Subway Serenade

The Hula-gen's like to use public transportation when we travel.  We've found that the easiest way to get around a new town is to get around the way the locals do.  One of our proudest accomplishments when we were in Europe was mastering the Tube in London and the Metro in Paris.  Teen Angel and I wore those subway systems OUT.  And one of the more fun things about the subway, for us anyway, was the live entertainment in the train cars and subway tunnels.  We have some of that in the US but nothing like they do across the pond.  In Paris, it seems that any yahoo with a portable microphone can hop aboard a train and serenade you with his talents.  Or lack thereof.  These guys were especially funny because they had the loudest tuba evah and were playing polka.  All day.  We passed them several times that day, and every time they were playing what sounded like the same polka song.

Forgive the bad picture, we were moving fast in our effort to squeeze in yet another museum on our last day in town when I took this. 

Teen Angel and I got a lot of laughs out of the reactions of the locals who obviously get much more tired of the least talented performers than the tourists do. For us it was an adventure.  I would imagine it gets old when you hear it every day.  That's pretty much what one very expressive French lady indicated with her eye rolls.

In London, it seemed a little more controlled.  They're so dignified there, you know.  There was subway entertainment, but they were kept in particular areas of the tunnels and out of the train cars.

They were usually really good, too.  While I don't know for sure, I'm betting you have to audition in order to perform there.

I just think the subway is a fascinating place to share and experience art, which is why I like this video so much.  I love a good flash mob, and this one is great.  If only someone would serenade me like this on my way to work every morning.  I'd smile all day long.