March 9, 2023 • 8 mins
Today we visit two tales of out-of-place characters, and the legacy they've left behind.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcomed Aaron Manky's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio
and Grim and Mild. Our world is full of the unexplainable,
and if history is an open book, all of these
amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for
us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. In
(00:36):
the chile Lands of Norway, there is a story about
a knight who captures the heart of the Norwegian people.
He is Sir Niles Olav, a brave and gallant soldier
who has served in the Norwegian Army for over forty years.
Named after a distinguished member of the King's Guard and
King Olav, it seems that he was always destined for greatness.
Sir Niles Olav is a true patriot, having been promoted
(00:58):
to the rank of Brigadier and I did for his
outstanding service to his country. He became a young recruit
for the Norwegian Army in nineteen seventy two. Full of
energy and enthusiasm, Niles quickly won the soldier's hearts with
his playful antics and his unwavering loyalty. It soon became
apparent that Niles was special and the army promoted him
to corporal. The promotion was a great honor for Niles,
(01:21):
and he took his duties very seriously. He marched alongside
his fellow soldiers, saluting them as they passed. He was
always the first to rise in the morning and the
last to go to bed at night. The soldiers could
count on Niles to be by their side no matter
what as time progressed. He was promoted to sergeant in
nineteen ninety three and given a custom made uniform that
fit him perfectly. It was a beautiful sunny day and
(01:44):
the brass buttons on his suit gleamed in the sunlight.
In two thousand and one, the army promoted him yet again,
this time to honorable Regiment sergeant major. In two thousand
and five, Niles advanced to honorary Colonel in chief. Since then,
he has attended countless ceremonies and events, always looking sharp
in his uniform. Accolades and awards kept coming. He has
(02:05):
received promotions and awards for his service to his country.
Niles became the pride of the Norwegian Army and he
continued to work tirelessly for his country. In two thousand
and eight, King Harold the fifth of Norway knighted Niles,
bestowing him the title of Sir Niles Olav, knighted to
the Order of Saint Olav. He was now a true
knight with all the privileges and responsibilities that came with
(02:26):
that title. During the ceremony that took place in Scotland
instead of Norway, Sir Niles Olav walked alongside one hundred
and thirty of the King's Guard. British Major General Ewan
Laudon performed the ceremony of knighthood on behalf of King
Harold the Fifth. Sir Nils Olav received another promotion in
twenty sixteen to the rank of Brigadier, which also means
(02:47):
that currently he outranks one of his namesakes. Two bronze
statues are dedicated to him, one in Oslo, Norway, at
the King's Guard Compound, and the other stands in Edinburgh, Scotland.
So who is Sir Nils Olav. You might think that
he's a brave soldier, a gallant knight, or a loyal patriot,
and you would be right. Ever, the distinguished diplomat Sir
(03:08):
nows Olav is credited with uniting Norway and Scotland together
in a way that no one has done before. But
Sir nows Olav is different from your average knight. He's
a bit shorter than most, and he has an almost
insatiable fetish for raw fish, krill and squid. No one
seems to mind that though. Sir niles Olav is full
of personality. After all, he's been known to charm everyone
(03:29):
he meets, from bar keeps to foreign diplomats. After each
promotion and celebration, Sir noles Olav is happy to return
home to the Edinburgh Zoo, not far from his statue.
You see, Sir nows Olav is a penguin, that's right,
a king penguin, to be precise. When he isn't marching
alongside the King's guard or dining on fish and squid,
(03:51):
he and the other penguins charm everyone from school children
to dignitaries. And of course, even when he's not in uniform,
he's always dressed for the occasion in that classic black
and white penguin suit. When the temperature drops and the
(04:19):
snow starts to fall, it's nice to get away for
a while. There's nothing like trading your boots for a
pair of flip flops and soaking up the sun while
everyone else is stuck shoveling a path back at the office.
That's why certain places seem perfect for vacation spots. But
one place turned into more than that for a bunch
of people. It became home, at least for a little while.
(04:39):
Off the coast of southern Europe is the island of Malta.
It's located in the Mediterranean between Italy and Libya, and
despite its small size, it boasts a diverse culture, spanning music, art, literature,
and architecture. In fact, architecture is where Malta shines. The
temple complex known as Gigantia meaning Giantess, was constructed during
the Neolithic era. It's one the oldest freestanding structures in
(05:01):
the world. In the northern region of Malta, in the
village of Meliaha is something much newer, but still just
as impressive. It exists along the coast to overlooking the
clear blue waters of Anchor Bay. It was built because
of one man born in nineteen twenty nine. This individual
gained quite a following over the years, and in nineteen
seventy nine a group of fans decided to erect a
(05:23):
monument to him in Malta. They came to Meliaha, all
one hundred and sixty five of them, and got to work.
They had timber imported from the Netherlands to build houses
and shops for themselves, and wooden shingles were brought in
from Canada. They worked day and night, hammering eight tons
of nails and slathering on two thousand gallons of paint
to bring their creation to life. The workers toiled for
(05:45):
seven months building an homage to this one man, a sailor,
and in January of nineteen eighty he arrived along with
his wife and child. What the people had constructed wasn't
a statue though, nor was it a monument. It was
a town. It didn't look like much at first. In fact,
the place looked like it had been constructed one hundred
years prior and then left to rot. The buildings leaned
(06:06):
to and fro rufe sagged in the middle. Even with
the fresh paint, it looked almost like the structures needed
another few coats. But then again, its rustic look was
part of its charm. They wouldn't have seemed right if
everything was shiny and new. In the end, nineteen wooden
buildings were erected to welcome the sailor, his family, and
many others to the village. The goal was to turn
it into a thriving hub of fun and mischief for
(06:29):
everyone who lived there. Soon after the sailor arrived with
his wife and child in tow, others followed suits he
brought along his father, a grizzled sailor himself. There was
a scam artist who often tried to con local eateries
out of food, and there was even a rival for
his wife's affections who attempted to kidnap her on more
than one occasion. But the sailor prevailed because he not
(06:49):
only had the support of the town behind him, but
he also had his secret weapon, spinach. Now if all
of this sounds familiar, that's because this sailor was none
other than Popeye himself, portrayed by Robin Williams in the
nineteen eighty musical comedy by the same name. When the
movie set department needed to create the coastal town of Sweethhaven,
they didn't have green screens or backlots to rely on.
(07:12):
They built an entire fishing village on the coast of Malta,
and when filming wrapped up several months later, they left
it all behind. The village decided not to tear it
down either. It didn't matter that the film was a
flop back in the United States. They capitalized on the
fact that they had a living, breathing movie set right
in their backyard, and so the village hired actors to
portray the iconic characters from the comic strip, turning this
(07:34):
fake town into a very real theme park. Popeye Village
now welcomes thousands of guests every year to its shores,
from movie fans, two couples getting married, to tourists looking
for a unique activity while visiting the island. Not many
people remember Robin Williams's debut film role, but thanks to
one village in Malta, they can experience what it was
(07:55):
like on set for themselves and come home with the
memory of making a little movie magic in the process.
I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet
of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn
more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com.
(08:17):
The show was created by me Aaron Manke in partnership
with how Stuff Works, I make another award winning show
called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television
show and you can learn all about it over at
the World offlore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.
Welcomed Aaron Manky's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio
and Grim and Mild. Our world is full of the unexplainable,
and if history is an open book, all of these
amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for
us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. In
(00:36):
the chile Lands of Norway, there is a story about
a knight who captures the heart of the Norwegian people.
He is Sir Niles Olav, a brave and gallant soldier
who has served in the Norwegian Army for over forty years.
Named after a distinguished member of the King's Guard and
King Olav, it seems that he was always destined for greatness.
Sir Niles Olav is a true patriot, having been promoted
(00:58):
to the rank of Brigadier and I did for his
outstanding service to his country. He became a young recruit
for the Norwegian Army in nineteen seventy two. Full of
energy and enthusiasm, Niles quickly won the soldier's hearts with
his playful antics and his unwavering loyalty. It soon became
apparent that Niles was special and the army promoted him
to corporal. The promotion was a great honor for Niles,
(01:21):
and he took his duties very seriously. He marched alongside
his fellow soldiers, saluting them as they passed. He was
always the first to rise in the morning and the
last to go to bed at night. The soldiers could
count on Niles to be by their side no matter
what as time progressed. He was promoted to sergeant in
nineteen ninety three and given a custom made uniform that
fit him perfectly. It was a beautiful sunny day and
(01:44):
the brass buttons on his suit gleamed in the sunlight.
In two thousand and one, the army promoted him yet again,
this time to honorable Regiment sergeant major. In two thousand
and five, Niles advanced to honorary Colonel in chief. Since then,
he has attended countless ceremonies and events, always looking sharp
in his uniform. Accolades and awards kept coming. He has
(02:05):
received promotions and awards for his service to his country.
Niles became the pride of the Norwegian Army and he
continued to work tirelessly for his country. In two thousand
and eight, King Harold the fifth of Norway knighted Niles,
bestowing him the title of Sir Niles Olav, knighted to
the Order of Saint Olav. He was now a true
knight with all the privileges and responsibilities that came with
(02:26):
that title. During the ceremony that took place in Scotland
instead of Norway, Sir Niles Olav walked alongside one hundred
and thirty of the King's Guard. British Major General Ewan
Laudon performed the ceremony of knighthood on behalf of King
Harold the Fifth. Sir Nils Olav received another promotion in
twenty sixteen to the rank of Brigadier, which also means
(02:47):
that currently he outranks one of his namesakes. Two bronze
statues are dedicated to him, one in Oslo, Norway, at
the King's Guard Compound, and the other stands in Edinburgh, Scotland.
So who is Sir Nils Olav. You might think that
he's a brave soldier, a gallant knight, or a loyal patriot,
and you would be right. Ever, the distinguished diplomat Sir
(03:08):
nows Olav is credited with uniting Norway and Scotland together
in a way that no one has done before. But
Sir nows Olav is different from your average knight. He's
a bit shorter than most, and he has an almost
insatiable fetish for raw fish, krill and squid. No one
seems to mind that though. Sir niles Olav is full
of personality. After all, he's been known to charm everyone
(03:29):
he meets, from bar keeps to foreign diplomats. After each
promotion and celebration, Sir noles Olav is happy to return
home to the Edinburgh Zoo, not far from his statue.
You see, Sir nows Olav is a penguin, that's right,
a king penguin, to be precise. When he isn't marching
alongside the King's guard or dining on fish and squid,
(03:51):
he and the other penguins charm everyone from school children
to dignitaries. And of course, even when he's not in uniform,
he's always dressed for the occasion in that classic black
and white penguin suit. When the temperature drops and the
(04:19):
snow starts to fall, it's nice to get away for
a while. There's nothing like trading your boots for a
pair of flip flops and soaking up the sun while
everyone else is stuck shoveling a path back at the office.
That's why certain places seem perfect for vacation spots. But
one place turned into more than that for a bunch
of people. It became home, at least for a little while.
(04:39):
Off the coast of southern Europe is the island of Malta.
It's located in the Mediterranean between Italy and Libya, and
despite its small size, it boasts a diverse culture, spanning music, art, literature,
and architecture. In fact, architecture is where Malta shines. The
temple complex known as Gigantia meaning Giantess, was constructed during
the Neolithic era. It's one the oldest freestanding structures in
(05:01):
the world. In the northern region of Malta, in the
village of Meliaha is something much newer, but still just
as impressive. It exists along the coast to overlooking the
clear blue waters of Anchor Bay. It was built because
of one man born in nineteen twenty nine. This individual
gained quite a following over the years, and in nineteen
seventy nine a group of fans decided to erect a
(05:23):
monument to him in Malta. They came to Meliaha, all
one hundred and sixty five of them, and got to work.
They had timber imported from the Netherlands to build houses
and shops for themselves, and wooden shingles were brought in
from Canada. They worked day and night, hammering eight tons
of nails and slathering on two thousand gallons of paint
to bring their creation to life. The workers toiled for
(05:45):
seven months building an homage to this one man, a sailor,
and in January of nineteen eighty he arrived along with
his wife and child. What the people had constructed wasn't
a statue though, nor was it a monument. It was
a town. It didn't look like much at first. In fact,
the place looked like it had been constructed one hundred
years prior and then left to rot. The buildings leaned
(06:06):
to and fro rufe sagged in the middle. Even with
the fresh paint, it looked almost like the structures needed
another few coats. But then again, its rustic look was
part of its charm. They wouldn't have seemed right if
everything was shiny and new. In the end, nineteen wooden
buildings were erected to welcome the sailor, his family, and
many others to the village. The goal was to turn
it into a thriving hub of fun and mischief for
(06:29):
everyone who lived there. Soon after the sailor arrived with
his wife and child in tow, others followed suits he
brought along his father, a grizzled sailor himself. There was
a scam artist who often tried to con local eateries
out of food, and there was even a rival for
his wife's affections who attempted to kidnap her on more
than one occasion. But the sailor prevailed because he not
(06:49):
only had the support of the town behind him, but
he also had his secret weapon, spinach. Now if all
of this sounds familiar, that's because this sailor was none
other than Popeye himself, portrayed by Robin Williams in the
nineteen eighty musical comedy by the same name. When the
movie set department needed to create the coastal town of Sweethhaven,
they didn't have green screens or backlots to rely on.
(07:12):
They built an entire fishing village on the coast of Malta,
and when filming wrapped up several months later, they left
it all behind. The village decided not to tear it
down either. It didn't matter that the film was a
flop back in the United States. They capitalized on the
fact that they had a living, breathing movie set right
in their backyard, and so the village hired actors to
portray the iconic characters from the comic strip, turning this
(07:34):
fake town into a very real theme park. Popeye Village
now welcomes thousands of guests every year to its shores,
from movie fans, two couples getting married, to tourists looking
for a unique activity while visiting the island. Not many
people remember Robin Williams's debut film role, but thanks to
one village in Malta, they can experience what it was
(07:55):
like on set for themselves and come home with the
memory of making a little movie magic in the process.
I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet
of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn
more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com.
(08:17):
The show was created by me Aaron Manke in partnership
with how Stuff Works, I make another award winning show
called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television
show and you can learn all about it over at
the World offlore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.
Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities News
Host
Aaron Mahnke
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