The best things to do, see, and eat, according to the people we’ve met over the course of our first 10 episodes.
by THE PASSPORT TEAM
Every week, Neil, Andrés and the Passport team ask our guests to recommend the absolute best things to see, do, and eat in the cities we visit. These aren’t just the usual supsects you find in your guide book – they’re the inside scoop straight from the locals.
We call them our SAVED PINS.
This week, we thought it’d be fun to pick our 5 favorites – the best of the best – from the pins we discovered over our first 10 episodes.
Margaritas, tacos, and enchiladas in one of Los Angeles’ iconic institutions.
Our second episode was about Charles Manson, L.A., and the effect they had on each other. And El Coyote – which opened in 1931 – isn’t just a great restaurant, it also has a connection to our story.
Sure, there’s plenty of Mexican food in LA, but this one is a classic. Their food is world famous, and they’ve got the right amount of kitsch factor and local regulars to make it a really cool stop in LA.
The connection to our 2nd episode is the Sharon Tate Booth. That’s right, for a little extra historical kick, you can ask to be seated at the same table where Sharon Tate ate her last meal.
2. A TOUR WITH GAME OF THRONES’ ANDY McCLAY
No one can show you Belfast like the world’s most famous extra – Andy McClay, the star of our very first episode.
Andy played a Stark Bannerman for the last 4 seasons of the show, and then became the beating heart at the center of THE LAST WATCH, Jeanie Finlay’s documentary on the final season of GAME OF THRONES.
These days Andy shares his passion for GoT, and his city, as a guide for GameOfThronesTours.com. There are helicopter tours, private tours, and group tours, all spotlighting some of the biggest and best locations from the show.
Photo: GameOfThronesTours.com
3. RODEO CONNECTION BAR & RESTAURANT
On the 26th floor of a luxury building in Beijing’s Central Park Plaza, you’ll find Rodeo Connection.
Rodeo was designed by Allison Smith, who helped bring Jackson Hole to life. No, not Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Jackson hole, China – a resort town that’s a spiritual replica of its namesake… and the subject of our third episode.
Rodeo connection is the perfect compliment to Jackson Hole. A masterpiece of Americana smack dab in the capital of the People’s Republic of China.
This cowboy bar serves decadent American inspired cuisine and craft beer.
There’s also a mechanical bull. Yeehaw!
Photo: allisonsmithdesign.com
Our guide to Iceland was friend of the show, Björg Valgeirsdóttir.
And when it comes to taking in the sheer jaw-dropping beauty of her home country, this is one of Björg’s favorite walks. It’s an incredible looking spot in the north of Iceland – home to amazing basalt column rock formations and an out-of-this-world lighthouse.
Like seriously, it looks like it’s from Star Wars.
Photo: @audibleflame via Instagram
5. THE HELSINKI UNDERGROUND MASTERPLAN
Technically, this wasn’t actually a Saved Pin, but rather what our whole Helsinki episode is all about.
You actually can visit the Underground in Helsinki, and you totally should. It’s miles and miles of tunnels, pools, soccer fields, arcades, and more, all under the city streets.
No other counrty has anything like it.
Photo: MyHelsinki.fi
Listen to Passport
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Episode 37: Australia – Part 1: Stargazing with the Original Astronomers
Exploring the stories hidden in the skies of the southern hemisphere, as understood by the oldest living culture on earth: the Australian Aboriginals.
Episode 36: South Africa: Black Panther, Tribal Mythology & Afrofuturism
South Africa’s art landscape is not about the past and tradition – it’s about a utopian future. Meet Johannesburg’s pioneering new generation of creatives: the South African afrofuturists.
Episode 35: Paris: The Serious Business of Clowning Around
Passport treads the boards of Paris to dive into the city’s age-old love affair with a very distinct form of theatrics – clowning.
Episode 34: Barcelona: The Magical Pooping Log of Xmas
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Episode 31: Italy: MisInfoNation – Exorcists, The Mafia, and Italian Weather Girls
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Episode 30: Portugal: Wine, Women, and Resilience in the Douro Valley
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Episode 29: Passport Goes to the Polls
As the US goes to the polls, Passport goes there too. But not to America. Take a break from the anxiety and divisiveness of the US election with two stories that show the true, positive, power of democracy across the globe.
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