WEBVTT

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From the unexplained to the mundane, come join

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us on a journey to the fringe. Hello and welcome

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to Journey to the Fringe. If the fringe is calling

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you, it's really best not to travel alone. There's

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a lot of assholes out there. Just like so many.

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We are. You're friendly, I promise. podcast hosts

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Taylor and Chelsea. Here today, it's been a while

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since I've done kind of a general overview of

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a fringy topic, Chelsea, but I wanted to do one.

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And you know what it's gonna be today? What?

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Tunnels. Fringy tunnels. Oh, I thought you said

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funnels. I was like like the thing you used to

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help put the water all into one place. OK, I

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don't know why. I feel like my texting on my

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phone has gotten worse and I don't know if it's

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me or the phone. Oh, mine is. But I've been misspelling

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a lot of things really badly the last little

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while. I also just switched over to an iPhone

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and also I was concentrating on how I wanted

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to clarify the fringe that we're a part of. We

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are not the assholes, I think that we border

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on. on it sometimes. I don't think we are either.

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I'd like to think we're friendly. I mean, we

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are mean to the assholes, I think, and I don't

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think it's, or I shouldn't say mean. We are critical

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of the assholes, which I don't think is a mean

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thing. We're just telling it like it is. That

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doesn't make us assholes. And I think people

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should be aware of the assholeness of those people.

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Nobody's ever called us assholes. They've just

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told us that we laugh a lot, which is a compliment.

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Yes. Thank you. or a compliment even though you've

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never listened again. It's true, we did lose

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someone there rather quickly into their journey

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here to the fridge. I still can't tell if they

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liked the asshole that we were talking about

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or not but nonetheless they were critical of

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our laughing which we took as a compliment and

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continued making no changes to it. This is for

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us after all, you're not paying us. Today we're

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going to be talking about tunnels and that seems

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like a weird topic or something that you can't

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really do a whole episode on but Chelsea I got

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19 pages here to talk about and oh shit I'm gonna

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have to go to bed halfway through well I can

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entertain everybody for the second don't worry

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about that okay anyhow tunnels can be fringy

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in many different ways for Chelsea a tunnel can

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be haunted a tunnel can be mysteriously old and

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not known about for a long time a tunnel can

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be associated with UFOs or aliens and I didn't

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want it to Dispriminate I wanted to give us a

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sprinkling of this entire group and just say

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like hey, there's some weird tunnels out there

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Let's talk about that. So Chelsea today's never

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terrified of tunnels I don't think so no more

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so than you were before I should say so I can't

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confirm how you felt I'm skeptical for okay.

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I'm skeptical but Yeah, I'm excited. The first

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tunnel we're gonna be talking about is actually

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in Portland, Oregon It is called the Shanghai

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tunnels seems like a weird place to be found

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Yeah, why it's called Shanghai Tunnels. Maybe

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we'll explain here. I'm actually fairly certain

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we do because I'm afraid this script is mine,

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but it is a weird name and Portland's a weird

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place. Yeah, it is. In downtown Portland, tourists

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gather in the shops and restaurants completely

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unaware of what lies beneath their feet. Lying

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down there is a series of 150 -year -old tunnels

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that connect the basements of the city's oldest

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buildings to the Willamette River, as well as

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Portland's Chinatown. The tunnels were built

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by Chinese workers during the time when Chinatown

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was the center of trade business. The tunnels'

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original design was for transporting goods from

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cargo ships to the inner city. By using the tunnels,

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the ship's crew could avoid the hassles of inner

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city traffic. This was good for the business

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of Portland because many of them stored their

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goods in their basements. But unbeknownst to

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the good people of Portland, the tunnels had

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much more nefarious use back in those days. Portland

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was a small town at the time, but it had a large

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port that could support many ships. Many cargo

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ships sailed for many months across the Pacific

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before unloading their cargo in Portland. Because

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the sailors had a very short window of downtime,

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before they had to pack up and set sail again.

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Many sailors spent their time drinking in the

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bars or fighting in the... loons. Some sailors

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took the opportunity to abandon their life at

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sea because they feared death by disease or debilitating

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injury. This would leave sea captains with empty

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positions that they would have to fill in order

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to leave port on time. People were oftentimes

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reluctant to sign up for a long sea voyage. So

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crooked captains would hire men to Shanghai replacement

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sailors 50 bucks a head. This is where the Shanghai

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tunnels get their names from. But it didn't explain

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what that means. Shanghai sailors? They would

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Shanghai sailors like abduct them. Why is that?

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That's what it says. I'm sorry. You can't see

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this people were oftentimes reluctant to sign

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up to long sea voyages So cookie captains would

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hire men to quote unquote Shanghai replacements

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like abduct them. Why is that the word for it?

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I don't know. I'm sure there is a reason but

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I don't know Men looking to make a quick buck

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would prowl Portland's bar saloons and taverns

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looking for young, able -bodied men who were

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alone. These Shanghaiers would wait until the

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target was drunk and then take him down to the

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basement. They would knock the man unconscious

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and drag him through the Shanghai t - Once on

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board the ships, these men chose labor over starvation.

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Some men managed to escape the ships and warned

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the public about the Shanghaiers. Stories about

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the Shanghaiers circulated Portland and soon

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men became more cautious when drinking out at

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the bar. No kidding. When abducting men became

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difficult, savvy Shanghaiers kidnapped women

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instead. Women who frequented bars alone became

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easy prey for Shanghaiers. Many bars had trap

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doors that were sprung on unsuspecting women.

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Once the women fell into the tunnel, it was impossible

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to get back out. Prostitution rings often and

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used the tunnels to hold groups of women in cages

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for long periods of time. This gave them enough

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time to secure buyers outside of Portland. Chinese

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gangsters were also known to Shanghai people

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after doping them. Chinatown had many different

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conflicting gang groups who oftentimes had their

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own separate tunnels towards the docks. They

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used the tunnels to sneak in immigrants as well

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as goods and drugs. And the many different brothels,

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bars, and gambling lairs received these goods

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and people through their own personal trap doors

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and tunnels. Personal. Yeah, like most of these

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gangs in the area using tunnels. prevented them

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from being busted by the police. During Prohibition,

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the Shanghai tunnels became underground expressways.

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Shanghires used the tunnels to transport alcohol

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shipments from the ships on the Willamette River

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to bars all over Portland. Bars, hotels, and

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taverns often used secret passages in the Shanghai

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tunnels to conduct their business away from prying

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eyes. Police routinely raided bars during Prohibition,

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making daily operations impossible for bar owners.

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To combat this, bar owners began stashing their

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alcohol supply deep in the Shanghai tunnels to

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avoid arrest. Hidden doors were also commonly

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used in bars during this time. Police officers

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raided bars, taverns, and saloons in large groups,

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which made it impossible for criminals to escape.

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Bar owners used hidden doors and passages to

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hide their business associates when they were

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on the run. Once the police concluded their business,

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the criminals would return to their seats at

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the bar and have another drink. Once police officers

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realized that businesses and gangs were using

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tunnels, they began to conduct searches of them.

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Unfortunately, police officers were oftentimes

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unsuccessful because of the time sheer expansiveness.

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Gangsters and bar owners had long since mapped

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out the underground passageways and knew exactly

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where to hide their goods. I did not know that

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history about Portland, that there's an entire

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underground. It's actually a fairly common thing

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on the West Coast, it seems, because Seattle

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too has like a very extensive underground city.

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Yeah, apparently that was a thing. You just had

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to build a city and then when that didn't work

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out, you just built another one on top of it.

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I did find out why it's referred to as Shang

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Haiing. I thought that it was racist. I would

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have thought too. But they call it Shanghai -ing

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because that was a common destination for the

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ships to go with the abducted crew members because

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they were doing like routes and stuff like that.

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Interesting, okay. We've learned more than just

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the tunnels in Portland. Today the Shanghai tunnels

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are used mainly as tourist attractions. You can

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actually go see parts of them. Of course, yeah.

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I would do that. Yeah, that sounds actually fairly

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entertaining. During the height of its operation,

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an estimated 2 ,000 people a year were Shanghai

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-ing. hide through Portland's underground tunnels,

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which is crazy. That's a ton of people, particularly

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because Portland wasn't a huge city 200 years

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ago. Yeah. Well, it would have been, I didn't

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actually know that Portland was a port city,

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but it makes sense actually now that I said Portland

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and port in the same sentence. Funny enough.

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But I mean, sailing was a huge thing, I guess,

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back then. So why not kidnap lots and lots of

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people to work on the boats if you needed them?

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Well, I'm particularly like, yeah, like a place

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where you kind of stopped off after long voyages

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and people just wanted to fuck off. And that's

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what happened. According to experts, many unfortunate

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souls never made it out of these tunnels alive.

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Many were beaten, starved, and left for dead

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within the tunnels. Gangs used these tunnels

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for their hideout and would often drag their

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victims down into the tunnels to keep them from

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talking to the police. There's evidence that

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gangs even kept disobedient members in the tunnels

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as a form of punishment. Oftentimes disobedient

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gang members would be left by themselves with

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no light. Sometimes the gangs would retrieve

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their man after a certain period of time and

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other times they wouldn't. If parts of the tunnels

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go on for miles and miles, it would be easy to

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get lost in the dark, especially without a light

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to see where you were going. The labyrinth of

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underground tunnels is still explored today,

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and explorers can travel underground and see

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the holding cells once used by the prostitution

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rings, as well as the trap doors the Shanghais

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dropped people through, which are still functional

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in some bars. Although no one should explore

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the tunnels by themselves, there are many tunnels

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that have collapsed over the years, and some

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tunnels lead to nowhere. If you are going on

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a Shang - high tunnel adventure, make sure to

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stay close to your guide as you can. You definitely

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don't want to get lost. Chelsea, is that guy

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trapped down there by chance? Are you talking

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about the picture I just sent you? Yes. I don't

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know how I got here, but I just wanted you to

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see the ass on this Loveland Frog. They really

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emphasize the Loveland Frog's ass. It's juicy.

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The frog works out and everybody needs to know

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this. It actually has nothing to do with the

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tunnel. I just happened to come across and I

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was like, wow, look at his ass. he just comes

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up in the weirdest spots. I know. I'm gonna close

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my tab now with a level of rock art. Deep within

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the tunnels, travelers report feeling goosebumps

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as if someone is watching them from the shadows.

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Many people report seeing an Asian man walking

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past them in the tunnels. Explorers name the

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spirit Sam and say that he is responsible for

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turning off the lights in Bar's basements. Sam

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also likes to move things around in the tunnels

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as explorers walk by. One tour guide reported

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hearing a voice calling out the name Sam over

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and over again. Ed echoed through the tunnels

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and scared him. guess because his entire group

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was behind him he knew that it was not one of

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them he says it was one of the scariest experiences

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of his life go ahead Sam wouldn't be calling

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his own name that's a fair point but maybe he

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does because it scares people because he knows

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he's scary or yeah or because he wants people

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to know who he is maybe so you're not gonna know

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the people who are there you've been dead like

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why would you know them so it is best yellow

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your name oh you're into Other seeing quick movement

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of shadows and feeling ghostly fingers on their

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shoulders when no one else is around. Most tunnel

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tourists say that Sam is good ghost and look

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forward to feeling his presence that's really

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creepy that is weird that's a bad touch from

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a ghost that is stockholm syndrome you should

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um is that stockholm syndrome no it's still creepy

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don't let ghost touch sam's fingers touch me

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tonight that's a weird sentence to say yeah i

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don't like it i don't want to go there anymore

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nope he says his name lovingly in your ear i

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don't like it sam Other tunnel spirits are known

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as tricksters who just love to have a good time.

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They will often pull at your shirt tail or gently

00:12:09.789 --> 00:12:12.009
tug at the ends of your hair. One gets reported

00:12:12.009 --> 00:12:14.429
feeling a small tug on her shirt before she tripped.

00:12:14.490 --> 00:12:16.350
She was not injured, but it was an experience

00:12:16.350 --> 00:12:28.610
she says she will never forget. Some people recall

00:12:28.610 --> 00:12:30.850
feeling unwelcome like someone or something is

00:12:30.850 --> 00:12:32.629
watching them. One man remembers hearing the

00:12:32.629 --> 00:12:35.029
sounds of like whistling just before he was thrown

00:12:35.029 --> 00:12:37.250
to the ground and that is particularly hilarious

00:12:37.250 --> 00:12:39.590
for me because he keeps saying that he knows

00:12:39.590 --> 00:12:43.509
how to whistle that's what I'm picturing right

00:12:43.509 --> 00:12:49.610
now yeah after standing up he turned to see who

00:12:49.610 --> 00:12:52.139
had knocked him down assuming it was the small

00:12:52.139 --> 00:12:53.840
chat who didn't know how to whistle. Lifting

00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.620
his flashlight, he saw that no one was behind

00:12:55.620 --> 00:12:57.740
him. The man reported that it was the last time

00:12:57.740 --> 00:12:59.320
he would be visiting. Although there are some

00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:01.539
scary reports of ghostly activity coming from

00:13:01.539 --> 00:13:03.179
down in the tunnels, most of the experiences

00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:06.299
are friendly. If you go, be prepared to experience

00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:08.559
complete darkness, bring your own water and stay

00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:10.679
with your group at all times. Why? There's not

00:13:10.679 --> 00:13:13.320
water down there? Well, you're going to the Willamette

00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:15.700
River, so I guess if you really want to, you

00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:18.580
don't want to drink that water. And also, I assume

00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:21.110
you're not actually going to be close. Lots of

00:13:21.110 --> 00:13:23.730
real klutzy people going down into these tunnels.

00:13:24.029 --> 00:13:26.389
Lots of fallen. And apparently the tour guides

00:13:26.389 --> 00:13:28.629
really like to push and be handsy, is what I'm

00:13:28.629 --> 00:13:30.669
getting from this story. That's also what I'm

00:13:30.669 --> 00:13:32.509
getting from it. Anyhow, that actually sounds

00:13:32.509 --> 00:13:34.929
like a really fun ghost tour if you happen to

00:13:34.929 --> 00:13:37.330
be in Portland. Those tunnels sound fascinating.

00:13:37.750 --> 00:13:39.929
Also, just try and stay on your foot. Wear extra

00:13:39.929 --> 00:13:42.289
layers that are tight. And watch your footing.

00:13:42.450 --> 00:13:44.509
Next up, Chelsea, we're heading to Scotland for

00:13:44.509 --> 00:13:46.950
the Edinburgh Vaults. Now, the story of the Edinburgh

00:13:46.950 --> 00:13:49.950
Vaults began in the late 18th century with construction

00:13:49.950 --> 00:13:53.490
of the South Bridge in 1788. Designed as a grand

00:13:53.490 --> 00:13:55.950
passage linking the Old Town to the burgeoning

00:13:55.950 --> 00:13:58.389
South Side, the bridge was more than just a structure.

00:13:58.610 --> 00:14:01.389
It was Edinburgh's first purpose -built shopping

00:14:01.389 --> 00:14:04.129
street. Where behind the facade of the tenements

00:14:04.129 --> 00:14:06.509
that flanked the bridge, a hidden network of

00:14:06.509 --> 00:14:09.529
chambers was created within its 19 arches repurposed

00:14:09.529 --> 00:14:12.570
as storage rooms, workshops, and spaces for bustling

00:14:12.570 --> 00:14:15.450
tradesmen. For around 30 years these vaults thrived

00:14:15.450 --> 00:14:18.110
with life serving as taverns, cobblers workshops,

00:14:18.149 --> 00:14:20.419
and even storage for whiskey distillers. However,

00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:23.019
the fate of these subterranean spaces soon took

00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:26.700
a darker turn. A bridge had been hastily constructed

00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:29.500
and its foundations were far from secure. Water

00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:32.179
began seeping into the vaults, flooding the floors,

00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:34.620
and driving out legitimate businesses. By the

00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:37.519
early 1800s, only the poorest of Edinburgh's

00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:40.240
citizens remained. The vaults devolved into a

00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:42.639
den of inequity, home to illegal gambling dens,

00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:45.580
illicit whiskey distilleries, prostitution, and

00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:49.159
even rumors of body snatching. Oh my god. They

00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:51.600
were boasting about the whiskey distillers at

00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:53.879
the beginning and now it's the illicit whiskey

00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:58.179
distillers that moved in. They're both signifiers

00:14:58.179 --> 00:15:01.980
of good and bad economies. It's beautiful. Especially

00:15:01.980 --> 00:15:04.899
in Scotland. It got so bad the whiskey distillers

00:15:04.899 --> 00:15:07.179
moved in, or it was so beautiful that the whiskey

00:15:07.179 --> 00:15:10.259
distillers moved in. It was thriving, the whiskey

00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:12.799
distillers came in. Anyhow, there was not a normal

00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:15.990
economy there. It was not on its middle times.

00:15:16.169 --> 00:15:18.690
Conditions further deteriorated. Damp, dark,

00:15:18.850 --> 00:15:20.990
and devoid of sunlight, the vaults became nearly

00:15:20.990 --> 00:15:24.049
uninhabitable. By the 1860s, even the most desperate

00:15:24.049 --> 00:15:26.570
souls had vacated the vault, and they were sealed,

00:15:26.690 --> 00:15:29.309
lost to the city above. For decades, the vaults

00:15:29.309 --> 00:15:31.230
faded from memory, and it wasn't until a chance

00:15:31.230 --> 00:15:33.629
discovered in the 1980s that they were thrust

00:15:33.629 --> 00:15:36.350
back into the limelight. A former Scottish rugby

00:15:36.350 --> 00:15:38.470
internationalist stumbled upon a hidden tunnel

00:15:38.470 --> 00:15:40.769
leading to the vaults, rediscovering this forgotten

00:15:40.769 --> 00:15:43.509
world. What Rowan found was a shadowy filled

00:15:43.509 --> 00:15:46.269
with relics of its past, a time capsule of human

00:15:46.269 --> 00:15:48.590
habitation and hidden history. From the moment

00:15:48.590 --> 00:15:50.490
the vaults were unearthed, stories of ghostly

00:15:50.490 --> 00:15:52.789
apparitions and eerie encounters began to surface.

00:15:52.950 --> 00:15:55.509
The vaults, steeped in their grim history, seemed

00:15:55.509 --> 00:15:58.110
to have soaked up the pain, fear, and misery

00:15:58.110 --> 00:16:00.289
of those who once lived and died in their damp

00:16:00.289 --> 00:16:02.970
confines. Paranormal investigators and ghost

00:16:02.970 --> 00:16:05.190
hunters flocked to the site, eager to experience

00:16:05.190 --> 00:16:07.409
the supernatural for themselves. The Edinburgh

00:16:07.409 --> 00:16:09.889
vaults are widely believed to be haunted due

00:16:09.889 --> 00:16:12.289
to their dark past, a history filled with crime.

00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:14.700
death and disease. Several spectral residents

00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:17.200
are thought to dwell with one called Mr. Boots,

00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:20.019
also called the Watcher, an intimidating presence

00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:22.379
often heard by the heavy footfalls of boots.

00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:24.899
Some believe he was once a safeguard or watchman

00:16:24.899 --> 00:16:27.220
who still patrols the vault. Yes, it's not because

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:29.840
he has a cat. I was gonna say, does he walk around

00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:33.539
going, Mr. Boots? Boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.039
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.220
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:35.220
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:35.220
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:35.220
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.220 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:35.360
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:36.019
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:36.220
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:36.220
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:48.580
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:48.820
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:56.620
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:59.620
boots boots I might also add. That is. And I

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:01.840
can't say if that didn't happen to me, I'd be

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:04.059
like, just come home with me. I guess we have

00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:06.619
a ghost child now. We've adopted him. How do

00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:08.680
we do this legally? Is that better than coming

00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:12.200
home with a dog to like a spouse? No, I can't

00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:14.380
imagine that it would be. It might be a step

00:17:14.380 --> 00:17:17.359
below that as in worse. OK. How would you be

00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.519
like? Financially, I think it's fine, right?

00:17:19.539 --> 00:17:21.440
Because like you don't have to feed. You don't

00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.619
have to take it out to go pee. You don't have

00:17:23.619 --> 00:17:26.079
to worry about biting somebody. I don't think.

00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.990
Yeah. Also, I think we learned that you don't

00:17:27.990 --> 00:17:31.509
have to disclose it on a sale of a house unless

00:17:31.509 --> 00:17:34.369
you specifically market it as a haunted house

00:17:34.369 --> 00:17:36.470
because you brought the ghost child home. And

00:17:36.470 --> 00:17:39.470
not if you're officially adopting the ghost child,

00:17:39.509 --> 00:17:41.329
I think. Yeah, because it would come with you

00:17:41.329 --> 00:17:44.349
if you moved. Yeah, you'd be like, we have good

00:17:44.349 --> 00:17:46.690
news. And then they'd be like, what do you mean

00:17:46.690 --> 00:17:49.269
we? And we'd be like, Mr. Boots here. But his

00:17:49.269 --> 00:17:52.230
name's not Boot. His name's Jack. Yeah, it's

00:17:52.230 --> 00:17:54.910
whatever he screams in the middle of the night.

00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.079
Creepy ghost kid. But we're now the proud parents

00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:02.380
to Jack here, who's a child ghost. We'll be putting

00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:04.740
him through college. And they also say this,

00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:07.039
although I find it hard to believe that it was

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.220
once the site of witchcraft and this vault is

00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:12.319
said to trap negative energy. Visitors have reported

00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.599
mysterious scratches and an overwhelming sense

00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:17.640
of unease, which I have a hard time when people

00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:20.500
say like witchcraft was practiced here. I have

00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:22.240
a feeling that we don't understand what they

00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.920
were practicing and we just branded it vaguely

00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:28.039
as witchcraft or pig. That's true. I can get

00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:30.380
on board with that. Definitely. I still do it

00:18:30.380 --> 00:18:32.559
Yeah, if anyone says anything uncomfortable to

00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:34.980
me, I'm like witchcraft. Well, you're gonna get

00:18:34.980 --> 00:18:39.269
burned Yeah, I only have two reactions. That's

00:18:39.269 --> 00:18:41.869
just what you say. Yeah. Catch them off guard.

00:18:42.069 --> 00:18:44.589
The vaults have earned a reputation, at least

00:18:44.589 --> 00:18:46.490
according to the websites I have read, as one

00:18:46.490 --> 00:18:48.369
of the most haunted locations in Scotland, which

00:18:48.369 --> 00:18:51.049
I think is pretty good. Like Scotland has to

00:18:51.049 --> 00:18:53.390
be a pretty haunted place. People got nothing

00:18:53.390 --> 00:18:55.849
else to do in Scotland other than drink and haunt

00:18:55.849 --> 00:18:58.970
and fight. Oh, that's true. Did we not do a haunted

00:18:58.970 --> 00:19:01.829
forest in Scotland or was it Ireland? No, Ireland.

00:19:02.049 --> 00:19:04.170
That one was in Ireland. Yeah. That was a good

00:19:04.170 --> 00:19:07.170
one. That was spooky. Druids too in Scotland,

00:19:07.349 --> 00:19:10.099
right? I assume so. I think everything that's

00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:13.160
not England. I had those might have been just

00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:16.480
catch all witchcraft in my mind. Oh, good point.

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:18.579
Never thought of it that way. And also, Chelsea,

00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:20.980
this next sentence, shadows of shadowy figures,

00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:23.299
disembodied voices and strange orbs of light

00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:25.720
are frequently reported. Those shadowy figures

00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:28.099
could be droid ropes. We don't know. Shadows

00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:31.140
of shadowy figures is extremely descriptive,

00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.720
by the way. Lightings of shadowy figures. I might

00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.240
have missed that. OK, I liked it better when

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.200
you put it shadows of shadowy. You don't actually

00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:42.759
see this we figure you see their shadows Definitely

00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:45.900
could be druids some visitors even claim to have

00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:48.920
been pushed or touched by unseen hands Of course,

00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:52.900
it seems like Sam is It's a tunnel thing. I think

00:19:52.900 --> 00:19:54.960
it might actually be a tunnel thing here It's

00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:56.900
a tunnel thing I'm thinking first hand accounts

00:19:56.900 --> 00:19:58.500
from those who have dared to spend the night

00:19:58.500 --> 00:20:00.619
in the vaults reveal just how unsettling these

00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:02.740
Experiences can be also. I'm a little upset.

00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:04.799
They haven't explained they said these things

00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:07.220
got flooded and people just abandoned them and

00:20:07.109 --> 00:20:09.630
forgot about them. So I guess the flooding has

00:20:09.630 --> 00:20:11.990
gone away over time. I don't know. They haven't

00:20:11.990 --> 00:20:14.130
really explained that part. Does it? Would it

00:20:14.130 --> 00:20:16.470
do that though? Or are we, should we picturing

00:20:16.470 --> 00:20:19.369
everyone exploring like in like waist deep water?

00:20:19.529 --> 00:20:21.650
I would go in there. I would have thought that.

00:20:21.670 --> 00:20:24.029
And in like coveralls, like those mud gummies.

00:20:24.250 --> 00:20:27.130
up to their chest, looking for crawdaddies. That's

00:20:27.130 --> 00:20:30.230
just a total note for me. Would never do that.

00:20:30.589 --> 00:20:34.190
That can just remain in water in silence. Also,

00:20:34.309 --> 00:20:36.809
I just can't imagine somebody spending the night

00:20:36.809 --> 00:20:39.630
in something with even ankle -deep water. No,

00:20:39.630 --> 00:20:41.769
that's true. But if you're ghost hunting, are

00:20:41.769 --> 00:20:44.589
you taking a rest anyway? I guess the ghosts

00:20:44.589 --> 00:20:48.049
even haunt watery places. They might be. It doesn't

00:20:48.049 --> 00:20:49.690
seem like that big a place, but they might be

00:20:49.690 --> 00:20:52.529
in a dinghy. I don't know. To that point, I think

00:20:52.529 --> 00:20:55.009
the Titanic would still be haunted even though

00:20:55.009 --> 00:20:57.990
it's under like that is an interesting take i

00:20:57.990 --> 00:20:59.630
don't think the ghost could take the pressure

00:20:59.630 --> 00:21:01.630
really yeah you think they're pressure based

00:21:01.630 --> 00:21:03.609
eh not only do i think they're pressure based

00:21:03.609 --> 00:21:06.269
i just don't think there's enough conscious observation

00:21:06.269 --> 00:21:09.210
down there for people to ghost to bother haunting

00:21:09.210 --> 00:21:12.650
it oh it's like if a tree falls in the woods

00:21:12.650 --> 00:21:15.569
you think that a ghost needs someone to i think

00:21:15.569 --> 00:21:18.630
ghosts need something there really interesting

00:21:18.630 --> 00:21:22.069
i think hmm wow we're really cutting deep on

00:21:22.069 --> 00:21:23.920
this one i guess This brings the question of

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.900
can space be haunted Chelsea? I mean, yeah, technically

00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:30.440
no Mmm, I want to say yeah, but it feels wrong.

00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:32.240
Okay. Well, we should focus on this because I

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:34.460
get a lot to go but those are questions we need

00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:37.970
to come back to at some point we do we do one

00:21:37.970 --> 00:21:40.289
investigator shared their tale of several overnight

00:21:40.289 --> 00:21:42.630
stays describing strange footsteps echoing through

00:21:42.630 --> 00:21:45.029
the darkened halls and a night when everyone

00:21:45.029 --> 00:21:47.569
in a room suddenly felt ill despite having eaten

00:21:47.569 --> 00:21:49.930
in different places earlier that day another

00:21:49.930 --> 00:21:52.329
group gathering for an investigation at 4am reported

00:21:52.329 --> 00:21:55.109
a sudden change in atmosphere a mysterious citrus

00:21:55.109 --> 00:21:57.549
scent began to walk through the dark room only

00:21:57.549 --> 00:21:59.670
for them to discover the source was a cleaner

00:21:59.670 --> 00:22:03.289
mopping the next door proof that not every eerie

00:22:03.289 --> 00:22:04.769
occurrence can be attributed the paranormal.

00:22:04.930 --> 00:22:07.430
They were cleaning upstairs and they could smell

00:22:07.430 --> 00:22:09.809
it. What a weird note to put in there because

00:22:09.809 --> 00:22:12.390
it's not ghostly at all. There is a cleaner there,

00:22:12.390 --> 00:22:15.089
okay? Not there, above them, which they didn't

00:22:15.089 --> 00:22:17.710
know. Yeah, there are more unsettling feelings

00:22:17.710 --> 00:22:19.910
that cannot be easily explained. Many visitors,

00:22:20.089 --> 00:22:22.609
including seasoned ghost hunters, report no overwhelming

00:22:22.609 --> 00:22:25.450
sense of unease while inside the vault, finding

00:22:25.450 --> 00:22:27.509
they can only tolerate the oppressive atmosphere

00:22:27.509 --> 00:22:29.930
for a short period. Some have spoken of a deep

00:22:29.930 --> 00:22:32.289
instinct to flee as if the very walls themselves

00:22:32.289 --> 00:22:34.670
are closing in. One of the most chilling explorations

00:22:34.670 --> 00:22:37.190
of the vault was featured in the popular TV show

00:22:37.190 --> 00:22:40.109
Most Haunted in 2003. Presenter Yvette Fielding

00:22:40.109 --> 00:22:42.430
and her team, including psychic medium Derek

00:22:42.430 --> 00:22:44.609
Acora, descended into the vault, armed with night

00:22:44.609 --> 00:22:46.890
vision cameras and an open mind. The episode,

00:22:46.970 --> 00:22:49.609
part of the show's third series, is now legendary

00:22:49.609 --> 00:22:52.150
for the eerie encounters it documented. Acora

00:22:52.150 --> 00:22:55.029
quickly sensed the presence of spirits. The team

00:22:55.029 --> 00:22:57.329
experienced unexplained noises, footsteps, and

00:22:57.329 --> 00:22:59.650
even a chilling whistling sound that seemed to

00:22:59.650 --> 00:23:02.329
come from nowhere. I'm getting the exact same

00:23:02.329 --> 00:23:05.240
description. from this tunnel as the Portland

00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:08.279
tunnel. Creepy hands, a guy yelling his name,

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:10.859
although we did just add the name yelling, and

00:23:10.859 --> 00:23:13.799
really handsy ghosts. These are the same place.

00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:16.579
Yeah, it's a tunnel thing I'm starting to think.

00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:20.700
And these things actually look so creepy. Like

00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:24.079
it looks like compartments under Edinburgh. Like

00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:26.559
it's super weird. Yeah, they're very aptly named

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:28.519
the vaults. And then if you look at some of the

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:31.160
pictures, they look like some of them have freaking

00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:36.960
like jail. By the end of the night, the crew

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:39.019
was more than ready to leave, declaring Edinburgh

00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:41.059
Vaults one of the most unnerving locations they'd

00:23:41.059 --> 00:23:43.299
ever investigated. The rediscovery of the Edinburgh

00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:45.619
Vaults has unearthed more than just hidden chambers.

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:47.740
It has opened a portal to the past, revealing

00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:50.940
a darker, more often forgotten side of Edinburgh's

00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:53.259
history. These vaults, very deep beneath the

00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:55.240
city's cobbled streets, are a tangible reminder

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:57.440
of the desperate and destitute who once called

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.599
them home. Today, the vaults serve as a chilling

00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:01.500
attraction for those seeking a bri - with the

00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:03.779
supernatural. Ghost tours regularly wind their

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:05.619
way through corridors with guides recounting

00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:07.819
tales of paranormal sightings and unexplained

00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:11.279
phenomena. Companies like all Greeky Tours offer,

00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:13.160
you know, they gotta pay us to say this, I'm

00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:16.660
taking that out. Meanwhile, The Vault also doubles

00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:19.160
the unique event space, posting everything from

00:24:19.160 --> 00:24:21.259
plays and performances to private gatherings,

00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:24.680
adding another layer to the eerie charm. So another

00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:28.640
place that has an identical situation. Creepy

00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:31.569
nonetheless. Very. looking at them as part of

00:24:31.569 --> 00:24:33.950
the creepiness too. People in the 1800s, they

00:24:33.950 --> 00:24:36.430
had to have known they were making it look haunted

00:24:36.430 --> 00:24:40.230
at that time. You had to have been aware that

00:24:40.230 --> 00:24:43.970
this was like a creepy place to be. They weren't

00:24:43.970 --> 00:24:46.890
just oblivious to it, do you think? It had to

00:24:46.890 --> 00:24:50.049
come up over one of the 15 whiskies that you

00:24:50.049 --> 00:24:52.940
drank within a day. which is like the minimum

00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:55.220
limit that you had to drink in the 1800s when

00:24:55.220 --> 00:24:57.539
you were designing things. If Mad Men's anything

00:24:57.539 --> 00:25:01.099
to be extrapolated from. Okay, so we're of the

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:04.039
consensus that yes, they did know it was creepy.

00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:06.779
Oh, they had to. there they had to have they

00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:09.099
were negligent designers that they did not know

00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:11.220
do you think they liked being down there they

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:14.079
had stores down there they like like going shopping

00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.400
down there and i look at them like this is not

00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:18.859
a shopping place they didn't like going down

00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:21.299
there they liked their workers being down there

00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:24.700
i think was the beginning oh okay Okay. They

00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:26.920
thought they were quaint little places for the

00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:29.480
people who wanted to work work. Okay. I get it

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:32.240
now. They just so happened to doom them all to

00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:35.339
a haunted life in the like not too distant future.

00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:38.319
And that helps us have a podcast today to talk

00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:40.200
about things. Yeah. So thank you for that guys.

00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:43.619
Your whiskey riddled corpses and therefore ghosts

00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:46.500
are thanked. We're very thankful for you. Thank

00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:48.559
you, Sam. The next place we're going to talk

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:51.220
about is something that we probably should have

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:54.480
talked about at some point in the last four years,

00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:57.220
and we're only going to very vaguely touch on

00:25:57.220 --> 00:26:00.420
it. And that is Denver International Airport.

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:04.259
Okay. I was like, they're haunted tunnels, but

00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:07.180
okay, it's just tunnels in general. Tunnels in

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:09.220
general, and we're moving away from the ghosty

00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:12.750
bits now we're moving into the UFO bit now. the

00:26:12.750 --> 00:26:16.170
variety in this episode. When Denver International

00:26:16.170 --> 00:26:19.269
Airport, DIA, opened in 1995, few could have

00:26:19.269 --> 00:26:21.470
predicted it would become a magnet for conspiracy

00:26:21.470 --> 00:26:23.549
theories that it became to this day, which is

00:26:23.549 --> 00:26:26.390
also why I think that we haven't touched on it

00:26:26.390 --> 00:26:29.309
because it is so widely known. Yeah. Have you

00:26:29.309 --> 00:26:31.890
been there? No, but I've seen so many documentaries

00:26:31.890 --> 00:26:35.089
on it. I don't. Yeah. Yeah, me too. I never even.

00:26:35.190 --> 00:26:37.569
They've embraced it so much now. Yeah, they've

00:26:37.569 --> 00:26:40.750
embraced it so much. Why not? Like it stops conspiracies

00:26:40.750 --> 00:26:44.230
by being two main It really does. Yeah. Yet its

00:26:44.230 --> 00:26:46.769
combination of artwork, mysterious construction

00:26:46.769 --> 00:26:48.890
elements, and vast underground infrastructure,

00:26:49.029 --> 00:26:50.630
which is the part we're going to be talking about,

00:26:50.750 --> 00:26:52.869
has made it a focal point for speculation about

00:26:52.869 --> 00:26:55.430
subterranean secrets. Conspiracy theorists point

00:26:55.430 --> 00:26:58.250
to several unusual features to the airport. Its

00:26:58.250 --> 00:27:00.829
dedication capstone bears Masonic symbols and

00:27:00.829 --> 00:27:03.730
mentions the New World Airport Commission, a

00:27:03.730 --> 00:27:06.250
name suspiciously similar to the New World Order,

00:27:06.529 --> 00:27:08.190
referenced in many conspiracy theories. Well,

00:27:08.269 --> 00:27:09.970
that's suspicious. Meral throughout the terminals

00:27:09.970 --> 00:27:13.299
depict a pos - that some interpret as predictions

00:27:13.299 --> 00:27:16.059
of future devastation. Even the runway layout

00:27:16.059 --> 00:27:18.099
has drawn scrutiny, which claims that it resembles

00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:22.440
a swastika when viewed from above. Beneath the

00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:24.980
terminal lies an extensive network of tunnels,

00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:27.599
which were originally built for an automated

00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:30.839
baggage system that famously failed. These tunnels,

00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:32.619
along with the underground trains that carry

00:27:32.619 --> 00:27:35.220
passengers between the concourses, provided the

00:27:35.220 --> 00:27:37.680
infrastructure for theories about deeper, more

00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:40.750
secretive levels beneath. Stacey Stechman, the

00:27:40.750 --> 00:27:42.829
airport's senior vice president of communication

00:27:42.829 --> 00:27:45.049
has addressed these series directly. Quote, we

00:27:45.049 --> 00:27:47.470
served almost 78 million passengers here. Do

00:27:47.470 --> 00:27:49.809
people think we can hide secret bunkers and alien

00:27:49.809 --> 00:27:52.549
testing from them as well as the 40 ,000 people

00:27:52.549 --> 00:27:55.130
who work here? That's pretty brilliant if we

00:27:55.130 --> 00:27:57.630
could, end quote. And that's the tongue in cheek

00:27:57.630 --> 00:27:59.690
side that they've taken with this as the conspiracy

00:27:59.690 --> 00:28:02.049
is just kind of approaching them head on. Which

00:28:02.049 --> 00:28:04.710
frankly, not enough things do that. I feel like

00:28:04.710 --> 00:28:07.029
you could belittle conspiracy theorists completely

00:28:07.029 --> 00:28:09.410
out of it if you jokingly address their issues.

00:28:09.710 --> 00:28:13.210
Yes, exactly. I mean, you look at a lot of conspiracy

00:28:13.210 --> 00:28:15.710
theories and they just don't address it. Yeah.

00:28:15.710 --> 00:28:18.089
I mean, I could and that's how it grows. And

00:28:18.089 --> 00:28:20.470
that exactly. But I'm not going to lie. Like

00:28:20.470 --> 00:28:23.329
why you make him run ways in the shape of swastikas.

00:28:23.390 --> 00:28:26.569
Like that's not normal. I know. And seriously,

00:28:26.569 --> 00:28:30.349
the fact that like it is a very extensive underground

00:28:30.349 --> 00:28:33.470
tunnels that they put in here that kind of are

00:28:33.470 --> 00:28:35.009
unaddressed because they didn't actually end

00:28:35.009 --> 00:28:37.390
up getting used for what they were supposed to

00:28:37.390 --> 00:28:40.880
be used for. Yeah. time like okay I get it you

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:42.359
tried to do something state -of -the -art and

00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:44.440
it didn't work okay fair enough fair enough but

00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:47.119
what's down there now gotta be people like touching

00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:49.299
you and pulling on your shirts and like saying

00:28:49.299 --> 00:28:52.160
their name probably just I mean for yeah for

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:54.240
the loving touching this you got to yell your

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:57.420
name yeah yeah exactly that's the rule unlike

00:28:57.420 --> 00:29:00.460
most targets of conspiracy theories DIA has embraced

00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:03.099
reputations and even installing a talking animatronic

00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:05.599
gargoyle that jokes with passengers about the

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:07.960
rumors this playful approach has paradoxically

00:29:07.960 --> 00:29:28.039
fueled I haven't heard from it a long time. That

00:29:28.039 --> 00:29:30.400
probably doesn't mean just because I'm not paying

00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:32.819
attention to it that it doesn't still exist.

00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:35.019
But seriously, what's up with this gargoyle?

00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:38.380
Is that not really weird? And you will see this

00:29:38.380 --> 00:29:41.980
connected with blizzard people, UFOs, with alien

00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:43.619
transport. I don't know for sure. I couldn't

00:29:43.619 --> 00:29:46.279
find anything of him doing that. Like that gargoyle

00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:49.240
has like completely discredited the entire conspiracies

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:53.160
around this airport. The gargoyle and the PR

00:29:53.160 --> 00:29:55.960
team in whole. I mean, bravo to the PR team.

00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:58.779
That is pretty awesome. I want to know like what

00:29:58.779 --> 00:30:01.740
he jokes about. That is so funny. I love it.

00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:04.099
Maybe we can put it in if we can find it. Like

00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:07.190
I said, I'm keeping it vague on the Denver International

00:30:07.190 --> 00:30:09.730
Airport, that's all I have on it. It might have

00:30:09.730 --> 00:30:12.549
a whole episode on it in the future. And I particularly

00:30:12.549 --> 00:30:15.670
want to look at it as like how it was able to

00:30:15.670 --> 00:30:18.569
successfully quash conspiracies. I think it is

00:30:18.569 --> 00:30:21.289
a very interesting case study to look at, but

00:30:21.289 --> 00:30:23.230
that's what we're looking at it right now. Are

00:30:23.230 --> 00:30:25.650
you following that though? Like, would you know

00:30:25.650 --> 00:30:28.950
that it adopts the conspiracy theories? I look

00:30:28.950 --> 00:30:32.230
at conspiracy websites and this whole topic in

00:30:32.230 --> 00:30:34.690
general. I don't Google Denver International

00:30:34.690 --> 00:30:38.089
Airport that often, but But like, I'm part of

00:30:38.089 --> 00:30:39.869
the conspiracy community said it doesn't come

00:30:39.869 --> 00:30:42.410
up anymore. And it, everything was about it 10

00:30:42.410 --> 00:30:45.049
years ago. That's true. I will, I will agree

00:30:45.049 --> 00:30:46.809
with you on that actually now that I'm thinking

00:30:46.809 --> 00:30:48.710
about it. Cause I was like, where would I see

00:30:48.710 --> 00:30:52.269
it? But I am on conspiracy Reddit threads and

00:30:52.269 --> 00:30:53.529
where else are you going to see it if you're

00:30:53.529 --> 00:30:55.450
not seeing it on Reddit? Yeah. And I don't go

00:30:55.450 --> 00:30:57.490
on TikTok. Maybe it's on TikTok. Maybe I got

00:30:57.490 --> 00:30:59.410
to take a look around there, but you're right.

00:30:59.569 --> 00:31:01.609
Okay. I agree with you now. Next place we're

00:31:01.609 --> 00:31:04.349
looking at area 51. There's underground tunnels

00:31:04.349 --> 00:31:07.599
there. Yes, potentially. Oh no, are there gray

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:11.630
fingers in these tunnels? I don't know why, but

00:31:11.630 --> 00:31:13.970
they're creepier than human fingers. What was

00:31:13.970 --> 00:31:17.329
his name? The visitor from Serpo. EB1 or EB2?

00:31:17.490 --> 00:31:19.390
Yeah. Do you think he's yelling that and touching

00:31:19.390 --> 00:31:22.609
you? Yeah, probably. Because he died too, probably

00:31:22.609 --> 00:31:25.190
in these very same tunnels. Yeah, he could be

00:31:25.190 --> 00:31:27.970
a ghost there, were them likely. Yeah. No, I

00:31:27.970 --> 00:31:29.789
don't want gray fingers. I have more to this

00:31:29.789 --> 00:31:31.869
part of the episode than just us speculating

00:31:31.869 --> 00:31:35.450
about EBs. Or even, god, I can't remember. We

00:31:35.450 --> 00:31:37.390
need to do another episode on these guys. I love

00:31:37.390 --> 00:31:40.009
those guys so much. Serpo. No discussion of a

00:31:40.009 --> 00:31:41.809
- alleged alien facilities would be complete

00:31:41.809 --> 00:31:44.029
without mentioning Area 51. The classified U

00:31:44.029 --> 00:31:47.410
.S. Air Force base in Nevada, U .S. has become

00:31:47.410 --> 00:31:49.630
synonymous with government UFO secrecy. Though

00:31:49.630 --> 00:31:51.869
its existence was only officially acknowledged

00:31:51.869 --> 00:31:54.329
in 2013 following a Freedom of Information Act

00:31:54.329 --> 00:31:56.809
request, Area 51 has basically been the subject

00:31:56.809 --> 00:31:59.789
of speculation and rumors since the 50s. I think,

00:31:59.890 --> 00:32:03.369
nah, probably 70s, but a long time. Yeah. The

00:32:03.369 --> 00:32:06.049
documented secrecy surrounding the base including

00:32:06.049 --> 00:32:08.450
restricted airspace, armed guards, and the use

00:32:08.450 --> 00:32:11.319
of deadly force. authorized, warnings provided

00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:13.700
fertile grounds for theories about what might

00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:15.839
be happening not just on the surface but beneath

00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:18.420
it. Locals have reported seeing convoys of military

00:32:18.420 --> 00:32:20.859
vehicles disappearing near the base, fueling

00:32:20.859 --> 00:32:23.460
speculation about an entrance to vast underground

00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:26.180
tunnel networks. Mining expert Christian Gronau,

00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:29.240
who works in the region, suggested Area 51's

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:31.799
most sensitive operations have moved underground

00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:34.259
in the 70s. Quote, Area 51, what you see like

00:32:34.259 --> 00:32:36.920
on Google imagery, that was the 50s, 60s, and

00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:39.839
70s. Since then, they've gone everything they

00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:42.259
do is underground." End quote. Grown -out and

00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:44.759
others propose that the massive amount of excavated

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:47.160
materials from these alleged underground expansions

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:49.660
is disguised through heap leaching at nearby

00:32:49.660 --> 00:32:52.339
mines. This process, which uses mercury and cyanide

00:32:52.339 --> 00:32:54.559
to break down ore into slurry that can be pumped

00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:57.140
away, would theoretically allow the disposal

00:32:57.140 --> 00:32:59.680
of thousands of tons of excavated rock without

00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:03.039
obvious surface evidence. The speculation about

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:05.619
Area 51's underground component intersects with

00:33:05.619 --> 00:33:07.660
the persistent claims about recovered aliens.

00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:10.099
spacecrafts and bodies, particularly with the

00:33:10.099 --> 00:33:13.259
alleged 1947 Roswell incident, which for the

00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:14.539
sake of it, we're just going to pretend that

00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:17.000
we believe at this point. Go look back on our

00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:20.319
actual beliefs of Roswell from there. Interesting

00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:23.599
take that we're taking on this one. It's very

00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:25.640
shocking. The theory holds that materials were

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:28.119
transported to Area 51 for study and reverse

00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:30.420
engineering, and with the most sensitive work

00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:32.559
occurring in deep subterranean labs shielded

00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:34.700
from both radiation and surveillance. While the

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:36.920
US government has acknowledged that Area 51 was

00:33:36.809 --> 00:33:39.170
was used to develop secret aircrafts like the

00:33:39.170 --> 00:33:41.829
U -2 spy plane and the SR -71 Blackbird, explaining

00:33:41.829 --> 00:33:43.769
many of the UFO sightings in that area, it has

00:33:43.769 --> 00:33:45.690
never addressed claims about underground facilities

00:33:45.690 --> 00:33:48.289
or alien technology. This official silence, combined

00:33:48.289 --> 00:33:51.029
with base's remote location and extreme security

00:33:51.029 --> 00:33:53.410
measures, ensures that Area 51 remains a blank

00:33:53.410 --> 00:33:55.630
slate onto which theories about the underground

00:33:55.630 --> 00:33:57.950
-alien collaborations continue to object. The

00:33:57.950 --> 00:34:00.309
combination of verified secrecy and persistent

00:34:00.309 --> 00:34:02.789
witness accounts create an enduring mystery,

00:34:02.890 --> 00:34:05.029
while skeptics note that the logistics of maintaining

00:34:05.029 --> 00:34:07.289
both secrecy and life's for extensive underground

00:34:07.289 --> 00:34:10.070
facilities would be enormously challenging. Believers

00:34:10.070 --> 00:34:12.250
counter that the technological capabilities of

00:34:12.250 --> 00:34:14.070
the US military, particularly with potential

00:34:14.070 --> 00:34:16.130
alien assistance, would overcome these obstacles.

00:34:16.170 --> 00:34:18.429
Without definitive evidence, either way, Area

00:34:18.429 --> 00:34:21.150
51's underground secret remained tantalizing,

00:34:21.309 --> 00:34:23.230
yet out of reach. There are people that we could

00:34:23.230 --> 00:34:25.590
look at who report to have worked at Area 51

00:34:25.590 --> 00:34:28.230
too, including Bob Lazar, who do talk about the

00:34:28.230 --> 00:34:30.289
underground facilities. Interesting. I've never

00:34:30.289 --> 00:34:32.750
heard that before. I don't think, maybe I have.

00:34:32.889 --> 00:34:35.349
And two, we could have included Dulce in the

00:34:35.349 --> 00:34:38.320
- as well, but we have clearly talked about the

00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:40.840
Dulce Tunnels, the deep underground military

00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:43.000
base there, so we don't need to worry about that

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:45.159
one. Yeah, don't worry about it. That's our stance.

00:34:45.699 --> 00:34:47.900
Now, Chelsea, those are the alien tunnels that

00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:49.639
we're going to be talking about. Next up, we're

00:34:49.639 --> 00:34:51.199
going to be talking about ancient tunnels that

00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:54.300
are just weird. Okay. Have we not talked about

00:34:54.300 --> 00:34:57.400
that yet? Different. kinds of weird. Okay, I'm

00:34:57.400 --> 00:35:00.079
looking forward to finding the distinction between

00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:01.980
the two. We're just gonna go to the Erdstahl

00:35:01.980 --> 00:35:03.800
tunnels from here, Chelsea. Okay, I've never

00:35:03.800 --> 00:35:06.679
heard of that. These ones are so weird. I know

00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:09.320
you say never heard of it, but it is not one

00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:11.920
thing in particular. The Erdstahl tunnels are

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:15.059
unexplained passages numbering in the thousands

00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:17.519
are located in a mix of European countries. There

00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:21.280
are 2000 known Erdstahl tunnels throughout Europe

00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:23.539
with the highest concentration being Bavaria

00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:26.739
with 700 of them. and Austria having 500 of them.

00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:29.320
They have also been found in France and Great

00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:31.800
Britain. Researchers are at a loss of their origins.

00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:34.659
There are countless earthen tunnel systems around

00:35:34.659 --> 00:35:36.659
the world, but a few features distinguish earth

00:35:36.659 --> 00:35:38.559
cell tunnels. The term earth cell is German,

00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:40.960
loosely translating to earth stable or a mining

00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:43.139
tunnel. The label has come to be associated with

00:35:43.139 --> 00:35:45.659
a very specific variety of human -made subterranean

00:35:45.659 --> 00:35:48.139
passages. An earth cell system is made up of

00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:50.639
narrow tunnels that have been carved into a smooth

00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:53.900
ovular shape aligned either vertically or horizontally.

00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:56.739
The passages tend to be notably tight, measuring

00:35:56.739 --> 00:36:00.059
only a few feet tall by a few feet wide. Some

00:36:00.059 --> 00:36:02.099
of the discovered ursal tunnels contain crude

00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:04.599
structures in their terminus that could have

00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:06.900
been benches. although who would have waited

00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:09.519
to sit there in the dark is unknown. Another

00:36:09.519 --> 00:36:11.500
aspect of the tunnels are choke points called

00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:14.420
schlups or slipouts. These uncomfortably tight

00:36:14.420 --> 00:36:17.320
holes would act as a transition point between

00:36:17.320 --> 00:36:20.019
portions of the passages dug at a higher or lower

00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:22.380
elevation, requiring anyone passing through to

00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:24.820
contort and squeeze their way by. Ritzel tunnels

00:36:24.820 --> 00:36:27.599
are also notable for having only one point of

00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:29.860
entry and exit, usually tucked away in the footprints

00:36:29.860 --> 00:36:32.559
of old settlements or even hidden in the wilderness.

00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:35.289
The feature made the airflow through the nearly

00:36:35.289 --> 00:36:37.289
non -existent. This feature made the air flow

00:36:37.289 --> 00:36:38.369
through the tunnel nearly non -existent. The

00:36:38.369 --> 00:36:40.210
single most common trait among Earth's little

00:36:40.210 --> 00:36:42.789
tunnels is a sense of mystery. While it is likely

00:36:42.789 --> 00:36:44.750
that such tunnels were created in the Middle

00:36:44.750 --> 00:36:47.670
Ages, as far back as the 12th century, the complete

00:36:47.670 --> 00:36:49.969
lack of archaeological signifiers found in the

00:36:49.969 --> 00:36:52.110
barren underground passages make them difficult

00:36:52.110 --> 00:36:54.570
to date. In addition, the historical records

00:36:54.570 --> 00:36:57.329
do not contain any known account of the tunnels'

00:36:57.610 --> 00:36:59.530
construction. Given their strange appearances

00:36:59.530 --> 00:37:02.210
and even odder lack of artifacts, no small amount

00:37:02.210 --> 00:37:04.340
of specular guarding the use and purposes of

00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:07.659
these tunnels. In 2011, an article in Der Spiegel

00:37:07.659 --> 00:37:09.519
that sparked a rush of online interest in the

00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:14.139
Erdstil tunnels sparked a rush of online interest

00:37:14.139 --> 00:37:16.340
in the Erdstil tunnels. A number of possible

00:37:16.340 --> 00:37:18.300
meetings were put forth. One theory is that the

00:37:18.300 --> 00:37:20.300
tunnels were used for storage, but the narrow

00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:23.300
slip passages and the fact that many of them

00:37:23.300 --> 00:37:25.460
lie below the waterline and occasionally fill

00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:28.619
with water make this seem largely impractical.

00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:30.940
Another popular explanation championed in the

00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:33.969
article by Erdstil researcher Joseph Weischenberger

00:37:33.969 --> 00:37:36.449
described the tunnels as essential hiding places

00:37:36.449 --> 00:37:39.190
for tribes. In Weischenberger's view, the peasant

00:37:39.190 --> 00:37:42.429
carvers of the Erdsel Passages would take temporary

00:37:42.429 --> 00:37:44.570
shelter in the tunnels along with their valuables,

00:37:44.630 --> 00:37:46.750
allowing the rampaging whores to pass overhead.

00:37:46.949 --> 00:37:49.690
The slip -outs separating the chambers, Weischenberger

00:37:49.690 --> 00:37:52.750
said, were put in place to trap oxygen in each

00:37:52.750 --> 00:37:55.389
section so people could move deeper as the oxygen

00:37:55.389 --> 00:37:58.110
in their chamber depleted. The tunnels as defense

00:37:58.110 --> 00:38:00.250
explanation is problematic, not just because

00:38:00.250 --> 00:38:03.210
the Erdsel Passages are also so claustrophobic,

00:38:03.349 --> 00:38:05.250
even if they were used as temporary shelters,

00:38:05.550 --> 00:38:07.530
the ability to cut off the air supply to the

00:38:07.530 --> 00:38:10.090
entire system via the single entrance makes the

00:38:10.090 --> 00:38:13.050
proposition extremely dangerous, but not impossible.

00:38:13.190 --> 00:38:15.889
While Weichensberger had rejected the idea that

00:38:15.889 --> 00:38:17.929
the tunnel had a spiritual purpose, given the

00:38:17.929 --> 00:38:20.010
lack of records pertaining to the creation of

00:38:20.010 --> 00:38:22.269
the aerosol systems, it seems like they could

00:38:22.269 --> 00:38:25.170
have been almost anything. Dr. Spiegel says that

00:38:25.170 --> 00:38:28.230
they might have been created as way stations

00:38:28.230 --> 00:38:30.650
for the souls of the deceased or even hideouts

00:38:30.650 --> 00:38:32.489
for demons and dark souls. spirits. Explorers

00:38:32.489 --> 00:38:35.070
suggest that they were built by goblins. Conversely,

00:38:35.289 --> 00:38:37.769
the tight slip -outs also have been likened to

00:38:37.769 --> 00:38:40.150
symbolic birth canals, with the implications

00:38:40.150 --> 00:38:42.369
that the ursel tunnels may have served as locations

00:38:42.369 --> 00:38:44.769
for ceremonial rebirth, in which people attempted

00:38:44.769 --> 00:38:47.409
to slew off disease and sickness as they squeezed

00:38:47.409 --> 00:38:49.389
through the tight openings. While the ursels

00:38:49.389 --> 00:38:51.650
seem reluctant to give up their secrets anytime

00:38:51.650 --> 00:38:54.250
soon, a collection of researchers known as the

00:38:54.250 --> 00:38:56.349
Working Group for Ursel Research continue to

00:38:56.349 --> 00:38:58.469
search for answers. They are committed to finding

00:38:58.469 --> 00:39:00.949
the truth behind the strange tunnels and have

00:39:00.840 --> 00:39:03.519
been sharing their findings at annual meetings

00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:06.039
using new techniques such as 3d surveying and

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:08.280
can you two hypothesize about the original purpose

00:39:08.280 --> 00:39:10.960
of these tunnels the list of possible intended

00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:13.639
uses continues to grow and Chelsea that's where

00:39:13.639 --> 00:39:16.659
I end this episode interesting I'd never heard

00:39:16.659 --> 00:39:19.599
of these ones before and they are like everywhere

00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:22.440
why would through different cultures and that's

00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:24.340
the weird part you have to have an explanation

00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:26.900
for all of Europe basically as to why they were

00:39:26.900 --> 00:39:29.800
building these just in one location it doesn't

00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:33.260
give you an answer. No, it would have to be particularly

00:39:33.260 --> 00:39:35.760
like one weird culture you can't answer it with.

00:39:35.900 --> 00:39:38.159
It has to be an entire like European thing. Yeah,

00:39:38.559 --> 00:39:41.619
but it could have been like an empire that was

00:39:41.619 --> 00:39:43.639
going through, right? Well, it could have been,

00:39:43.699 --> 00:39:46.789
but we know about empires. Like we know all the

00:39:46.789 --> 00:39:48.750
empires, especially in like the 12th century.

00:39:48.989 --> 00:39:51.030
Like it's not that long ago that we have lost

00:39:51.030 --> 00:39:54.210
civilizations. That one's weird to me, actually.

00:39:54.389 --> 00:39:56.630
That one. No, I don't even know what to say about

00:39:56.630 --> 00:39:59.050
it. It is truly weird. And I actually want to

00:39:59.050 --> 00:40:01.289
learn more about them. Yeah. That's basically

00:40:01.289 --> 00:40:03.809
all you can find on them. I googled them. They

00:40:03.809 --> 00:40:07.110
have enough room for a person in it. So obviously

00:40:07.110 --> 00:40:09.409
they were used. But like just a person. Yeah.

00:40:09.429 --> 00:40:12.150
That's it. Yeah. And like you can't be comfortable

00:40:12.150 --> 00:40:13.889
in there either. Like they're not tall enough

00:40:13.889 --> 00:40:16.130
for you to be comfortable. very thin, especially

00:40:16.130 --> 00:40:18.469
going down to the lower level. I do not envy

00:40:18.469 --> 00:40:21.949
those who are looking at those. No, but definitely

00:40:21.949 --> 00:40:23.949
you could do it. And they can extend for miles.

00:40:24.309 --> 00:40:26.409
Yeah, this is great. I mean, I wouldn't go down

00:40:26.409 --> 00:40:30.349
there. No, like, yes, I do the Ember ones. Not

00:40:30.349 --> 00:40:33.030
these ones. I would not. This is like a caver

00:40:33.030 --> 00:40:35.409
type thing. Like if you want to get stuck in

00:40:35.409 --> 00:40:37.789
there. Oh, this one's real tiny. This guy's crawling

00:40:37.789 --> 00:40:40.750
through it. Oh, yeah. Some of them can be absolutely

00:40:40.750 --> 00:40:43.440
tiny. yeah they're not so weird i shouldn't say

00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:45.980
they all are identical but they all kind of meet

00:40:45.980 --> 00:40:49.239
the same parameters hmm i wonder if it was mining

00:40:49.239 --> 00:40:51.179
or something they're looking no they wouldn't

00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:53.420
connect them no and there would be evidence of

00:40:53.420 --> 00:40:56.059
like mining like people would have like had documentation

00:40:56.059 --> 00:40:58.099
for paying for or something like that yeah that's

00:40:58.099 --> 00:41:01.039
so weird hmm i don't know maybe it's like some

00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:03.440
ancient mole that inhabited europe that we don't

00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:05.139
know you know what that would be my favorite

00:41:05.139 --> 00:41:07.480
explanation if it was an ancient mole that would

00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:10.179
be really cool with that that's our answer we're

00:41:10.179 --> 00:41:12.210
leaving it with that. I have been Taylor here

00:41:12.210 --> 00:41:14.230
with Chelsea. We are Journey to the Fringe. Thank

00:41:14.230 --> 00:41:15.789
you all for listening. We'll see you next week.

00:41:16.230 --> 00:41:20.230
Bye. Thank you for listening to Journey to the

00:41:20.230 --> 00:41:22.449
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