The Low Season

64. Canden (Washington, D.C.)

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

It's the final episode! And playing us out is Washington D.C.'s Canden Arciniega. We recorded this conversation back in May, when she was restoring an old mill with friends and focusing on what she enjoys. We talk about sanity maintenance, free tour misconceptions, and flooded markets.

Conversation from May 14th 2020.

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Free Tours By Foot, you can find them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

And Canden produces her own podcast called Tour Guide Tell All.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

63. Ken (Dublin)

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guest is Ken Walsh, a former Berlin guide who gave it all up to make radio in Dublin. For him, the "neoliberal freelance nightmare" of guiding in the German capital was a big factor in the move. So we talk about that and we discuss why he'd take healthcare, holidays and a busload of hungover Australians any day.

Conversation from June 26th 2020.

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Ken and I made an episode on Capitalism for the Berlinology Podcast.

And Ken creates his own show called Doublethink.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

62. Anouschka (Amsterdam)

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today we're in Amsterdam talking to Anouschka Trauschke- a guide who tried to become invisible in a city famously troubled by overtourism. But is tourism itself the root cause of the Dutch capital's imbalance? And how much is the city's marketing team to blame? We discuss all that, as well as how to make tours that matter.

Conversation from June 12th 2020.

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Anouschka's own tour company called Tours That Matter.

Together with other tourism pro's, she organised the Reinvent Tourism Festival.

Anouschka also created guide lines to minimize your negative impact on tourist destinations. These can be found at The Happy Tourist.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

61. Marcus (Prague)

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We're in beautiful Prague talking to naked tour guide Marcus Bradshaw, who is delighted to see Prague no longer caving under mass tourism. On the show today: what travel once was vs. what it has become; what's important vs. what's just a bonus, and the Czech Republic vs. salad.

Conversation from June 11th 2020.

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Marcus' Salad Delivery Company. Go get yourself a Fresh Salad!

He also has his own tour company called The Naked Tour Guide, but due to the pandemic there's currently no tours running.

The quote Marcus used came from Yuval Harari's book Sapiens and reads:

"The tourism industry does not sell flight tickets and hotel bedrooms. It sells experiences. Paris is not a city, nor India a country – they are both experiences, the consumption of which is supposed to widen our horizons, fulfil our human potential, and make us happier. Consequently, when the relationship between a millionaire and his wife is going through a rocky patch, he takes her on an expensive trip to Paris. The trip is not a reflection of some independent desire, but rather of an ardent belief in the myths of romantic consumerism. A wealthy man in ancient Egypt would never have dreamed of solving a relationship crisis by taking his wife on holiday to Babylon. Instead, he might have built for her the sumptuous tomb she had always wanted."

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

60. Peter (Bratislava)

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today we're talking to Peter Chrenka in Bratislava, a city that (at the time of recording) was just beginning to wake up and remove its facemask. Peter runs Authentic Slovakia and offers guided driving tours in Skodas from the 70s. We talk about young guides and recent history, getting by without state support, and not getting too nostalgic about totalitarianism...

Conversation from June 11th 2020.

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Peter's tour company called Authentic Slovakia. And on FB.

Peter's favourite place to guide in Bratislava.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

59. Tomer (Tel Aviv)

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We're in Tel Aviv today, talking to Tomer Chelouche - a guide and fellow podcaster who comes from one of the city's founding families. Working also as an urban consultant, he is fascinated by how cities work. We remember when tourism was a good thing, consider how the industry can support sustainable cities, and discuss why we shouldn't aim for "back to normal". Conversation from June 10th 2020.

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Tomer's Virtual Tours of Tel Aviv.

Neve Tzedek is the neighbourhood Tomer lives and tours through.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

58. Kasia (Paris)

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Bonjour mes amis! Meet Kasia Klon, a guide who came to Paris from Poland- via New York and Berlin- only to be disappointed. Getting over an initial dislike of the French capital, she soon fell in love with the city and now leads small-group street art tours. We talk Paris Syndrome, proud locals and why a simple Bonjour goes a long way.

Conversation from June 10th 2020.

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Kasia's tour company does regular and virtual tours of Paris.

Street Art Tour Paris on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Check out this cool neighbourhood of Paris.
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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

57. Bart (Antwerp)

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We made it to Belgium! Antwerp, specifically. And today we're talking to Bart Verhoeven, who has spent the last couple of years guiding all over the country that gave us Art Nouveau. We talk low season finances, exploring your own country and beer. Of course.

Conversation from June 1st 2020.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Georgia Riungu created Women of Berlin!!

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

56. John & Hugo (Melbourne)

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today we're in Melbourne, Australia - the cocktail capital of the world. We're talking to John O'Sullivan and Hugo Mylecharane of Depot Adventures (formerly Walks 1010) who operate a rather unusual Free Tour model... We discuss ethics & solidarity, five year plans and the element of surprise.

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The Depot Adventures Tour Company.

On Facebook and on Twitter.

Melbourne on a lockdown.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

55. Margaret (London)

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We're in London chatting to self-proclaimed monarchist Margaret Stockton-Davies - a guide who just loves the drama of the Royal Family. We weigh up the possibilities vs the risks of the Free Tour model, and throw a glimpse into the future of virtual guiding.

Conversation from June 2nd 2020.

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Free Tours By Foot is the tour company Margaret is working for.

Margaret also has her own Instagram and YouTube channels.

If you haven't seen The Crown yet. Go go go!

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

54. Rick (Steves)

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today, we're in Edmonds, Washington talking to Rick Steves. Yes, that Rick Steves. The 'Rick Steves Europe' Rick Steves. The travel guru is on a decades-long mission to move people- namely U.S. Americans- to get over themselves, broaden their horizons and experience the world. As he asserts in his new book, Rick sees travel as a political act. After 9/11, he worked to convince folks they needed to travel more, not less. So just how does he plan to carry on his mission when combating the coronavirus requires us to stay home?

This was a special collaboration with the Berlin Guides Association.

Conversation from July 27th 2020. The full 1-hour video conversation.

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The Rick Steves Universe.

This is where Rick's at currently.

A review of Steves' book Travel as a Political Act by NPR.

The New York Times Magazine piece on Rick Steves by Sam Anderson.

Rick Steves' Commencement Address for the Class of 2020

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

53. Arja (Berlin)

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

With over ten years’ experience running her own tour guide business, Arja Jacob is confident that she’ll be back on her feet once tourism is. She’s well-connected. We’re back in Berlin to talk about a return to travel as a luxury, keeping the tourists where they need to be and why she’s not sorry about mass tourism taking a long holiday.

Conversation from May 11th 2020

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Arja's tour company called 'Berlin Locals'.

Arja's whereabouts in Niedersachsen.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

52. Ramzi (Beit Sahour)

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

This Friday and we’re in conversation with Ramzi Salsa, a Catholic Palestinian guide who got into tourism between the First and Second Intifadas. This is not the first time his career has been affected by external factors. We talk about pilgrims, dual narratives and putting your whole heart into your work.

Conversation from June 20th 2020.

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Beit Sahour, the Palestinian city close to Bethlehem where Ramzi is living. Capernaum is one of Ramzi's favourite tourist destinations.

The Dual Narrative Tours are run by Mejdi Tours.

The First Intifada and the Oslo Accords.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

51. Michal (Bratislava)

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Hello from Bratislava! We’re having a chat with Michal Nejeschleba, a guide and new dad for whom the evaporation of tourism came at an ok time. We talk about the positives of life on board a cruise ship and what to do when your floating germ tub is met at port by a human chain of protesters.

Conversation from June 1st 2020.

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Michal's Green Hat Tours.

'The End of Tourism?' in The Guardian.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

50. Pål (Oslo)

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today we’re talking to Pål Johansen in Oslo, a guide and travel writer who has worked all over Scandinavia. We discuss ways to keep your brand alive, how to make Norwegian pancakes and of course the Vikings.

Conversation from May 15th 2020.

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Pål's travel site and his YouTube channel (Waffles!)

Norway's Constitution Day.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

49. Samantha (Zürich)

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guide is Samantha from Zürich. Before landing a tour guiding job, Samantha was a croupier on a cruise ship, a translator for the Swiss police, volunteered to help zones hit by earthquakes, and worked for 13 years for the Swiss Ministry of Foreign affairs. Naturally we had plenty to talk about..

Conversation from May 7th 2020.

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Book a tour of Zürich with Samantha through AirBnB Experiences. And have a look at her Instagram account.

Samantha's coaching and mindfulness website.

The infamous Needle Park. And a little news clip on how bad things were in the late '80's/early '90's in the park.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

48. Bonita (Prague)

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Originally from New York City, Bonita Rhoads has been operating a travel business in Prague since 2014. Despite the pressure it puts on a small city, she’d never tell her colleagues not to take a cruise tour gig. We talk about why that is, why she’s happy to be in Europe right now, and why we have to know what’s behind that hill.

Conversation from May 21st 2020.

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Bonita's tour company called Insight Cities. With tours running in Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Salzburg and Budapest.

The National Geographic article on Prague.

The book that Bonita and Vadim wrote on the Serbian film maker Dušan Makavejev.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

47. Heidi (Paris)

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Heidi Evans is the founder of Women of Paris, a tour business illuminating the women who shaped the City of Lights. We chat about the difficulty of guiding in a city that’s already been hit by one crisis after another, and the challenge of placing women firmly in history, rather than beside it.

Conversation from May 14th 2020.

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Women of Paris walking tours. And all of Heidi's Instagram, Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Marie Antoinette and Simone de Beauvoir.

The longest transportation strikes in France's history.

Yellow vests movement.

The 2015 Paris attacks.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

46. Shira (Haifa)

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today’s conversation is with Shira Kleinman, a guide in Haifa who immersed herself in Hebrew- and tears- in order to get her license. We talk about the importance of food, staying positive and why her New Jersey family thinks she’s getting soft.

Conversation from May 21st 2020.

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Mount Carmel and The Shrine of Báb.

The Kibbutz Movement.

Book a tour with Shira! And follow her on Facebook.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

45. Matthew (Liverpool)

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today we’re chatting to original Liverpudlian Matthew Staunton, who’d been guiding in the “Pool of Life” for only eight months when corona shut it all down. We talk about the free tour model vs boutique offerings and why his city is at odds with the current government.

Conversation from May 20th 2020.

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Liverpool Riots of 1981.

On the 'Managed Decline' of Liverpool by Margaret Thatcher.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

44. Kaitlin (Washington, D.C.)

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

It’s somehow been two whole months since we spoke to A Tour of Her Own founder Kaitlin Calogera in Washington, D.C. Today we’re talking about tourism as a very personal form of education, the under-representation of women in U.S. history, and how she's determined to fill in the gaps.

Conversation from May 7th 2020.

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Kaitlin's tour company 'A Tour Of Her Own'. And her Socials --> FB, Twitter, Instagram.

A list of statues in the Capitol Building.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by CC Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

43. Alessia (NYC)

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We're talking to Alessia Nencioni, a native of Florence who has spent almost twenty years introducing guests to the hidden sights of NYC. We talk about why a visit to Times Square does not mean you've been to New York, why meeting the locals is the real key to experiencing the city, and why you can always count on Spanish tourists.

Conversation from May 22nd 2020.

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You can find Alessia's Virtual Tours --> here.

'Little Italy' in the Bronx.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

42. Patrick (Munich)

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We're back in Germany! But this time we're in Bavaria, talking to tour guide, museum historian and OG Munich-er Patrick Charell, who believes history is something we can disagree on. We discuss why licensing isn't necessarily a good thing, the way in which tour guides are undervalued as city ambassadors and how much it costs to cancel Oktoberfest.

Conversation from May 7th 2020.

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His publication on Ludwig II and his book on Christmas in Bavaria.

The Venetian in Las Vegas.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

41. Henk (Amsterdam)

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today we're popping over to the Dutch capital to chat with Henk de Vries, who has spent years leading LGBTQ tours in Amsterdam - gay capital of the world since the '90s. We talk about the city's crackdown on free tours, identify the wrong type of tourist and consider why you should put more thought into your next trip.

Conversation from May 15th 2020.

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Henk's tour company is called Special Amsterdam Tours. And here you can find his Facebook Page.

His tours often start at the Homo Monument, the first monument in the world to commemorate gays and lesbians who were killed by the Nazis.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

40. Alexander (Saint Petersburg)

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today it's all about Alexander Shmidke! We catch up with him fresh from a trip to the tax office in Saint Petersburg - one of the few places in Russia you can visit without a visa. We're talking cruise tours, manual labour for the unemployed and why no one cares about the Second World War when the Hermitage is on offer.

Conversation from May 22nd 2020.

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Alexander's website.

The Road of Life during the Siege of Leningrad.

Alexander's alternatives to the Hermitage: 1. The State Russian Museum and 2. The Museum of Political History of Russia.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

39. Jeanie (London)

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We're in London talking to proud Blue Badge guide, Jeanie Carmichael. A big believer in licensing, this lady is serious about guiding and founded the Guides Association of London to help give the profession more gravitas. We talk about freelancing pros and cons, maintaining high standards, and unionising with vicars.

Conversation from May 13th 2020

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London's tour guide association.

Unite Union for the self-employed, the trade union of which Guide London is a member.

You can obtain a Blue Badge license through the Institute of Tourist Guiding.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

38. Amir (Vienna)

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

A Vienna-native, Amir Karim has been guiding all over Europe for almost a decade. He was on a mission to revitalise the profession in the Austrian capital and this should have been the year he made the transition from multi-destination to city guide. We talk about the mental impact of not being valuable, the benefits of a break from productivity and why money is not that important.

Conversation from May 4th 2020

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Amir's view of Vienna.

Facebook Group 'Real Talk'

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New Album by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

37. Lucy (Melbourne)

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

G'day from Melbourne! Australia's high and low seasons are the exact opposite of most countries we've heard from so far. Lucy Gardner- tour guide, teacher and Tigers fan- tells us how the bushfires impacted tourism way before the virus did, how the industry differs from one hemisphere to another, and how it feels to have done her last ever tour. (Maybe.)

Conversation from May 4th 2020.

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Comedy sketch about the bushfires and Covid-19.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

36. Francesca (Rome)

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

When we spoke to Francesca in early May, Rome had just entered Phase 2, meaning citizens were finally allowed to venture more than 200m from their doorsteps. From too many tourists to none at all: we talk about whether a city designed to be looked at can exist without admirers.

Conversation from May 5th 2020.

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Tourism in Italy by The New York Times.

Francesca's website.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

35. Andrew (San Francisco)

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We’re in conversation with Andrew Wong, a San Franciscan who sees his tour guiding profession as an opportunity to share stories you wouldn’t otherwise hear - particularly stories from marginalised voices. Forget the Golden Gate Bridge, keep your earthquake; we’re talking activism through tourism and the aftershocks of Corona.

Conversation from June 10th 2020.

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Mario Woods / Ahmaud Arbery / Amy Cooper BAYCAT, the film academy Andrew works.

ReTold, Andrew's own film production company.

WildSFTours.com

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

More discussion in our Facebook Group 'Real Talk'.

34. Bert (NYC)

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We’re in NYC talking to food tour guide Bert James. Our first conversation in May centred on what pandemic restrictions might mean for a city that’s famously nocturnal. Given the recent BLM protests, we caught up again this week for an update. We talk about the importance of nightlife, social media real estate and the joy found in eavesdropping on a first date.

Conversations from May 7th and June 9th 2020.

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Bert James' website and YouTube channel.

The Food Tour company Bert works with.

The Black Lives Matter Movement.

'What Black America Means to Europe' by Gary Younge for The Guardian.

Afropean by Jony Pitts.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

33. Jorge (Madrid)

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Hola from the Spanish capital! We're talking to Jorge Román, a guide with 23 years of experience who just started a blog to stay sane. We don't shy away from the big topics today. We're talking loyalty, unions and Scarlett O'Hara.

Conversation from May 6th 2020.

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Travelling with Jorge.

Facebook Group 'Real Talk'

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

32. Anna (Jerusalem)

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 05:30:00 +0200

If you thought her city was just one square kilometer of old walls, Anna Kreynin has news for you. Today's tour guide talks about strategic employment situations, how social distancing killed the fun before corona times, and why Israel's best Kanafeh isn't for her.

Conversation from May 13th 2020.

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Kanafeh is a Middle Eastern dessert.

Ashkelon was the oldest and largest seaport in ancient Canaan.

Anna's travel blog on Facebook and Instagram.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Design by Chris Whyte, and Chris' non-profit charity project 'The Chariso Press'.

Black Lives Matter

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 14:17:55 +0200

A brief update. We're back on Monday.

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Afropean by Johny Pitts.

1619, a podcast by the New York Times.

Where to Donate?

Antiracism Resources, a google doc.

How to be an Ally.

31. Alazne

Fri, 22 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guide cut her teeth in her native Basque country before moving to Berlin, where she has worked for the last fifteen years. We talk Greek fantasies, 'The Foreign Perspective' and travel as an antidote to stereotypes.

Conversation from April 29th 2020.

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Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Here's a list of English speaking therapists in Berlin.

Music by Mark Schilders.

30. Lizzy

Thu, 21 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guest tells us why Germans don't have a Plan B, how applause can be a kick-starter for sound mental health, and how we're currently filling our time rather than living it.

Conversation from April 30th 2020.

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Here's a list of English speaking therapists in Berlin.

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

29. Pip

Wed, 20 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guide is not a guide at all! At least not any more. We talk to our "chronically lazy" friend about the lack of suitable synonyms for 'weird', the benefits of living with someone who is not an arsehole and why she'd quite happily slide into poverty before going through the rigmarole of bureaucracy.

Conversation from April 10th 2020

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Sistrionics Podcast / FB / Twitter

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

28. Wouter

Tue, 19 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

An update from the front.

27. Rodrigo

Mon, 18 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guide was going to take it easy this year, settle into Berlin and have a stable job. Little did he know that taking it easy was all there was to have...Also; jogging pants, dulce the leche and bats!

Conversation from April 28th 2020

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Dulce the Leche

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

26. Stéphanie

Fri, 15 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guide is conflicted about her staying in Berlin, she doesn't like tourists on her doorstep, and is one of the few guides that doesn't know what a low season is.

Conversation from April 17th 2020

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Nîmes, France

ViveBerlin Tours, a Guide Cooperative.

Museum of Colours

Stéphanie's Blog

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Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

25. Bethan

Thu, 14 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

How do you tell the difference between a rollercoaster and a history tour...? Today's guide decided pretty quickly that jokes were not her thing. We talk pre-tour nerves, teenage bullies and the beers of the future.

Conversation from April 17th 2020

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

24. Asaf

Wed, 13 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today's guide is all about cycling, cycling and cycling. We learn what a 'durchgangszimmer' is, the correct way of putting a stick behind the door, and how to market yourself for the future tourism industry.

Conversation from April 7th 2020

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Cycling Berlin Brandenburg. And Asaf's YouTube channel.

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

23. Josh

Tue, 12 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Our guest today couldn't believe it snowed in March. Or that he couldn't get a corona-test while showing flu symptoms. We talk about improving our lives as guides, the inability to make decisions in times of crisis, and the mind-blowing effect of window-cleaning.

Conversation from April 8th 2020

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Here's Josh at the Landwehr canal talking about urban planning and people power.

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

22. Mal

Mon, 11 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

In their 14 years in Berlin this anthropologist and guide has seen the city transformed. And not always in a good way. We talk capitalist baggage, the death star of tourism and dancing for mental health.

Conversation from April 10th 2020

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Financial, legal and mental health guidance, especially those with non-German backgrounds.

TransInterQueer / LesMigraS / GLADT

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

21. Lorna

Fri, 08 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Having broken her ankle last year, the Refugee Voices founder understands how precarious tour guiding can be. We talk to the star of her own tragicomedy about how a relatively comfortable crisis can still be triggering and how she plans to explain all of this to the baby she’s carrying.

Conversation from April 13th 2020

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Refugee Voices Tours

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

20. Kevin

Thu, 07 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

This guide from the UK had a feeling that things might have to change. From severed connections to strengthened bonds, isolation has made his world curiously bigger. We talk about keeping it simple and why we can’t return to default mode.

Conversation from April 13th 2020.

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Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

19. Beate

Wed, 06 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

This guide has been in the game since before the Berlin Wall came down. And now she’s a housewife for the first time. We talk about the importance of spending time apart and why she doesn’t give advice. And, of course, the value in seeing other people’s noses.

Beate is quarantining here. Conversation from April 10th 2020.

Need help with your unemployment benefits (Hartz IV), contact the Hartzer Roller. Or leave the man a donation.

Music by Mark Schilders.

18. Mohamad

Tue, 05 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today’s guide left Syria in 2013 and became a founding member of the Refugee Voices team in Berlin. His brother chose to stay behind but is now stuck in the German capital on an ill-fated research trip. We talk about nostalgia, corona tours and finding the humour in tragedy.

Conversation from April 23rd 2020

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Refugee Voices Tours
Explaining the Pandemic to my Past Self - YouTube

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Music by Mark Schilders.

17. Jonathan

Mon, 04 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Coming from Venezuela, Coronavirus is not this guide’s first crisis. Is that why his outlook is so sunny? We talk about embracing the new normal, the Titanic that kept on sinking and the tour of the future .

Conversation from April 16th 2020

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Jonathan's music ventures.

United We Stream

Kunst auf dem Balkon

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Music by Mark Schilders

16. Kai

Fri, 01 May 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Today’s guide talks to us from his own private island. He moved to Berlin to get away from the countryside, but now rural Brandenburg is his refuge from city life. We talk about how much water it takes to wash yourself and why he’s wary of too many cars with Berlin number plates...

Conversation from April 9th 2020.

Music by Mark Schilders.

15. Eyal

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

This guide makes a mean Shakshuka. We talk about what lockdown looks like in Lichterfelde, experiments in drive-by tourism and why older guests are his favourite.

Conversation from April 8th 2020.

Tours with Eyal

Music by Mark Schilders.

14. Ysanne

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Since moving to the city seven years ago, Berlin’s resilience has long been a source of inspiration for today’s guide. We discuss history as therapy and why her husband is locked in the bedroom.

Conversation from April 5th 2020.

Sistrionics Podcast, and Facebook and Twitter.

Cheeky episode of the Otter & Walrus.

Music by Mark Schilders.

13. Marc

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

In his three years as a guide, this Valencian says there have been no bad days - just good days and very very good days. That doesn’t mean he’s not conflicted about the morality of tour guiding as it exists now. Is it time to find a better way to work?

Conversation from April 20th 2020.

Marc's YouTube Channel 'Explaining a Complex World'

Music by Mark Schilders

12. Caroline

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 06:30:00 +0200

I want to be a tour guide when I grow up. Said no one ever. We’re talking to a seasoned pro about the professional identity crisis faced by tour guides and the surprising gift presented by our novel new situation.

Conversation from April 7th 2020.

Caroline's podcast 'Dispatches from Berlin' and 'Berlin Histories'.

Music by Mark Schilders.

11. Rob

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Talking from a country whose leader thinks Corona is a hoax, this guide and new dad can’t get home. We talk about raising a baby when the world is shaking, why taking to Twitter is worth it, and how the current crisis might be the push some guides need.

Conversation from April 8th 2020.

Rob Willis on public speaking.

Music by Mark Schilders.

10. Campbell

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Home is where your life is. We catch up with an Aussie guide and climate activist stuck on the other side of the world. On his last day of quarantine to talk bullshit jobs, storm clouds and uncertainty. But not in a glass-half-empty way.

Conversation from April 11th 2020

Music by Mark Schilders.

Important information regarding beans on toast.

Remember dial-up?

Campbell's climate activism is linked to Extinction Rebellion.

Need help filling out your (Hartz IV, ALG II) unemployment forms? Give the Hartzer Roller a call. Or make a donation!

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9. Chris and Steve

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Way before Steve abandoned his travel plans halfway to Australia, Chris was in self-isolation to avoid compromising his girlfriend. We talk to two flatmates about letting go of control and what it’s like to get tested for Corona. Which one is reading Little Women whilst the other’s dancing in his underwear...?

Conversations from April 9th 2020.

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Steve's essential math viewing

Steve's essential algebra viewing.

Music by Mark Schilders.

Need help filling out your (Hartz IV) unemployment forms? Give the Hartzer Roller a call. Or make a donation!

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8. Kathinka

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

Did you hear the one about the tour guide who single-handedly put Berlin’s comedy scene on lockdown? We call the Corona Information Hotline to talk German bureaucracy, the tourists who never left and why this feels different to 9/11 and the 2008 crash.

Conversation from April 16th 2020.

Music by Mark Schilders

Need help with applying for (Hartz IV) unemployment benefits, visit the Hartzer Roller.

6. Nick

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:39:24 +0200

Having been on someone else’s holiday all this time, we now face a choice: Endless January, or post-pandemic plotting. We’re talking to a guide with a million years’ experience about existential dread and the temporary comfort of the lockdown excuse. Brace yourself.

Conversation from April 8th 2020.

Music by Mark Schilders

Get help filling out your (Hartz IV, ALG II) unemployment papers with the Hartzer Roller. Consider leaving him a donation.

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7. India and Sam

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

We’re talking to our first guide couple. His flatmate was one of Berlin’s first confirmed COVID-19 cases. Her flatmate is gone, leaving her home alone. Both have to self-quarantine apart. We chat language learning, getting creative and putting the pro in procrastination.

Conversation from April 8th and April 13th 2020.

Music by Mark Schilders

Do you still not have Duolingo?

Need help with applying for (Hartz IV) unemployment benefits, visit the Hartzer Roller.

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5. Maisie

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

From her mum’s place in the English countryside, we talk German gangsta rap and nose-picker's regret with a guide plagued by visions of her fridge exploding. Conversation from April 7th 2020.

At time of recording Maisie is here.

Radio Spätkauf: Berlin's news in English.

Haftbefehl: Russisch Roulette

Music by Mark Schilders.

For help filling out (Hartz IV) unemployment papers, Hartzer Roller. Feel free to leave Andreas Wallbaum a donation.

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4. Torben

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 05:30:00 +0200

This guide’s three-year-old knows something’s up, but how do you explain it? Swimming petri dishes, the Boogeyman and why we’re waving at Grandpa from the window. Conversation from April 7th 2020.

Torben's tour company is Berlin Perspectives

Hartz IV help and donations to the Hartzer Roller.

Music by Mark Schilders

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3. Heidi

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 06:05:00 +0200

We are back in Berlin, talking to a guide and mother about self-motivation, financial pressure and being grateful for what you’ve got. Oh, and a certain fat pigeon. Conversation from April 9th 2020.

Music by Mark Schilders.

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2. Susan

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 06:01:00 +0200

When your day was supposed to start with a visa appointment but ends with a puppy. We talk accelerated cohabitation, rules for Netflix and what Susan’s mum means by ten good years. Conversation from April 7th 2020.

Music by Mark Schilders.

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1. Michael

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 06:00:00 +0200

All the way in from Italy’s northwestern frontier, we hear from a former Berlin tour guide whose past as a Carthusian monk has prepared him for life in lockdown. We talk silence, solitude and finding your voice. Conversation from April 7th 2020.

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Music by Mark Schilders. Wouter's other podcast: Berlinology.
At the time of recording Michael is here: Aosta Follow The Low Season on Instagram and Facebook.

Intro: A Day At The Lake

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 23:05:27 +0200

A Day At The Lake marks the beginning of this series on tour guides navigating a pandemic.

The Low Season is about people who have seen their livelihoods dissapear. On top of all the quarantining, self-isolating and social distancing, they are now questioning what their future professional and personal lives will look like.

Three new episodes every week!