Beds of the Bard

With only a day or two to get my act together at home in Minnesota, I found myself on the road again. Driving south on the 61 for hundreds of miles to reach Jackson, Mississippi. I set out with 932 miles ahead of me at 6.45 and found myself in St. Louis by about 3 o clock and thinking earlier I might stop there for the night, ‘twas far too early really. So out with me again after a few bits of grub form the St. Louis Bread Company. Next stop was in Sikeston, Missouri at Lambert’s Café. Half dazed from near 600 miles under me I walked in and took a table to myself, I should have sat at the bar in fairness. I had seen the place on TV’s Man ‘v’ Food and remembered stopping there years before with Jimmy Crowley but we didn’t eat that time, ‘twas too busy as I recall. While seated I ordered a tea, and a bread roll was thrown into my hand and more food besides offer. Soup was all I was after but alas none was to be found, a man looking for a light, low-cholesterol snack had come to the wrong place. The craic was mighty in there.

The waiter was intrigued by my Irishness and the fact that I was a touring musician, ‘Have you a CD?’ he asked. ‘Bobby,’ I said, ‘I have a few hundred in the car with me.’
I was looking to book a hotel in the town on my iPhone but ‘twas too slow. Bobby, fair play to him, said the tea was on him and gave me a Lambert’s Café mug, so I brought him in a CD and he then gave me a book about the place and a cinnamon roll (how can we stay healthy on the American roadways I ask myself).
Leaving, feeling good about myself and a biteen refreshed I headed out to the car where upon I noticed that they only take cash which I had none off!!! How quick as a people we have become used to the credit card. I wasn’t far off washing dishes.

South the road 120 odd miles with me to Memphis, or as close as I could get to it. My wife called and she, like a lifesaver, thankfully booked me a hotel in Memphis’ Southside on Priceline. I have a number of friends you I know would have been delighted to house me but I was so zonked I couldn’t face talking to anyone. It was by now 9.46pm and I was on the road for 15 hours and one minute, I am sure they can understand.
The hotel was grand, a nice clean La Quinta. My normal patter to a hotel clerk is
“The highest floor, away from the elevator and Ice machine, non-smoking.’ With an addition this night for a quiet side of the hotel, I needed a good night sleep. Not a bad room, I washed the remote control and balmed out. A funny lock on the door but clean at least. I plugged out the fridge and away to boo boos.

6am!!!! an unending sound awoke me from my slumber, my bladder was full so I had to rise and looking to see where the din was coming from, to my amazement I found that just outside my window was a Cement truck-loading bay. Beep, beep, beep as they reverse and the cement falling always into the big bellies on the back of them.
Will futile trials I did my best to wander back to sleep, alas a pitiful morning. I went down for the ‘free’ breakfast that these hotels offer, era never great, but free I bose?

Off out the door with me for another 200 miles…. must remember to stay away from Cement trucks in my next hotel patter.

A first glance of the Parisian Room!

Where else would you find me on the day of St. Valentine only Paris, France! As with the event of my sister getting married in Cork, Éire, my wife and I said we would strike off a day or two early and hit the land of the Baguette and climb the Eiffel tower again. Mitra found a beautiful boutique hotel within a stone’s throw of the famous structure and a reasonable rate, too, mind you! So, after a long day of hurrying out the door in a cab… hanging around…flying… waiting…flying… a bus, a metro train and a short stroll we made it to the place. The lovely girl behind the desk, who was willing an able to speak the Saxon tongue, gave us an upgrade to a larger room with a balcony view because she was feeling good! Well, fair play to her!

Paris, je t'aime

Le view is very nice!

Paris is a wonderfully planned city and a joy to walk around, even in the blistering cold. We had left Minnesota’s harsh winter behind us but forgot that 32F/0C is still not warm…

At about 2am after a non-stop day and a midnight sojourn up the Tour Eiffel we dropping into bed. Two single beds pushed together, what do the people be thinking? We set no alarm but planned a heavy day of sight seeing the following morning…. It was gone half two the next afternoon when we finally got up, slept the whole morning through. Era, we got over the idea of rushing around and went on our way to see what we could; Mona and the Arc, walked down the Champs and then we cycled out to the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur! Another exhausted pair and more slept till the race for the airport the following day… to Cork.

To sum up the hotel and the room, I would say that it is lovely and romantic. Very small for a Yank, so used to fierce sized rooms and beds but great for Paris. So close to the places you want to see. The bath was a bit high to step into and the bed was two single beds??? The view was striking and the staff were great. If Paris has me back again, it is here I will stay.

Isn't it awful they have a double headboard and two single beds pushed together?

After leaving the frozen north lands behind me with my true love I ventured to sail alone around the warm waters where the Americas join together. Florida was refreshing as I stripped down to only 2 layers of clothing. A few stops of inspection with tight security, but the most friendly customs officers that ever I met this world over, and all about the MSC Poesia and my cabin for the week. I launched off my sweat laden shirts and put on a t-shirt to walk outside for the first time in a whileen.

Aaaahhh!

Just like home..

A cabin to myself and with a sea view, sure what else would you want. A fine place on the ships lower decks, Deck 5, and with shower, jax and wash basin. Storage for plenty of clothes and a safe. A telly and plenty of outlets.

With word that Cruise ships are an unending meal I made a rule for myself not the take the elevator upward…so with most of the buffets on floor 13 I would hope to work off most of the desserts!! It was great to met all the ‘Irish’ on board, the ship is massive with about 1400 guests on board but only a few hundred of those where part of the Irish group. Old friends from Minnesota, Kansas and California and new friends from all over the Irish world. I finally took a nap when the first band, Ennis, a fantastic band from Newfoundland when on stage as we were to follow them. Horror stuck, I didn’t set any alarm and fell into a deep sleep, the first of many on that bed…. awoke in a sweat and jump into my stage clothes and ran to the function room just in the nick of time, whosoever is watching over me is very kindly keeping me out the height of trouble.
The room itself is big enough to cater for 4 people. If you can see from the photos above there are two more beds that can come from the gable ends of the room and then the main bed is, in very European style and most annoying to myself, two single beds pushed together. All alone in the spacious place and my poor wife at home alone in the Tundra of Minnesota. They come and clean it two or three times a day and turn the bed down each night. Luxury, or what?

Neat and tidy...not my doing

Life is hard sometimes

What else can I say?

I found myself singing, laughing, atein’ and sleepin’ for the following few days. So much so that early morning was becoming a burden so I ordered breakfast in bed. No charge like, a little lite European breakfast, hot chocolate, croissant etc.

‘Twas often I came back to the room for a rest here and there, I don’t know was there any night I was in bed before 3am bar the last night maybe as we had to disembark so early. It was a lovely bed and with the gentle sway of the ocean one or two nights I slept like a baby. When the bed would be made for me every night and maybe a few minutes of reading I was happy as Larry. Half way through the week I got bored of the right side of the bed and there was a bit of blanket astray underneath so I switched to the left.

I can’t wait to get back on board next year as it looks very likely to come to pass, may I live so long, anyone able to enjoy life should come along and have the craic. But if my life is worth anything, I better bring my wife or she will have my head on a plate before too long.

We all left the boat and flew to our homes and I was glad to be home in the cold all the same with a fierce amount of blankets around me once more.

Sometimes when your flight is so early in the morning you shiver at the thought of getting up so early, but America seems to be built on business during ungodly hours for normal people. After driving in the snow for my venture to Austin, TX in December I decided to make a night of it and took my wife out to dinner and a bit of shopping in the extravaganza known as MOA or The Mall of America! Such a place only the Merickay mind set could come up with. With being out o late and getting up so early…6.30 flight if you please, we stayed with friends who were also getting the same flights to Fort Lauderdale, FL to catch the Mary Rowley Ship www.IrishTours.com. Brian Miller and Norah Rendell’s house in frozen St. Paul, MN. We had fierce craic as the lads were only back from the recording studio themselves and not a stitch packed. ‘Twas a full house with Brian’s sister was down to mid the house and Two Tap Trio band mate Nathan bedded down seeing as he was flying too. After too much tea and chatting we ventured up to Brian’s office, en-suite et all! A lovely futon with copious amounts of blankets. It seemed we hit the pillow and ’twas to time to rise again. So, will a soft and sorry tired head we headed out into he bitter cold, tried to salt the steps and drove off into the darkness and flew to warmer nights in the Caribbean!!

Upon arrival in Texas the heat was a lovely change after leaving Minnesota’s harsh winter morning. Tired but excited I met all who were part of the Celtic Christmas ensemble in the Bishops hall next to Austin’s Cathedral. Onto the hotel. A lovely Sheraton, right close to the church, and a grand sized bed. With no time to get a good nap, I called down for room service and had a shower.

Life is good sometimes...you know?

The food arrived, a nice tomato soup and ceasar salad. Glup, glup and off to sing and tell stories at Austin’s Celtic Christmas.

This was a two night stay and the first night was early enough as we, those who had traveled in to play, were a bit tired and full of salsa.
How did the room get so messy?

Early start to the day but very rested as the bed was fine Queen size cot to lie in. A day out with the Twiggers, good friend’s from the town, and didn’t I buy a hat that would cause much umbridge to Yanks and off to the gig with a mexican glup in the lead in. Another full house and a few hours chatting and off to bed early enough. That said, our party was spilt into two and I had to find a lift to the plane as early as 6.15am…. what kind of a job has people up that early you ask? Life has it’s ups and downs. Anyhow, all sorted and packed and asleep for about half two or three o’clock. A great weekend with great friends. Not a bad bed either.

This is after 40 minutes?

An early rise of 4am from my bed in Rochester, Minnesota had me on the road north driving in the ice and snow to the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport bound for Austin, Texas to play a Celtic Christmas concert that night. No bother getting onto the plane but once in my seat we were told that there was a ‘problem’ with he Black Box. A bit of a delay and a second d-icing but us back an hour. Needless to say I missed my connection in Memphis, by only 7 minutes mind you. To my disgust I was offered $7 by Delta.late for a breakfast in the terminal. I complained a biteen and got another tenner for lunch. That wasn’t enough for me, 3 hours and 56 minutes of my day lost forever, so I was given $50 in a travel voucher. A dumb priest never got a parish, they say.
I got rubbish food in fairness. Exhausted and a fierce weight on my back I took to taking a rest and shut my eyes for a short time at Gate B2. After well needed shut eye and a stiffer back than what I had before lying down I took a look at the seat. ‘Twould do your heart and mind no good to know what is close to your nose sometimes… God the filth and dirt. Era, life is hard on the road.
My music box that feeds my headphones which is also a phone was running out so I changed seats and practiced the new songs I had to know for the evening, an exciting time to be doing new schtuff!!
The following flight was grand and I was over joyed to be in the relative heat of the Lone Star State in mid December.

Nice from afar!

What colour should it be?

Second bed but no rest.

Who makes the power?