8/8/06 ~ Dancing Bears

On the Rio: Grateful Dead ~ Black Throated Wind, 6/23/1974, Jai-Alai Fronton, Miami, FL

Actually, these are United Buddy Bears that I saw in Hong Kong. Jackie Chan is a big fan and has organized several children's fund raising events around them. They originated in Berlin as a concept by Eva and Klaus Herlitz. They are fiberglass bears over six feet tall which are painted by artists from nations all over the world. They are the symbol of global peace, tolerance, and friendship.

I read this week that Freddy Fender has incurable cancer. For those of you unfamiliar with Freddy, he hit the charts with the song 'Wasted Days and Wasted Nights' (among others, but that's the only one I like).

So here is a bit of information most of you probably don't know about me...Freddy Fender opened for Dolly Parton in Alpine Valley in 1976 and this was the very first concert I ever attended. I just finished 6th grade. My family was about to embark on a car trip to Colorado and prior to leaving Wisconsin my parents insisted we had to go to this concert. I remember two things really about this concert: whining about having to go, but then really enjoying laying on the grass looking up at the stars listening to the music.

And now I have so many fond memories of Alpine Valley laying on the grass, looking up at the stars, listening to music. So here's to my parents and Freddy Fender.