I was overly ambitious about maintaining my personal habits while on tour. I had this idea that I’d run most mornings, keep up with my journaling, and maintain the same foundational rhythms of life at home. I ran for the first few days, but lost the thread after that. Lübeck was my redemption run.
Lübeck is a small tourist town in Northern Germany. It has a sort of northeast US feel — lots of picturesque shops and high prices (at least from what I could see). The inner part of the town is surrounded by water — a river runs up to the town, then splits to encircle it. The cutest.
We had played at the venue before — Tonfink — and had meet Carolin behind the bar before. She’s sweet as can be and made sure we had some good warm curry to eat just like last time (both Dan and I had particularly fond memories of it). Last time we played, it was winter and folks were huddled inside the warm bar. It was packed. This time, the weather was beautiful. So, a few folks joined us inside, but more sat just outside the window, soaking in the breeze coming through the narrow streets. Paul and Otto manned the bar, offering a few special shots throughout the night — and serving some of Carolin’s amazing chocolate cake.
During a sweet moment, a woman poked her head inside after we finished a song — she had been sitting outside, and her friends were listening to the performance. She asked the name of the song, then returned back outside to share with her table. Even if the room felt sparse, the donations flowed, and it was a good night.
The next morning, the weather was crisp, I had slept well, and I wanted to see more of this little town. So, I followed the path next to the river that encircled the town for about four miles to get right back where I started. I saw folks sitting by the river with their laptops, kayaking through the water in pairs, walking their dogs, and doing their groceries. I looked forward to finding my rhythm at home again on the other side of tour.
