Morgen all from Munich, where I'm rapidly typing away before jetting off to Austria with my new rear tyres, but more on that later... I'll start this blog in Strasbourg, where I was fortunate enough to spend Monday hanging out with some good friends of mine from Sydney. It's not everyday you can take a 90min drive and end up in France, at least not when you're living in Sydney, and not every day you get to see an old church organ as spectacular as this one, at the 'Notre Dame' Strasbourg. One can only imagine the immense power you must feel at your fingertips when you sit down to play a few hymns for people on a Sunday morning. Not to be blasphemous, but the first word that came to my mind was... Jaysus!!! It's no wonder most of the organ players you see are a bit long in the tooth (German readers, that means 'old'). Once you get started, I imagine you never want to stop. Much like I felt in one of the local patisseries earlier in the day. Another blow to the tour waistline, which is very much looking forward to having a good run-around on the beaches of Australia. Preferably in 40+ temperatures for quicker results. Ouch. Anyway thanks K-team for a great day out! I hope you don't mind me using this photo... but you all look Großartig! (English readers that means 'Great!'). Travel safe...
And so to the next port of call, the 'Pit Stop' automotive centre in Mannheim yesterday morning, to get a new rear tyre, which of course quickly became 2 new rear tyres, and very nearly a whole new set had a kind man at the shop not translated the various murmurings and gesticulations for me. It's ok folks, the front tyres are very safe, but in fairness I did need to change both the rear tyres, not least because of a nail protruding out of the back left, which might not have been so great exploding at 150km/h on the Autobahn somewhere... And the love affair with old cars continues. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, they spring another surprise on you. Fortunately I seem to be making just enough cash from each gig to keep myself ticking over here, although the juice pictured did appear to possess a slightly bitter taste for some reason... Still, I am safe, I am still moving, I am still going to be in Vienna. I still haven't had to touch the credit card. Alles gut.
Last night's gig in Munich was at the
Trachtenvogl, a former clothing shop which for 90yrs specialised in Lederhosen and other assorted local fashions. Christian, the manager, took over the premises and converted it into a bar 10yrs ago, but it still retains a bit of that old mystique (see pic below). Which makes it a great place to stop in for a beer and a bite to eat, and a pretty cool place to play a few tunes on a Tuesday night. A bit of a noisy crowd at times, but then when you're rolling in from the other side of the world and nobody has ever heard of you, I don't think it's fair to expect everyone to be giving you their undivided attention when they've strolled in for a drink and a yarn with friends. I still enjoyed myself, we managed to pay for today's tank of gas, and I got to play in front of a big old set antlers, which was a first for me, albeit a little spooky perhaps from front on...! A big thanks to the girls who took this photo, also for the numerous self-portraits which are now on my phone! Ha ha. Had a great time, met some cool people, the show rolls on. A final thanks as well to Christian, who put me up last night at short notice here in Munich, and gave me a great big breakfast this morning to load me up for the trip to Austria. A very generous host indeed, will have to return the favour some time in the homeland. That'll do me, signing off from Germany for a little while. Austria, Slovenia and Italy still to come this week. Cheers for now... x
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