Life changing travel experiences, quarantine edition: Paris and Prague

“This is another thing that travel teaches you: It reminds you that you have to live now, and travel is a way of living now.” – Rolf Potts

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and his parents convene in quarantine to reminisce about their old trip to Paris and Prague together, and how it deepened their memories, their understanding of Europe, and their relationship with each other. They begin by talking about why exactly they went to Paris and Prague (8:00); what sights they saw in Paris, both intentional and accidental, and how they remember their experience there (13:00); how in some ways travel to other cultures is a form of “time travel” (18:00); how travel has a way of reverting travelers into a childlike awareness of their surroundings (24:00); why Père Lachaise Cemetery is a fascinating place to visit in Paris (30:00); how a hostel made for a good place from which to base an exploration of Prague, and what they found in the city by walking everywhere (36:00); the joy of taking public transport into unfamiliar neighborhoods and finding Corvette rallies and street performers and old citadels (43:00); and what their strongest memories of the travel experience were (52:00).

George and Alice Potts are retired schoolteachers based in Kansas. Alice taught second graders in the Wichita public schools for more than 30 years. In 1994 her classes succeed in promoting legislation to declare the barred tiger salamander the Kansas State Amphibian. George taught science at various Wichita high schools, as well as at Friends University, where he pioneered graduate-level programs in Zoo Science and Environmental Studies. He also helped facilitate the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Sites (OWLS) program for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Notable Links:

• 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (global viral outbreak)
• The Decameron (novellas collection by Giovanni Boccaccio)
• Black Death (14th century pandemic)
• China and Mongolia with my parents (Deviate episode)
• Paris Writing Workshop (summer creative writing class)
• SkyEurope (defunct budget airline)
• Souvenir, by Rolf Potts (book)
• Jardin des Plantes (botanical garden in Paris)
• Sainte-Chapelle (Gothic chapel in Paris)
• Palace of Versailles (old French royal residence outside of Paris)
• Père Lachaise Cemetery (largest cemetery in Paris)
• Frédéric Chopin (Polish composer)
• Jim Morrison (American rock singer)
• Abelard and Héloïse (French lovers)
• Czech Inn (hostel in Prague)
• Prague astronomical clock (medieval clock)
• House of the Black Madonna (Cubist building in Prague)
• Dancing House (Vlado Milunić/Frank Gehry building in Prague)
• Chevrolet Corvette (classic American sports car model)
• Výstaviště Praha (exhibition ground in Prague)
• Defenestrations of Prague (historical incidents)
• Charles Bridge (historic bridge over the Vltava river)

This episode of Deviate is also brought to you by Tortuga Backpacks, which set the standard for the best, most durable, organized, and comfortable travel backpacks, and AirTreks, an industry leader in multi-stop international travel. The AirTreks website offers suggested pre-planned travel itineraries to help you get started, and can customize the route to fit your journey.

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

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