TOUR JOURNAL (March - May 2006)
March 23 (Off to Sweden)
17 Hour flights, mmmmmmm don't you love them? Cleveland - Detroit, Detroit - Amsterdam, Amsterdam - Stockholm, Stockholm - Skelleftea. The kink in my neck is now permanent and I'll probably drool while I'm singing. However, full length movies, free rum and cokes and now.....oh god, an in flight aerobics video....I HAVE to check this out....any other takers.....five, six, nice!! a workout where your ass never leaves the seat. This is HILARIOUS!!....I feel so loose and relaxed.
March 24 (Skelleftea, Sweden)
Really enjoying Skelleftea. It's a different experience to be in a non-tourist location. They are not pre-conditioned to dealing with Americans. No people running around grabbing photo memories (not even me). There's absolutely NO litter here. People are extremely polite and somewhat private, in a way that communicates sincerity. That sounds strange as I write it but as I'm sitting here it's the feeling I get. Dinner at Balzac. Best meal I can remember!
March 25 (AIK Hockey)
Hockey Rules in Sweden! I've never seen anything like this. Sheri's brother in law, Brett plays for AIK who is about to take the league. The whole town is about hockey and the mere mention of AIK sends them into a frenzy. It's a real sport here, not the dancing fistfight exhibition it gets to be back home sometimes. BEST hockey game I've ever seen!! I thought the roof was going to come off the arena.
March 27 (Sweden Shows)
2 Great shows! Thanks Skelleftea! What a great welcome. Rock and Roll is alive and well in Sweden. In a small town, far away from home I feel like I've been playing here for years. Thanks to all to came to Carl Victor's and Balzac for shows. Kudos to singer/songwriter Jonas who supplied P.A system and immediate camaradarie.
March 29 (Northern Lights and the Arctic Circle)
Suddenly there they were. The northern lights. So many summers in Alaska, I never saw them once. Then suddenly, there they are all around us. I'll never be able to describe it. It's about 11:30p.m. Sheri and I are 350 miles north of Skelleftea in the middle of nowhere. It's below freezing outside but we pull over and jump out of the car. Dancing green light and more stars than I've ever seen. I'll never forget this!
(next morning)
It doesn't take sand to make a desert. Driving through the Arctic Circle, I get the same feeling of space. Amazing!
(Ice Hotel)
To see it is to believe it....and to think that every year the entire thing melts to be re-built again the next season is even more amazing...to see. As far as lodging goes.....for $300 a night I want a masseuse, a private bartender and room temperature.
April 2 (Helsinki, Finland)
Didn't know what to expect here but found a great city I'll definitely return to visit. Sheri knows the route so I'm pretty much following her lead. Helsinki has that Big Little City feel. Lot's to see, great places to eat, an icy waterfront. People are even more reserved than the Swedish though not at all unfriendly.
Helsinki Show (Bar Mendocino)
Another fun show. I'm getting spoiled over here. Thanks Tommi for being a great host and everyone for coming out. Bar Mendocino is a cozy, small listening room. It's the kind of place songwriters back at home scour the U.S. looking for. Great audience and great welcome. Thanks everyone, especially all the other players and songwriters from the area that came out to listen. Look me up when you come to the U.S.
April 4 (Headed for Home)
Oh my God, she's back. The evil flight attendant from our flight over!! Can it be true. I rub my eyes in disbelief. She's alive! She's following us!
After a rum and coke, the return of "in flight aerobics" (I still can't get over it) and a movie later, I'm out cold.