Blog entry 24th of April 2009
In the air between Tallinn and Oslo
I’m in the air again. The weather is beautiful, so it should be a nice flight. This early flight from Tallinn is not particularly crowdie, as a matter of facts the seats rows around me are quite empty. The more space for me then! ☺ The flight crew are on their way with the food (as I mentioned in an earlier blog entry, food and flying has a weird bond of connection), my mother is sleeping in the inner seat by the window and I am writing. Before that I was reading a book (the title not too sophisticated I’m afraid) and even before that, I woke up too early in Tallinn…
I’ve been in Estonia since Sunday, and played three concerts with Pärnu City Orchestra. The four biggest cities in Estonia are Tallinn, Tartu, Narva and Pärnu (according to our very nice driver!), and I played in three of them (the one I did not play in was Narva). I stayed three nights in Tallinn and two in Pärnu, and drove a lot across the country. It is quite small (with a population of approx 1.8 mill) and very flat. The highest point is around 300 meters, but that’s just nice when you drive a lot, the roads is mostly straight so it gets quite comfortable.
This was my first time in Estonia and I enjoyed it very much. The weather was actually quite nice, the sun was shining most of the day, but I must admit the temperature was a bit on the cold side. Since
I am a Viking (well, at least I am from Norway…) I never panicked, but simply took the winter jacket back on, and then everything was fine ☺ Tallinn is a very beautiful city, especially the old town and luckily our hotel was situated very near that part. Also near the concert hall, so it was very convenient.I liked this banner, can I have it everytime I play a concert?
After the first concert, which was in Tallinn, I was very hungry. I usually get hungry after the concert because my stomach doesn’t want too much food before I go on stage (I’ve heard that’s a normal musicians syndrome…). So my mother and I wandered the streets of Tallinn in search for some quick and easy food. Well, what other than the familiar American chain starting with Mc and ending with Donald’s magically appears in front of us (here comes the part where I should say I only bought some water, but you know better…. Don’t you?). I walk in to the restaurant and see that there is a full row of cheeseburgers behind the counter (just waiting to be eaten by someone), and I start to order from the smiling man. Three cheeseburgers (one for my mother (yes, I have a bad influence on her as well…) and two for myself) and the smiling man answer that I have to wait 2 minutes. Since I can fully see the row of cheeseburgers I kindly ask if those aren’t cheeseburgers? Well, he answers, they are already ordered. Since the row counts 5 cheeseburgers I look eager around to see who could have ordered all these cheeseburgers and are possibly even hungrier then myself? Well, I get my answer when the smiling man takes the 5 cheeseburgers along with two Big Macs and head for the window table. A young couple is sitting alone with two large French fries, one ice cream, one apple pie, two big sodas and now; five cheeseburgers and two Big Mac. I can see that I am not the only one being hungry tonight! End of story; I get my two cheeseburgers and eats them happily on our way back to the hotel.
When I land in Oslo I have exactly five hours before my next flight to Haugesund. That means I can go home and change the suitcase (and do some important things like print out my flight tickets for the flight to Haugesund today and for London on Sunday, remember all the scores, mutes, new concert clothes and so on...), and take the bus back to Gardermoen (Oslo airport). I am going to a festival called the Fartein Valen Festival, named after the composer, in Haugesund. Concert tomorrow night.
I will write soon again! In the mean time, remember not to be to embarrassed next time you secretly by a cheeseburger (or two) at Mc Donald’s…
Best wishes from high above,
Tine
