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DAY 10 – SEPTEMBER 8TH:
Sure
seems like we’ve been gone longer than 10 days! No time to exercise this
morning because we have to leave for the airport at 9 am. Had a quick breakfast
and started “rounding” everyone up for the departure. We were 15 minutes late
and I couldn’t find Joey or his Dad. Had just seen them in the lobby and then
they just disappeared. Someone said his Dad had walked over to the military
base. I was concerned that I had 20 pieces of excess to get checked in plus Chely’s sound guy had a ticket issued in the wrong name. I finally just left a
message with the front desk asking them to tell Joey and his dad that we had to
leave and they should take a taxi to the airport. We had all their luggage on
the bus and Ann agreed to watch it until they could get there.
Delta wouldn’t let Jeff board because the ticket was in the wrong “first”
name. It took quite a while to get that sorted out but they finally allowed
him on. Then, Delta charged me triple what I paid for excess on the way over.
Seems strange since I had one less piece than we started out with! They also
refused to let Clay carry his guitar on even though he had no problem carrying
it on when we departed the U.S. Got all that figured out and by that time the
flight had “closed”. My guys had to hustle to make it to the gate. I had to
take a Skytram over to the next terminal to catch my flight to Athens.
As there always is at the end of one of these tours, there was a lot of
“reflecting” on things that happened and stories being shared. At the really
remote Camp (Orgun E), four of my guys got to go right outside the gate and see
a road that the locals had built “by hand”. It was only a very short segment
but they could not have been prouder of what they had accomplished. Several
children came up to talk with my guys and they spoke amazingly good English.
One young boy pointed out a tree and said, “That’s where we used to have our
school classes. Now thanks to the American soldiers we have this nice building”
and he pointed to their new school. The children and their parents love the
Americans and are so appreciative of what we are doing to improve their quality
of life. We didn’t meet any soldiers who didn’t believe in their mission in
Afghanistan and all were proud to be a part of liberating these people.
Flight to Greece was uneventful and I was met at the exit from Customs by the
Greece Country Music Association – the promoter (Nikos), his father, mother and
brother and his “staff”. There were so many people – all kissing me on the
cheek and handing me roses. This is a VERY big event for them. Even though
this is the 3rd Country Music Festival, it’s the first time they have
an artist from the U.S. performing.
The hotel is located right in the center of the city…only a couple of block from
Parliament. I can see the Acropolis from my window! I worked on email until
around 10 pm and then went to the “nightclub” that the promoter owns. He has
turned it into a “Texas Honkytonk”. All his relatives and staff were there but
he was at the radio station. He has a radio show every night for 3 hours where
he plays country music. As we were driving to the nightclub, I heard him
talking about me and Danni on the radio.
We left for the airport at midnight to meet Danni Leigh and her musicians’
flight which was supposed to land at 12:25 am. When we arrived at the airport,
we learned it was going to be 1 hour late! So, we went to have coffee and
wait. They are on Altalia (Italian airlines) and that airline is always
unpredictable! When they finally landed, one guy learned that his bag never got
checked in Bilboa (where they departed from). He’ll probably NEVER see that bag
again! Danni had almost the same welcoming committee that I had. Made it back
to the hotel and got into bed at 4 am! Lobby call is moved to 1 pm for
sightseeing.
Jude
DAY 11 –
SEPTEMBER 9TH:
Got up at 9
am and went jogging. Ran down to the Parliament and then circled it. Finally
found an entrance into the “gardens” and ran around those. The weather is
BEAUTIFUL and I did NOT get lost. We’re going sightseeing most of the day
today. I ran past the old Olympic Stadium and wished that I had brought my
camera with me. The Acropolis is “lit” at night and it is breathtaking –
sitting high atop a hill.
Came back to the hotel and had breakfast with Danni and Adam then ran up for a
quick shower. There is a “window” inside the bathroom but it is adjacent to a
wall. It was open slightly so I peeked inside. It is actually the “access” to
the plumbing pipes BUT there is a window in the room next to mine as well, so
both sides can see inside. It’s a little unnerving to take a shower knowing
that the people in the next room could look in at any time!
The bathtub/shower is pretty funny. The tub is all of 3 feet long and the sides
of it are about 4 feet high! It’s one of the “hand-held” type showers and the
water pressure will knock you down, it’s so strong. I turned on the water and
then put the shower wand up in the “hanger” above my head. It immediately
flipped over and sprayed the ceiling which of course, wet EVERYTHING in the
bathroom. What a mess!
Met our promoter, his family and the Country Music Association to go
sightseeing. We walked all around the Acropolis and the museum. There are
artifacts from 500 and 600 B.C. which just astounds me. And, get this, there is
not ONE bird that flies over the entire Acropolis area. Usually, buildings
like that would be covered with pigeons. And, I know there are pigeons because
I had to dodge them on my morning run. It is very strange that they do not come
to the Acropolis. There is something about the “sacredness” of the area that
keeps them away.
After several hours of sightseeing and several hundred photos later, we went to
a traditional Greek restaurant that opened in 1930. The food was incredible –
Greek salad (of course), fried cheese, a yogurt dip with fresh bread, rice and
mincemeat wrapped in a grape leave, these large lima beans with some kind of
sauce, a pastry with spinach --- and that was just the appetizers! Then they
brought out Moussaka (?) which is a traditional dish that takes 8 hours to
prepare. The bottom is potatoes and there is a layer of eggplant and mincemeat
and then the pastry. It was delicious. They also had potato wedges that had
been baked in olive oil and spices.
After stuffing ourselves, we went shopping because we just “happened” to be
right on the shopping street. I found a few souvenirs but need to go again
tomorrow afternoon to finish up! I purchased some 100% Olive Oil soap in one
little shop and the salesman was the typical Greek Casanova. He told me his
name is Antonio and asked all kinds of questions about where I was from, what I
was doing here, etc. Then when he gave me my change, he kissed me twice –
“almost on the cheek”. Gotta’ love those Greek men!
Came back to the hotel at 7 pm and worked until 9:30 pm when we had to go to
Nikos’ radio show. There was also a camera crew there. They interviewed Danni
on TV and on the radio and then I had to be interviewed. Those of you who know
me so well, KNOW that I prefer not to be on camera or on the radio. Would much
rather be on the other side of the camera/microphone. Plus Nikos is telling the
audience that I am the most powerful and beautiful woman in all of Nashville.
No pressure there!
We went to his nightclub but everyone inside was smoking so I had to sit
outside. But, the weather is absolutely perfect, so it was nice out. I had an
iced Greek coffee that was to die for. Stayed until about 1 am and then had
them bring me back to the hotel so I could finish up my emails.
Getting up to run with Danni at 9:30 am tomorrow.
Jude
DAY 12 – SEPTEMBER 10TH:
We ran about 3 miles which was
all we thought we had time to do and still be ready for an 11:30 am
departure. Of course, we got a call 30 minutes prior to our departure saying
that sound check was going to be 30 minutes later than anticipated. Very
“normal” for any event and really glad to have the extra 30 minutes. When we
were running, Danni saw a large turtle crossing our path and heading for the
road. She wanted to pick it up and put it back in the grass but I was afraid
it would try to snap at her. We circled around during our jog and he was
still heading towards the street. She picked him up and he put his head and
legs inside the shell. But when she started walking, everything came back out
and he was moving his legs like he was swimming as fast as he could! She got
him into the grass and “safety”.
Woke up with another migrane but
I KNOW it’s because the customs agents in Afghanistan made me throw away my
herbal medicines. I take Fever Few and that definitely helps me keep the
migranes away. I looked for Fever Few in all the pharmacies in Frankfurt and
here in Athens but no one has ever heard of it.
The internet connection is very frustrating. It’s a “dial up” so it’s
extremely slow. Then, I get charged PER MINUTE and it feels like a real rip
off when it gets “stuck” just trying to open or send an email. Ah
well…welcome to a foreign country!
The elevators in the hotel are the “older” style where you can actually see
the doors to each floor as you pass it. Then, you have to physically “open”
the doors when it stops. EVERY time I get on and think it’s going down, it
goes up! When the doors opened today, I asked a man who was already in the
elevator if it was going up or down and he said down. Got on….we went up!
Then a couple tried to get on with massive amounts of luggage and I told them
it was going up. They got on and we went down!
The mattress on the bed is like sitting on the floor. I’ve never felt one
that is so hard and inflexible. But, surprisingly enough, I slept just fine
on it. Could be because I’m dead tired and only sleep on it for 3-4 hours!
Yesterday when we were sightseeing, Danni grabbed my arm and said, “did you
see who that was?” I thought I had missed out on seeing some celebrity but
it was actually a “fanactical fan” of hers that comes to a lot of her
concerts. But, to come to GREECE all the way from Holland was a bit bizarre!
He always shows up and takes tons of photos and then asks her to sign all of
them when he’s in the autograph line. It’s easy enough to get her performance
schedule off the internet but to SHOW up in Athens and to know exactly when we
were going sightseeing and where is what worried me. Our schedule had changed
several times and we actually started our sightseeing several hours later in
the day than planned. PLUS, we had no idea where they were taking us first.
So, he was either lurking about our hotel and followed us OR since he had been
there for several days already, he staked out the Acropolis each day and just
waited. Either way is unacceptable and puts him in the category of “stalker”
in my book. He came up and immediately started trying to take photos of
Danni. Our promoter pulled him aside and had a “chat” with him and he left
her alone the rest of the day. I’m sure he was somewhere hiding behind a
column with a highpowered Zoom camera snapping away.
We went to sound check and the venue is spectacular. There are bleachers and
a stage and it’s inside an old rock quarry. The bleachers face the rocks and
the stage is surrounded on 3 sides by the rock wall. An absolutely perfect
setting for the event. Sound check was pretty painless…just lots of feedback
to “deal” with. Took a little longer than anticipated.
After soundcheck, I walked to the center of town to do some last minute panic
shopping. Had promised several people I would pick up items for them and I
think I got everyone taken care of.
We drove out to the show and Danni had interviews with Associated Press (the
reporter was a cute female from OHIO and she was interning with AP in Greece)
plus the 2 major television stations in Greece. The venue seats 2,000
comfortably and it was COMPLETELY sold out. A wonderful start to the first
Country Music Festival to feature and American country music artist in
Greece. Right before the show, the promoter came up to me and said that I
needed to “say a few words” to open the event. I paced and practiced for at
least 30 minutes worrying about what I would say. When I actually got on the
stage, I couldn’t see anyone in the audience because of the lights. It was
all pretty much a blur because I was so nervous but they said I did great.
Whew. Just don’t like being on stage. That’s not in my job description!
A great Greek Country Music band – Lost Highway - opened the festival. They
only sang cover songs but they had NINE people on stage. Then Danni took the
stage and captivated the audience for TWO HOURS. She was amazing. The
audience knew all of her songs because Nikos (the promoter) has been playing
her on his radio show for months. It was a great, great beginning for the
Country Music Festival in Athens, Greece. We’re already preparing for next
year’s event. One thing I plan to differently is spent more than 2 days in
Greece!
Danni signed autographs for I think, everyone in the audience. She was very
patient and kind to everyone. They certainly don’t understand the concept of
“getting in one line” and it took several of us constantly encouraging them
just to keep things moving along. The owner of the venue finally came out and
said he had to close us down. By then it was 2 am. And, of course, the
fanatical fan had shown up with a couple of dozen photos he wanted signed.
The security guard had to tell him ONE autograph only. He was not happy. I
wonder what he can possibly do with the hundreds of autographed items he has
now?
Got in bed by 3 am and had to get up at 7 to get ready to go to the airport.
Danni and her boys get to sleep in as they are spending one more night in
Greece. They have to move to another hotel because all the hotels in downtown
Athens are sold out due to a huge conference that is in town. Sure wish I
could have stayed over one more day!
DAY 13 – SEPTEMBER 11TH!
For someone who hates to fly, why in the world
did I agree to fly back home on my 13th day of travel and on 9/11 as
well?
Nikos
picked me up to take me to the airport and, of course, had several gifts for me
– Ouzo, Greek wine, and a beautiful shirt that says “Wild Girl” on it. It
makes me laugh to think that they see me that way. If traveling all over the
world and never sleeping makes me a “wild girl”, then I guess I fit the
description. Now I have a very heavy “carry on” bag.
No problem getting checked in and we have a very sweet flight crew! I’ve got to
get some “thank yous” written during the flight. Will only be home until
September 20th when I have to go to D.C. to meetings and then
straight to Switzerland for another festival.
It was such an honor to be a part of the first Country Music Festival to feature
American country music in Greece. The venue was perfect and Danni was
absolutely the right artist to introduce the people of Greece to this style of
music. Now I can add another “first” to my belt – first country music events in
Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Brazil, Finland, not sure where else!
The flight appeared to be full and I was sitting in the “middle section” (seats
were 2 – 2 -2. When they served the drinks and nuts, the flight attendants
totally skipped over me and my seatmate. He had to ask them to bring us
something. Then when they served the meal, they skipped us again. I was
beginning to feel invisible. My tv monitor had a “short” in it which caused it
to quit working about every 5 minutes. Plus NONE of the movies were on that
were advertised and one channel (the one with all the NEW movies) was out
entirely. About 3 hours into the flight, two kids got up and started running up
and down the aisles, screaming and laughing. One little boy had a straw and he
stopped at EVERY seat and poked each person with the straw. If they were
asleep, he kept poking them until they woke up. The mother and father and
flight attendants were totally ignoring them. I know how much we paid for
business class seats and I do not want to be kept awake by some kid poking me
with a straw. Someone finally complained before I did and the kids sat down.
Then about one hour prior to landing, they started again. I came out of the
lavatory just as the little boy came flying down the aisle. He slammed straight
into the door, bounced off and with a stunned look on his face, took his seat by
his parents! Oops. Not my fault.
Landed one hour early in JFK. Flight to Nashville was on time and I arrived
back with ALL my bags!
J
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