6/30/09- Toulouse, France

Toulouse (pronounced /tu'lus/ in English, [tuˈluz] in standard French, and [tuˈluzə] in the local French accent) (Occitan: Tolosa, pronounced [tuˈluzɔ]) is a city in southwest France on the banks of the River Garonne, 730 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. With 1,102,882 inhabitants as of Jan. 1, 2006, the Toulouse metropolitan area is the fifth-largest in France.

Toulouse is the home base of the European aerospace industry, with the headquarters of Airbus, Galileo positioning system, the SPOT satellite system, and CNES's Toulouse Space Centre (CST), the largest space center in Europe. Thales Alenia Space, Europe's largest satellite manufacturer, and EADS Astrium Satellites, EADS's satellite system subsidiary, also have a significant presence in Toulouse. Its world renowned university is one of the oldest in Europe (founded in 1229) and, with more than 120,000 students, is the second-largest university campus of France after Paris (and ahead of Lyon).

Toulouse was the capital of the former province of Languedoc (provinces were abolished during the French Revolution). It is now the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region, the largest region in metropolitan France. It is also the capital of the Haute-Garonne department.

6/29/09- Paris, France

Paris (pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ or /ˈpɛrəs/ in English; [paʁi] in French) is the capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (also known as the "Paris Region"; French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006), but the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of over 11 million, and is the most populated metropolitan area in the Eurozone.

An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. According to 2005 estimates, the Paris urban area is Europe's biggest city economy, and is fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP.

Paris and the Paris Region, with €533.6 billion (US$731.3 billion) in 2007, produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France. The Paris Region hosts 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companies in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe. Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the informal Paris Club.

Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with 45 million tourists every year in the Paris Region, 60% of whom are foreign visitors. There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world-famous institutions and popular parks.

6/28/09- Essen, Germany

Essen (German pronunciation: [ˈɛsən]) is a city in the central part of the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Located on the Ruhr River, its population of approximately 579,000 (as of June 30, 2008) makes it either the 7th- or 8th-largest-city in Germany. The city was appointed European Capital of Culture for 2010 on behalf of the whole Ruhr Area.

Formerly one of Germany's most important coal and steel centers and historically linked to the centuries-old Krupp family iron works, the city has developed a strong tertiary sector of industry and (sometimes together with nearby Düsseldorf) claims to be the "desk of the Ruhr area". It is home to 13 of the 100 largest German corporations and seat to several of the region's authorities.

In 1958, the city was chosen to serve as the seat to a Roman Catholic diocese (often referred to as Ruhrbistum or diocese of the Ruhr). In early 2003, the universities of Essen and the nearby city of Duisburg (both established in 1972) were merged into the University of Duisburg-Essen with campuses in both cities and a university hospital in Essen.

6/27/09- Durmersheim, Germany

Durmersheim is a small town in the district of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Southwest Germany and has a population of 12,049 (2005). Durmersheim is situated between Karlsruhe and Rastatt, in the valley of the river Rhine near the border to France. There is also a forest in the valley, named Hardtwald, c. 2 km east of the town. The 27 kilometres long Federbach River flows from south to north through the town.

6/26/09- Vicenza, Italy

Vicenza, a city in northern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately 60 km west of Venice and 200 km east of Milan. As of 2007, Vicenza had an estimated population of 119,038. Vicenza is the third-largest Italian industrial city as measured by the value of its exports.

Vicentia was settled by the Italic Euganei tribe and then by the Paleo-Veneti tribe in the third and second centuries BCE, from whom it was taken by the Gauls. The Romans conquered it from the Gauls in 157 BCE and gave the city the name of Vicetia or Vincentia, meaning "victorious".

The population of Vicentia received Roman citizenship in 49 BCE. The city had some importance as a way-station on the important road from Mediolanum (Milan) to Aquileia, near Tergeste (Trieste), but it was overshadowed by its neighbor Patavium (Padua). Little survives of the Roman city, but three of the bridges across the Bacchiglione and Retrone rivers are of Roman origin, and isolated arches of a Roman aqueduct exist outside the Porta Santa Croce.
During the decline of the Western Roman Empire, Heruls, Vandals, Alaric and his Visigoths, as well as the Huns laid waste to the area, but the city recovered after the Ostrogoth conquest in 489 CE. It was also an important Lombard city and then a Frankish centre. Numerous Benedictine monasteries were built in the Vicenza area, beginning in the sixth century.

6/25/09- Munich, Germany

IT HAS BEGUN!
-Shao Khan (in reference to the Have Heart European tour 2009)

Austin caught a flight to Boston yesterday and then the bands left the country around 7pm. Tonight is their first show in Europe for the tour.



Munich (German: München, pronounced [ˈmʏnçən]; Austro-Bavarian: Minga) is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg. There are approximately 1.36 million inhabitants within Munich.
The city's motto is "München mag Dich" ("Munich Loves You" in the English version). Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" (world city with heart). Its native name, München, is derived from the Old German word for Mönche, which means "Monks" in English. The reason for naming the city in such a manner is to honour the fact that monks of the Benedictine order founded the city. This is also the reason for the monk depicted on the city's coat of arms. Black and gold - the colours of the Holy Roman Empire - have been the city's official colours since the time of Ludwig the Bavarian.
Munich is not the only location within Bavaria known as "München". Three such locations exist: the one which is known as "Munich"; another which is northeast of the city of Nuremberg, and also Hutthurm, a town north of the city of Passau.

South America Wrap Up

Austin spent some time in Harrisonburg this week, resting after the South American part of the tour, in preparation for the European leg. Here are some pics of the South American shows. There are plenty of pictures up on Flickr and videos on youtube. Just search "have heart" to find most of em.

6/16/09-New York, NY / Virginia Beach, VA

After finishing the South American tour, Austin flew to New York early in the day and then made his way to Virginia Beach. He will be staying for several days, relaxing and re-accommodating himself to American life. On Thursday 6/18 he will be playing a show with Savage Land before returning home to Harrisonburg to prepare himself mentally and physically for the European tour, starting in just over a week.

More info on the Savage Land show on 6/18.

6/14/09-Sao Paulo, Brazil

São Paulo ([sɐ̃u ˈpaulu] is the largest city in Brazil and South America, and is the 3rd out of the largest metropolitan regions of the world. The city is the capital of the State of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state. It is also the richest city of Brazil. The name means Saint Paul in Portuguese. São Paulo exerts strong regional influence in commerce and finance as well as arts and entertainment.

The city has many renowned landmarks. The Immigrant's Hostel greeted millions of immigrants as they came to Brazil in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Paulista Avenue, in Downtown, is the most important financial center of the country and South America. The city is home to the São Paulo Stock Exchange (BOVESPA). São Paulo has been home to several of the tallest buildings in Brazil, including the Mirante do Vale Building. With an estimated population of 11,105,249 residents within an area of 1,523 square kilometres (588 sq mi), São Paulo is the most populous city in the Southern hemisphere.

The city also lies at the center of the heavily urbanized São Paulo metropolitan area, which, with an estimated 21,616,060 people in 2008 over 7,944 square kilometres (3,067.2 sq mi), is the largest metropolitan area in the nation. Depending on which definition is used, the São Paulo metropolitan area is ranked as either the first or second most populous in the Americas.

People from the city of São Paulo are known as paulistanos, while paulistas designates anyone from the whole of São Paulo state, including the paulistanos. The city's Latin motto, which it has shared with the battleship and the aircraft carrier named after it, is Non ducor, duco, which translates as "I am not led, I lead". A famous nickname for the city is "Sampa". São Paulo is also known for its unreliable weather, the size of its helicopter fleet, architecture and multitude of skyscrapers. The São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport operates many domestic and international flights.


This is a video of Have Heart playing their last South American show. You may notice that Austin is playing drums for this set....which he had not planned on doing. Apparently their drummer had some visa trouble and was unable to get into the country so Austin took over drumming duty for this show. Not too shabby for never having played drums for ANY of the songs ever before.

6/13/09-Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, currently the third-largest Metropolitan Area in South America, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. It is located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent. The city of Buenos Aires is not part of Buenos Aires Province, nor is it its capital; rather, it is an autonomous federal district. Greater Buenos Aires is the fourth-largest conurbation in Latin America, with a population of around 13 million.

After the internal conflicts of the 19th century, Buenos Aires was federalised and removed from Buenos Aires Province in 1880. The city limits were enlarged to include the former towns of Belgrano and Flores, which are both now neighbourhoods of the city.
Buenos Aires (English: Fair Winds or Good Air (see Names of Buenos Aires), pronounced [ˈbwe̞nɔs ˈai̯ɾɛs]) was originally named after the sanctuary of "Nostra Signora di Bonaria" (Italian for "Our Lady of Bonaria") in Cagliari, Sardinia. In the 1994 constitution the city became autonomous, hence its formal name: Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, in English, Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. See Names of Buenos Aires.

People from Buenos Aires are called porteños (people of the port).


Here is a video from the show. Watch out for the kid jumping from the rafters at :35 and for Austin's stage dive at 1:30 (after which he falls into a hole for a while, only to reemerge for the remainder of the song).

6/12/09- Santiago, Chile

Tonight is the Chile show. I hope Austin is ready to play. Apparently he was quite shaken up by his encounter with a llama earlier in the day.

6/11/09-Santiago, Chile

Santiago (Spanish: Santiago de Chile), is the capital of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation (Greater Santiago). It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of 520 m (1,700 ft) AMSL. Although Santiago is the capital, legislative bodies meet in nearby Valparaíso.

Approximately two decades of uninterrupted economic growth have transformed Santiago into one of Latin America's most modern metropolitan areas, with extensive suburban development, dozens of shopping malls, and impressive high-rise architecture. The city has some of Latin America's most modern transportation infrastructure, such as the growing Santiago Metro (the metropolitan underground train system) and the new Costanera Norte, a freeflow toll-based highway system that passes below downtown and connects the Eastern and Western extremes of the city in a 25-minute drive. Santiago is headquarters to many important companies and is a regional financial center.

6/08&09&10/09-Lima, Peru

The bands played the night of the 7th at the Mao Bar. Here's a video of one of Have Heart's songs from their set. Follow the youtube links to find some more videos from the show.



The bands have spent the past couple days sightseeing and enjoying the local cuisine. Austin recommends the following:

Ceviche


Postobon

6/07/09-Lima, Peru

Austin brings some American culture to the main city square.

Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, on a coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It forms a contiguous urban area with the seaport of Callao. Lima is the 5th largest city in Latin America, behind Mexico City, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.

Lima was founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, as La Ciudad de los Reyes, or "The City of Kings." It became the most important city in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru and, after the Peruvian War of Independence, was made the capital of the Republic of Peru. Today around one-third of the Peruvian population lives in the metropolitan area.

6/06/09-Bogota, Colombia

Austin is taking in his surroundings as he gets off the plane in South America.

The largest and most populous city in Colombia, Bogotá has 7,881,156 inhabitants in its metropolitan area (2005 census),[14] with a population density of approx. 3912 inhabitants per square kilometer. Nowadays in 2009, it is estimated that the city house about 7,362,520 and 8,566,926 inhabitants in the metropolitan area. Only 15,810 people are located in rural areas of Capital District. 47.5% of the population are male and 52.5% women. The city has the lowest rate of illiteracy in the country which reaches only 4.6% of the population older than 5 years old.

Austin Stemper: World Ambassador

World, meet Austin Stemper. Hailing from Harrisonburg, VA, this red-haired, stout hearted boy has embarked on a journey of the world. While his main musical commitments have in the past been cast with bands such as ATC and The Frontline, and currently with Savage Land, he has hit the road with modern hardcore acts Have Heart and Shipwreck. Austin will be filling in on guitar for both bands over the next several months as they tour South America, Africa, Europe, and North America (the bands have also toured in Asia and Australia prior to the dates with Austin). Austin is prepared, but is the world ready??? This blog will be chronicling his journey, providing tidbits about each locale he visits, as well as some fun anecdotes about his life. Follow along and find out the answer to the eternal question...Where in the world is Austin Stemperego?