It's been so nice to be here in England. The people here are wonderful; they are so hospitable! It's always scary to stay in people's houses that you don't know. You never know if they're going to be clean or if they're going to be strange or what they're going to be, but everyone here has been simply magnanimous in their hospitality. Everyone is kind and gracious. It's been a great way to travel. We have stayed in some hotels but mostly we will be staying with Rotarians. I think it's a better way to learn about the culture--living with people who live here every day. They stay up late with us every night after concerts, plying us with tea and beer and juice, laughing when all Jess wants is a big tall glass of water.
Jess's favorite accent is the Liverpool one, but Andrew thinks he prefers the London accent--it's a little more modern sounding and slightly easier to understand when people are talking really fast.
Of course, one of our favorite parts of being around here has been the English gardens. Andrew has taken lots of pictures and we've both enjoyed it very much.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Day 4: Steak and Strawberries
This morning Andrew and Jess both had a rather difficult time getting up. Jess is actually having a very hard time beginning this blog post because she is tired and wants to go to sleep instead.
Today the RCJ played at a "steak and strawberries" barbecue dance. It was pretty adorable; more old people dancing with each other, which does Jess's cynical old heart good to see.
Before that we had had strawberries at one of our host families houses, and the strawberries were from her garden behind the house. They were soooooooooo good. The traditional dish is a plain scone, smothered with butter, then cream, then strawberry jam, and finally topped with cut strawberries. It was a-maz-ing! Also, the cheerful lady, Ann, who hosted the afternoon hang said that, for guests of their house, tea was not optional...it was obligatory. Ann had a beautiful little brunette border collie named Sally that Jess is going to try to smuggle home on the plane. Both Ann and Andrew (and Ann's husband and grandchildren) will be unhappy if Jess succeeds with this plan.
Jess shot some video of the event and hopefully we will have that updated soon; until then, check out the new photos on facebook if you can.
Andrew had a much better drumset experience this evening; the hardware was actually from this decade! The band played a lot of older swing tunes at "medium-jump tempo"; Finally, all those 'dance band' gigs are paying off!
Now, Jess and Andrew are going to find Z, the last letter of the alphabet. Or in the words of our host for tonight, "I am feeling quite wilted". Goodnight.
Today the RCJ played at a "steak and strawberries" barbecue dance. It was pretty adorable; more old people dancing with each other, which does Jess's cynical old heart good to see.
Before that we had had strawberries at one of our host families houses, and the strawberries were from her garden behind the house. They were soooooooooo good. The traditional dish is a plain scone, smothered with butter, then cream, then strawberry jam, and finally topped with cut strawberries. It was a-maz-ing! Also, the cheerful lady, Ann, who hosted the afternoon hang said that, for guests of their house, tea was not optional...it was obligatory. Ann had a beautiful little brunette border collie named Sally that Jess is going to try to smuggle home on the plane. Both Ann and Andrew (and Ann's husband and grandchildren) will be unhappy if Jess succeeds with this plan.
Jess shot some video of the event and hopefully we will have that updated soon; until then, check out the new photos on facebook if you can.
Andrew had a much better drumset experience this evening; the hardware was actually from this decade! The band played a lot of older swing tunes at "medium-jump tempo"; Finally, all those 'dance band' gigs are paying off!
Now, Jess and Andrew are going to find Z, the last letter of the alphabet. Or in the words of our host for tonight, "I am feeling quite wilted". Goodnight.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Day 3 - Liverpool
Day 3 feels like day 2, very much because of the entire 24 hours we spent traveling.
This morning we had breakfast at the Devonshire House Hotel--the brands for things are the same but not always the product. Jess had "Wheat and Fruit" for breakfast!
We met up with some of the other band members as well as Rotarians who are hosting us went exploring Liverpool. We saw the street where the Beatles got a bit of there start--and met Sam Leach! It was rather interesting, for sure. We tried to find some Beatles' memorabilia, but even with as many shops as there were, they didn't have much of anything. We also explored St. George's museum--so beautiful! Jess may make an album entirely out of pictures from that.
We ate lunch at The Grapes, where an early picture of the Beatles was taken. Then we set out on our own, away from the group to explore! We found a huge outdoor mall, which was beautiful. Andrew had to find some shoes for him this evening's concert, so we worked on that. We ate dinner at Subway--terribly American but we were running late to get back to the hotel and change before the concert. It is terribly embarrassing to be an American abroad?? Andrew has been trying his hand at his British accent when it is just the two of us, but has yet to be brave enough to try it on a real Britain. We were thinking of carrying a Canadian flag or wearing buttons saying "we voted for Obama" so that people will be nicer to us. Unfortunately we brought neither :-( It is rather strange. A woman on the street asked Andrew for directions, but as soon as she heard him answer, she went "OH." rudely.
In contrast, the reception for the big band at the Rotarians' club was overwhelmingly well-received!! It was just outside of Liverpool. A rather elderly English gentleman named Graham, who Andrew referred to as "crusty," supplied the drums. He has been playing drums since 1926--his cymbals, drumkit, and hardware was from when he came to New York in the 1940s. For any drummers – the kit was an 5-piece Rogers kit in a beautiful blue wrap, the cymbals were various Zildjians from the 50s, a Ufip crash from the 70s, and 16” china with 2 rivets. Also, the cymbal felts were foam reinforced with duct tape and the wingnuts were literally "nuts". Dave, our bassist, was playing on an electric upright and Mike, our piano player was playing on a toy Yamaha keyboard. You know, the one that everyone has in their basement...
Anyways, Graham told many stories, some of which Andrew could understand… After he came over from England and landed in Newfoundland, he joined the Scottish 148th Airborne band, because he couldn't join the musicians' union. Fast forward 70 years- He's still playing in a big band based in Liverpool! There were adorable little old couples dancing -- it is one of Jess's favorite things to see little old people dancing. One even invited the vocalist, Amy, to dance with him!
We got back to the hotel and of course immediately updated the blog. We both brought a travel journal but have yet to write in them; hopefully tonight we'll have some more time, but we also have the "steak and strawberries" barbecue and dance to go to! Today we also leave Devonshire House and Hotel to go to a Rotarian host family -- more to come!
This morning we had breakfast at the Devonshire House Hotel--the brands for things are the same but not always the product. Jess had "Wheat and Fruit" for breakfast!
We met up with some of the other band members as well as Rotarians who are hosting us went exploring Liverpool. We saw the street where the Beatles got a bit of there start--and met Sam Leach! It was rather interesting, for sure. We tried to find some Beatles' memorabilia, but even with as many shops as there were, they didn't have much of anything. We also explored St. George's museum--so beautiful! Jess may make an album entirely out of pictures from that.
We ate lunch at The Grapes, where an early picture of the Beatles was taken. Then we set out on our own, away from the group to explore! We found a huge outdoor mall, which was beautiful. Andrew had to find some shoes for him this evening's concert, so we worked on that. We ate dinner at Subway--terribly American but we were running late to get back to the hotel and change before the concert. It is terribly embarrassing to be an American abroad?? Andrew has been trying his hand at his British accent when it is just the two of us, but has yet to be brave enough to try it on a real Britain. We were thinking of carrying a Canadian flag or wearing buttons saying "we voted for Obama" so that people will be nicer to us. Unfortunately we brought neither :-( It is rather strange. A woman on the street asked Andrew for directions, but as soon as she heard him answer, she went "OH." rudely.
In contrast, the reception for the big band at the Rotarians' club was overwhelmingly well-received!! It was just outside of Liverpool. A rather elderly English gentleman named Graham, who Andrew referred to as "crusty," supplied the drums. He has been playing drums since 1926--his cymbals, drumkit, and hardware was from when he came to New York in the 1940s. For any drummers – the kit was an 5-piece Rogers kit in a beautiful blue wrap, the cymbals were various Zildjians from the 50s, a Ufip crash from the 70s, and 16” china with 2 rivets. Also, the cymbal felts were foam reinforced with duct tape and the wingnuts were literally "nuts". Dave, our bassist, was playing on an electric upright and Mike, our piano player was playing on a toy Yamaha keyboard. You know, the one that everyone has in their basement...
Anyways, Graham told many stories, some of which Andrew could understand… After he came over from England and landed in Newfoundland, he joined the Scottish 148th Airborne band, because he couldn't join the musicians' union. Fast forward 70 years- He's still playing in a big band based in Liverpool! There were adorable little old couples dancing -- it is one of Jess's favorite things to see little old people dancing. One even invited the vocalist, Amy, to dance with him!
We got back to the hotel and of course immediately updated the blog. We both brought a travel journal but have yet to write in them; hopefully tonight we'll have some more time, but we also have the "steak and strawberries" barbecue and dance to go to! Today we also leave Devonshire House and Hotel to go to a Rotarian host family -- more to come!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Day 1 and 2: Travel & Arrival
HELLO!
Welcome to the adventures of Andrew and Jess; our 2 week tour of Europe with the River Cities Jazz Band.
Our first flight from Appleton to Milwaukee was cancelled so we were given ground transportation to MKE to make our connecting flight. We flew from MKE to the Twin Cities, where we met up with the rest of RCJ. First things first, dinner at Chili's in the airport: MARGARITAS!
Then we finally boarded our trans-atlantic flight at 9:30 pm on Wednesday. Jess watched a movie while Andrew slept. Constantly.
After traveling for over 24 hours, we have finally settled down just outside of Liverpool, in a little Rotary hotel called Devonshire Place. How British! Jess keeps talking about the British cows on the countryside, but Andrew maintains that they are just cows who happen to be in the UK, not British cows.
The hotel is lovely, as is the view from our window! Everyone of course speaks with a distinct British accent, which is strange to Jess to be coming out of real people rather than a tv character. At the airport in Heathrow, Jess was extremely confused when asked if she wanted her tea "fa'ear" or "take-away." We're also meeting tomorrow for breakfast at half eight! The concert on Saturday is going to be a "bit of a do" and we'll be fed a traditional "steak and strawberries barbecue."
Stay tuned for more adventures!
Welcome to the adventures of Andrew and Jess; our 2 week tour of Europe with the River Cities Jazz Band.
Our first flight from Appleton to Milwaukee was cancelled so we were given ground transportation to MKE to make our connecting flight. We flew from MKE to the Twin Cities, where we met up with the rest of RCJ. First things first, dinner at Chili's in the airport: MARGARITAS!
Then we finally boarded our trans-atlantic flight at 9:30 pm on Wednesday. Jess watched a movie while Andrew slept. Constantly.
After traveling for over 24 hours, we have finally settled down just outside of Liverpool, in a little Rotary hotel called Devonshire Place. How British! Jess keeps talking about the British cows on the countryside, but Andrew maintains that they are just cows who happen to be in the UK, not British cows.
The hotel is lovely, as is the view from our window! Everyone of course speaks with a distinct British accent, which is strange to Jess to be coming out of real people rather than a tv character. At the airport in Heathrow, Jess was extremely confused when asked if she wanted her tea "fa'ear" or "take-away." We're also meeting tomorrow for breakfast at half eight! The concert on Saturday is going to be a "bit of a do" and we'll be fed a traditional "steak and strawberries barbecue."
Stay tuned for more adventures!
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