🔔 Episode Highlights: 🎅 The History of Christmas: Tracing its origins from pagan festivals to modern-day celebrations. 🎁 Weird Traditions Around the Globe: From Japan's KFC feasts 🍗 to Austria's terrifying Krampus parades 👹. 🌟 The Oddities of Santa Lore: Who knew about Iceland's Yule Lads or Italy's Befana the Christmas witch? 🧙‍♀️ ❄️ Quirky Facts: Why do some countries hide brooms on Christmas Eve? 🧹 🍷 Christmas Drinks & Food: Mulled wine, figgy pudding, and yak milk (Donnie, we’re looking at you). 🔎 Fun Moments: Kate's hilarious attempt at singing carols 🎤 The Best Christmas Presents Donnie diving into Christmas in Asia 🎎 #ChristmasAroundTheWorld 🌍 #SantaStories 🎅 #HolidayTraditions 🎄 Mention: Iceland, Austria, Japan, Italy, and more!

On today's episode of Drop A Pin, Donnie and Chaps dive deep into the Hermit Kingdom with two-time defector Charles Ryu. Charles talks about: 🇰🇵 Life under North Korea's dictatorship 🏚️ Growing up in poverty with a father in China and a struggling mother 🚨 Prison camps and forced re-education systems 📜 North Korean history & its closed-off regime ❌ Lack of access to the outside world 🕵️‍♂️ Regime's deadly control: Assassination of Kim Jong Un's family members 🗣️ Guest: Charles Ryu 🌟 His harrowing escapes from North Korea—twice 🛑 The risks of defying the regime 💔 A personal account of survival and resilience ⏳ Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes 🎧 Deep dive into life inside the Hermit Kingdom—a gripping journey you won’t forget! Charles Ryu North Korea Escaping North Korea podcast Life in North Korean prison camps Kim Jong Un family assassinations Forced re-education in North Korea North Korean dictatorship stories Hermit Kingdom life #NorthKorea #EscapeStory #CharlesRyu #HumanRights #Dictatorship #PrisonCamps #KimJongUn #Freedom #PodcastDeepDive #NorthKoreaSecrets Special thanks to Charles Ryu (@CharlesRyuNK) for sharing his story Discussing life under Kim Jong Un’s regime Shoutout to advocates for human rights in North Korea Listen now and gain a deeper understanding of one of the most secretive regimes in the world!

Former NFL player & two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) joins the show! 🚶‍♂️ Discusses climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro 🏔️—the highs, the struggles, and the ultimate triumphs. 💧 Shares his mission to bring clean water to underserved communities through Waterboys (@WaterboysORG). 🌍 Cultural Deep Dive ✈️ Donnie (@DonnieDoesWorld) & Chaps (@UncleChaps) Drop A Pin in Tanzania 🇹🇿: 🗿 The rich history of the region, from its tribal roots to colonial times. 🦁 The incredible wildlife and Serengeti vibes 🐘🦓. 🥘 Food, music, and the welcoming spirit of the Tanzanian people. #Podcast #ChrisLong #NFL #SuperBowlChampion #MtKilimanjaro #Waterboys #CleanWaterInitiative #TanzaniaTravel #AfricanCulture #AdventurePodcast #TravelHistory #GlobalTravel #WildlifeExploration #TanzaniaWildlife #KilimanjaroClimb #Philanthropy #CleanWaterAccess #DropAPinPodcast #TravelPodcast #InspiringStories #SportsAndTravel

🎙️ Episode Highlights: Deep Dive into the Underground: The Mole People 🕳️🏙️ Donnie shares the story behind his viral documentary with 20 million views 🎥. Exploring the lives of Vegas’ mole people, a hidden community living beneath the city lights. Heartfelt moments, shocking realities, and the untold struggles of life underground. Close Encounters at Area 51 👽🚀 Recap of Donnie’s road trip to the mysterious Nevada desert. Wild stories from Rachel, Nevada, the alien capital of the world. UFO conspiracies, quirky roadside stops, and what (or who) might be hiding out there. The Mob and Vegas History 🕴️💵 How the mob built Vegas into the entertainment capital of the world. Stories of mobsters like Bugsy Siegel, the creation of The Flamingo, and the rise of the Strip. Scandals, danger, and how the mob’s legacy still lingers today. The Strip’s Hidden History 🏨🎲 Discovering the iconic landmarks and lesser-known stories behind the neon lights. How Vegas evolved from a dusty gambling town to the world’s glitziest hotspot. Strange facts about the early days of casinos, showgirls, and the Rat Pack era 🕶️🎷. 🎧 Why Listen? Donnie doesn’t just visit Vegas—he lives it. From underground tunnels to extraterrestrial highways, this episode is packed with wild adventures, fascinating history, and unforgettable stories. 🔑 Keywords: #VegasHistory #MolePeople #Area51 #MobStories #LasVegasStrip #DonnieDoesVegas #TravelDocumentary #20MViews

On this episode of Drop A Pin we have on my friend Tyler to share his story of attempting to row across the Arctic Ocean plus other adventures! Then we discuss the history and culture of Norway 🌍 Tyler Stranded in Mongolia: Hear about Tyler's wild experience getting stranded in Mongolia, navigating harsh terrains, and surviving off the grid. 🐫 #SurvivalStories #MongoliaAdventures 🌊 Rowing Across the Arctic Ocean: Tyler recounts rowing from Norway to Iceland across the freezing Arctic waters, dodging icebergs, and surviving multiple near-death experiences. 🛶❄️ #ArcticAdventure #OceanRowing #Survival 🏜️ Running Ultra Marathons in the Sahara: Explore Tyler's grueling yet awe-inspiring ultra-marathon experiences across the scorching Sahara Desert. 🏃‍♂️🔥 #UltraMarathon #SaharaChallenge 🎭 Getting Cultured with Danny Conrad: A fun and enlightening segment where Danny Conrad dives into his unique perspectives on global culture and travel quirks. 🌎✨ #GettingCultured #TravelInsights 🛡️ Deep Dive into Norway’s History: We explore Norway's fascinating past, from the Viking Age to its modern-day cultural significance. ⚔️🌲 #NorwayHistory #Vikings #ScandinavianCulture Follow the convo: 👉 Hosts: @UncleChaps & @TheWontonDon 👉 Special Guest: Tyler 👉 Featured Segment: Danny Conrad and Fasoli Chapters: 00:00 - 06:16 (intro) 06:16 - 58:07 (interview with Tyler) 58:07 - 1:42:08 (Norway Discussion) 1:42:08 - 1:52:05 (Gettin' Cultured with Danny Conrad) Sponsors: Hydrow: Give the gift of a full body workout all from the comfort of home with Hydrow. Head over https://hydrow.com/ and use code WONTON to save up to four hundred and seventy-five dollars off your Hydrow. Nutrafol: The cold, dry air of winter can be unforgiving, but your hair doesn’t have to suffer! For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to https://nutrafol.com/ and enter the promo code PIN. #TravelPodcast #AdventureStories #VikingHistory #GettingCultured ✨ Don’t forget to subscribe for more jaw-dropping travel tales and cultural deep dives! 🎙️

PFT Commenter joins The Wonton Don and Uncle Chaps to Drop A Pin in Ecuador. They talk about the unique wildlife in Ecuador, from the famous Galápagos tortoises to blue-footed boobies. PFT shares stories about about his two week trip. A look at how Ecuador was once home to ancient creatures and its ties to natural history. They dive into how it’s one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. A quick chat about Charles Darwin’s visit to the Galápagos Islands and how it inspired his famous theory of evolution. The show ends with a Getting Cultured Segment with Rico Bosco.

In this episode of Drop A Pin, Donnie and Chaps dive into the incredible story of Lee Abbamonte, one of the world’s most adventurous travelers and among the youngest Americans to have visited every country on Earth. The conversation explores Lee’s background, from his early days of globetrotting to becoming a well-known travel expert and speaker. They discuss his craziest experiences, the challenges he faced, and the unique perspectives he’s gained from seeing every corner of the world. To wrap up, Donnie and Chaps shift focus to Chad in Central Africa, breaking down the country’s complex history and current political climate. This segment provides insight into the regional struggles, international relations, and cultural resilience that shape Chad today.

In this episode of Drop A Pin, The Wonton Don takes us on a wild ride through his post-college days and adventures near Clemson University—a time full of legendary tales, questionable decisions, and moments that could only happen in a small college town in the South. Donnie spills it all from late nights at Kung Fu Cantina, where the drinks were strong, the crowd rowdy, and to the county jail where community service hours were ordered. With all the shenanigans, culture clashes, and unforgettable Clemson moments, Donnie’s stories paint a hilarious picture of life as an outsider through small business owner life in the South. Join us as The Wonton Don relives the best—and most embarrassing—moments of his time near Clemson, and shares why the Kung Fu Cantina was the setting for some of his wildest, previously untold memories.