After a bleak enough delay at the Eastern Czech town of Přerov’s train station, we arrived into rainy Vienna’s Hauptbahnhof about forty minutes later than expected. One friendly taxi ride later, we checked in at Hotel Am Brillantengrund. This was Neil’s recommendation. I would pass on that tip. It was reasonably […]
February 17th, 2016 – Train from Olomouc to Vienna Go to Olomouc A two hours and twenty minute train ride from Prague, Olomouc is well worth the trip. An historic town and also a college town, it has the energy and edge that comes with that. I also has a […]
Feb 11th 2016, Before the gig, Journey to Stuttgart I was irritable today. Partly through tiredness. Partly through being a little worried about the long night ahead of me. Partly from people being irritating. The trains to Stuttgart were extremely full. People on full trains who leave their bags and […]
Tuesday February 9th, Gent, Belgium In my hurry to book somewhere cheap this morning I failed to read the small print. I entered something along the lines of “cheap private room” into the “I am watching you” machine, found one almost within budget, within walking distance of the train […]
In 1999 I spent a summer in The Hague. Packing tulips in a factory. A job I found in “Work your way around the world”, a book I bought in Eason’s in Cork. Or maybe I stole it from my sister Emma. Unable to find any form of employment […]
Monday, February 1st, Train from Minden to Amsterdam What a great weekend. I played a Church built in 1683. A breakfast concert in French Cafe in Germany. A 43rd Birthday Party for a Kazakhstani chimney sweep. Another house concert for another Chimney sweep. Schornsteinfeger is the German for chimney sweep. […]
Somewhere outside of Munich, January 26th, 2016 Two days in Munich. I am tired. Back on the train. Munich was really fun. Paul Solecki from Kansas was my minder for the last few days. I use this term only half jokingly. Along the way, I feel very very fortunate to […]
Sunday Morning, January 24th – Train from Cologne to Munich I’m back on the train with heavy eyelids and a happy heart. Last night I played, I think my best gig of the tour so far at Mel and Ulf’s house concert in Niederkassel, just outside Cologne. They’ve been instrumental […]
Monday January 18th, The train from Kiel to Hamburg There is a moment that comes with sitting down on a train. A moment of sheer relaxation. I have found the station on time. I am no longer lugging my bags across town. My job in the coming hours is to […]
Photo by Shel Ly Sunday Morning, January 17th, Düsseldorf The sun is shining on last night’s snow. I played the Düsseldorf Acoustic Festival. What a great night it turned out to be. More of that later. First, I want to capture a few impressions from the last few […]