Jeff said Hurry

Jeff said Hurry
Originally uploaded by gustav loud.

Opera House in Dresden

Opera House in Dresden
Originally uploaded by gustav loud.

Stephen's (the bus driver) Girls

Stephen's (the bus driver) Girls
Originally uploaded by gustav loud.

Choir at Thomas kirche

Choir at Thomas kirche
Originally uploaded by gl11.

Final Night

Final trip log. The girls just finished singing the Sunday service at the Thomaskirche… another inspired performance. Ate lunch on the lawn and wandered around the square before heading off to Frankfurt for our final sleep in Germany.

We have already said some teary good byes, Judith, Susanne, and Keely have taken train to various other destinations. The girl’s gave Susanne a song farewell and thanked her for her amazing effort at putting together a tour that they will remember for ever.

Last night Jeff took the seniors out to dinner and returned for the awards gathering where everyone received a trip moment certificate. Some of the awards were: Keely, Charades Master, Rachel Henderson, Most Patriotic, Abby MacLeod, most likely to appear on Broadway ( If she can find the bus!)

By this time tomorrow the choir should be winging their way home eager to get some hugs, sleep, and share some stories.

I will keep posting pictures all next week as we have many more to share. I must thank Stan Chesal for his work in getting many of the awesome pictures you all have enjoyed. The movie version should be set within two weeks.

Awards Night

Awards Night
Originally uploaded by gl11.

Taking the Stage in Leipzig

Taking the Stage in Leipzig
Originally uploaded by gl11.

Saturday

Good afternoon, I must apologize for my poorly worded note last night, my spelling is not good at the best of times, after touring for a week and a half I would give myself a failing grade.

After a restful night in the hostel of Leipzig we were off again to perform the noon music in the Cathederal at Numburg. Very receptive audience, and a big honking organ. Rev. Crowell I suspect Jeff may be asking for an upgrade!
Presently we are having an authentic outdoor lunch along the banks of a river underneath a castle wall. The food is wonderful but I think there will be a cry for the golden arches for some when we land.
Back to Leipzig this afternoon for some frantic last minute shopping ( no gift for the boyfriends or Aunt Susan yet). The always popular awards night is this evening and then it’s off to bed. Tomorrow the girl’s sing at the “church that Bach built” St. Thoomas, one of the four he provided music for in Leipzig.

There is so much history and culture here it is hard to take it all in

See you soon enjoy the pics.

2 more sleeps.

Good day from Liepzig!
We left Dresden this morning and toured Liepzig's downtown. Went to the old Bach churches, Jeff would not leave. Sang in the Mendollson (sp) hall tonight, great crowd and then reception after. Putting girls to bed early tonight.

Just a note from Jeff about the news in England, we are aware of what has happened, the girl's are fine, it has not had much impact on travel here.

Sorry no pictures today, hopefully I'll find a faster line tomorrow.

Night, nite!

Rathen Castle

IMG_0019
Originally uploaded by gl1.

View from the Maiden in Distress room!

July 7

July 7,
Good Morning from Dresden, it is Thursday and we arrived to meet another choir, Madshunchor Schloss Albrechtsberg and sang a concert with them in a castle last evening.

The reason for the delay in pictures is that since leaving Prague we have been secluded in a remote castle in Rathen. It was just what the choir needed after a fast paced two days in Prague. The air was crisp, the food fantastic and it gave the choir time to connectand play charades, make sure you ask Keely W. how to do pig on a spit!

Every day here brings more of the same. “Wow!” “I can’t believe this!” Or, the mouth open, jaw dropping but no noise coming out facial expressions of people seeing sites that they have never dreamed existing.

Prague was beautiful and wild at the same time, east meets west and the future the past!
The girls had a very somber tour of Terezan, a fort used by the Germans during WWII to house Jews and other political prisoners.

The castle in Rathen is accessable by a cable ferry that is powered by the Elbe River current, very ingenious. The village of Rathen is literally a collection 70+ hotels and Pensions that spill back up the ravine away from the Elbe. The castle we stayed in was 400+ years old but had rooms that offered modern conveniences, although German TV was not real popular! One highlight in Rathen was the hike back through the mountains to an ancient mountain fortress carved out of the cliffs, it was right out of Lord of the Rings. We also celebrated two birthdays; Alex and Allison.

After our respite in Rathen, we were off to Dresden. For those you don’t know Dresden was a city that was almost entirely destroyed in March of 1945 by American and British bombers. The amazing thing is that the city has been rebuilt, no not rebuilt, restored. It looks for the most part that it has never been touched. During the 1700-1800’s Drseden was a cultural centre and has reclaimed that status. The girl’s have toured museums, the Imperial residence, the Semperoper Opera House, and a grand summer palace.

If you notice some pictures are missing, it is because we have run out of space, still working on a solution. Check out the latest collection. Keep those comments coming, the girl’s enjoy them.

Missing pics

To see the entire collection click on the post from Bacerach, they seem to get linked here. I'll try to fix this but that is where they are right now. You may have to scroll down.

Welcome to Prague

Hello again, since we have been in contact last the girls:
Sang in the Dom at Speyer cathedral (I’m sending this video via email soon, it was amazing, not the video but the sound.)
Had some high culture in the afternoon at a water park!!
Have been to Heidelberg for more shopping (please mom and dad put more money in my account!!)
Visited an enormous castle, taken a boat tour of the Nekkar River to see hillside towns and ruins.
Gave an awesome concert in Herxheim with two other choirs. The mayor was simply blown away be the sound.

The German families have been very welcoming and the girl’s have lots of stories to tell. The girls have been incredible ambassadors, gracious and courteous leaving a great impression wherever we go.

Yesterday we had a very long trip to Prague, girls were troopers and hung in there singing, playing cards, doing hair styling on each other. Prague is an amazing city, there is a real pulse so different from Germany, it seems to be a meeting place for all of Europe, just got to get this money thing straightened out, 97 CK for a burger, 190 with fries?

As I write this the girls are singing mass at a great old cathedral, this afternoon they do a concert in the most spectacular church in the centre of old Prague, we hope to capture some sound.


Sorry about the sporadic postings, I have overestimated the technology access, I will try to post again tonight from Prague but after that it maybe a couple of days.

Enjoy your comments!

More pics, click on the picture to see (52 in all)


For more pics go to chesal.blogspot.com

Eric

Happy Canada Day

O Canada! Today we are sitting in an internet cafe downtown historic Heidelburg. Finally some high speed access to upload some pics!!
If you continue to click on the picture on the page you will be able to see the new as well as the old pics.

Castle tour and Boat tour today and concert tonight. Host families have been great although I think the girls are tiring of sausage and cheese!! There are some interesting cultural lessons here, like do you now in Germany grocery stores do not provide bags? armloads of groceries, too bad we didn't have the camera.

We are all decked out today in our red and white with a flag flying on the bus.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

Bacherach

Bacherach,
originally uploaded by Gustavloud.

On the bus again

On the bus again,
originally uploaded by Gustavloud.