Author Archives: John Doan

About John Doan

John Doan is a master and muse of the harp guitar and stringed instruments. He is a music historian, performer, and professor at Willamette University.

Italy Part 1: Florence: The City of Passion for Life and Harp Guitars

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I’ve been taking you on a journal tour of European Tour 2013. So far we’ve revisited our arrival and adventures in Paris, played with fast cars and harp guitars in Le Mans, and exploring more of the french countryside with castles, toys, and of course more harp guitars. After having our fun in France entertaining all with story and song, we moved on to impress and be impressed with Italy.

1.John Doan Train Italy

Once in Venice we took a Ferrari looking high speed train to Florence. The city is simply eye popping and a photographer’s paradise.

1.Deirdra Photo Florence
2.Florence Church
3.Florence River
4.Florence Square


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John Doan Tour in France Part III: An Ancient Castle, A Toy Museum, and Harp Guitars

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So far in this journal of my European Tour 2013, we’ve revisited our adventures in Paris and played with fast cars and harp guitars in Le Mans. Now we’re visiting an ancient castle, toy museum, and more playing with harp guitars.

36.The Château de Saint-Ulrich Ribeauvillé

The next leg of the tour brought me to the northeast of France into the Alsace region on the border or Germany and Switzerland. This is a lush green expanse of mountains and rivers littered with scores of small rustic villages. It is here where Yaouen lives with his family in the shadow of ancient castles and winding rivers.

Village of Ribeauvillé

He invited me to the small village of Ribeauvillé where some of the people still dress as they did one thousand years ago.
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