on Passport, we head to Palermo to meet a group of brave foodies, chefs, and activists who have decided to stand up and fight back. And to take on La Cosa Nostra the community is utilizing something the Sicilians pride above everything else. Some of the most amazing food anywhere on earth.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, plus a full transcript, visit: https://wwwfrequencymachine.com/passport

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The Icelandic people are a rare breed. Literally. There are only 360,000 of them, but Passport is lucky to call Björg Valgeirsdóttir a friend of the show. It’s a good thing too, because Neil and Andrés have a lot of questions about the top hits, myths, and truths of one of the most unique places in the world.

Polar Bears, volcanoes, igloos? What does the world get wrong about Iceland and more importantly what does it get right? On this MisInfoNation, Björg talks us through being mistaken for Björk, putting babies outside to sleep, eating puffin, and the strangest Christmas celebration you’ve never heard of...

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, plus a full transcript, visit: https://www.frequencymachine.com/passport

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| HELSINKI: THE UPSIDEDOWN |

The history of Finland is one filled with war and conflict. And yet, the Finnish people consistently rank as some of the happiest on earth. In this episode of Passport, we head to the capital to dig into the psyche of the happiest nation on earth. And to dig into something else too. Underneath Helsinki is the infrastructure for an entire city - below the surface. Parking, churches, swimming pools, soccer fields, go-kart tracks - all the comforts of above-ground living. It’s the most luxurious doomsday bunker you’ve ever seen. But why?

Has their tumultuous history - and their proximity to Russia - driven the innovations going on under the city of Helsinki? Turns out, there’s a lot more to the story than “prepping”.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, plus a full transcript, visit: https://www.frequencymachine.com/passport

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

| MisInfoNation: What the world gets wrong, and right, about Scotland |

There are things we think we know about countries. But viral videos, tiktok and 24 hour news has made everything we understand about other places somewhat misinformed, twisted or just downright incorrect.

Today on Passport we take this misinformation and turn it on its head, upside down, the wrong way round and inside out. That’s why we're calling it MisInfoNation. Think of this as a cultural mythbusters. 

So we’re heading to Scotland to find out the truth about Haggis, the story behind Irn-Bru, if there’s anything the Scots won’t deep fry, how they feel about Donald Trump’s heritage, and what’s really going on under a kilt. Also, we’ll discover the absolute best view in all of Scotland.  

We laugh a lot during this episode, fittingly, because the Scots take great pride in their sense of humor. Which explains their choice of national animal. Be sure to listen for that. 

For more, including links to the things we talked about, the places we visited, plus a full transcript, visit: https://www.frequencymachine.com/passport

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Unless you've been living under a rock you've probably heard about K-pop by now. South Korea's homegrown popular music is huge. Like, really huge - BTS, the world’s most popular K-pop band, are basically the new Beatles. And it’s not just Korean music that’s blowing up - this year a Korean movie won the most exclusive award in film - Best Picture at the Oscars. All this popular pop culture is drawing fans and curious onlookers to Seoul - South Korea's hi-tech capital and Korean culture’s epicenter.

How did we get here? How did a little Asian country on a divided peninsula, which has been pummeled by centuries of war and dictatorship, manage to cultivate the world's most exciting new music trend? And can the country's pop music tell us anything about the soul of its biggest city? This week we’re jetting off to Seoul to find out.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, the places we visited, plus a full transcript, visit: https://www.frequencymachine.com/passport

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the whole world on lockdown and the entire team working hard to launch a new show - this show - we all began to look for stories which made us happy, during a scary time. Stories that helped us feel connected, while we were isolated under quarantine. What resulted was an episode filled with stories from around the world about the one thing that connects us all - love.

This may not be what you’re expecting from a travel show, but every single story, no matter where it comes from, feels universal. In this special episode of Passport we explore what makes us all more similar than we are different.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, visit: www.frequencymachine.com/passport

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| JACKSON HOLE, CHINA - BORN IN THE PRC |

Nestled between snow-capped mountains there is an American wild west town called Jackson Hole, where the 1% ski in the winter and talk tech in the summer. Gorgeous wooden architecture, decor studded with antlers and leather accents, live “cowboy” shows, even a potato club. But the Jackson Hole we’re talking about isn’t the American wild west... it’s actually in China. Just two hours north of Beijing. What Neil and Andres want to know is WHY???

We’re going to journey to Jackson Hole, China and find out what it is about the wild west that the Chinese elite can’t get enough of, and why that led them to build this facsimile of an American town. We’ll talk to the Chinese real estate mogul and the American designer who built it. Plus, what’s the Chinese obsession with copying everything American anyway? And how did they end up with something called “Tuna Jello”.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visit: https://www.frequencymachine.com/passport-episode-3-jackson-hole-born-in-the-prc.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

| CHARLES MANSON'S DREAM |

This week Passport takes on a theory of the Charles Manson murders in Los Angeles with some help from a few amazing people, including Hollywood legend Guinevere Turner. How did Charlie forever change the music in the City of Angels? We discovered something that isn’t often discussed about why he was in LA in the first place: Charles Manson wanted to be a rock star. The roller coaster journey leads us to a pivotal question - is it possible a record deal could have diffused the bomb that ended a decade of free love?

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, visit: https://frequencymachine.com/passport-episode-2-losangeles-charles-mansons-dream

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

| WHAT DO WE SAY TO THE GOD OF DEATH |

On this episode of Passport we fly to Belfast to explore a city that has been shaped by two very different wars - one real, and one fake. Northern Ireland was divided by decades of conflict and marred by bloodshed, but this landscape is changing dramatically with the help of an unlikely force, Game of Thrones.

Passport producer, Billy Craigan Toon, traveled to Belfast to learn about the city with the help of Game of Thrones actor and Northern Ireland native, Andy McClay. The history is dramatic, and violent. But Belfast is about to be pivotal on the world stage, and how it has evolved into a powerhouse city could change the course of world events.

But first, we start with a confession… Neil has never seen an episode of Game of Thrones.

For more, including links to the things we talked about, and the places we visited, visit: https://frequencymachine.com/passport-episode-1-belfast-what-do-we-say-to-the-god-of-death/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.