In the City!

We have arrived safely in the big City and had 1 day to spend (we flew out of bf a day early because of the possibility of weather (bad weather, that is, the kind that prevents planes from flying and gets you stuck places), just so in that case we'd be able to take the bus instead. Luckily that wasn't necessary, the sky was clear, the plane departed and arrived as scheduled. Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes.

So what do you do with a day in the city?

That's right, you spend some cash. I came here with 700 bucks in my pocket, and I had the same 700 bucks this morning, but now, in the evening I only have $280 left. Where did the money go?

Well, I purchased:

- 1 pair of nice shoes, some kind of crossover between a hiker and a dress shoe, waterproof, pretty conservative looking, but then again they're good for slushy weather, and I can always fall in love them later (89 bucks, with taxes)

- 1 brand new digital photo camera, Samsung, 14 MP, shoots HD video, too (149 dollars, without taxes)

- 2 memory cards, 1 SD for above mentioned camera, 1 micro SD for my mp3 player (about 70 bucks before taxes)

- 1 brand new Behringer 90 Watts Bass Amp Combo (which will be stored in the city until I come back), 1 instrument stand, 1 pack of bass strings (about 290 bucks altogether)

- 1 meal for 2 at a fast food sushi place

- 1 slightly used book that looks brand new (Daniel Quinn, Ishmael)

- assorted small odds and ends

(yes yes, you smart-ass mathmaticians (?), it doesn't really add up. That's because I paid some of it with my VISA.)

What a nice way to spend a day. We finished it with an awesome supper in a pretty cool and classy restaurant, with elk and blueberry-brandy sauce, and veal, and duck-bits in dough and whatnot, very delicious. Place is called "Inferno".

Buying musical equipment, by the way, is always an experience. I usually expect staff to be all talkative and tell me all about the differences between this amp and that amp, and why the pro's don't use this brand but use that brand instead and so on. So the first store we went to they had a Treynor (or so, I don't quite remember) combo 50 Watts for 280 bucks, and next to it a Fender combo, 75 Watts for 275. So you get more power for less cash, right?

What's up with that, I asked the guy, what's the difference?

He's like: Dunno, the manufacturers make the prices.

Then he gave me a bass and I tried the Fender combo (I didn't wanna go below 50 Watts, and why go for 50 when you can have 75 for less?). Nice sound, I take it, I said, but I need a box, because I have to ship it in a small plane, and I've seen those guys handle luggage, trust me, I want this thing in a box.

Uh, he said, we don't keep boxes, no room, but I'll go and have a look-see.

Did I really want a Fender combo?

I've never really liked Fender as a brand, no particular reason.

10 minutes later: no box.

So I said: Well, can't buy it without a box, I'll come back when I am back in town.

Off to the next store.

There the guy was just as I had imagined: he kept talking about touring and pro musicians, making the romantic dream of life as a musician in a band come true before my eyes (and yes, it is awesome, and no stale sandwiches and cases of cheap beer and quiet crowds can ever take that away from me - in fact, playing music in a band together with others is the only time my mind goes blank completely, and when the practice session is over, or when we walked off the stage after a gig for me it was always like waking up to the real world again; however, the guy there kept talking about this and that and about how Behringer equipment, because not as sturdy, might crap out on me on tour; but I didn't care, because I won't go on tour anytime soon and I have always liked Behringer as a brand, maybe because I've had a Behringer mixer for so long and it has never failed me, never ever. So I bought the combo, and the guy went to the basement and found me a box and some air-filled bags, and we taped it all up and I bought it. 90 Watts! Yay!

Now I have all the tools to drive the neighbor-nurses to madness with constant rumbling bass lines.

It is now midnight, my flight leaves in about 6 hours. I am getting excited. Travelling on planes internationally always remains so unreal until you are actually on the plane, realizing that it is actually happening.

I'm gonna go and see if I can catch a bit of sleep.

Good night. See you on the other side.

Oh, one more thing:

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