We arrived on Friday in Romania on a chartered flight - we flew into a tiny airport, it was like something out of a movie. We arrived at the hotel and were surprised withe beautiful beach right at our finger tips. After settling into the hotel I got a knock at my door and MIKA, Cherisse and I went jet ski-ing!! It was SO much fun, I have never done anything like that before. Cherisse nearly sent me flying with her 180 turns!!! The next morning we hit the beach (obviously!!!) and bathed and swam in the warm black sea - it was lovely and warm!! We then headed to the venue which was..... on the beach... HURRAH!! We had a warm and windy soundcheck and then walked along the beach :) Evening quickly came and the show started... new song added to the list, Sweet Dreams (great song!) The gig was fun and the Romanian crowd were fab!! After the show Jimmy, Cherisse and I took off our make-up and put swimmy cozzys on and jumped straight into the sea!!! Ha ha!! We then walked back to the hotel along the beach (like a dream). The next morning up early to Bucharest! Us 3 and the crew headed on our 3 hour journey and just as we arrived into Bucharest the bus started leaking water!! An adventure!!
After we checked ourselves into the hotel, Jimmy, John and I went with the promoter to a local Romanian Restaurant and we tried lots of yummy food.... cold meats, hot minced meats, gherkins, sauerkraut, apple strudel... Twas a Feast!!
The next day we woke up early and we tried to find some antique stores.... but unfortunately it was unsuccessful, but I still managed to buy 2 necklaces.... yay!! After our little shopping expedition we went to the airport to fly to Moscow. We arrived in Moscow in the evening and we were met by Marina and Greg (the support band lead singer) - we went to our beautiful hotel and then immediately went out for some late grub! So Cherisse, Jimmy, Marina and I went to a tiny restaurant where alot of students go and ate Borsch (hot beetroot soup with sour cream) and some mat and veg pastries - scrummy!!
Here's a recipe for you for Borsch:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1648,149176-227201,00.html
After dinner Team CHiMaJim, went to Red Square and walked around - it was SO impressive in the dark with all the lights - St Basil, was SO picturesque, it didn't seem real.
The next morning, after breakfast Team JiMMa went out again to Red Square, a little lady found us and said she would take us to jump 3 queues if we wanted to see Lenin. So we went and saw Lenin, when you first see him, you think... "Naaaah - wax work" , but then you look carefully and his skin is qite transparent, his fingernails are black... it was a very odd experience. Not my first dead body, After the Kremlin we went over to St Basil Cathedral, which was still just as impressive as at night, we went inside and there were lots of little rooms, with beautiful artwork - the funny thing was that all the style of art was quite different, I absolutely loved the patters and paintings on the stone wall. I asked earlier to the Concierge if there was any streets in Moscow with small local designers or artists and she pointed us in the direction of a shop - So JiMMa headed in that direction. WE were starving and we stumbled across a really cute cafe, where I had a mushroom soup and salad and drank the most delicious tea - black tea with, like a hot stew of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and honey in it... SO YUM!! After this we found the designer, it was totally over priced with garish designs - it was just in competetion with Dolce and Gabanna and Louis Vuitton etc - it wasn't what we were looking for. So we headed to Arbat street, to look for Antiques (someone mentioned maybe there?) But it was all touristy and souvenirs, it was nice to walk down though - wide street and nice to look up at the buildings. We were total heathens and drank frappuccinos from *bucks..... we couldn't resist.....
At this point my feet were hurting from all the walking, but we were told that there may be a flea market in Izmaylozskaya, we arrived and it felt totally different to the Moscow we had seen so far, but unfortunately no flea market - a lovely park though.
Back to the hotel and straight into the pool, where we rejoined Cherisse. We then went back to our cute restaurant and ate more Borsch (obsessed now!) and Fajitas.... I know! Not very `Russian - but was yummy!
The next morning I hit the gym and caught up with emails before we got picked up to go to the show. Moscow was in a heat of between 35 - 40 deg. It was insanely hot!!! And... NO Air con at the venue (apart from our dressing room) - so the poor crew had to work in a really uncomfortable heat - So the gig started, I didn't even bother to put my eyelashes on, I knew they would just slide off!! ha ha!! WOW - the heat was painful - but we did it and the crowd totally got us through it! The russian crowd were AMAZING!!! I sweated SO much that I broke my monitoring system as it got sweat into it and blew the electrics inside!!....sexy! I thought I would go straight to sleep after such a hot show - but no.... insomnia kept me company...
After reluctantly waking up we left Moscow and headed to Helsinki. WE arrived in Helsinki at about 3pm and jiMMa once again hit the streets.... After bumping into some MFCers (unexpectedly - Babs, Sara and Danica) we walked about and found some fav shops!! And we ate a yummy salmon sandwich made in my favourite rye bread! Back to the hotel to dump our stuff and back out... Sushi was calling we went to an amazing restaurant called, Kabuki - which served delicious authentic japanese food - it was seriously yum!! We ate a mix sushi box, ebi tempura, yakiniku - banana frai and green tea ice cream.... mmmmm.... dribble......
http://www.kabuki.fi/
After a full belly, I went to bed and slept like a baby - phew!! The next morning JiMMa headed towards the design district in Helsinki and we stumbled upon a flea market - jimmy found some really cool shoes and a pocket watch - me nothing - poop. We then carried on, on our walk and we came across a really cool shop and I bought some necklaces (yes more necklaces!) from Punavuoren Putiikki
http://punavuorenputiikki.blogspot.com/
We then headed back for the show. We arrived at the show the venue was lovely, we had the top part for our dressing room - the floor was SO sticky from spilt beer and drinks, it reminded me of when I worked in a bar for 4 years. After sound check, Jimmy, David and I went to go and get some dinner, we first ended up shopping, I bought some gifts for sisters and then we found a little restaurant and we ate reindeer sandwiches - I had to try as I had never eaten it before, I have to say, it was really nice..... All hot and melted with cheese...
Back to the gig.
The support act was great - it was just one guy, and then 2 male dancers came on - but slightly overweight - and butch looking "normal" guys - it totally worked! But the weird thing was the dancers dressed up as pigs, fought with the guy and then carried him off - ring any bells?? ;)
So we started the show - I dodn't realise, quite how hot it was, again - no air con!! my face totally melted - eye lashes slid off my face (again) Pink UV eye paint in my eyes (OW!!) I probably looked a right mess - but I don't care - I had fun - I would rather look a mess and jump around than look pristine and not have fun!
You Fins, looked after us and jumped and waved arms - grabbed our ankles on stage - it was great to do a show so up close again - to almost taste the sweat from you guys, as well as you getting the sweat from us!!
A Great show...
Back to the hotel for a shower - then off on our bus!!! BAck on our "home on wheels".
After we checked ourselves into the hotel, Jimmy, John and I went with the promoter to a local Romanian Restaurant and we tried lots of yummy food.... cold meats, hot minced meats, gherkins, sauerkraut, apple strudel... Twas a Feast!!
The next day we woke up early and we tried to find some antique stores.... but unfortunately it was unsuccessful, but I still managed to buy 2 necklaces.... yay!! After our little shopping expedition we went to the airport to fly to Moscow. We arrived in Moscow in the evening and we were met by Marina and Greg (the support band lead singer) - we went to our beautiful hotel and then immediately went out for some late grub! So Cherisse, Jimmy, Marina and I went to a tiny restaurant where alot of students go and ate Borsch (hot beetroot soup with sour cream) and some mat and veg pastries - scrummy!!
Here's a recipe for you for Borsch:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1648,149176-227201,00.html
After dinner Team CHiMaJim, went to Red Square and walked around - it was SO impressive in the dark with all the lights - St Basil, was SO picturesque, it didn't seem real.
The next morning, after breakfast Team JiMMa went out again to Red Square, a little lady found us and said she would take us to jump 3 queues if we wanted to see Lenin. So we went and saw Lenin, when you first see him, you think... "Naaaah - wax work" , but then you look carefully and his skin is qite transparent, his fingernails are black... it was a very odd experience. Not my first dead body, After the Kremlin we went over to St Basil Cathedral, which was still just as impressive as at night, we went inside and there were lots of little rooms, with beautiful artwork - the funny thing was that all the style of art was quite different, I absolutely loved the patters and paintings on the stone wall. I asked earlier to the Concierge if there was any streets in Moscow with small local designers or artists and she pointed us in the direction of a shop - So JiMMa headed in that direction. WE were starving and we stumbled across a really cute cafe, where I had a mushroom soup and salad and drank the most delicious tea - black tea with, like a hot stew of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and honey in it... SO YUM!! After this we found the designer, it was totally over priced with garish designs - it was just in competetion with Dolce and Gabanna and Louis Vuitton etc - it wasn't what we were looking for. So we headed to Arbat street, to look for Antiques (someone mentioned maybe there?) But it was all touristy and souvenirs, it was nice to walk down though - wide street and nice to look up at the buildings. We were total heathens and drank frappuccinos from *bucks..... we couldn't resist.....
At this point my feet were hurting from all the walking, but we were told that there may be a flea market in Izmaylozskaya, we arrived and it felt totally different to the Moscow we had seen so far, but unfortunately no flea market - a lovely park though.
Back to the hotel and straight into the pool, where we rejoined Cherisse. We then went back to our cute restaurant and ate more Borsch (obsessed now!) and Fajitas.... I know! Not very `Russian - but was yummy!
The next morning I hit the gym and caught up with emails before we got picked up to go to the show. Moscow was in a heat of between 35 - 40 deg. It was insanely hot!!! And... NO Air con at the venue (apart from our dressing room) - so the poor crew had to work in a really uncomfortable heat - So the gig started, I didn't even bother to put my eyelashes on, I knew they would just slide off!! ha ha!! WOW - the heat was painful - but we did it and the crowd totally got us through it! The russian crowd were AMAZING!!! I sweated SO much that I broke my monitoring system as it got sweat into it and blew the electrics inside!!....sexy! I thought I would go straight to sleep after such a hot show - but no.... insomnia kept me company...
After reluctantly waking up we left Moscow and headed to Helsinki. WE arrived in Helsinki at about 3pm and jiMMa once again hit the streets.... After bumping into some MFCers (unexpectedly - Babs, Sara and Danica) we walked about and found some fav shops!! And we ate a yummy salmon sandwich made in my favourite rye bread! Back to the hotel to dump our stuff and back out... Sushi was calling we went to an amazing restaurant called, Kabuki - which served delicious authentic japanese food - it was seriously yum!! We ate a mix sushi box, ebi tempura, yakiniku - banana frai and green tea ice cream.... mmmmm.... dribble......
http://www.kabuki.fi/
After a full belly, I went to bed and slept like a baby - phew!! The next morning JiMMa headed towards the design district in Helsinki and we stumbled upon a flea market - jimmy found some really cool shoes and a pocket watch - me nothing - poop. We then carried on, on our walk and we came across a really cool shop and I bought some necklaces (yes more necklaces!) from Punavuoren Putiikki
http://punavuorenputiikki.blogspot.com/
We then headed back for the show. We arrived at the show the venue was lovely, we had the top part for our dressing room - the floor was SO sticky from spilt beer and drinks, it reminded me of when I worked in a bar for 4 years. After sound check, Jimmy, David and I went to go and get some dinner, we first ended up shopping, I bought some gifts for sisters and then we found a little restaurant and we ate reindeer sandwiches - I had to try as I had never eaten it before, I have to say, it was really nice..... All hot and melted with cheese...
Back to the gig.
The support act was great - it was just one guy, and then 2 male dancers came on - but slightly overweight - and butch looking "normal" guys - it totally worked! But the weird thing was the dancers dressed up as pigs, fought with the guy and then carried him off - ring any bells?? ;)
So we started the show - I dodn't realise, quite how hot it was, again - no air con!! my face totally melted - eye lashes slid off my face (again) Pink UV eye paint in my eyes (OW!!) I probably looked a right mess - but I don't care - I had fun - I would rather look a mess and jump around than look pristine and not have fun!
You Fins, looked after us and jumped and waved arms - grabbed our ankles on stage - it was great to do a show so up close again - to almost taste the sweat from you guys, as well as you getting the sweat from us!!
A Great show...
Back to the hotel for a shower - then off on our bus!!! BAck on our "home on wheels".
