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Tag Archives: Bon Jovi

Sounds Like Saturday or: Garden State

19 Saturday Sep 2020

Posted by TGBII in Sounds Like Saturday, Video

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Tags

Bon Jovi, Music, Video

Salutations™!!

Today is the 32nd anniversary of Bon Jovi’s New Jersey. Yeah, I know it’s cheesy hair stuffs but still, I dug it. And this was a minor hit from it and one of my faves. This band does a great job of it. They should, they are a Bon Jovi Tribute band. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I don’t need no license to sign on no line. And I don’t need no preacher to tell me you’re mine. I don’t need no diamonds, I don’t need no new bride. I just need you, baby, to look me in the eye. I know they have a hard time and your Daddy don’t approve. But I don’t need your Daddy telling us what we should do. Now there’s a million questions I could ask about our lives. But I only need one answer to get me thought the night.” – “Living In Sin” (Bon Jovi)

Now Normal Chronicles: And the Winner is Who?

18 Tuesday Aug 2020

Posted by TGBII in Video

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Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Debbie Gibson, Music, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Patty Smyth, The Who, Video, Wall of Voodoo, Yes

Salutations™!!

Today is the anniversary of several albums. Drama from Yes turns 40 today. Dark Continent from Wall of Voodoo turns 39. Slippery When Wet from Bon Jovi is 34. Kicking Against The Pricks from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds does, too. Out Of The Blue from Debbie Gibson and Permanent Vacation from Aerosmith are both 33. Patty Smyth’s self-titled album is 28. All would be great choices (yeah, even the Debbie Gibson one) and two of those on the above list would have been a choice before this one, but I think I just needed to do it. It’s also the 42nd anniversary of The Who’s Who Are You. So, take it away, Dave…

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I woke up in a Soho doorway, a policeman knew my name. He said, “You can go sleep at home tonight if you can get up and walk away.” I staggered back to the underground and the breeze blew back my hair. I remember throwing punches around and preaching from my chair. Well, who are you?” – “Who Are You” (Townshend)

Welcome to the Show or: Many Kisses (Part 4)

21 Friday Sep 2018

Posted by TGBII in Music Review, Rant

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AC/DC, Ace Frehley, Aerosmith, Alive!, Animalize, Anton Fig, Asylum, Bon Jovi, Bruce Fairbairn, Bruce Kulick, Carnival of Souls, Cinderella, Crazy Nights, Destroyer, Donnie Iris, Dressed to Kill, Gene Simmons, Hot in the Shade, Kevin Valentine, KISS, Lick It Up, Love Gun, Monster, Music, Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, Psycho Circus, Rant, Rolling Stone, Sonic Boom, Tommy Thayer, Tupac

Salutations™!!

The month of September is a huge month for KISS fans, even if they don’t know it. Why you may ask? Because the month of September is the anniversary month for the releases of TEN KISS albums. I’ve talked about Alive!, Animalize, Asylum, Paul, Gene, Ace, Peter, Lick It Up and Crazy Nights. Here’s the last one for September. It’s one of great debate, I’m sure. I am conflicted with it myself. And, I’m doing it a day early because Saturdays are scheduled for something else.

Psycho_Circus

©Mercury Records

Heavens Sake, the band that I was in and still the proudest of (we were greatly influenced by KISS), was still happening in 1998. It was in and out but it was happening. I had seen MTV’s “Unplugged” featuring KISS, along with a reunion of the original members while at drummer Bob’s apartment. We saw KISS actually reunited in makeup on the Grammys, introduced by Tupac. They had a reunion tour and we went. So, it was inevitable that there would be an album. This was the “reunion” album, Psycho Circus, in 1998 on September 22.

I say that in quotations because Peter really only played on Ace’s “Into the Void.” And, current KISS “Spaceman” Tommy Thayer played leads on all but four tunes. And, Bruce Kulick, former KISS member, played bass on the title track and “Dreamin'” and played the backward guitar track on “Within” and rhythm guitar on “Dreamin’,” as well. The drums, this time, weren’t played by Anton Fig in Peter’s stead, this time it was Kevin Valentine (who played on Revenge and Hot in the Shade, as well), known from Donnie Iris & the Cruisers and he was a touring drummer with Cinderella for a bit. Valentine also is an Emmy award-winning composer.

Whilst it was supposed to be a “return of KISS,” even in sound and feel it wasn’t old KISS. There were a lot of aspects of Carnival of Souls, the grunge-metal hybrid they were working on before getting the wise idea of “putting the band back together,” still on here. “Within” is the prime example of that, and in fact was demoed for that album. They had stuff that really sounded like most of the 80s-era stuff, especially Crazy Nights and Hot in the Shade. Again, this was a reunion album in concept only.

When you go out and play American football with all the rules, the same team, the same players, and call your team the New York Yankees, it’s still American football. You can call it a return to the “old KISS” but when the same two people are in charge of the songwriting and the same players are in the studio, it’s still the “new KISS.” Now, all that being said, I’m glad.

I loved the new KISS. I loved the old KISS. I still love KISS. As I said, up until Hot in the Shade, they couldn’t do any wrong, and, even with a few hiccups since that album, I still love them. It’s like that uncle that you know does dumb stuff but you still love him. The band evolved. They grew. They regressed. They moved forward. They moved backward. They adapted and that’s probably their biggest sin, here. I don’t think it would have been possible to return to Destroyer or Love Gun. I don’t think they forgot how to play and write like that, I just think it wasn’t them. If you listen to Sonic Boom or Monster (more on those next month), it’s not far from the same sound as this album.

I think they loved the idea of a KISS reunion but didn’t love being reunited. In a Rolling Stone interview in 2009, Paul said, “We tried to do a Kiss album, and it was an ill-fated attempt because there was no real band. For a band to make a great album, it has to share a common purpose…and we didn’t have it.” It was also revealed that Ace and Peter were trying to negotiate more money out of the “partnership.” You don’t negotiate money with Gene and Paul, not anymore. They feel they’ve survived without Ace and Peter, they kept the name going – regardless of the circumstances, and I think they knew that it was only a matter of time before it all came to an end.

In a very tongue-in-cheek attempt to return to some semblance of the old KISS sound, what do they do? They hire Bruce Fairbairn who was known for Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet and New Jersey albums, Aerosmith’s Permanent Vacation, Pump and Get a Grip, and AC/DC’s The Razor’s Edge. Now, all of those are fine and decent albums but do any of them scream what KISS would have sounded like as “old KISS?” All of those are the slickly-produced, sugary popped, the 80s/early 90s hair band mess. Which, I am quite fond of, actually. But, most folks aren’t when it comes to a KISS reunion.

People were disappointed. I wasn’t. Is it my favorite KISS album? Absolutely not. Is it top 10? Absolutely not. Is it top 20? Well, considering there are only 20 studio albums, it kind of has to be, right? It ranks higher than does either Sonic Boom, Monster, Hot in the Shade, Ace or Peter’s solos, and the gasper for this whole thing, Dressed to Kill. Yeah, I’ve really always been so-so about that one. Live with it. I do. This was the last good KISS record to me.

Contrary to what my blog always sounds like, I’m not anti-Ace or anti-Peter, I just don’t care. They squandered their chance and it’s okay that they milk what they can from what they had: sober, not sober, whining, moaning, happy, in, out… whatever. But, I’m really indifferent about their involvement in the band. I felt a little down when they didn’t all play together on stage for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but I’m kind of glad at the same time. Upon the announcement of the “End of the Road” tour that is coming to be the actual retirement tour (we’ll see), people are calling for Ace and Peter to be part of it. Nah. They don’t deserve it in my eyes. Plus, even on the reunion and “farewell” tours, Peter couldn’t keep up and Ace was Ace. Tommy does the same licks, doesn’t mess them up and still has feeling in his playing. Just let it go. If you’re the “F.You without Peter and Ace,” then go back and listen to the old stuff and relish what you had but shut the heck up. Stop living in the past. Paul and Gene aren’t going to change their minds and they don’t care if you don’t give them money. You’re just grandstanding at that point.

My favorite tunes on this album are the title track, “We Are One,” “Dreamin'” (which got Paul and Bruce sued for copyright infringement from Alice Cooper, he won, they settled out of court) and “Journey of 1,000 Years.” I could have done without “You Wanted the Best” because I’m not a fan of “cheerleading” songs and that’s all it was. “Into the Void” was okay. I do actually like “Within,” but then again, I liked COS, too. The rest are okay, too. I like it. Most don’t. I get it, but oh well.

Tomorrow will be 20 years since this came out. To me, it’s still the “new KISS album.” It’s hard to count Monster and ESPECIALLY Sonic Boom. I just listened to Psycho Circus again for good measure.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I’ve been waiting here to be your guide. So come, reveal the secrets that you keep inside. Step up! No one leaves until the night is done. The amplifier starts to hum. The carnival has just begun. You’re in the psycho circus. And I say welcome to the show.” – “Psycho Circus” (Stanley/Cuomo)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or: Sing It Sister!

13 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It, Rant

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Ben Orr, Bon Jovi, Chaka Khan, Chubby Checker, Chuck Berry, Depeche Mode, Dire Straits, Eurythmics, Gene Simmons, Grandmaster Flash, Ice Cube, J Geils Band, Jaffa, Jimi Hendrix, Judas Priest, Kate Bush, KISS, Link Wray, Little Richard, LL Cool J, Mark Knopfler, Moody Blues, N.W.A., Nina Simone, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone, Rufus, Run-DMC, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Cars, The MC5, The Meters, The Zombies

Salutations™!!

So, I know the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is at times controversial, sometimes political and always polarizing subject. Some think it’s contrived, others a complete waste of time. I have been critical of their inability to nominate qualified artists over some that have been sketchy at best.

Now, I know opinion is a major boiling point in things like this. I don’t like this band so they shouldn’t be in there. How can they say that’s rock and roll!? Where’s KISS!? They let N.W.A. in? Those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the HOF. I was guilty of that, as I’ve said (and said above). But, I have to look beyond my personal tastes (because there’s not account for that I’ve always been told) and look to the importance of the artist.

First off, what constitutes Rock and Roll? Is it just a genre of music that includes predetermined instruments with or without vocals? Or, does it go beyond that and stretch into attitudes as well? My admitted idol, Gene Simmons, sparked a bit of controversy last year over the inclusion of N.W.A. in the HOF. According to Rolling Stone, Gene said this to Ice Cube: “Respectfully, let me know when Jimi Hendrix gets into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. Then you’ll have a point.” Ice Cube shot back about Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Chubby Checker inventing rock and roll and, from what I can understand, Cube made it about race (but… wasn’t Jimi black?). Gene said in response: “You’ve got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Run-D.M.C. in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You’re killing me. That doesn’t mean those aren’t good artists. But they don’t play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing.” I don’t know that I agree with him on that part. Yeah, rap is a different animal altogether but I believe what Cube said in response to that part was all telling: “I respect Gene Simmons, but I think he’s wrong on this because rock & roll is not an instrument and it’s not singing. Rock & roll is a spirit. N.W.A is probably more rock & roll than a lot of the people that he thinks belong there over hip-hop. We had the same spirit as punk rock, the same as the blues.”

I want to focus on six words in that last part. Rock & roll is a spirit. 

It took me a long time to realize that. It wasn’t something that I liked, therefore it wasn’t something that needed to be in the Hall of Fame. Well, bullstein on that! Anyone can look at my music reviews on this blog in particular and tell that I am no expert on anything other than my opinion. My backstory and history and the music industry’s backstory and history don’t necessarily run in the same circles. I like what I like and I’m pretty staunch in those things, right or wrong, I’m there. What I like compared to what most others like is hit or miss (usually leaning more toward the “miss”) and certainly my ideas on what something should be is just a personal incantation. It’s not gospel or even informed a lot of the time. That’s one reason why with the Eugeology list, I have tried to pay very close attention, do some research and craft the proper responses and or thoughts for each entry. Rock and roll is a state of mind, or, well, spirit.

This brings us back to the HOF and the inductees for 2018 have been announced. First, let’s see who was actually nominated this year: The Meters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, J. Geils Band, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Link Wray, Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Depeche Mode, The Zombies, The MC5, The Cars, LL Cool J, Bon Jovi, Nina Simone and Radiohead.

I voted many times (you were allowed one per IP addy, per day) and my votes were always the same with one alternating. I voted for The Cars, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, and Eurythmics. I guess my newfound love for first wave/new wave was showing. However, three of those actually made it in. I wasn’t not for Judas Priest, The Zombies, Kate Bush or MC5 to get in, I would have been fine with them, as well. But, not who I was voting for this time. The final list was as such: Bon Jovi, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, Moody Blues, The Cars and listed as “an early influencer,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I hate that title for her, “early influencer.” I’m not a fan of blues and I’ve made no bones about that, but man this lady could wail some serious blues guitar and she sang like nobody’s business. She belted her tunes with major conviction and regardless of whether she was relevant mostly in the 1940s or not, I believe if she’s worthy of being in, she’s worthy of being in. It doesn’t need a special category. At least not in that direction. She deserves to be here because she was influential to many of the top blues musicians, either directly or indirectly. I wanted a few YouTube vids to get myself more acquainted with her style and man, it was pretty great. Yeah, I just said that.

Nina Simone, it’s about danged time. She stood out. There was none like her. She was scary, too. She thought nothing of pointing out someone in the audience that was being an idiot or disruptive and she’d tear you a “new one” anytime she thought you were wronging her. Great musician and great raspy, yet smooth vocals. My first introduction to her was in the film Point of No Return (the Americanized La Femme Nikita) which wasn’t that great of a film but whatever. I also loved her version of “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” (the Jaffa Remix). And, she’s a North Carolina girl! She’s from Tryon, NC.

The Cars were never known for their dynamic stage presence, but they wrote some catchy-arsed tunes. Their first album is darn near perfect start to finish and I really dug Heartbeat City, as well. They were the inspiration for a good many new wave and mainstream artists alike. One of my votes, I am glad they’re getting in. I hate Ben Orr won’t be here to see it.

Dire Straits. I was never a “fan” per se, but they have some serious moments. Brothers in Arms is a fantastic and powerful album from end-to-end, even if you leave in “Money for Nothin'” and “Walk of Life.” As overplayed as those songs were, they were well written and what guitarist isn’t at least a little bit jealous they didn’t write the opening riff of “Money?” I have to admit I didn’t know what that song was about until about two years ago. It snapped and I was like… wait! It’s about that!? I don’t know what I thought it was about, really. But, it’s a little twinge of jealousy from two working joes that they have to do all this heavy lifting and these “yoyos” playing their guitars get paid for nothing. Not true of course, but we all choose our “work.” Of course, their career is far beyond that album forward and backward. Mark Knopfler is a great guitarist and his work on the soundtrack for The Princess Bride was quite awesome. I’m glad they got in.

I really know very little of Moody Blues other than that sappy arsed “Nights in White Satin,” “I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)” and 1986’s “Your Wildest Dreams.” I know I should know more. I will probably get educated on my lack of knowledge by those who read this blog. I would go as far as saying that I want to know more. I do have The Other Side of Life on vinyl (with the aforementioned “Your Wildest Dreams”). Perhaps that will go on soon. I know it’s a pale representation of the band’s collective work but you gotta start with what you’ve got, right? I guess.

Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi. Hmmm… Okay, I’ll admit it. I like Bon Jovi from New Jersey back. My favorite album from them is the first one, cleverly called Bon Jovi. It was piano/keyboard driven rock and I liked that. “Love Lies” and “Shot Through the Heart” are great. On CD the only one of those in the range I mentioned that I don’t have is 7800° Fahrenheit. I don’t know why, either. I know they get a bad rap when it comes to rock and roll. It was cheesy and hair bandy, sure. But, they sold records and they put on a good show. The songs, as juvenile and over-polished as they sometimes were, were well-written. I can’t complain about them, really. Plus, they outright beat the pants off the other nominees in the fan votes. I mean it wasn’t even close. The fan vote was easily twice as many as the next closest nominee if not three times. It was crazy. I knew they’d not have a problem getting in, so I never voted for them.

Well, that’s my thoughts on this. I will probably get wrung for it, but hey, it’s the way it is. What are your thoughts, Dear Reader? Who do you feel should be in the HOF that isn’t? Of what are your thoughts on the HOF in general? What could be done to make it a more legitimate accolade? Is it already legit? Answer me those things. Thanks in advance.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time. Cause when you’re standing oh so near I kinda lose my mind. It’s not the perfume that you wear. It’s not the ribbons in your hair. And I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time.” – “Just What I Needed” (Ocasek)

Silent Sunday or: The Haul 5/27/17

28 Sunday May 2017

Posted by TGBII in Records, Silent Sunday

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Bad Company, Billy Idol, Blue Oyster Cult, Bon Jovi, Boston, Burt Bacharach, Carly Simon, Cinderella, Cyndi Lauper, Daryl Hall, Def Leppard, Depeche Mode, Discogs, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Foreigner, Heavy Metal, Jefferson Starship, Jethro Tull, Jim Croce, John Oates, KISS, Krokus, Led Zeppelin, Missing Persons, Mozart, Nino Rota, Robert Plant, Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Steve Martin, Stryper, The Beatles, The Big Chill, The Godfather, The Kingston Trio, The Kinks, The Less Desirables, Underdog Records, Waylon Jennings, White Nights, ZZ Top

Salutations™!!

Underdog Records closed on Saturday (through this Tuesday) for a bit of “respite.” Never fear though, I still went there Friday (twice) and got a nice haul for the weekend. This is what it looked like:Sgt._Pepper's_Lonely_Hearts_Club_Band

  • Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Friday was the 50th Anniversary of its release, new).
  • Depeche Mode – Music For The Masses (new)
  • Kiss, Ace Frehley – Ace Frehley (new)
  • The Beatles – Let It Be (new)
  • Led Zeppelin – Untitled (actually Led Zeppelin IV, but Discogs has it as “untitled”)
  • Various – Big Band Jazz: From The Beginnings To The Fifties (six LP set of great big band jazz)
  • Elton John – Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
  • Elton John – Tumbleweed Connection
  • Krokus – The Blitz
  • Jefferson Starship – Freedom At Point Zero
  • Foreigner – 4
  • Burt Bacharach – Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (Original Movie Soundtrack)
  • Boston – Don’t Look Back (completes my “trilogy” of the first three Boston albums)
  • Various – The Big Chill – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • Mozart, Robert Casadesus, George Szell, The Columbia Symphony Orchestra – Mozart Concertos – No. 22 In E-Flat, K. 482 / No. 23 In A Major, K. 488
  • Nino Rota – The Godfather (Original Soundtrack Recording)
  • Steve Martin – A Wild And Crazy Guy
  • Rod Stewart – Foot Loose & Fancy Free
  • Steely Dan – Katy Lied
  • The Costello Show Featuring The Attractions And Confederates – King Of America
  • The Kingston Trio – At Large
  • Sonny & Cher – All I Ever Need Is You
  • Carly Simon – Boys In The Trees
  • Jethro Tull – Aqualung
  • Jim Croce – Life And Times
  • Jim Croce – You Don’t Mess Around With Jim
  • Billy Idol – Billy Idol
  • Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
  • Various – White Nights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  • The Kinks – Kinks Greatest Hits
  • Daryl Hall & John Oates – Big Bam Boom
  • Blue Öyster Cult – Mirrors
  • Stryper – To Hell With The Devil
  • Bad Company – Desolation Angels
  • Various – Heavy Metal – Music From The Motion Picture
  • Missing Persons – Spring Session M
  • Def Leppard – Hysteria
  • Cinderella – Night Songs
  • Waylon – Greatest Hits
  • ZZ Top – Eliminator
  • Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet
  • Cyndi Lauper – She’s So Unusual
    • Robert Plant – Now And Zen

Man… we are certainly gonna need a new cabinet soon. We’ve started on the last cube of the 8 cube cab. It’s coming. Underdog will be open again on Wednesday. You can find them at 825 Burke Street in WSNC. Listen to The Less Desirables to hear what the weekly Underdog/TLD special is. And, use Discogs for your cataloging of LPs and CDs and hit me up, we can share collections.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“It’s all the same, only the names will change. Everyday, it seems we’re wastin’ away. Another place where the faces are so cold. I drive all night just to get back home. I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride. I’m wanted dead or alive. Wanted dead or alive.” – “Wanted Dead or Alive” (Sambora/Bon Jovi)

A Picnic in the Park or: Brussels, Why Brussels? (The Honeymoon Chronicles pt 10, Finale)

18 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by TGBII in Honeymoon, Travel

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BE Cafe Marche Jourdan, Billy Corgan, Bon Jovi, Bruges, Brussels, David Bowie, De Vier Winden, Grand Marnier, Honeymoon, Koningin Astrid Park, La Chaloupe d'Or, La Civière d'or Au Petit Café, Manneken Pis, Mongozo, Pauwel Kwak, Ric Ocasek, The BCPF, Vinne Vincent

Salutations™!!

So, last we visited we had had a very beer-filled day in Bruges; high gravity and The Beer Museum and what not.  Well, this is Bruges – Belgium, I say – so beer was going to be a recurring theme as long as I can help it.

DSCN1773

Sex shop on the left/Toy shop on the right

After buying our chocolates and animal-fat-cone-shaped jelly candies, we made our way back to the hotel to drop off the goodies and then went out to get some dinner.  We wandered around looking for a place to eat.  Trying to not go back to the “Ol’ Standby” De Vier Winden, we stopped and looked at several menus before stopping in a cute little bistro type place, that in a completely rookie mistake we forgot to document with either pictures or writing it down.

DSCN1774

Kneeling at the Beer Wall

Anywhat, as I said, there was more beer.  I had a Pauwel Kwak, which is a lovely 8.4%ABV Amber Ale.  It’s charm also includes, as does most European beer, its own specialty glass. However, this glass was bulbous at the bottom, wide at the top, long in the middle and fits into a wooden handle.  The idea is the handle is there to ensure your hands don’t warm the glass.  The first bit is annoying because I thought the glass was going to move, but the design is true and the glass moved nary a bit.  The BCPF had some wine, a rosé, I believe.

DSCN1778

Coconut beer

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Kwak

We had had a great deal of food and beer for the day so we skipped appetizers and just ordered main courses.  She had rabbit with cheese croquets and I had shrimp in a saffron sauce.  Both were tasty, perfectly prepared and as is the case with just about every other dish on this trip, nothing but fabulous flavors abounding. Afterwards, we just walked back to the hotel and had our now-routine Grand Marnier and Sprite in the Oud Huis de Peellaert bar.  Early to bed, early to rise.  Well, we did watch some BBC (the only English speaking television there) news, reality and game shows.  We actually, talked about how we miss those, just this week.

DSCN1785

Neptune in Koningin Astrid Park

Our last day in Bruges we got up and found some lace to buy for our mothers and some other Bruges-made souvenirs before we stopped in front of a very strange combination of toy/hobby shop on the right and a sex shop on the left.  They weren’t really “together” but the wall between them was barely wider than me.  Then we moved down the street to the famous “Beer Wall.”  Said huh…?  Wall o’beer?  For serious?  YES for serious.  Holy dang!  At the end of this wall was a tasting station.  I say tasting, you paid for the beer, but there was a huge selection.  One that I saw that I just could not pass up was Mongozo’s Cocunut Beer.  It was only 3.6%ABV but holy dang! it was some fabulous beer.  Light, clean, very refreshing and very coconutty.  I loved it.  The BCPF, at this point, had had enough, I think.  She did taste mine but that was about it.

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Swans in the pond at Koningin Astrid Park

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Picnic in Koningin Astrid Park

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Statue of Koningin Astrid

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On an old bridge in Bruges

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Bonne Jovi

We wandered a bit more through the old city and came upon the beautiful Koningin Astrid Park which has a statue of Neptune (as far as I can tell) in the middle of a little pond.  The thing that I thought the most awesome about it was there were actual swans and a little swan bridge that enabled them to get out of the water easily.  The whole thing was quite serene.  A group of about 8 college kids brought blankets and picnic baskets and set up a mid-afternoon picnic, with wine and snacks. They were laughing and drinking and it was just cool to watch that.  Felt good to watch the scene.  We had stopped along the way at a little candy shop so while sitting on a bench watching the kids and swans, we ate a little of the goodies we got. Great stuff.

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Belfort at Night, Bruges

Then came more beer.  We stopped for a few and they were potent.  After that we walked through the streets taking pictures of many of the old canals and bridges.  Then we ended up back in the square where we stopped at, you guessed it, De Vier Winden; we just couldn’t stay away.  We had our “very best friend,” Vincent, again.  We had more beer and some fries.  We watched as a group of guys (and some young ladies) carried a guy to the square, and left him standing in the middle.  That’s not odd, but the fact that they had him tied to a lamp post, plastic-wrapped with a sign and wine and dolled up in make up was.  It turns out he was getting married the next weekend and this is somewhat a tradition.  The sign translates to “I’m Good Jovi. Half nun half Bon Jovi.”  I’m not sure what “the faith” part at the bottom was.  He was taking it well and laughed it off.

DSCN1820

Apple Pie

More walking and looking until that night we ate in the square (not at De Vier Winden).  As we approached the square we hear the bells in the Belfort and it sounded like it was being accompanied by other instruments.  It seemed like it never stopped.  As we sat to eat dinner at a street cafe called the Golden Stretcher Café or La Civière d’or Au Petit Café we asked the server (don’t remember his name) about the bells.  He said it was the closing night of the bell tower concert season.  He said there were accompanists and if the entire song was performed it would play over 24 hours. Wow. Anyway, it was beautiful to hear and beautiful to look at from our seats.  Whilst eating there The BCPF had croquets (she wasn’t ready for full-on dinner, yet) while I had a steak, rare.  We, of course, had beer and I opted for dessert. She wanted the apple pie but didn’t know that she could eat it.  I wanted something and even though I’m not a fan of apple pie, I got it so she could have some.  It was really good pie.  Off to the hotel, and up the next morning to head to one of my least favorite cities in the world, Brussels. But first, more Grand Marnier.

The train was on time and we were in “first class.”  The ticket, however was an “any Belgian train” ticket and we left earlier than expected.  We arrived at the Brussels station two hours before our driver was to pick us up.  So we waited in a little food court and waited until the time we were supposed to be picked up and went back to the platform we arrived at and did what the instructions we had said to do.  We never saw this driver. We even begged someone to tell us how to find the hired cars and they were rude. We ended up having to get a taxi to our hotel.  Strike one for Brussels this trip.

DSCN1836

Manneken Pis

We get to our hotel and I must say that if you ever get the chance to stay at a Sofitel, do it!!!  I’m a travel agent and I recommend them anytime I can. That hotel was one of the nicest in which we’ve ever stayed.  I can’t really say what it was about it, but it just felt cozy.  The room was spacious, had a great view of a neighborhood street, the lobby was immaculate and the staff was so very friendly. We went up and put our luggage away and went to the only place that I enjoy in the city, The Grand Place.  We had to find our way to the “Metro.”  We didn’t even know that Brussels had a Metro. The metro station didn’t look like it was in any good shape; like they were just building it but I understand that it has been around for a long time.  It was a big construction zone and it was hard to traverse. Strike two, Brussels.

DSCN1868

Salmon appetizer

We finally got there and unlike last year, they had flowers out and the place was really nicely decorated.  It’s majestic and historic. Full of shops and restaurants, the Grand Place is a bright spot in one of the dirtiest, most miserable cities I’ve ever been in.  We decided to eat at a restaurant called La Chaloupe d’Or.  The BCPF had a goat cheese, honey and rosemary pie that came in a filo shell and I had a meatloaf in savory sauce. The food at this restaurant was fantastic. The BCPF talks about that being one of her favorite meals.  Of course, there was beer.  I have to say while this restaurant was fabulous when it comes to food, the service was kind of crappy and to even use the restroom you have to pay €.35 just to be in there.  That ticked me off. After this, we skipped dessert and went exploring.

DSCN1876

Main course at BE Cafe Marche Jourdan

We ended up in a record store where The BCPF purchased a CD that included Ric Ocasek teaming up with Billy Corgan. She also bought a Band of Horses disc.  We then went to the Hard Rock Cafe and looked around. I saw Vinnie Vincent’s (one-time guitarist with KISS) boots and a set list from a David Bowie concert.  We wandered down to to the Manneken Pis (the statue of the little boy that is taking a pee) which happens to be one of the nation’s landmarks.  We made a point to see it last year, too.  We then made our way back to The Grand Place and had waffles and lambics, cherry and peach, at a place called Aroma.  We made our way back to the hotel, including taking a wrong turn trying to get to the correct Metro station.  I HATE BRUSSELS!

DSCN1866

Amuse Bouche – BE Cafe Marche Jourdan

We relaxed for a bit for our last night in Europe and did our airline check-ins and all that jazz.  We then decided to walk down to the restaurant, BE Cafe Marche Jourdan, to have dinner.  It’s a 4 star restaurant with the prices to match, but as with everything else on this trip, we didn’t hold back.  We looked over the menu and ordered the salmon appetizer, trout with cauliflower sauce and shrimp and a selection of sweets for dessert.  Here’s the funny story about this: the prices were up there and we overheard a neighboring table talk about getting bread or an appetizer.  Out to our table came a very, very small piece of salmon on a thin slice of cucumber.  The BCPF and I looked at it and looked at each other and then looked back, again, at the small ramekin containing the itty-bitty piece of fish.  We laughed.  We couldn’t believe this was the appetizer, especially at these prices.  We wanted, so badly, to tell the neighboring table to not expect much.  We ate the sliver of fish-on-a-cuke and said we didn’t know what we’d do if the entree was that small.  Again, we reiterated to each other, this can’t be the appetizer.  Well, it wasn’t. It was an amuse-bouche. Then we laughed harder.  The appetizer was a good size portion and the entree was as well.  And the fish (the waitress commented, “so, fish and fish?”) was perfectly prepared, tender and delightful.  We had plenty of beer, again, knowing that this was our last night in Europe. The last night of our honeymoon.

Not to give so much away or TMI, I ran a bath for The BCPF and we just enjoyed holding each other in the water.  Nothing too graphic, just enjoying each other.  We slept very well that night.  We got up, got showered, ready to go and received the call that our car was waiting for us downstairs.  They took us to the airport and somehow we had no problems (this is Brussels after all).  The flight back was uneventful, which is always the best way to fly.

And, so, Dear Reader, we concluded our honeymoon, our wedding trip. Here we are, five months later and all is well.  I love that woman with all my heart and she really is my saving grace.  We both hope you enjoyed reading about the honeymoon and wedding.  I know it was long (this one is well over 2000 words) and it was a journey.  I hope you felt like you were there with us.  If you have any questions, comments or want to take a trip like this for your self, please let me know.  I love to talk travel and this trip was so wonderful, I’ll talk your ear off. The whole trip was amazing – a dream – and writing this for you was great; being able to walk through those memories again. It’s hard to believe The Honeymoon Chronicles have come to a close.  Thanks for reading about it.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“A country like Belgium, or socialist countries in central Europe spend more money on art education than the United States, which is a really puzzling thought.” – Mikhail Baryshnikov

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