Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Due to the success... of the Canada blog, here's another installment.


Mar 3rd: All packed, except laptop...

At the airport now. Let's see how this journey goes.

Three flights to go until I get to Brasilia.


It's a beautiful sunny winter day here in Sweden. I hope it's not in brazil.

Winter day that is. Beautiful and sunny would be nice though.

March 4th

Arrived in Brasilia, Brazil now.

Spent a few hours at Heathrow before flying to Sao Paulo. Got there early this morning and then spent the whole morning waiting.

My flight to Brasilia was delayed, so had to wait a little bit more... All in all, the trip took about 30 hrs or so.


I've already noticed that the coffee on the Brazilian airline comes in a small cup and is stronger than the regular coffee we get.

Good stuff.

Within six hours of arriving in Brasilia, I've had beef and Caipirinhas.

Yay!

(http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs462.snc3/25369_340062067922_716682922_3696996_2642783_n.jpg)

March 5th:

Went out to see part of the city after breakfast.

Went to a shopping mall to try to get a prepaid phone card and eventually succeeded.

Good thing I had people who speak the language with me. I would've been pretty lost otherwise....

After exploring the mall, went out to see some of the government buildings.

(http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs462.ash1/25369_342026017922_716682922_3701179_393749_n.jpg)

The day didn't end with the sightseeing.

Headed out to check out some of the local nightlife after midnight.

While looking for a place, we learned that just because it says Club in the name, doesn't mean it's an actual nightclub.

Even if it's surrounded by restaurants and bars, the "Club" could still be a health club....  :hihi:


Got back to the hotel at around 4:30. Was up at 9am for breakfast (gotta have coffee)....



More sightseeing planned for today.

Trying to figure out why my prepaid SIM isn't working like it's supposed to.... No Internet access like I'm supposed to have.  :-\

(http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs462.ash1/25369_344101027922_716682922_3706023_7092629_n.jpg)


Visited congress today and also the Ministry of External Relations.

Interesting looking buildings, both on the outside and on the inside.

As I was leaving, the rain started pouring down. Got soaked. You could say it was refreshing.....

March 7:

First show is tonight here in Brasilia.

It's my first visit to this country, so I really don't know how the rest of the cities I'll visit in Brazil look like. But, I'm assuming Brasilia is unique.

It's very "weird" going down the main avenue and looking at all these government buildings along it.

The architecture definitely sticks out.

Some of it reminds me of old Eastern European apartment blocks, while some just look very different to the government buildings I'm used to from back home.

(http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs462.ash1/25369_344101037922_716682922_3706025_6518486_n.jpg) 

No phone, no updates

March 9th:


In Belo Horizonte. Just returned from dinner. It started raining while I was outside. Seems to be a theme here. Rain and thunder at night.

Last night's show was pretty cool. What a crowd!

What a banner!

Never seen anything like it before. Amazing.

Thanks to everybody involved. That definitely made the gig special, if it wasn't already!



Flew in here this afternoon and been taking it easy since. No sightseeing.

Blame it on the lack of sleep. Going out until 4-5am while still getting up in time for breakfast will eventually catch up on you. ;)

But, no complaints. It beats winter in Sweden!  :hihi:

Decided to skip breakfast and sleep later instead.

They got coffee elsewhere!

Went out and had a Caf? con leite. Managed to order one without speaking Portuguese and the person taking my order didn't speak English...


Met some fans who recognized me. That feels weird. In a good way of course.

I'm just not used to being recognized.... I'm not Fernando!  :hihi:

March 10

Got to the venue and went to have a quick look at the Igreja de Sao Francisco de Asis church since it was close to the venue.

(http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs490.ash1/26800_355876557922_716682922_3736552_3415297_n.jpg)


Back to the venue and talked to some Brazilian fans in the line.


Went inside and checked out the stage. Noticed two banners hanging on the opposite side of the arena.

One for Beta, and one for the band.

Talked about Mark Lanegan with a crew member who knows his shit.

Show time arrived and the energy of the crowd was unbelievable.

I don't think I've ever experienced anything like that.

Axl asked us all sing Happy birthday to Beta during Knockin' On Heaven's Door.

A very memorable moment.


After the show, I had a sandwich and a couple of beers (including a Belgian Trappist ale). Got back to the hotel in the early morning and took a short nap before leaving for the airport.

It was a truly remarkable evening in Belo Horizonte.

As usual with a GN'R tour, things have only just begun... Can't wait for the next show!



/jarmo

Got to Sao Paulo on Thursday. Flew in from Belo Horizonte and came to the hotel. Took it easy that day.

Had some food and drinks. That's pretty much it. Oh, and a hour long nap.


The day after I did a little day trip to Santos, which is about an hour outside of Sao Paulo. Stopped for lunch on the way.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4428375522_e4c46e4863.jpg)

Came back and went out to eat.

Went to the in store appearance Dj did. Awesome.

It was nice seeing some of you there.  8)

Great evening in Sao Paulo

left the city as the sun was coming up

woke up at a gas station as our bus broke down

waited for replacement and made it to Rio a while ago

As I was sorting through pictures from Sao Paulo, I heard the rain start. Then came the thunder.

Next thing I know, I'm told the stage collapsed and we're told to head to catering.


Met up with the crew guys there and we waited.....

Later on, we took our stuff and came to the hotel.


Went out to dinner and saw news footage of the storm. They even showed the collapsed stage in the segment.

Woke up in Rio yesterday. had breakfast and took a walk from the hotel to the beach.

Had some coconut water. Walked past a food market on a nearby street before heading back to the hotel.

Left for the airport and came here to Porto Alegre.

Part of the crew have been working in Rio all day to get the gear to today's show. Another group has been here working on preparing for the show.

No show would be possible without the crew doing what they do. But these past few days have required some extra effort due to the out of the ordinary events in Rio de Janeiro. I hope you guys keep that in mind the next time you see a concert.

Thanks to the GN'R crew for making this all possible! Especially these past few days.

It's not always easy, but they get it done.  :beer:

The show in Porto Alegre was amazing. Especially considering the events of the days prior to the show.

I guess a lot of people forget what an operation it is to get the show to happen. And now with the Rio incident, it was just a bit more difficult.

So keep that in mind when you see a GN'R concert....  :)


I noticed that as soon as the sun set, the temperature dropped considerately. I guess we're further away from the equator.... It wasn't cold, just a bit chilly.


After the show, I had a couple of beers to celebrate my birthday. Actually, I was served a Jack & Coke before the show... As a warm up.  ;)

Hung out with some old friends from abroad and some locals.

Got to the hotel early in the morning and took a nap. Then time to check out and transfer to the airport.

Flew in to Montevideo. Checked in, got online and went out to have some late lunch. That was followed by some picture sorting and another short nap before heading out to dinner in rainy Montevideo.

I liked Montevideo.

And the show was amazing. What a crowd!


Got to Santiago early this morning after our flight was delayed from 7:20PM to after 2am.

Went to look at some of the sights in this beautiful city. And had fish for lunch.

Now off to the arena....

The Santiago show was amazing. Not only was the show amazing, the energy of the crowd was unbelievable.

The fact that this show was at a packed indoor venue created a special atmosphere for the show. It was like the show could've taken place in a big stadium, and since it didn't, those who attended felt they were fortunate enough to be there to witness it. And it showed!

Very loud singalongs during the show!



After the show, I went back to my hotel for a short nap before leaving for the airport.

The airport experience was a bit different because check in was done in tents outside the airport.

Eventually I got to the gate and witnessed a air show by an F16 fighter. It kept doing tricks right in front of us over the runway.


Boarded the plane and managed to fall asleep for a little while. Woke up as they served the sandwiches and drinks.

As we start to descend for the landing, I can see gray clouds all around us. Then suddenly the plane touches down. And then it does it again.

I guess the landing wasn't perfect and our plane bounced up after the first landing... That definitely woke up anybody who was still asleep.


Got to Buenos Aires in the early evening and went out for dinner. Found what we were looking for. A place that serves meat.

A steak, some local red wine and coffee. Nice ending to a day that pretty much started with seeing GN'R rock Santiago.



Today I went out for a walk in downtown Buenos Aires. Saw a lot of people in GN'R shirts.

Should be a cool show tonight.

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4454435261_3fe26a0de9.jpg)


The show in Buenos Aires was the most intense one I've seen.

Personally I have mixed feelings about it. I loved the energy, but on the other hand the shit throwing just kinda ruined part of that enjoyment.... But the band played on and gave the fans a full show.

Some songs were performed for the first time on this tour. Don't Cry and Out Ta Get Me haven't been played before on this leg.

After the show, I went back to the hotel and had an hour to pack, shower and check out. Then off to the airport and the flight to Lima.

Fell asleep on the plane, woke up in time for the landing and after a somewhat crazy ride to the hotel, I arrived at my hotel around noon.

Went out sightseeing by foot with some friends. Walked around the old town. It seems like every driver here is in love with the horn in their cars. They honk all the time...  ;)

Went to the La Iglesia de San Francisco and its underground catacombs...

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/4458405007_c39448a798.jpg)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4458404993_3eed215f98.jpg)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4458404997_306a931fab.jpg)

March 24

Spent the day by the ocean in Miraflores. Had some lunch and drinks there.

Came back to the hotel just in time for dinner and drinks.

(http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs425.snc3/24527_375230997922_716682922_3820132_4882134_n.jpg)

Ate a bunch of local foods and drank Pisco Sours....

March 25

Went to show and spent most of the day observing a guitar tech.

March 26

After the show, I went back to the hotel and managed to sleep for about two hours before the lobby call and flight to Caracas.

The flight's departure was delayed and instead of waking up in time for landing, I woke up as we were told to leave the plane.

The technical issue was fixed and we could leave Lima a few hours later than planned.

Arrived in Caracas at night. Ate at the hotel and since the Internet didn't work, I just went to bed earlier...


March 27

Woke up and had breakfast outside. Which feels weird since it's only March.... March is supposed to be cold!  :hihi:

Watched the Caracas show with the Shot Girls.

Then afterward, back to hotel, shower and pack before it was time to catch a van to the airport.

Fell asleep in the van for a few minutes. Managed to stay awake at the airport and fell asleep for an hour or so on the flight to Bogota.

Spent most of the time here just catching up on sleep.

Bogota show started off "normal". Then came the rain....

Axl was wearing a yellow rain coat at one point while kicking up water from the puddles on stage. Dj was sliding across the stage.

The rain didn't seem to bother the crowd though. Nice!

All in all, a great evening in Bogota made a little bit more special by the rain.


Back to the hotel, complete with doggies outside, a nap and time to go to Quito.

The plane we flew down here on looked like it might've been from the 70s...

As usual, there were GN'R fans at the airport.

Arrived in Quito and went out to dinner. Plan on catching up on some sleep before tomorrow's show....



/jarmo

Great crowd in Quito.
It looked like it might rain during the show, but the rain waited until load out.


The day after the show, I went on a little trip to the equator.

Had a nice day out before heading back to the hotel for check out.

Headed for the airport and our chartered flight to Rio de Janeiro.

All passengers on this flight were either band or crew, but the flight crew still made all announcements in English and Spanish just like any other flight down here.

Managed to fall asleep for a few hours before landing in Rio de Janeiro this morning.....

Spent the day off in Rio de Janeiro sightseeing.

Went to Corcovado and it was cloudy... The clouds just kept rolling by, blocking the statue and the view of the city.

In addition to that, the statue is covered in scaffolding.

After the Corcovado experience, I walked up and down Avenida Atlantica... Ended the evening with a nice dinner and a Caipirinha.



(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4488378378_1a910ed727.jpg)

Show day in Rio. Went to the venue and it started to rain.

Fortunately it didn't rain during the show...

It's always nice to hear the crowd sing along to the new songs during show. I still get surprised by it.



After the show, back to hotel, nap and time to leave for Panama.

We were on a chartered flight from Rio de Janeiro to Panama City. Managed to catch up on some sleep before we landed here.

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4500362242_26aae20e7b.jpg)

The day off was spent sightseeing and shopping.

Went to the Miraflores Visitors center at the Panama Canal.

The show in Panama was weird. The band was playing great, but part of the crowd didn't really seem into it...


The day after the show, I flew to Costa Rica.

As soon as our van left the airport, we were pulled over. The cops removed the license plates from our van and we were allowed to continue.

We all know by now what happened that night. The show was canceled due to the stage being unsafe. Very unfortunate for all the thousands of fans who were looking forward to the show. But safety has to come first.

Had a nice dinner and went to bed early instead of seeing the show...

The next morning, I had a flight to Nicaragua and then on to El Salvador. Arrived here in the afternoon and went out to have lunch.

Had some local "fast food" called Pupusas.


Later on I went out to a bar with some friends and Bumblefoot. Had a beer and then dinner at a nearby restaurant/bar.

Went to bed and the wedding at the hotel was still going on....

April 11

Went to the venue and hung out.

It was an interesting set up. The dressing rooms were all the way up the stairs (where the seats are) and obviously the stage was down on the pitch.

The show itself was pretty amazing. Great crowd!

Got back to the hotel around 5am and had breakfast at 10. Then I heard we're not leaving for Costa Rica as I thought.

I went out and took a look at San Salvador.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4516018041_7ba80af94c.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2776/4516018039_2f3d3f601c.jpg)

After the short tour, I ended up by the pool. Drinks and food in the sun. Not bad.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4521442261_68ab96dce8.jpg)

Arrived late last night. Flew all day from San Salvador via Miami.

Left the hotel at 11am and arrived in Puerto Rico after midnight local time.

Spent the afternoon today walking around in the Old Town. Nice sunny day, perfect for sightseeing.


(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4522075172_11c1abe405.jpg)


Last day of the tour for me, flying home tomorrow.

Back to cold Sweden. At least the snow has melted by now....

So I leave Puerto Rico and land in Washington, DC only to find out my flight has been cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud originating from Iceland.

That was on the 15th, it's now the 19th and I'm still in the USA.

But I get to see parts of the USA that I haven't seen before so it's not all bad... Went to Arlington on Saturday.

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4534801609_0a61b2a7f8.jpg)

Planning on going into DC one of these days.

After spending a week in Virginia/DC, I arrived in (cold) Sweden yesterday.

It was one hell of a tour and experience to be part of.

Thanks to everybody who made it possible, and everybody who made it the experience it was.




/jarmo