Heidleberg bike race!!

Has any one seen my bike? Its the one with the basket .

Yes they like bikes here. There is millions of them and they all look the same. I think they actually take anyone they want and then pretend it's their's. I promply did the same, however it was only an assumption and proved incorrect. However, I did not win the Constantinople 5km sprint without some skill (and class, as its not just about how fast you can ride, its how you rock the bike side to side to obtain maximum forward thrust while turning to face your pursuer, waving goodbye with one hand) .

I thought to myself, "If im not mistaken, thats the finish line ahead!" As it turned out I was much mistaken. As I reached the finishline of my solo pursuit race, I encountered some people, waving banners which I presumed were chequered flags. I was wrong. They were just old ladies waving tea towels to cool down some hot pretzels..... This did not dampen my enthusiasm or stop me from celebrating my victory to much crowd amusement ( or bemusement?) As first prize was now mine, I was presented with one of those caps with the propellor on the top. As Alun had stolen my cap in Morocco, it came in handy.

I celebrated at the Heidelberg Castle with the appropriate drinks and why not? I took all three podium positions .

Those crazy Germans. I sure showed them a thing or three.

Kevin Nitrovane

Vienna 2

This a shot from a cabin on the famous Riesenrad Ferris wheel. It is steeped in history, having been almost destroyed by fire and was also going to be pulled down (but they did not have the funds to do so at the time). It also survived WW2 by the skin of its teeth.

It was also used in a scene from the film "The Third Man" with Orson Welles.

Every second carriage was removed during restorations, with the disused ones being kept in a minature museum at the base of the ferris wheel. Well worth the 8.5 euro ticket.

Kevin Nitrovane

Vienna 1

This is the tallest "merry go round" in the world. It's about 26.5 kms high. Well it seems like it anyway.

Simon Grocott is 3rd nut bar (dot) from the left. He is hanging and screaming. Seen framed by the Reisenrad ferris wheel which is the oldest wheel in the world (1897). More on that shortly.

Kevin Nitrovane

Paris

Those crazy Parisiennes. They find someone they like and texture their name on a padlock and place it on a fence over a bridge on the main waterway through France. There are thousands of them.

As I took the photo I watched numerous people come along, search for a particular lock, quickly cut it off and then walk away. So I guess locks, like friendships, don't endure forever.

I could only count about 55 of my own this time as I think some one has come along with some bolt cutters and cut off all the rest.


Kevin Nitrovane

My first tulip in Amsterdam

This is JJ (John James).

He is the original designer of the Orange distortion guitar amp in 1970. Indeed a legend in his spare time. He was also good friends with Frank Zappa and was at the infamous fire at Montraux in 1971, for which Deep Purple wrote that now unlistenable song "Smoke on the Water".

He is a world class monitor man and a genius to work with. JJ said that Frank noticed the fire and suggested that they all leave in an orderly fashion. JJ agreed. Frank yelled down the microphone a request , "has anyone got some finely sliced onions?" JJ replied, "how will that help?" Frank replied, "I just like finely sliced onions"

No one died but all of Frank's gear was lost. He was quite philosophical about it, however he never ate finely sliced onions ever again.

Kevin Nitrovane

Paris Pre concert with Sebastian

This is Sebastian, the most helpful, funny, enthusiastic French guy I've ever met! He has a handshake of such force it could crush diamonds. He has a grip on the English language similar to some African tribesmen yet to meet modern man. So we got off to a great start with him finding every thing I said extremely funny, therefore raising my stand up routine audience up to three people (including Karyn and Emma).

When you're hot, you're hot.

We got on swimmingly well, that was untill he dropped a lighting rig on my work bench missing my 40 grand guitar rack by zero mm. He dropped to the ground, pleaded for mercy (they say mercie a lot in France?) and expected to be hauled over to the Bastille, executed, beheaded, set on fire and have a large radish pushed down his throat. He was so nice, I simply couldn't do it. Instead, I got the tour manager to do it for me.

In any case we were out of radishes.

His last words appeared to be quite moving, but not moving quite enough, obviously.

And I guess my stand up routine audience is therefore diminished by one now…..

Kevin Nitrovane