CHRISTMAS BREAK

I WILL COME BACK IN JANUARY 

FOR MORE ADVENTURES

I PROMISE YOU!!!

Baltimore MD

WARNING!!! Don't read this if you are tired! It might cause dizziness, nausea or mental itchiness. Ask to your doctor about this blog.

The trip to Baltimore couldn't be stressful. It started with the 3 hour drive from Sunnyside to Seattle to catch my plain. I arrived to car rental 50 min before my flight. In these 50 min i had 

- to return the car

- to take the shuttle to the airport

- to check in the luggage

- to go through the security 

- and to get to the gate. 

I am a Superman! I made it to the airplane 5 min before the take off. 

On the plain i was sitting in between the girl from Memphis  

and the guy from New Orleans.

We had the best discussions about Snoop Dogg, P Diddy, the blacks in America, their education and their place in society. I was very excited to hear from black southern guy how motivated and passionate he is about becoming an educator and his determination to make a difference for impoverished black America. I asked what was the turning point in his life. His answer was - traveling. He was sent by military to Germany and Bosnia. I don't think that Afghanistan would have the same effect.

It was a lot of fun with my both "costumers". Poor girl! I "pushed her buttons" without mercy. It was just too much fun because she was such a traditional southern girl and i needed to kill the time ; ) I am bad. At the end of our trip i was shocked because i think she even liked me. 

We couldn't say proper good byes to each other because i thought that Delta lost my carry on bag with

- tuxedo

- tuxedo shoes (more expensive than tuxedo)

- Nikon camera

- CDs

and 

- the hard drive with all my life in it

i had 30 min before my next flight. Nobody knew where was my bag. I exited security, checked the baggage claim without results and came back through the security. The return of the Superman! Although i was loosing my cool. I was back in my next airplane 1 min before the take off. I took the best free seat and had a most nerve wracking flight. I really didn't want to play concerts in jeans and T shirt. The only hope was that my bag will arrive with the rest of the luggage. Guess what! It was there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to kiss it, to hug it and to introduce it to everybody who were waiting for their luggage. Everyone thought that i was a weird cowboy.

I got to my hotel at 12 am mentally and physically exhausted. I sat for a minute, took a breath

and went out. I didn't eat all day long. Baltimore was just beginning the life. At the blues club i made friends with the guitarist guy

and when they closed the club he took me to another one where the beer and action was. The old guys were playing classic rock songs. They sounded really great!      

But they closed that club too and it was the time for me to go back to the hotel. Tomorrow i am coming there back. I have one more day off.  ha ha ha

Sunnyside WA

In the morning i was very tired. Not enough sleep (as always). The coffee at the hotel was horrible however when i saw this ... i woke up right away.

This was a new car window design. It helped me not-to-see the road to the children's concert. It was awesome.

It always takes long time for them to get seated. I use that time to observe them and to plan my strategies which usually i have to change during the show anyway. 

Before the night show i was not in the mood to talk to anybody except 

to the sound guy who was very intelligent and creative hombre. 

Before the show we tried to figure out which "one" should go on the stage.

 

The concert went well and after i was invited to the reception. Once my german RIP friend told me that if you want to have a conversation at the dinner table there shouldn't be more than 8 people . So we were 8. 

 

It was great until i was asked to show a photo of my wife. Not Again!!!  ......"you don't ??? ...... no picture of your wife ???" I am not in the damn war!!! I have Skype! Helooooooooooo! Also i hate this artificial and cliche picture bragging. I would rather talk about why do i love my wife but... nobody EVER asked me that. We dropped that subject and went on with patriotic and soviet discussions. For me the highlight of the dinner was when everybody left and i stayed for the "americana" part. 

That was my bluegrass harmonica debut. When i left i felt more american than after the citizenship swearing ceremony. At the end of our evening the host (banjo virtuoso) told me something that really moved me and made me very proud (not for blog, it would be too much bragging and too many people would be jealous). I returned the hotel and went to sleep very late.

Thanxgiving Break

It was soooooooo great to reconnect during the Thanxgiving break.

Somebody looked full even before the Thanxgiving dinner

Was THIS the highlight of the dinner?

or THIS?

no. It was THIS ...

Oliver's party. He sure knows how to throw ... parties and is very photogenic too.

Also the best of my visit home was my "home coming" party at the house of my managers. Elisabeth and Mark are the best! Its impossible to catch E on camera. Mark is better (when he doesn't look). 

I was put on the spot. I have no idea what i was saying. Californian wine does magic stuff.

My friend catholic priest went along with the flow except he knew what he was saying (as always).

Lots of people, catered food, limitless wine and gorgeous sunset. 

My friend Marco loves me. He drove from LA for the party. Tibest drove from Ethiopia

but i guess they came for the  ... after party. 

With Marco there are no dull moments. At the parties he always wants to play piano. Thats nice but ... what my neighbors will think? I guess they already know that i have that playing visitor.

After that everybody left, Lily went back to LA. All the fun died out. Its time to work. Back on the road to the state of Washington and Pennsylvania. I flew in very late to Seattle (that's why no pics), rented a car and drove to Sunnyside for 3 hours. Guess what! Its 22F in here. I like it! and also i like to blog with you!

This is so classy maaaaaaan!

Finish Line!

the last trip through the swamps of Louisiana. 

Here we are at the finish line. We said our good byes and went home where the pillows are soft and the cats are fat.

Somebody was very surprised that i came back. 

Next day we were very busy x 2. 

in between i worked on a new project,

Brunhilda was getting ready for holidays and semi enjoyed it. 

An urban look is in style in this house. At least she doesn't look like turkey. 

Happy Thanxgiving everybody!!! 

Keep checking me. For the next few days i will update you with my home adventures and next week i am going on the road again for 8 days. I might be a little inconsistent but i will continue my blog. Its ... holidays!!! Happy naps to you all!

New Iberia LA

It is a last day of this madly long tour leg. I am done for a moment. Tomorrow flying home. I feel weird. The endings usually have big bangs but this time ... i didn't have one. The life pulled out another trick on me and turned my excitement upside down. Or maybe it gave me another kind?

My celebratory concert was hmmmmmmm ... ahhhhhhhhh ... hmmmmmmmmmm i don't know what to say. OK there was almost no people. Maybe 40 in 300 seat hall. It was pathetic. I got spoiled by the audiences on this tour. Today i tried to fill the venue with energy but there was too much empty space. It was hard. The last day and ... no big bang? Now i am packing and feel strange. I feel very excited to go home to my girls but at the same time i feel some emptiness. For me its hard to take endings. Yes, i know its not an end. Its just a middle of my adventures but still its hard to stop the stimulation of constant changes. Actually that's what i like about my life. I always need to be in action. Always! I would hate vacations in Caribbean with lazy beaches and the ocean without waves.

Today in the late afternoon we went to look for a place to have a lunch. Yesterday Keeth had frog legs and 

today was eager for more but today was a problem. One restaurant didn't have food anymore (?), another wasn't open on mondays and the third had so so food but great service. The waitress/bartender was the nicest southern girl who didn't need small and boring talk in order to have a conversation.

Next to us we had a fun company except their lunch consisted of more fun menu than ours.

  

 

On the way out the doorman showed us our way out. Great service! 

Since we had a little bit of time we took a drive around the town. There was something about the humidity, the vegetation 

(can you hear crickets?)

and the architecture. 

I never experienced this combination. It felt quite romantic but very foreign for me. I think it was America that i know so little about.

Unfortunately our rendezvous was very short. I had to get ready for my ... grand show

and Keeth for huge crowds 

Here they are.

I didn't care and tried to give a good time for those who came.

Some of them drove for 2 hours to get to the concert. 

This is it! 

I am sad and excited. 

My next news will be about ... Brunhilda ; ) 

Livingston TX

The last concert in Texas. We arrived there 2 hours before the show. I liked the atmosphere at the venue. The teenagers that ran the place were very amusing. There was one in the back stage with me all the time. He was the smartest kid. His language was very eloquent and he had very interesting points on every subject. I got involved in our conversation so much that i forgot it was time for me start the show. Ok! Are y'all ready?

We had a great turn out but the audience was completely different from the night before. Maybe they needed more time to get use to my accent? Who knows?

Next day we left on the road for Louisiana. The nature of East Texas was very green and lush 

and there ... i found a great property. I got on the phone with my real estate agent right away. 

I think i would look great on  this front porch but i didn't know about those giant mosquitos which attacked us non stop.

We proceeded on our trip. Louisiana was looking great from the far

but when we arrived there... ahhhhhhhh. I am too hungry now.