House Concert in Ransom Canyon

My friends Monika and Danny have their first house concert today and I’m very excited. The place looks wonderful and in the morning we start to set up everything.

Last time I was here I already knew that this would be a perfect place for a concert.

Here is the view that I will have tonight - just wish an audience.
After that I completely forget to take any pics. It is a wonderful evening and about 35 people come and have a great time. We party until the early morning.

Driving To Lubbock

Today I have to get to Lubbock, actually Ransom Canyon where I play a house concert at my friends house tomorrow. After I get on the highway I end up in heavy traffic and decide to go back roads. One leads me right through Fort Worth.

I haven’t had anything to eat and it’s already 1 pm so I just drive of the highway into a little town - nice choice.

I find a little restaurant and get some omlet. On the wall is a huge painting and of the prairie and the burn marks of the different Ranchers.

As soon as I get closer to Lubbock the sky changes and becomes endless.

The sun comes down fast and I’ve been in the car all day again.

Finally I drive into Ransom Canyon and am fascinated by some of the houses.

Wow that one could have been out of a Science Fiction movie.

Hookas in Denton

Melissa and me have a late breakfast at a great Mexican place and then I get going. Here is one last goodbye picture of Austin.

I’m still fascinated by all these bridges and overpasses.

Denton is a College town and I play tonight at the Hooka Hooka Lounge. Here is the owner MO outside the place

It is another weird gig, now three in a row. I play for people while they smoke turkish Hookas. They enjoy it but my income that day is zero.

After the show I want to get some beer but it’s after midnight and Texas law forbids the sale of Alcohol after 12. So I find a little bar and have one there. Then I start driving South to find a motel along the way.

Austin Again

I the morning we take off for a nice walk along the Colorado River. The view reminds me of Frankfurt.

I love those sculptures all over the city.

There are so many turtles out today - Haven’t seen them forever. So we stop and just observe.

Later in the afternoon I drive downtown where I park the car at the Austin Java. FRom there I walk to Waterloo music, the coolest CD store I’ve ever seen. They have an instore performance and tomorrow Patty Griffin is playing. After hanging out for several hours I walk back to the Austin Java. It’s another low key night and for the last set there is only Melissa sitting in the audience.

Back into Texas

After an early start I drive over the Mississippi Bridge

Once I reach the Texas Welcome center I take a little walk into the swamp. It’s a beautiful day and I stay there for a little bit.

It takes until the evening before I find my way into Houston and to the cafe soleil.

It’s a Monday show and Thu had me warned that it would be a slow evening. I knew that so I did not have grand expectations. I have a 2 person audience but they buy CDs and we have a nice chat.

It’s still early and I call Melissa in Austin to see if I could come a day earlier. She’s playing tonight to and says it’s ok. So I get going and drive another 3 hours to Austin. I’ll get there after midnight.

Eating Alligator

Sure glad I had 4 hours of sleep and a shower before driving to Matairie a suburb of New Orleans. The original UU church was flooded and is still in restoration, so the congregation meets in a temporary space.

The service is very nice and about the “Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz, this is one of my only books that I actually took on the road! I get the chance to play a little concert after the sermon and have a great exchange with everybody. I get a recommendation to drive through Acadian land where the Cajuns life :)
So I take off and drive towards Baton Rouge.

Here I croos over one arm of the Mississippi river which enters the Gulf of Mexico.

After that there is a continuous swamp to both sides of the freeway.

Finally I reach my first destination, “Breaux Bridges” a famous Acadian settlement.
I treat myself to a real Cajun experience and enter the famous Mulate’s restaurant.

It was recommeded to me that I should try the local Cray fish, a Cajun specialty, but they are seasonal and I’m out of luck so I have to be a little more advenurous and order Alligator :)

The restaurant has a great atmosphere and there is even a Cajun band playing - very good indeed. Check out the ceiling, It is plastered with Business cards of visitors, amongst them Harrison Ford, Meg Ryan, and Steven Spielberg just to name a few of the celebrity guests that have dined here. So after all I’m finally in good company :)

After several Cajun punches (It’s a drink, I wasn’t hit...well maybe a little) I drive a couple of miles to get a Motel. What a day!

New Orleans my beautiful

I get up early so I arrive in New Orleans in time to look around and enjoy the vibe. The clouds are stunningly beautiful and it’s hard to keep my eyes on the road.

As soon as I get into Louisiana the swamps start and all the highways are raised above.

Finally the city appears in the distance and my excitement raises with every mile I get closer.

Beautiful, I love the vibe and the vegetation.

Luckily I lose my way and drive aimlessly around taking in all kinds of views.

Some parts of downtown are still pretty damaged and the restoration goes along very slowly because of missing funds - I see T shirts saying FEMA - Federal Emergency My Ass!!! They screwed up pretty bad.

I finally find the place in uptown and start walking. I spot a Whole Foods and have to go in - check that out, there is a small orchestra playing Mozart.

Uptown was lucky during Katrina and had only water damage through rain that went through the broken roofs. It looks like nothing had happened

It is just two weeks after Mardi Gras and I see beads everywhere, even in the trees

The main stretch has all kind of stores and Cafe’s. It feels almost like being in Venice.

I’m certainly taken by the distinct architecture.

Glad that this part survived almost unharmed.

Kind of upscale here - check out the horse heads to prevent car theft :)

The Neutral Ground is in the same location since 30 years and one of the only folk places around. It’s a nice show and Maria shows up. She moved from Seattle to New Orleans to volunteer.

After the show she drags me into the French Quarter, Bourbon Street and Frenchman Street. There are tons of live music venues and I see a lot of totally hammered people walking around with big cups of booze. Kind of mice that you can take your beer out on the road I must say. Feels like home :)
Around 3:30 am I drop Maria of at her tiny place and move on to look for a Motel.
It’s hard and takes until almost 5 am but I need a shower befiore showing up at the UU church tomorrow morning. ..

Way into Mississsippi

Today is another driving day and I’ll try to get past Jackson. The weather is good again but the toll deadly. Alabama and Georgia were hit really bad and I see some of the devastation on the screen. Got to get my head off that and start driving.

I make a stop in Covington, TN. It’s beautiful here - if you just drive off the main highway...

I find a Cafe with WIFI so I can do some work. I end up having a great conversation with Lynn who works there. we’re the only ones in the place and talk for at least 90 minutes straight before I realize that I still have a lot of miles to go...

Next is Memphis again which borders Mississippi to the South.

Here I go, my first time so i stop at the welcome center.

Spring is finally here, I knew that it had to be somewhere out there.

Back driving on and on. Hey, I see a sign!

When I reach Jackson the sun goes down. I still have about 40 miles before I reach my destination - a cheap motel :)

I get a pizza and do some tech support on the phone with jay who just purchased Indie Band Manager. Tomorrow is my first day in new Orleans and I’m pretty excited - wouldn’t you?!