While in Austin last weekend I was privileged to be hosted by a delightful couple I’ve known for probably two years now.  They are magnanimous people who’ve never met a stranger, and I understand they get a good number of visitors; they like it that way.  I felt like part of their family – they are very recent empty nesters, and their two young adult children kept coming and going all weekend long.

Also in town to visit them, though staying in a nearby hotel, were the two pictured below – a dynamic duo from Canada.  He plays and works on guitars; it’s a hobby/passion.  She is pictured playing the mandolin, but both play both instruments; she used to play the violin as well.  The instruments the pair is playing belong to my hosts, who have a large collection of guitars, and a couple of mandolins.

The Canadian couple put on a little duet for me, and pronounced the mandolin to be an excellent instrument.  I learned that should I ever decide to take up the mandolin, the notes/strings are the same as on the violin – he told me that I would be able to pick it up easily.  I also was interested to learn that the mandolin is similar to the violin in that the instrument family contains four stringed instruments – the mandolin, mandola, mandocello, and mandobass.

We parted ways as the couple headed into downtown Austin by bus to check out a particular luthier’s/guitar maker’s shop they were interested in exploring.

Meeting great people is often the best part of travel, and bonding over a shared musical passion is a treat.

Thanks for reading.

Ryan