Monte Carlo

Last show of the tour! We made it. It was a bittersweet ending. Not much hoopla. A few bottles of champagne and toasts. Last pictures and exchanges of e-mails and phone numbers. Lot's of "hey when you're in town call me". It was a strange venue, a casino. With tables set up and folks eating dinner. We apparently were a fill in for an ailing Issac Hayes. Regardless we did another great show, said our fairwells and headed to our rooms to figure out how in the world we would get everything into our bags. I had a 5am lobby call the next morning to head back home to my adoring animals. I was very grateful to have spent the summer touring some of the prettiest places and playing innovative music. Thanks again Tracy!

The Blue Balls Festival

Today I got up and had coffee at Starbucks :) then Graeme (our tour manager) and I rented a peddle boat and cruised out into Lake Luzern. What a lovely way to see the city. after we were far enough out I jumped into the cool refreshing water for a swim. We peddled back as a wild wind blew in an awsome thunderstorm. Under the awning of yet another English pub we ate sandwiches and drank cold beer while the warm summer rain rain soaked the streets. Later that night we rocked the house to another sold out crowd. I got to take a peek at Angelique Kidjo's concert just one floor below us. She had so much energy.

Lucerne, Switzerland

We arrived in the afternoon to this charming town. Our hotel view was awesome overlooking Lake Lucerne and the harbor. There was music everywhere and vendors hawking thier wares. The general feeling was very festive and warm. Our hotel was a hub of activity especially at night. It rivaled even the wildest NAMM show hotel parties. Tonite Tracy hosted a band/crew dinner to thank everyone for their participation on the tour. A very nice thing to do.

Poupet Festival/St Malo

I loved this festival. Set in the woods near the Swiss border in France, it had multiple stages and so many different things to see during the day. Clowns, actors, talented roving musicians, mechanical birds, an eastern European gypsy wagon exhibit. An entire kids section. we played to one of the largest audiences of the tour that night. around 50,000. Afterwards Tracy and the band including several bodyguards went out into the crowd to check it all out. I decided to grab some great looking mid eastern food from an interesting food booth. The next day I paid for it with food poisoning. yuck!

Deauville, France

Our bus rolled in around 4:30 am and this was the view out my window. The ocean was just across the street so i strolled the boardwalk which looked a bit like Newport Beach and got homesick again. I had a little meltdown at soundcheck but pulled it together.

Basel, Switzerland

We saw some really nice places on this tour but this town was very friendly! The highlight for was drifting down the Rhine river with Quinn with our newly acquired, bright orange, water proof sacks which we could only purchase at one place on the river. We discovered that, of course, after we'd walked a mile up the river to the starting place. So we walked back, got our bags, then walked up river again. Did I mention it was the hottest day in Europe? You see you need the bags to put your clothes, shoes and other items in while you drift down the river. The current is deceptively strong so then the bag, which inflates after you seal it, acts as a buoy to hang onto. The river embraces you as you ride down under the bridges and past all the historic buildings. We even past a nakey beach. All men so I guess it's a gay nakey beach. I tried not to look but well...I did. Anyway, we rode about a mile and half before making our way to the edge of the river and back into the city streets, clothes safely dry in our cool new bags.

Lucca, Italy

Teatro Greco-Taormina, Sicily

Day two in Taormina-World Cup finals

Spent the whole day with Joe Gore. We started off with a champagne brunch on the hotel balcony overlooking the ocean. Then we got our art supplies and started painting. We were later joined by Paul's (our truck driver) girlfriend. After creating our masterpieces we decided to hike up to the Moorish castle high above us. We were told it was a 20 minute hike so off we went. We took a slightly different path and ended up a little higher than we needed to be. After a little nagivation we found the entrance to the final steps to the top but it was....closed. Curses!! The view was still stunning and we took lots of pictures. Hot, sweaty and tired, we hiked back down and found a restaurant that hadn't yet been invaded by World Cup fans. After a relaxing dinner we joined the masses to root for our favorite team which was....ITALY of course! Then they won and it was absolute craziness until dawn!

Taormina, Sicily

We arrived in Taormina with much anticipation. We had been hearing of this quaint little town up in the mountains for sometime now. We arrived around 8:30pm and after waiting for my missing bags (they arrived on the next flight) we loaded into the van for a windy drive up into the hills of Sicily. After 40 minutes we arrived at the Grand Timeo Hotel, a gorgeous five star hotel overlooking the ocean. The moon was coming full and with the warm summer breeze coming across the balcony, I was just in heaven. After a quick freshen up, we took to the streets in search of a fine restaurant, which was found nearby. Another great dinner was experienced followed by gelati for all and a stroll to the main square.
(photo credit: Joe Gore)

Rome-Day three

Today I headed out to the Coliseum but was sidetracked by the Bioparco Zoo near our hotel. So instead I spent 2 ½ hours visiting all the animals from pigs and goats to elephants and giraffes, brown bears and pygmy hippos, eagles and vultures, Japanese macaque monkeys and apes. It was fun for me although it’s hard to see the animals’ captive, some of the them were rescued, like the four wolves, from poverty stricken zoos in Eastern Europe. This zoo seems to work with the World Wildlife Fund and takes in animals from all over that need rescuing. Later on the drive to the airport we circled the Coliseum and I was able to marvel at it’s magnificent size. Of course all I could think of at the time was Russell Crowe fighting the lions in Gladiator. I remember how the special effects people used computer generations to enhance the original coliseum into a functioning backdrop for the movie. It’s pretty impressive even in its ruin. Tonite we fly to Taormina, Sicily.

Rome-show day

The next day we hit the Vatican with a burst of energy. We would need as about a million people had the same idea. After a long line to get in to see the Sistine Chapel and the other Vatican museums. The paintings really were extraordinary but the crowds weren’t. I lost my gang twice in the sea of bodies and gave into the undertow of the masses going where ever the current took me. After two hours I escaped down a large spiral stair case that lead to the main street. I hooked up with Quinn and Joe again and we sought refuge in our taxi back to the hotel as we had a sound check in an hour. Our show in Rome was delayed by a massive rain storm. there was even talk of having to postpone but the show went on as planned which is good because we were all looking forward to our days off in Taormina.

Roma...

Rome
Rome has been a whirlwind of sightseeing, walking, eating, and more sight seeing. Oh then a gig. Upon arrival, Graeme (out tour manager) Quinn and I headed out into the humid afternoon for coffee. The streets were clogged with cars and shoppers, tourist and business people heading to and from their destinations. You cannot walk too far before running into a fabulous ancient building. Unfortunately the graffiti artists have made their mark too on this great city which is a shame. Ventured out on foot in the intermittent rain to find a special family owned restaurant called Pietro's on Via Del Mario recommended by the hotel supposedly a 20-minute walk. Equipped with several maps of the city we headed south thru the Villa Borgese Park down the Spanish steps, past the Pantheon and towards the river. An hour and a half later we stumbled into the restaurant, which was located on one of those back streets, that rivals even Tokyo's maze of side streets. The food was fantastic and our sever Simone was pure Italia. "Prego Prego"? she said as we entered and repeatedly told us we could have "any thing you want" in her thick accented English. I so wished I spoke the language it is so beautiful. I made yet another vow to learn Italian, French and Spanish so that I can enjoy the romance to these languages in their country. I had a lovely spicy pasta Arbbiata and prosciutto and melon appetizer. The restaurant was small, only seven tables, but they filled up quickly with mostly American tourist whose hotel gave the same recomendation. We walked back to the hotel to burn off the meal. The light rain that accompanied us help keep us cool in the warn summer evening. We passed by the Piazza Navona and it was alive with singers, artists selling there paintings and souvenir shops. Outside cafes lined the edges and it was an absolute slice of Rome's nighttime scene.

Smoke on the Water

Well I finally did it. I played at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. I have been hearing about it for years. We even went to a party at "a funky Claude was running in and out" Knobs's home high, high, high above the town. We drove far up into the rainclouds which obscured the view a bit which I am sure was amazing. It was an exquisite party with the best champagne, appetizers and wine served by gorgeous hostesses in crisp white shirts and elegant black slacks. Claude has two magnificent Burmese mountain dogs that were completely devoted to him. I couldn't even get close enough to get dog hair on me. So frustrating! Anyway, after our nourishment we headed back down the hill to work for our supper. The show was good although the sound was a little strange and you'd think for a hall name after Miles Davis, they might have a decent dressing room but sadly ...no.

in Munich

We just had our day off here and now its show time at the Cirkus Krone theatre. I negioated the German subway yesterday to try and find the nearby Bikram Yoga studio. With a lot of help from the locals, I found the studio. Unfortunately it was 6:05 and the doors were locked already. No matter, I was too tired to do a 90-minute hot yoga routine anyway and found the gang for dinner at the Spatenhaus across from the Opera house. After an ice cream desert I retired to my room to read my trashy novel set in Munich cira.1929. I thought maybe I’d pick up a little history by reading it. Today Quinn and I walked and walked and then walked some more. We explored the English Garden of which, at 900 acres, we saw only the southern corner. I needed to see the Japanese Tea House (where the murder takes place in my novel). The highlight watching the young men surf this stationary wave created from the rushing water coming out from under the bridge. They had maybe 60 feet across to do their maneuvers then turn around. It was like watching extreme sports. One wrong move and their heads would bash against the stone wall on either side of the river. Heading home we crossed a bridge and walked along the Isar River crossing back over the Maximillian Bridge back to our hotel.

Brussels-Show Day

We just finished the gig and it was pretty cool. We played for about 20,000 people at the Couleur Café Festival in Brussels. It was a quite a scene with artists from all over the world coming together to play for three days. The George Clinton (P/Funk) band was diapering up to hit the stage as we left the venue in our van. At the hotel we enjoyed a Belgium beer and continued to play our new game of “guess which line this movie is from”…….”is it safe?”

Brussels

I am exhausted, lying in bed. France just won the semi final for the World Cup. They’ll play Portugal in Munich next Wed. We just had a wonderful meal in the old town of Brussels. We walked quite a ways to get back to the hotel. We are traveling on the tour bus now which is easier that the airports I think. I love sleeping in my bunk being filled to sleep by the gentle vibrations of the road. Even the occasional sharp turn or bump doesn’t bother me. I was very happy today. I found a Bikram yoga studio and took an excruciating class (since I haven’t taken a class for 5 weeks). But, I am better for it. Our dinner was the reward. After a meal of cold artichokes and a niciose salad we finished it off with a dessert of Belgian waffles. I ate mine with vanilla ice cream, Chantilly cream and caramel sauce. It was soooooooo very good!