Pandemic Places: Discovering Comfort & Connection

Kameel Stanley: Hey Atlas Obscura, this is Kameel, also the executive manufacturer of the program. Among things that COVID brought into my life was hiking. Before COVID, I had actually treked on and off, however not really routinely and absolutely not as high as I began performing in that duration of the lockdown when we were told we couldn’t truly leave and things like that. Well, my defiant spirit automatically stated, well, if I can’t leave, after that I must leave. I must leave the house. So one Saturday early morning, I searched for, “Where’s the closest state park to me?” and drove about 30 to 40 minutes and wound up at one of the state parks not as well far from the city. And this park called Babler kind of became my place. It ended up being a cherished location that I still most likely to lots of Saturdays, and it’s a location for me to be bordered in nature, however it’s additionally come to be an area that I can not picture my life without. There are well-worn courses, there are paths that if you’re a little adventurous, you may not know specifically where you’re going. I have actually obtained attuned to the adjustment of the seasons. I know at what point of the year I such as to trek via there and at what factor of the year I do not. It’s not a surprise if you recognize me, it’s when it’s chilly. When a tree drops or when a pet has run with, I’ve obtained to see how things change. It’s where I’ve exercised troubles. It’s where I’ve cried. It’s where I’ve chuckled. It’s where I’ve fulfilled strangers that have been kind to me. When I see individuals sculpting things in the trees, it’s where I’ve obtained upset at the globe. It’s truly, actually unique. It has to do with that time of year when the climate is finally sufficient for me to be out every weekend on the tracks, and I can not wait to reach Babler this weekend break.

Kameel’s Hiking Discovery: Babler State Park

And for this episode, we desire to ask the team at Atlas Obscura regarding what locations they obtained throughout the pandemic, what brand-new partnerships were created throughout a time when you could do so little of what your normal experience was, when you had to kind of locate this whole brand-new way of being in the world. And the place that I truly got to recognize during COVID is a burial ground, Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. It came to be a cherished place that I still go to many Saturdays, and it’s an area for me to be bordered in nature, however it’s also come to be an area that I can not visualize my life without. Perhaps you sought them out since it was the only damn area you might obtain and go to. I desire to hear concerning the areas you found during this time when life was turned inside out.

And for this episode, we desire to ask the staff at Atlas Obscura about what places they acquired throughout the pandemic, what new connections were formed throughout a time when you can do so little of what your normal experience was, when you had to kind of find this entire new way of being in the world. Well, I could not see individuals really quickly or go to the places I was used to going. We are going to speak concerning all the partnerships that people developed with new places throughout the pandemic.

Atlas Obscura Staff: Pandemic Discoveries

Dylan: So those were tales from us from the personnel of Atlas Obscura, however we would certainly like to speak with you. I want to listen to all about the areas that you discovered during the pandemic. Maybe you came across them. Perhaps you sought them out due to the fact that it was the only damn place you could go and get to. What caught your focus concerning it? What did you do there? Why was it crucial to you? Is it a location you still go today? I intend to listen to all these stories. I intend to read about the places you located during this time around when life was turned within out. Offer us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message with your name and story. Mailbox cuts you off after a couple of minutes, so just recall if you obtain separated. You can additionally tape-record a voice memo of any type of size and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Inform me regarding the area that you uncovered throughout the pandemic that suggested something to you, changed something for you. Hell, possibly you just came across it on a road trip attempting to, you understand, do something outdoorish during this moment. Offer us a telephone call. Tell me concerning it. I can’t wait to speak with you.

Dylan’s Call for Listener Stories

I assume for a whole lot of people, when you assume back on that period, the very early days of the pandemic, especially that initial year, year and a fifty percent, you understand, the conversations are about the points that altered, the locations, and often the people we lost during that duration. Also if you really did not shed anyone, you probably had a restaurant that shut or maybe a workplace that got shut down. There was clearly a great deal of loss throughout that time.

When we can no much longer meet in person inside as artists, we made a decision to try to find an area outdoors where we might be able to satisfy securely and play together at a secure range outside with plenty of moving air. It simply became this unbelievable meeting place. And indeed, currently that we can meet inside and various other more detailed quarters, we have actually gone to the passage less and less, yet we still do go back there simply to satisfy in that truly amazing space and hear those amazing acoustics and to remember concerning that time that we shared there and the community that was built around that area.

Amanda: Rediscovering the Library’s Value

Amanda McGowan: Hi, Atlas audiences. It’s Amanda McGowan right here, manufacturer on the show. And thinking about places that COVID altered my connection to, I assume I would certainly say the library. In the days pre-COVID, I in fact utilized to function on a live radio program that would certainly broadcast from a workshop that was in the Boston Public Collection midtown, which is really awesome. Like people, you know, it was in the cafe and people would rest there and talk to you, whatever. But you understand, when you function someplace, you go there at all times. It simply becomes part of your history sound. After that throughout COVID, every little thing shut, of program. And it was like a really Joni Mitchell type of, “you don’t recognize what you have actually got till it’s gone” experience. But the collection did something incredible, which was when whatever closed down, they had every one of these digital sources readily available. You could utilize your library card, you might download and install an application on your phone for totally free, instantly download publications, flicks, audio books, magazines directly to your phone from home. And now that resembles a significant part of my life. I continuously have Libby holds like showing up and emphasizing me out since I just can’t review as quickly as my holds are can be found in. However anyway, and when everything opened back up again, I just really appreciated the library in a brand-new means. And I think that’s what the library in a brand-new method. I resembled, Oh, give thanks to God I can putter about somewhere once again, scan books, flip through publications, much like, you recognize, losing time in a space that’s not my home. Thank God. The collection near me now has totally free shows and free art programs. And you can go get like a national forest pass or a state park masquerade free. Now I’ve completely end up being a library evangelist. There’s just so much awesome stuff available that libraries offer to us. Such a superb resource.

Johanna: Finding Peace in Green-Wood Cemetery

Johanna Mayer: Hi, this is Johanna. I live in Brooklyn, New York. I’m the elderly producer of the program. And the area that I truly was familiar with throughout COVID is a cemetery, Green-Wood Burial ground in Brooklyn. And it might sound kind of morbid to think of walking with a burial ground in the midst of a pandemic, however it’s really among one of the most lovely and serene locations that I have actually experienced in the city. It is just packed with magnolias and cherry trees. It’s also the acme in Brooklyn, remains in that cemetery. So you can walk up capital and you obtain this extraordinary view of Manhattan. I don’t recognize if anyone else remembers how clear the skies felt when airline website traffic was down throughout that time, but it was simply this really cinematic, clear view of the city from that factor in Brooklyn. I also discovered, side note, that in regarding the 1860s, this was just one of the initial rural cemeteries in America. And other people believed the burial ground was beautiful as well, because it was just one of the largest tourist destinations in the USA. It was second just to Niagara Falls for a time, which is remarkable. I spent a great deal of time walking through that burial ground during the pandemic. The parks in the city obtained kind of crowded. The cemetery really felt a great deal much more open. I bear in mind one specific mid-day, I walked in there and heard bagpipes being played, which sounds maybe kind of corny in retrospect, however it was really moving at the time. An entire teams of little collections of individuals in their very own little capsules were standing at a distance, everybody seeing this bagpipe player in the cemetery under the magnolia trees. I think of that minute a lot. And I still go to the cemetery at all times. It started throughout the pandemic, yet just this previous year, I moved so that now I live ideal across from it. I can see the cemetery out my home window. And it feels strange to have actually obtained a place throughout the pandemic, due to the fact that so typically we read about the loss, but I am just actually thankful that cemetery remains in my life and on my radar now.

Individuals who make our show consist of Doug Baldinger, Chris Naka, Kameel Stanley, Johanna Mayer, Manolo Morales, Baudelaire, Gabby Gladney, Amanda McGowan, Alexa Lim, Casey Holford, and Luz Fleming. Our theme music is by Sam Tindall, and if you like the program, please, please provide us a review and ranking any place you get your podcasts.