Day 37, Marburg

Hello again folks. Had a wonderful show here in Marburg last night, one of the best of the tour so far. There's something to be said for the energy that you encounter when you first walk into a place, the way people greet you, the way they interact with each other, and the overall atmosphere that's been created. (Or the 'Vibe' if you're a fan of one of my favourite movies - The Castle). Last night we were welcomed with open arms, big smiles, and a genuine interest. Both before, during and after the show. And I've said it before, but it's nice to feel so welcome, so at home even, on the other side of the world. I often think a lot of life is about finding your people, the ones you connect with, the ones that accept you for who you are and understand that. And vice versa. If I didn't need to be in Mainz tonight, I could quite happily stay and hang out with the kind folks in Marburg for a few days. I get the feeling there'd be a few of 'my people' here. I'm sure Lena would say the same thing.

Marburg itself is a beautiful little town. An old storybook village feel in parts, nestled in amongst the hills with a grand old castle towering above it all (built during the 9th or 10th century if you believe Wikipedia). I was speaking to a woman in one of the local shops this afternoon, who told me she walks to work each morning below the castle and a part of her can almost hear the knights on horseback, riding through the cobblestone streets, as in medieval times. Pretty cool I thought. Certainly it seems to have escaped the main 'tourist trail', so it has retained a little bit of that magic that often gets lost when a place is 'discovered' in that sense. It's also a popular destination for students in this part of Germany, many of whom I met last night at the concert. Very relaxed, easy-going, and happy enough to sit there and listen to my tunes for an hour or so on a Wednesday evening. Thumbs up all round. A big thanks to Jan, Joren, Nele and Marina for hosting the gig and having us to stay. My good mate Brett Winterford has played here a couple of times here already, I hope to return one day as well.

PS - I'm not trying to start a toilet appreciation society I promise, but after yesterday's brush with Vladimir Putin in Leipzig, I couldn't help but show you the following night's offering, a magnificent tropical marine wonderland, not dissimilar from another we encountered in Berlin, certainly invoking a far more relaxing range of emotions than your average Russian president. Which is sort of the point I guess..... But you know, enough about that, we're off to Mainz. Ciao for now x