The Quest Express Podcast
An intersection of arts, business & culture
Interviewing innovators, artisans, & entrepreneurs making positive contributions in the most unique & culturally rich cities across the globe.
** Coming in May **
Next City: Jerusalem
Subscribe now so you don't miss updates.
Meet Cory Mortensen:
Award-Winning Author, Funcle, Neologist
& CEO of White Condor Publishing
Episode 1 of 3: Cory Mortensen: Author, Funcle, Neologist & CEO of White Condor Publishing
Episode 2 of 3: Why Every Writer Should Lose Their Manuscript At Least Once
Episode 3 of 3: Getting Unlost, Micro-Adventures, & The Quest Express Yacht Party
Purchase Cory's Books to Experience More Travel Adventures:
"The Buddha and The Bee: Biking through America's Forgotten Roadways on an Accidental Journey of Discovery"
"Unlost: Roaming Through South America on a Spontaneous Journey"
"Embracing Bewilderment: A Reluctant Entrepreneur’s Journey— An Unconventional European Summer Twisting into a Mind-Bending Excursion through Southeast Asia"
About Cory:
Born in the small town of New Prague, Minnesota, and raised amidst the sun-soaked landscapes of Scottsdale, Arizona, Cory Mortensen embarked on a unique journey that shaped his life and literary career.
Choosing an unconventional path, his journey began with dropping out of college to immerse himself in a job on Wake Island, gaining valuable experiences that would later infuse his writing with a distinctive perspective. Returning to the United States, he started a dynamic career as a project manager for several prestigious architecture firms, coupled with a venture into real estate by flipping houses.
The allure of exploration took center stage when Cory boldly decided to sell everything and traverse the globe for two transformative years. This travel period not only broadened his horizons but also laid the foundation for a successful entrepreneurial endeavor. Cory established and grew a business into a multimillion-dollar venture, eventually selling it to pursue a shared dream with his wife, Kate.
Email us with the next city we're featuring at host@thequestexpress.com
Every City Has a Personality
Most cities are living breathing organisms with electricity, a personality, and a story.
The culture, values, & traditions of a city evolve throughout its history. Seemingly inconsequential events can shape a city's zeitgeist & traditions forever. How they do business, how they welcome visitors, or what they create.
The truth is, it's the people who write a city's story. And that's what this podcast is all about: listening to the stories of citizens on their own quest to express themselves in the city that supports them.
In this podcast, we will get to know the cities each guest calls home, listen to their story, and hopefully provide some inspiration to travel and begin your own quest.
Board The Quest Express with me as we journey across the world together.
Third stop: Edinburgh, Scotland
Auld Reekie
A city draped in the ethereal mists of its past, beckons explorers into a realm where time is but a whisper among ancient stone walls. The haunting silhouette of Edinburgh Castle atop Castle Rock stands as a sentinel to centuries, echoing with the whispers of kings and queens who once tread its corridors. Descend the cobblestone streets of the Royal Mile, where the air is alive with the harmonious hum of bagpipes, weaving a melody that transcends generations.
As twilight descends, the city reveals itself anew, adorned in the soft luminescence of streetlights. Edinburgh becomes a dreamscape where the past and present coalesce, where the ancient and modern share a timeless dance.
"The most beautiful of all the capitals of Europe." - Sir John Betjeman
"Edinburgh is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again." - Alexander McCall Smith
Second stop: New Orleans, Louisiana
The Captivating Crescent City
Distinct in myriad dimensions—culturally, gastronomically, and historically—New Orleans bewitches and dazzles. The city's heartbeat syncopates with the jazz notes drifting from the French Quarter, where history veils itself in the patina of wrought-iron balconies and the rainbow hues of Creole cottages. Navigating its streets feels like dancing to the syncopated rhythm of a second-line parade, where the scent of gumbo wafts through the air, and the spirit of Mardi Gras is a year-round celebration.
"New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin." - Mark Twain
In the words of Louis Armstrong, the city's beloved son, "There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better."
First stop: Venice
Off to Venice, Italy. The most serene & sublime city of magic.
Beautiful Serenissima.
Unique in almost every way: environmentally, architecturally, and historically, Venice enchants and enthralls. She is resilient, enchanting & mysterious. She is the home of many miracles her inhabitants perform out of necessity. She floats on a lagoon carrying dreams and art, bridges and food, churches and museums, memories of conflict and peace.
Friedrich Nietzsche said about the city; “When I seek another word for ‘music’, I never find any other word than ‘Venice.”
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