The Color Purple

We lost a musical legend this week. On Thursday, the Purple One,Prince, died. He was only 57.
Over the weekend, there has been an outpouring of emotion. More will certainly follow. Some people knew him. Some didn’t. All loved him – he taught us that, “dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called “Life.” ‘
So, this week, my newsletter is going to focus on the color purple.
Sure, there’s a great novel, film, and Broadway play called “The Color Purple” – but even they stopped to show respect, and their respect stopped the show. Watch.
Cast of The Color Purple Salut Prince
Cast of The Color Purple Salute Prince
President Obama issued a statement that said, “Today, the world lost a creative icon,”   The top 3 itunes songs are now Prince songs. The Broadway show “Hamilton” made “Let’s Go Crazy” part of the show. Seehere 
Celebrities from Mariah Carey to Bruce Springsteen (see here) gave musical tributes to Prince in their performances this weekend.
“Saturday Night LIve” did a full show of Prince’s performances. And “CBS Sunday Morning” referred to Prince as a musical Nelson Mandela who ended musical apartheid between ‘white’ rock and ‘black’ r&b. Even “Face the Nation” paid him tribute. There are also hints that the movie “Purple Rain” will get re-released in limited theatres.

 

Cities lit up in purple. See here (ok so Niagara Falls and the CN Tower had probably already planned to light up to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, but there could be no better synchronicity. See here.)

2016 has been a terrible year for losing musical legends – David Bowie, Natalie Cole, Glenn Frey… but Prince strikes to the core. Certainly it was unexpected – but also because he was such a virtuoso. 

As photographer Annie Lennox wrote: ” Genius… Visionary.. Virtuoso…Legendary…Untouchable… Love Peace and gratitude…” Seehere Her photo is outstanding. 

But besides the public mourning, and besides the enduring and
lasting legacy of his music (and apparently, there are vaults of still unreleased music), maybe we should look to see what lessons we can take from Prince. What can we incorporate in our lives?

The best thing for me was his Super Bowl performance.

I’m not a football fan. I knew that In 40 years, it had never rained on Super Bowl Sunday. But on the day of Prince’s performance, there was not just a sprinkling of rain – there was a huge unrelenting deluge of a Miami rainstorm. The rain should have cancelled Prince’s performance. Safety issues (with dancers and electrical equipment) should have stopped it. Instead, Prince asked if they could make it rain harder. It has become known as the greatest super bowl performance of all time. Watch.

 

Prince at the Super Bowl
Prince at the Super Bowl
To quote the icon, “I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain.” .

in this newsletter, I’ll look for purple inspiration, and suggest some spots for you to consider in your travels. Purple is the color of Prince – and it is also known as the color of royalty and luxury. 

According to http://www.bourncreative.com/meaning-of-the-color-purple/

“Purple combines the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red. The color purple is often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition… AND……The color purple is a rare occurring color in nature and as a result is often seen as having sacred meaning. Lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are considered delicate and precious. AND…. The color purple has a variety of effects on the mind and body, including uplifting spirits, calming the mind and nerves, enhancing the sacred, creating feelings of spirituality, increasing nurturing tendencies and sensitivity, and encouraging imagination and creativity”
So, let’s look at The Color Purple in travel!.
Avalon Waterways- Burgundy & Provence
11 Days from Paris to Cote d’Azure
 
Opportunities abound on this delightful vacation to learn about France and the French. Your adventure begins with two overnights and guided
 sightseeing in Paris, the “City of Light.”

Ride the TGV train to Dijon, then continue on by motorcoach to fascinating Beaune for a Burgundy wine tasting or visit of Hôtel-Dieu. Next, board your ship in quaint Chalon-s
ur-Saône and set sail for lovely Tournus, France’s gastronomic capital of Lyon, as well as medieval Tournon, charming Viviers, Avignon, and Arles. Before disembarking your ship in Arles, sail into the peaceful Camargue area (daylight permitting). Your vacation ends with an overnight on the French Riviera, also known as the Côte d’Azur. This cruise vacation has it all-historic sites, delightful towns, and more