Oslo, Aarhus, Herning, Brussels, Dublin: Buses, Trains and Ferries

What a week it's been....
Last Sunday we traveled from Oslo to Aarhus, Denmark, where we stayed before our scheduled performance in Herning (Denmark) two days later. I had never heard of, or been to, Aarhus, but knew that being a smaller town than that where we had been, I'd have a chance to catch up on a little R&R, after having burned the midnight oil in Oslo.
Reaching Aarhus midday on Monday, there was little time for much else besides dinner, and my choice was room service. The following day, feeling the need to get some fresh air and explore, I roamed the streets finding my way to the main pedestrian shopping street and into the old part of town. I learned that Aarhus is actually the second largest city in Denmark, the oldest large city in Scandinavia and dates back to the Viking Age or as far back as the 7th century. After finding the older section of town, I was taken with the character and charm of the narrow cobblestone paved roads and buildings of ancient brick facades that now occupy modern day upscale clothing boutiques, restaurants and cafes. I came across a couple of weather beaten stone churches, a theatre and sea port in the near distance. Many of the buildings were interestingly designed with atriums and inner courtyards that you pass through to enter.
I stopped at an adorable traditional Italian food market for the most satisfying warm mozzarella, tomato and arugula pannini and washed it down with an aranciata. I was taken by all of the yummy products on the shelves, beautiful packaging and fragrant aromas. Oh, and the deep, rich red, pink and orange colors of the stacked assortment of meats and cheeses were a feast for the eyes,...the dolci and the cakes.... It was a moment of sensory overload, and I loved it,.....or maybe I was just starving. Naaaaaahh!!!
I walked the streets a bit more before heading back to my room with plans for an early night. We had a full work day and early departure planned for the next morning. I woke on time for the 6:45am bus call and was ready for the hour and a half trip from Aarhus to Herning. It's my understanding, that we were only in Aarhus due to lack of accommodations in Herning. Once at the newly built arena in Herning is was business as usual.
Now Wednesday, it was midday when we unexpectedly learned that our initial plans to drive to Paris that evening had been cancelled due to the protest currently going on in France. Instead, we would be leaving for Ireland, via Belgium. Following load out, we drove 12 hours to reach Brussels and once there we raced around town filling our time before the midnight bus departure to Dublin. As it goes, our drivers are required a mandatory break, explaining our time off to take in some sights.
We found ourselves at Le Grand Place, one of Brussels more famous and beautiful tourist traps and sightseeing plazas. Like arteries from the plaza center are tiny winding alleyways full of Belgian waffle and chocolate shops and fresh seafood restaurants. We wasted no time assuming our position as tourists, and delved right in for a fine dining experience of "moules et frites." As the saying goes, "mussels in Brussels!"
Satisfied and stuffed we loaded the bus at midnight and were gladly ready for "lights out".
Now Friday, we reached Wales for the 3 hour ferry ride from Holyhead to Dublin. The seas were choppy, but bearable. We were now in the home stretch. Yes,...it's been an exhausting, yet, surreal and exhilarating experience, alike. How often do you get to feel as though you've traveled through time. Think about it,...in 5 days, I had experienced people speaking Norwegian, then awake to people speaking Danish, then French, now Irish. Each day I'd encounter a new environment, setting, culture, language and climate. It's something that just don't happen everyday. It's random, yes, but I consider it pretty special!

Helsinki, Finland: H&M Home Store

Hey, how did this sneak by me!? While in Helsinki, I discovered the H&M home store. It's great! Only in Scandinavia for now and similar to Ikea in price point, if not cheaper, the collections are desirable, offering a little something for everyone. It is merchandised to please the shopper in search of something soft and feminine, to the person looking for something more classic, as well as, kitsch. It's my understanding that select stores have been open since the beginning of 2010 and that items can be found on line.

Paris, France: Homage to Paris...

Ahhhhh,.....Paris in the summertime!! This is my shout out to you. We were scheduled to perform in Paris tonight at the Bercy venue. Unfortunately, or fortunately, for us, the show has been postponed due to the unrest and protest in France, against raising the retirement age from 60 to 62. Not that this is a trivial matter,... just interesting,... considering how we, in the US, are required to work until 65, or is it 67. Hell,... by the time I'm a senior, I'll be lucky if it's 75! Whatever the case, we were detoured and are now in Dublin.
For now, I'll think back on the great time had in Paris this summer with Mui Alto and my tour family. We did two shows at the Bercy in July, and here we were having an amazing day people watching, while drinking beer on the steps of the Sacre Coeur at Montmartre. It was one of those days that will never be forgotten.

Helsinki, Finland: Merimekko

For as long as I can remember, I have been familiar with Merimekko, the renowned textile company dating back to the 50's, but was never a huge fan. I didn't realize that the company is Finnish. I was always under the impression that it was Swedish or Danish. Well, while in Helsinki, upon Amanda's suggestion, she, myself and Laura visited the main flagship store. It was much as I envisioned, a store full of beautiful bold and brightly colored graphic prints. Not only does the store merchandise clothing, but also, fabric bolts of their signature prints and patterns, as well as housewares and furnishings.
Classic design is timeless.

Oslo, Norway: Vigeland Sculpture Park

The idea of visiting Scandinavia never excited me. I had the impression that it was a very homogenous society and quite dull. Well to my surprise, it is far from dull, and much less homogenous that I had ever imagined. My encounters there have only ever been brief, but, Oslo is a beautiful and vibrant city full of art and culture. The people are friendly and warm, and to my advantage, they all speak English.
My first visit to Oslo was in 1996 when touring with Michael Jackson. Myself and my buddies, Tony, Sean, Gerard, Jamie, Chris and Jason were fearless, and at the time, agile enough to take the town on by rollerblades. It was great! We'd see tons without realizing how much excercize we were getting. From that first visit, it was the Vigeland Sculpture Park that stuck with me most. I think the sculptures intrigue me because they are simplicitic in shape and form, yet powerful with emotion. In some ways, conceptually, for me, it's the theory of less is more. Though the figures lack finite detail, they are very expressive. The detail is added where it most counts. I am in awe of this work and need to learn more of the artist. See the photos below.
That's the beauty of travel, you get exposure, and a better understanding of things that you never knew existed.

Helsinki, Finland: The Ice Bar.

Well, well, well,...we're at it again. We started touring October 9th after having been on a 3 week break in Los Angeles. Our first stop is Helsinky, Finland with plans to tour all of Europe. We flew eleven hours to Heathrow with a brief layover, before continuing another two and a half hours to reach Scandinavia. There was no denying that we "weren't in Kansas anymore", the drastic temperature change made that clear.
We started off slowly feeling heavy with jet lag, but made up for lost time before leaving town. We squeezed in lots of good fun and some casual dining at Texas and the Iguana,... go figure. Before it was all said and done, we also made our way to the Ice Bar. Yes, a bar made of ice. It was the equivalent to drinking in a room the size of a meat locker. We were provided with Smurf blue, fur trimmed coats that helped ease the chill. The experience was interesting, but not the best, as far as Ice bars go. I have since learned that there are much nicer and larger ice bars in Oslo and Stockholm. To find this place, we went basement level and through a restaurant called the Copacabana where a deejay was playing salsa music, as two couples graced the floor with their amateur latin dance skills. Tucked away in the back of the restaurant was a labeled door that suggested that we were in the right place. We entered, quickly embraced the experience, threw back a lemontini, and carried on drinking at the Capacobana instead. We later found ourselves at another bar called On the Rocks, where, by then, we were very lit and lively. It was a great night, one we could't have predicted.

Monterey Bay.....

I was in northern California for the Gaga performances in San Jose. With two days off before the first of two show days, Grace and I had the smart idea to spend a couple of days away in Monterey Bay. It was a toss up between that or Napa Valley. She had driven a short distance from Oakland to meet me, and was as eager as I for a quick getaway. We drove an hour and a half west, passing scenic countryside along the way, to reach the Pacific. The air was crisp and the sky clear. It was a near perfect day. After arriving and checking in midday we grabbed lunch oceanside and walked around a bit. We rented bikes, following the marked bike trails along the coast. The views were amazing. We saw seals and seagulls resting on the rocky shoreline, kids playing and people casually strolling by taking in the moment. We took a break in our day to indulge ourselves with taffy and a gelato treat and much later we chose Thai for dinner. All was well with the world...