I keep thinking I could put in my own two bits with this one-sided saga. Actually I find each and every contact we receive from afar to be much more valued than when I'm at home for some strange reason. It's grounding to me as we roll along these highways and byways to hear from the familiar links of home. I can't emphasize the comforting impact enough.
We're seven days into the tour and finally got to bed and to sleep at a reasonable hour, slept through the night and awakened before noon. That's a milestone. When in Japan the jet-lag was much less important because WE were much less important in the overall scheme of things and had no particular job to worry about. Here we have these niggling doubts as to our competency every evening we head out to play.
Thanks to all who have wished me a happy birthday. It was a pleasant day.
On day 1 I left my new stylish spring coat in Seatac Airport. On Day 2 we left our luggage cart in London Heathrow Airport. Things have been going much better since we've become ridiculously proprietary in our material habits. I quickly found a beautiful Italian wool coat in a department store for a price comparable to Goodwill and am very happy with it while still determined to retrieve the lost one.
Our hosts have been again spoiling us rotten, making me wish they could make it to Tacoma so I could reciprocate. Still I'll be happy to set out on our week-long vacation for some privacy and escape from the pressures of performances. We've decided to spend the first three nights in Newport, Wales, because it's close to nearby folk clubs we can explore, and fairly reasonably-priced. That still leaves four remaining nights for you all to send suggestions for travel. Most recently we're leaning toward the north of France as it would involve less travel time by car than the sunny south. So what can you suggest in that region?
Hello all. I've appreciated the replies received thus far more than you can imagine, from my previous email of our saga. We're on day nine now of our seventh saga in the U.K., having performed four of seventeen bookings and headed tonight for our fifth. We left the Southampton area this morning. Last night we played in the proud home of the game of cricket, Hambledon, for a uniformly typically sized audience of twenty. They seemed to remember and appreciate us.
A few days ago our hosts, Trevor and Jane, took us into the very richly historic maritime town of Southampton for a show put on by members of their Foc's'le Folk Club. In the 965-year-old St. Michael's Church they performed original songs depicting the sinking of the Titanic, as experienced by various individuals. It succeeded in pulling me into the emotional depths of the event while simultaneously the town celebrated the launching of a cruise-liner boasting to be among the biggest in the world. We took an intermission and darted outside to watch fireworks over the behemoth. There was some speculation over the decision to christen it on the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
We're back in Lancashire, having spent a couple of hours in Blackpool. I understand it boasts the most money spent on any tourism site in England. It was well-conceived in Victorian times as a center for the amusement of young families whe needed well-deserved escape from hard industrial work in the area. Inasmuch as it retains that mission it's successful but by my estimation it manages to milk as much money in as little space from as many people as possible, while boasting as much garishness as can be stuffed onto one esplanade. But we passed the time agreeably and found plenty to snap photos of.
We're taking our holiday after tonight's gig. So far we've booked three of seven nights in Wales, with plans to possibly go from there to Brussels, because it's close to Dunkirk where the ferry lands (within an hour's drive), and I've heard most people speak English in Belgium. But suggestions are still welcome!
Britain's airspace is causing the world to speculate regarding the recent volcano. Where Steve and I are concerned, it's not a first. We've now experienced the effects of four volcanoes. In Alaska we waited for the soot to clear on Mt. Redoubt before flying over it; I recall smelling sulphur inside the plane cabin as we went over it. We also had to refrain from inhaling soot in our carburetor for a couple if days, I recall, when Mt. St. Augustine erupted near Homer. As far as flights being grounded here in the U.K., we've been there done that, too, on Sept. 11, 2001 the moment our plane landed. I clearly recall that no flights were allowed to the U.S. for what was at the time an indefinite length. It made me think two things: Could I live here? Because it occurred to me that if a world war were to break out, I might be stranded for life (and I immediately decided that I could). Secondly I wondered if this land could survive complete isolation. Then I remembered the Queen's Victory Garden in WWII with some comfort; they've been there and done that before too. In fact, the country is a bit concerned that if this volcano keeps spewing ash (which is not at all out of the question), a few foodstuffs may soon be in short supply. Of course that's a large part of the bad reputation England has for food. They had to live on their own sustainability for those years, plus several following due to rationing that continued beyond the war. So it could be done again, I presume. For that matter, I can't help thinking that it's a paradise of growth historically speaking, much like the coastal Pacific Northwest, where native Americans were so surrounded by food they didn't need to migrate in search of it. This island, so green, fertile, moist, and covered with game, brought successions of populations from surrounding areas, no doubt attracted to the same advantages. The Gauls, Vikings, Normans, and Romans, among others, duked it out leaving crumbling ruins of their various noble edifices of civilizations. I guess the lack of bananas and pomegranites didn't bother them a bit.
We're in Newport, Wales with beautiful warm sun on the blooming daffodils and tulips. We made our way to Roman ruins today as well as a crumbling castle in downtown which has a marvelous promenade on the Usk River. Our motel room is comfortable and we're enjoying the gentle rolling hills of the scenic countryside. Though it took all day to get here, in three days we probably won't have time to see all the castles and museums in this fascinating area. It was a good choice for some relaxation, surrounded with a rich history of Welsh culture and beauty.
Bruges is beckoning us next. Thanks for the votes. Keep them coming in.
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