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MONDAY, JULY 24TH:
I
have been in Europe since July 20th this time – first at a festival
in Norway with Dwight Yoakam and then a festival yesterday with Chely Wright in
Emmen, Holland. Now I will travel to another city in Holland where Chely will
perform at Schinnen for the NATO troops.
Our bus driver and bus arrived last night. Same company I have used for years
and LOVE. We left the hotel at 9 am and it took us about 3 ˝ hours to drive
from Emmen to Schinnen. Never knew Holland was so BIG. There were bunks and
two lounges on the bus….definitely the way to travel. I spent most of the trip
talking to Michael – the bus driver – and catching up on the “gossip”!
Arrive Schinnen and were greeted by our hosts. They took us to secure our ID
cards (even though we had id photos made in the U.S. and sent to AFE for this
very purpose. Ball got dropped somewhere) made and then we departed to the
Hotel in Maastricht. Beautiful little town and is supposedly the best shopping
in all of the Netherlands. Good thing I don’t have any free time again.
Encountered our first set of challenges. The street was too narrow for our
bus. Does that sound familiar from my Italy trip with Lee Ann Womack last
month? So, we had to unload our luggage and walk down the street to the hotel.
I confirmed that the hotel had wireless internet before we accepted the
booking. Upon checking in, we were told that it only worked on the first floor
rooms on the street side. So, I asked for those rooms. Of course, it did not
work when we got into our rooms. So I am on a dial up connection paying a high
price to answer my emails.
No air conditioning and it is MUCH hotter here. We do have fans in our rooms
and have moved them on top of tables in front of the windows but it still
doesn’t seem to be helping.
Everyone went walking around and I went to the lobby with Chely to do an
interview for a local radio station. Then I treated everyone to dinner at an
outdoor café near the hotel. It is much cooler outside than in our hotel
rooms. Came back to the hotel and am still working at 1:00 am. Hotel doesn’t
have a gym but there is one nearby but it doesn’t open until 9:30 am. Will
decide tomorrow if I am going to the gym or going to run but I will definitely
do one or the other!
Performance will take place tomorrow night at Schinnen.
Jude
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