Kicking around the idea of going to Spain for a month. Perhaps mid Oct to mid Nov.
Just hanging out and playing music in the street or any place. The trip could start in Lisbon and go down to Malaga. The idea is southern Spain because of the weather at that time of the year.
Nothing is set in stone. Spain for the weather. France, because I speak enough French to get in trouble. Italy, because it is one of the best places on earth. I don't speak Italian. I like Germany, but it is really very cold. Morocco? Never been, but I can say and understand a few words in their dialect. My budget is 5K based on going alone. Two of us could most likely go for 3K each.
If someone here would like to go on a musical adventure....
Billy
Last edited by Planobilly; 09/20/2511:33 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Just post my military picnic I worked at H.P. for a year, saved up enough and went off to Europe (solo) in summer of '70 for a couple of months. I traveled in several countries with a 3 month Eurorail Pass witch was 210$.
Spain was the best for my perspective. Be sure to hit Sitges on the southern coast....I spent several days there in a pension. Beautiful weather, friendly people, inexpensive restaurants, clean streets and 2 blocks from the Mediterranean. (I can't say the same for France)
I remember the three month $200 rail pass. It has increased to over $1000 nowadays.
Air transport is generally a good option now. I generally wind up with a combination of plane, train, bus, and car rental. The roads are really good everywhere in Europe, but the toll roads cost almost as much as fuel. Everything costs less in Spain.
My wife and I have been giving serious consideration to moving to Spain. We lived in France for three years and really enjoyed it there, but the weather wasn't so nice. We both speak French and Arabic. I speak Spanish, but Eva does not.
Language can become a challenging issue to overcome when living full-time in a foreign country. Eva is very fluent in Arabic, but I'm not so much. I am pretty fluent in French, but still don't understand all the words to songs or jokes.
The United States is a great place to make money, but I find Europe a better place to live in many ways.
I want to fly to Lisbon first to see a friend and play some music with her, and then on to Spain. I am also considering taking a short side trip to Morocco, as I have never been there before. Most people there can understand the dialect of Arabic I speak, but the Moroccan dialect is very difficult for me to understand. I used to have some Moroccan friends in Paris, so I have struggled with the dialect. There are a lot of musicians living and working in southern Europe from North Africa. I have played with some of them in Paris. Wonderful people to be around.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Good luck with the trip Billy, and don't forget to buy a few fake Rolex watches while in Spain, all the street hawkers used to sell them, well used to as I haven't been over for at least 20 years now, life moves on.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
Billy, sounds lovely. My family used to spend a month in Marbella every summer, and I'd take a week off and join them. Wonderful place with great food and some admirable cultural qualities. Never quite got the hang of eating the evening meal after 9 PM and dessert at midnight. Really got into siestas though.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
No Rolex watches for this kid! I spend all my money on boats, fishing, and musical stuff. The rest I have wasted on houses, cars, and stuff...lol
On my last trip to Europe, I got to spend a few days in Ireland. Ireland felt very much at home for some reason. I had a good time there. Most likely drank more Jameson than I should. Water of life and all that...
Funny thing about watches. The cheap Timex keeps better time than a Rolex. I have used them for years for celestial navigation.
The one thing that is a bit of a problem in southern Spain is that it is a long way from the rest of Europe. It is sort of like where I live now in South Florida. It is approximately six hundred miles to get out of the state.
I am sure I will find someone to hang out with there.
Oh, and by the way, siestas at my age are a requirement...lol
Billy
Last edited by Planobilly; 09/22/2503:55 AM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Funny thing about watches. The cheap Timex keeps better time than a Rolex.
Oh, and by the way, siestas at my age are a requirement...lol
Billy
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. That was the tagline in the Timex commercial where they strapped the watch to the tread on a snowcat.
I normally take a short siesta every afternoon to recharge the batteries .
Consider Argentina. It's a cool place and with the peso crashing, it doesn't take many dollars in your pocket to live like a millionaire. When I was there last (2008) it was 1 dollar to 3 pesos. Now it's 1/1400.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
I loved Spain, especially Madrid. I liked the night-life in Madrid, and the real Flamenco in Andalusia (not the tourist flamenco, it was dull).
Italy too, from Florence to Sorrento. I have distant cousins there, and they took us around for a month. Both were before over-tourism. We hit Florence, Rome, and some smaller towns that are off the tourist radar.
Haven't been to France yet, but spent a few days in Tangiers, I do want to go back to Morroco.
I put off France, figuring it will not likely change as quickly as some other destinations we want to see.
Well, the date is set. I am leaving on the 13th of Oct.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Well, the date is set. I am leaving on the 13th of Oct.
Billy
Go for it Billy, enjoy every moment. Spain is definitely a fantastic country. We've been there several times and always loved it. Unfortunately, current travel plans don't allow us to join you, (and I don't know if the piano will fit on the plane <ha ha> )
Stay safe.
Trev
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
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