Monday 25th October
By 6.30am a crowd of choristers, parents, Choir Matrons and Lay Clerks had gathered in the Cathedral Car Park. We departed promptly at 7am, and passed an uneventful journey to the Eurotunnel terminal with a brief stop at Reading Services. As we had hoped, we arrived in good time and the coach was able to board a train nearly an hour before the one on which we were booked. Consequently, we arrived in the beautiful city of Brugge (or Bruges in French) with plenty of time to walk around the city and see the main sights.
Walking around Brugge
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We visited the Church of Our Lady first, where one of the main attractions is an original Michaelangelo statue of Madonna and Child, one of the very few outside Italy.
Church of Our Lady
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We also managed to fit in a visit to the Cathedral before continuing our walk around the city, through the main squares and back to the coach via the beautiful Minnewatter lake in the twilight.
In the Markt
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We reached the Youth Hostel at 7.30pm, where a delicious meal of chicken and fries (Belgian, not French, we were told) was waiting for us. Then beds were made up - the biggest challenge of the day for many!
Tuesday 26th October
The long drive from Brugge to Blaubeuren. We left rather earlier than planned, and arrived rather later than planned due to unavoidable traffic delays. On arrival at the Youth Hostel in Blaubeuren, which was to be our home for the next six days, we just had time to find our rooms, unpack a little and freshen up. Then we walked down into town to the Parish Hall, where our host choir, Kantorei, had prepared a wonderful buffet for us.
Meal in the Parish Hall
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After some time getting to know their choir members and eating and drinking together, we adjourned to the Evangelische Stadtkirche across the road, for a brief rehearsal of the Mozart Mass in B flat for the Sunday morning service.
Mozart rehearsal
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Wednesday 27th October
A full day of rehearsing, performing, and sight-seeing. After a hearty Continental breakfast at 8am, at which the chocolate spread proved to be a particular hit, there was plenty of time for showering and exploring the Youth Hostel, including the outdoor table-tennis tables, before a bracing walk to Kloster Blaubeuren for our first rehearsal.
Rehearsal in Kloster Blaubeuren
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Thence to the Rathaus, in which we were welcomed by the Mayor of Blaubeuren at an official reception, where the choristers enjoyed cola and pretzels and the Lay Clerks and matrons a glass of champagne. We were also introduced to the legend of Die Schöne Lau, the water-nymph of Blaubeuren, who lived in the Blautopf which we would be visiting later that day.
Reception at the Rathaus
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The reception over, we swiftly made our way back to Kloster Blaubeuren, formerly an Abbey and now a boarding school. In the stunning setting of the chapel there we sang a short concert to the sixth formers at the school before joining them for a delicious and filling lunch in the school refectory. After a brief walk around the school, we split into two groups for a guided tour of the Abbey and a walk to the Blautopf or Blue Pool, from which Blaubeuren gets its name.
Guided tour
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We re-convened at the Youth Hostel for cakes and orange juice, and a well deserved rest. Then a rehearsal in the Evangelische Stadkirche, where we rehearsed some hymns in German for Sunday's service before preparing a few items for the evening's event. Members of the local ecumunical community gathered in the church at 7pm, where we were warmly welcomed by the Pastor of the Church. We then introduced those present to the Anglican Church and to Choral Evensong in particular. Our own Wynn Davies gave a seamless, scholarly and entertaining talk in faultless German, and the choir sang musical examples of responses, Anglican chant, a Magnificat, an anthem in German and a hymn in Welsh. The community then treated us to a traditional Swabian meal with a large selection of dishes typical of the area, again in the Parish Hall.
Thursday 28th October
After three action-packed days we were ready for a day off. Accompanied by three of our hosts, we set off for Stuttgart, the regional capital of Baden-Würtemburg, where we visited the fascinating Mercedes-Benz Museum.
The choristers were particularly excited by the personal audio receivers which provided a comprehensive commentary in English.
After a full two hours, we all wished we had longer to spend there, but we had to leave time to visit the gift shop and to enjoy the delicious packed lunches which we had earlier prepared.
Then on to the famous Television Tower on the nearby hillside which gave us stupendous views of the city.
We returned to Blaubeuren in plenty of time for dinner in the Youth Hostel - a delicious meal of Schnitzel, potatoes and vegetables with delicious gravy, which all the choristers enjoyed.
The evening was a riotous one, playing party games in the Common Room.
Friday 29th October
We have been incredibly lucky with the weather so far on this tour, considering this is the end of October. Today was no exception, and as I watched the roseate hues of morn ushering in the new day, it was clear that there would be perfect conditions for our planned walk along the River Danube.
The day for the choristers began with our now familiar routine of breakfast in the Hostel, with its usual varied and exciting array of possibilities.
Then packed lunches were prepared, while MD and a group of Lay Clerks went to carry all the robes and music from the Evangelische Stadtkirche to the coach. Within a few minutes, the choristers appeared in view
and we were soon on our way, accompanied and guided by Frau Gilbert and Herr Menge.
Our first destination was Rechtenstein, from where we were to begin our walk. After a brief introduction to the geology of the area by Herr Menge (translated on the spot by Wynn), we embarked upon the trek. The views of the Danube were stunning, and the entire walk thoroughly enjoyable.
After a picnic lunch near where the coach had parked, we were bound for Wimsener Höhle, where a flooded cave system is explored by boat. Around four choristers and four adults were conveyed in each boat, and all enjoyed the experience.
This was followed by a visit to a nearby cafe, where the choristers all ordered the drink of their choice in German. Some even chose the more adventurous “Eine Heiße Schocolade, bitte” rather than the simpler “Ein cola” or “Ein Fanta”.
The setting for thie cafe was idyllic, amid the mountains by a beautiful stream full of large trout. The choristers were each given a handful of fish food by the boatman and passed a pleasant ten minutes or so feeding the trout from the small bridge, accompanied by strains of hummed Schubert.
After this welcome break, we set off for Kloster Heiligkreuztal, the Abbey of the Holy Cross, now a conference centre in the chapel of which we were to sing this evening’s concert.
By the end of the rehearsal there, all were ready for a hot meal, and we were fortunate to be treated by our hosts to the traditionally Swabian Käse Spätzle, similar to cheese pasta.
The evening’s concert was a huge success and enjoyed by the small but discerning audience.
Then back to Blaubeuren for a well-deserved piece of cake for supper and then bed.
Saturday 30th October
A thoroughly action-packed day in which much was achieved, and the first excitement of the day was a shopping opportunity in Blaubeuren. After a visit to the Bank of Mr Parry (who had kindly agreed to look after and disburse the chorsters' spending money during the course of the tour), the party set out with purpose for the centre of Blaubeuren. A rewarding session of retail therapy, and then it was time to proceed to the Leisure Centre, where the Mayor of Blaubeuren had arranged for the choristers to swim free of charge. A most enjoyable hour was spent there, with the slide in the shallow pool being an especial favourite with the choristers. The diving boards in the main pool were also much used, and all were impressed by Dr Parry's swimming and diving prowess. It was a mad scramble to get dried and dressed in time to leave for our next engagement at the Karl-Planck Spital, a recently-opened Residential Home in Blaubeuren. But it was worth the rush, as we spent a very rewarding half-hour singing unaccompanied music to groups of residents who would not otherwise be able to hear us.
We were then treated to a delicious meal of vegetable soup, Swabian sausage with fried potatoes and salad, followed by a sweet fruit pudding. Thus fortified, we boarded the coach for the afternoon's activities. First stop was the Church of St John the Baptist in Neu-Ulm, where we managed to rehearse for the evening concert in rather under an hour - an incredible feat of organisation and efficiency. But there was no time to waste, as we were due in Ulm itself for a guided tour later in the day, before which we planned to climb the tower of Ulm Minster, which claims to be the tallest church tower in the world.
Ulm Minster
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All managed to reach the second level after climbing around 500 steps, which was a huge achievement for some choristers.
Up the tower in Ulm
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The view of the surrounding area from even here was stunning, but the more intrepid then went on to the top of the spire itself.
We descended quickly but carefully, and reached the rendezvous point for our walking tour only a little late. Splitting into two groups, we were then taken round Ulm and introduced to the history of this beautiful and interesting city.
Walking tour of Ulm
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By the end of our walk, we were all tired and hungry, but pleased at having fitted so much into the day thus far. Although all had eaten more than amply at lunchtime, we were all ready for more food, and the choristers were particularly pleased with the venue chosen for today's evening meal - MacDonald's. We met back at the coach just before 7pm and went directly to Neu-Ulm once again, to prepare ourselves for the evening concert.
Our hosts in Neu-Ulm had pushed the boat out, and provided copious quantities of bottled soft drinks of all varieties and jugs of teas and coffee, in addition to plates full of chocolate biscuits - just what we needed at that stage in the day.
From the Parish Hall, it was only a minutes' walk back to the church for the evening's concert, attended by a hundred or so of the locals. A beautiful church in which to sing.
Concert in Neu-Ulm
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On arrival back in Blaubeuren, each took his own set of robes and music from the coach to the church in preparation for the following day, and at last we were all bound for the Youth Hostel and a good night's sleep.