North America Guitar Tour
Myrtle Beach
July 20, 2014
I continued to head north, still feeling the warm hospitality I received in Orlando. Needless to say, the bento lunch I had at the rest area on the way was indescribably delicious. After that, I took a nap and somehow managed to reach my destination of the day, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, about an hour away while it was still light. I entered a Waffle House, a family restaurant that is common in the eastern part of the country, and the interior of the restaurant was clearly different from what I had seen before. There was an elderly woman smoking a cigarette at a seat by window. In America, smoking is prohibited inside restaurants, and it is common to have an ashtray at the entrance, so when I saw this scene, I couldn't understand what was going on for a moment. After the meal, I asked the waiter at the counter, who asked me if I wanted to smoke, and he took out the ashtray and urged me to go to the window. Since this is a rare occurrence, I took him up on his offer and enjoyed my first smoke in a restaurant in America. While wondering if this place was outdated, I remembered that Salem, famous for menthol cigarettes, was located around here. After further research, I found out that although Winston Salem itself was in North Carolina, one state to the north, tobacco was the main agricultural product of South Carolina. In fact, when I bought cigarettes, the price was lower than in other states. The fact that prices vary from state to state is also unique in this country.(I quit smoking in 2024.)
Myrtle Beach, where I was staying that day, is said to be a fairly well-known beach on the East Coast, but I didn't know enough about the first part of "Myrtle" to even be able to pronounce it. I had a feeling that I would probably end up not seeing the beach here, just like Redondo Beach in California, so I at least enjoyed the coastal scenery along the way (in the end, this hunch turned out to be correct).
On this day, I was scheduled to perform "Thank you for a meal and a place to stay" at Mr. Morris's house. Looking back, my trip started with this theme, but surprisingly, I have only put this theme into practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Tampa, Florida, so this was the third time.
The house is located in a newly developed residential area, and within the vast grounds, some houses are still under construction and some are vacant. There are also restaurants and other commercial facilities, and it looks as if a town is about to be born. After arriving, we were treated to a meal at an Italian restaurant on the grounds, and after returning home, we spent time in Mr. Maurice's study, playing at his request and giving him a short lesson.
Mr. Maurice is one of my ardent fans, and it was very heartwarming to see him playing my arrangements in front of me. When he was having trouble with a part, I found what I thought was the cause and gave him advice on how to fix it. Even if he vaguely said someone wanted to be able to play, all I can advise that person is to "play," but I am surprisingly good at removing the barriers that people who are facing small obstacles.
*The people mentioned in the text are written using their initials until we can confirm their identity.
Contents
Introduction
Until Departure
Seattle
To California
Day Off
Sunnyvale
To La
LA 2 Days
To Tucson
Albuquerque
To Colorado (beginning of Miracle)
Berthoud
Denver
to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City 2 days
To Texas
San Antonio
Georgetown
Dallas
Houston 2 Days
Benton
Nashville (CAAS)
Roswell
Tampa 2 Days
Miami
Orland 2 Days
Myrtle Beach
Chapel Hill 3 Days
Kingsport
To Indiana
Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival
To Staten Island
Manhattan
Phillipsburg
Nazareth (Martin Guitar Factory)
To Massachusetts (end of Miracle)
Methuen
To Montreal
To Buffalo
Meadvill A Day Before
Meadvill Ghost Hotel
Detroit
Chicago
Minneapolice
Spin Off #1
Spin Off #2 "EU Tour IN 2008 / Until Departure
Czech 1
Czech 2
London
Liverpool
Chesham
To Germany
Lemgo
Ingolstadt
Bregenz
To Italy
Florence
The Last Gig
Going Home