My fall concert tour – music that fills your heart
Chapter Fifteen
Normally I don’t ‘do’ concerts. They are usually at night and crowded. With limited vision, this raises my anxiety levels. But, when I heard 40 Fingers was coming back to the States, I knew I’d see them again – but twice? Oh YEAH!
40 Fingers – Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria, VA
The 4 guys and their 40 fingers and the music they create, has calmed me down more than once especially during my lengthy hospital stays. They are extremely talented. They do not sing but they do know how to strum guitar strings! Karen is humoring me by taking me to see them twice while they are in the states again this year.The guys played for 2 hours. A lot of strumming was done! Audience participation was encouraged and there were some shenanigans from the guys as well. It was an enjoyable concert except for the guy’s head blocking my view! Birchmere offers a unique seating system – you arrive early and get a number. When your number is called you show your tickets and find the best seat available. Many people get a ticket for up to 6 people to enter. So even though we were #15, the front tables were mostly taken. I don’t like getting squished in between people so we went to the far end of the front row table so we could turn our chairs towards the stage. Next time, front row seats!
40 Fingers – Philadelphia, PA
Second verse, same as the first! (See above). Karen humored me again as we decided to camp out at the Four Seasons Philadelphia to see these guys once more at City Winery, a nice venue..
It’s joked that the member tipping his head towards mine only likes women over 70…I qualified! LOL
ABBA Tribute – MGM Oxon Hill, MD
More ABBA? Sure why not! We enjoyed our visit to Stockholm, Sweden and the ABBA Museum. We’ve enjoyed their music for years. This will be the second time seeing an ABBA concert. The first time was with the original 4 members.This time, the bass player was a member of the original ABBA band. I can see the MGM Hotel/Casino from my bedroom window. We’ve driven by it many times but never entered. MGM had their fall decorations on display.
Michael Cavanaugh – Baltimore Symphony
Michael Cavanaugh is a very talented musician. So talented in fact that Billy Joel chose him to star in Movin’ Out on Broadway. Micheal is currently located in Las Vegas, where we saw him when we lived there. He used to play dueling pianos at one of the casinos. Now he travels the country playing with various symphonies for an interesting concert concept. He also gives weekly FB concerts from his home studio, something he started during the pandemic and continues today.
The road to Baltimore needs repaving! Wow! What a bumpy ride and not great for someone who exhibits motion sickness. This is new to me and I have to be honest, I don’t like it! We had a great time enjoying Michael’s music and watching the conductor’s ‘antics’ as he directed the orchestra. The drummer was also in Movin’ Out. The saxophone player was great. Michael travels with his own guys – keyboard/guitar; lead guitar; bass guitar, drummer and horn player. I’m not sure what some of the people expected of the concert but I did hear some comments that maybe they were better off staying home. I’m guessing the comments were from loyal patrons of the BSO. But we came to enjoy and hear Michael’s music and we did! I think his busy schedule may be creeping up on him as he was having a bit of a problem hitting some of the higher notes. One of the favorite pieces was one that Michael wrote about music riffs. It was a bit weird to hear professionally trained concert musicians playing In-a-gadda-da-vida for sure! LOL No pictures were allowed but my sneaky photographer grabbed a few anyway! We had great seats!
One thing I will say about the venue is that the ushers are amazing. My walker was delivered to my row at intermission and at the end of the concert. It was tagged with my seat location. The venue is handicap accessible. The parking is a short walk away but handicap parking spaces are very limited. Get there plenty early if you need one.
I swear this guy doesn’t age! He’s 51 and looks about 30.
Once again, Karen’s boss has been very generous with her approval for time off even though she glitched this particular schedule. She truly understands ‘family before job’. Karen’s colleagues have been very supportive and understanding as well. It’s a small department so whenever someone is on vacation or personal days, scheduling coverage becomes a nightmare. Thank you guys (and yes, they are all guys except Karen!) for your generosity and understanding.
Music is one of the only things in this world that you can count on. No matter how you feel, there is always that one song that can match your mood.
After long overnight flights with 2 layovers, we finally arrived in Prague. We met the Viking team and transferred to the Hilton Prague for our 2-night stay. We also met our program director for the cruise, Claudia, and received a welcome introduction of what to expect.
We hopped on the HoHo outside our hotel on day 2. We like taking these tours as you see more than you would if you walked around only one area. Plus the commentary gives you points of interest along the way with history and local tidbits.
Prague is a Czech Republic city that has rebuilt itself after fires, floods and conflict. It is also known as the City of 100 Spires. The architecture on the buildings is amazing. The cobblestones not so much! The one thing I’ve wanted to see is the famous astronomical clock. The crowds show up early to view this historical clock. We decided to sit at a cafe and have a beer to add to Karen’s Beers of the World collection and wait for the next hour, luckily missing a rain shower. Everyone wanted to see the clock so once again the crowds formed. Even being at what we felt was up close was still in the back of the crowd so to speak. Each man, woman and child for themselves! The crowd cheered and clapped as a bride emerged from the church as the clock struck the hour.
After viewing the clock we battled the crowd and headed to the river for an included boat tour. A mix up on the departure time found us eating a light lunch in a floating restaurant river-side. The hour long cruise pointed out some sites we might not have seen and we sailed under the Charles bridge, known for its statues. After the tour, we headed back to our nearby hotel to catch the last red line HoHo circuit. Time was quickly flying by so we did not get off again for further exploration. Had we not messed up on the boat tour time we would have been able to see a couple more interesting sites along this route’s itinerary.
I love looking at the windows and doors in these old and medieval towns. There’s so much to see in the details and pride of workmanship that sadly is a long-gone tradition. Now, people seem to want sleek lines and glass/mirrored glass. Gone is the character of centuries ago.
An interesting note – inside the round towers are actually square towers.The round tower was built around the square tower to help protect it from enemy fire.
Note: The double decker HoHo buses have a handicap ramp that is quite steep. The driver was helpful traversing the steep incline both on the bus and off.
Day 3 & 4 Bamburg, Germany
Long day on a bus from Prague to the north to Bamberg. Hilton Prague was ok. Grocery and restaurants nearby. Walking distance to old town. They also had a great gift shop with local ornaments and crafts.
Leisurely walking group tour of Bamberg. Our guide had the most unique laugh. More killer cobblestones. Karen added her first smoked beer to her Beers of the World collection. Postcard and stamp purchased but no post box found to mail it. Time for our life jacket drill on board then lunch then nap then more food for dinner.
Had lunch with passengers from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Canterbury, England which included great conversation. I have a new best friend even if I make her slow down!
43 locks to pass through on our way to Trier. As we pass through the countryside it is reminiscent of the Erie Canal in New York State. The shore is always within reach.
We decided to forego the educational enrichment talk and catch up on lost sleep. Onward to the evening port.
Definitely different than when the Christmas market is here (Nuremberg)!
Day 5 Wurzburg, Germany
On our way through the night and locks to Wurzburg. Looks so different from the winter Wurzburg we visited a few years ago. Then we were only interested in the Christkindl markt. Today we saw so much more. We started with a short bus ride from our docking location to the Residenz for a guided tour. What opulence! I can’t imagine ever living with so much gold leaf! Afterwards we chose to break away from the group and explore on our own. We listened to the melodious church bells at noon then went in search of lunch. Another bratwurst minus the sauerkraut (?) and no beer. We are in Wine Country now! So another stop was made at the Ratskellar beneath what reminds us of Rapunsel’s tower. A post box was found to mail Karen’s Bamberg post card and we saw new friends from the ship. We all walked back along the river to our docking location and enjoyed a few minutes on our verandah before nap time. After talking with the program director we decided to skip the day long tour into Heidelberg. Too much busing everywhere and time constraints. We will stay on board and enjoy the leisurely relocation of the boat to Miltenberg.We need a sea day. I’m getting too old for cobblestones and organized tours. Above picture is of Zeppelin Field, where Hitler addressed the troops. Today it is used as a gathering spot for the community to enjoy picnics and concerts, etc.
Excursion: Wurzburg Residenz and Walk
Day 6 Heidelberg, Germany
Another almost sleepless night of locks and bumps in the night. Lots of ship traffic on the river overnight. It was interesting watching the fog roll in across the countryside. Taking an easy out day today. No guided excursions. Just staying on the longboat and relaxing with a few others who opted out of Heidelberg. It was a tough decision but I’m glad we made it. Heard there was a very winding 2 hour bus ride and that’s just not for me. Also heard the plans for the rest of the day and given the option to sail during the day and dock in a cute medieval town, we chose what was behind door #2.
Our day in Miltenberg was very nice. Except of course for the killer cobblestones. We walked from the ship to the Main Street and enjoyed the architecture and the many beautiful half timber houses. Many of these houses sported window boxes overflowing with colorful flowers. We found a cute ice cream shop that served spaghetti eis (pronounced ice) and beer of all things! Our friends, Paul and Kim, turned us on to the delicious ice cream treat last year. Once the rest of the ship returned from their Heidelberg excursion we had our port talk before a night of German specialties for dinner. Even with the catch-up naps I was still tired and had an early bedtime. Only to be awakened again by passing through the many locks and bumping along as we did pass through. A definite treat was the glass blower brought on board for the evening’s entertainment. What skill! It took many years to perfect and build his name and collection of beautiful glass. We actually brought some home…no surprise there!
Damage report – I stubbed my big toe against the wheel of the wheelchair. You won’t believe the size of that blood filled blister! It surrounded my entire big toe. Normally we just let nature take its course but not this time. Too painful. Too large. Hard to put a sandal on over it. So we popped the big bruiser and worked at draining the fluids inside. We travel with a first aid kit which came in handy with antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment and extra large bandaids. Good news is no more pressure and it’s healing. It’s just always something with me. Nurse Karen is dealing with these travel interruptions very well.
Toe update – Had to visit the podiatrist once home as the blister refilled. Currently under a doctor’s care for this boo boo. The big orange shower boot is a hoot!
Additional report – remember my incident on day #1 in Lisbon? Where the seat came down on my knee? Well that is still causing problems for me. My latest trick is to place a lidocaine patch on my knee then wrap the knee area with an ace bandage. Definitely helps especially with all the cobblestones we seem to find and climbing bus steps and gang planks.
Hint #1 – upset tummy? Too much rich cruise food? Get some ginger chews, available on Amazon. No more chalky aftertaste from OTC antacids. Yes! They work! We picked up our first bag on our recent Pennsylvania Dutch road trip.
Hint #2 – not sure if cruising is for you? Motion sickness on those darn bus excursions? Waters a bit rough on your ocean cruise? Get some Bonine. Also available on Amazon. You can chew the tablet or just take with water.
Day 7 Mainz, Germany
Our scenic cruising through the Rhine castle corridor was amazing! To the left and to the right castle after castle appeared around every bend of the river. After leaving many of the passengers off the boat for an organized tour we did our own thing and visited St. Stephen’s church with more beautiful Chagall stained glass windows.
Castles and Vineyards along the way. My question is how do they harvest the grapes on those hills?
You know your vacation is coming to an end when you have the disembarkation talk. And yet another killer bus and walking excursion we opted to stay on board and for me to catch up on lost sleep yet again. Hopefully with no more locks in our future I will sleep better unless of course I have my days and nights mixed up.
Day 8 Cochem, Germany
Cochem is a charming town with yes, another castle on a hill and melodic church bells ringing. We enjoyed our evening on our own ending with flammkuchen (cracker pizza) at a lovey cafe riverside. As the sun set and the town lights came on it was a beautiful reflection on the water. The castle was aglow on overlooking the city. I can trace my heritage on my father’s side to Cochem where my 8-generation grandfather is from. Our ship was docked at the end, farthest away which didn’t make me too happy as there were no lights for the road. Having limited vision does not help when it’s dark. I soon became a headlight as I held Karen’s iPhone flashlight in front to help watch for potholes and other road hazards.
Day 9 Trier, Germany
Time to pack and be ready for the 6:30 am luggage call. Dirty clothes in this bag. Clean outfits for Paris in that bag. Disassemble Rollie and put in another bag. So happy we could bring Rollie as it was helpful on the ship to be independent and get around. Packing to leave Paris will be lots easier I think. Dinner and maybe an evening stroll around Trier tonight. We’ll see. I still am not a fan of going out at night.
Great! More passengers are complaining of being sick with colds and congestion. Please do not let me catch what they have! Karen is sick. She usually can recover quickly. Much more so than I.
UPDATE: Two weeks later and we are both still suffering from whatever the heck this thing we caught is. Cough! Cough!
We never made it to Trier our last night. We were blocked in at the dock by another boat and then I’m not sure why we didn’t leave and move on down the river until much later. Woke up in Trier but could not leave boat due to time constraints to board the bus for the long ride to our Paris hotel location. Hope we don’t encounter any road delays as we have a private night tour scheduled. Tomorrow we plan to tour with a HoHo bus to see as much of Paris as we can. Breakfast in the hotel then the rest of our meals are on our own. Sunday we depart for the airport and flights home. Happy we are flying into DCA as it’s in our backyard so no long car rides.
Day 10 Paris, France
The bus ride to Paris was way too long. One stop at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg and another quick stop in Reims. Had just enough time in Reims to see another church with beautiful stained glass windows, go potty and share a quick burger with Karen. Back on the bus again. I officially dislike bus excursions! This one was necessary however if I wanted to get to Paris. Finally we arrived. Check-in was quick. Up to the room. Back down for a quick bite. Then for Karen’s surprise to me. A private night tour! Paris in lights. Montmartre, George V Four Seasons Palace Hotel, Arc de Triumph, Champs Elysees and of course Cathedrale Notre-Dame deParis, stiil under reconstruction and the illumination of the Eiffel Tower – seen twice! We had a great driver, Kevin a young local, who actually turned into our tour guide as well. All too soon we were back to the hotel totally exhausted after a very long day.
Day 2 in Paris found us taking an Uber to the Eiffel Tower for our tour. Pretty cool but busy as all get out. Afterwards we hopped on the big red HoHo bus for a ride around Paris. Hopped off to eat and go potty then walked to another dock for our tour boat on the Seine. Yay for girl power! Our captain was female! Another full day in 90 degree temps. Less cobblestones but more people to dodge and gently remind who was in line first or who got handicap seating. Ugh. It gets ugly out there sometimes. Another late night dinner, say goodbye to new friends, repack and get 3 hours sleep before early morning luggage pickup and transfer to the airport. We were put on the wrong transfer bus and weren’t told until we were off the bus and got our luggage. Gave the driver our luggage back and reboarded the bus to get to the right terminal. *Sigh*
What did we learn on this trip? Well, bus excursions are not for me. Not all busses had front row handicap seating. Some drivers automatically lower the front of the bus to help with the climb up and exit down the bus steps. Some do not and will not. With the amount of handicap passengers on this tour, it always amazed me that ‘non-handicap’ people claimed the front seat. By handicap, I’m referring to those passengers who have mobility concerns and use assisted devices. Others had motion sickness and other unknown concerns. Still, I believe the front seats should be reserved for those in need. Some passengers who grabbed the front seats offered to move to a different seat, which I thought was generous and kind. I never took them up on it though as there was available seating without going to the back of the bus.
Paying extra for premium economy plane seats does have its perks. But when the person in front of you reclines their seat for the entire trip and the aisle seats are very solid on the edge it’s very difficult for someone like me to be able to stand and get out of my seat. The onboard lavatories are so very small. Again, difficult for me. The handicap lavs are usually too far from our seats to easily get too. Also the airline food has been pretty inedible.
I have a feeling this was my last trip of this type. It’s taken a toll on me. I know since 9/11 and Covid many things have changed. One thing I don’t care for is extended plane rides with 2 or more layovers. Even paying extra with cruise lines doesn’t give a better itinerary. I guess the days of direct flights have flown the coop!
And then home sweet home. What a trip!
People we met along the way – who ‘joined’ Our Red Dress World Tour and wore the red dress pin in support – Tucson, Arizona Iowa Los Angeles South Carolina Wichita, Kansas Chicago, Illinois Minneapolis, Minnesota Columbus, Ohio Connecticut North Carolina Georgia San Diego Vancouver, Canada Pennsylvania Australia Canterbury, England Probably more that I have forgotten! Sorry!
Dance before the music is over. Live before your life is over.
Health Update – For those who are interested…
My cardiologist team (who has since abandoned me) was not happy that I am traveling against their expressed wishes, but it’s the way I want to go out…doing what I love and seeing things I never dreamed of seeing as a child. I have good days and not so good days just like anyone else. But 10 months after I was expected to be gone by the doctors, I’m still here! I rest a lot and tire easily. But I still get up in the morning and do my best even if I don’t always put a bra on! (TMI?) And that’s all I can do. Surgery on my leg has been canceled.
So thanks for traveling with us. I hope you are enjoying it as much as we are! We are busy making memories!
Looking for Chapters 1-13 and all other blog posts? Please visit 20Steps.travel.blog!
Next amazing trip? Not for a couple of months yet. But don’t despair! We are still traveling maybe just closer to home for a while and experiencing as much as we can with the time allowed. Keep watching for your blog email to show up!
We need a sea day. I’m getting too old for cobblestones and organized tours. Above picture is of Zeppelin Field, where Hitler addressed the troops. Today it is used as a gathering spot for the community to enjoy picnics and concerts, etc. 
Twenty Steps at a Time 