June 26, 2009 - PYO "Farewell" Concert, Notre Dame de Namur University Theater - Belmont
We gathered at 3 PM on Friday to rehearse for a couple of hours, have dinner (pizza, salad, grapes which rolled off the table, cookies, and water), and present a great concert of our tour repertoire to a very appreciative audience.
June 29-30, 2009 - We left SFO on two flights, which (14-16 hours later) got us to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. All people and instruments arrived safely! After customs and baggage claim, we got on our buses and were driven to and around Paris a bit before being deposited near the Opera, where we had an hour and a half to change money, get some lunch, and do some shopping. The weather is quite clear and very warm. Back on the bus at 3 PM Paris time, we drove to our hotel and checked in. Dinner at Chez Clement, near the hotel. Everybody is really tired!
at the airport...
July 1, 2009 - The breakfast served at our hotel is really good - a lot of variety, and interesting things. We loaded the bus at 9 and headed off to our day's activities: A vista of the Eiffel Tower; a driving tour though Paris (in which we learned that our drivers can navigate seemingly impossible situations); a visit to Napolean's tomb (Hôtel des Invalides - we had lunch there); a short visit to the Eiffel Tower, followed by a cruise on the Seine; and free time at the Champs Elysees. We had a hurried dinner at Pataquès - we got there kind of late, due to traffic, and then we headed back to our hotel for our first rehearsal!
July 2, 2009 - We're probably mostly past the Jet-lag now. Up, breakfasted, concert stuff in hand, we left at 9 for the Louvre and environs. We had a guided tour of the highlights of the world's largest museum, including the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory, and, of course, the Mona Lisa. After the tour, we were on our own to shop, eat, see more of the museum, or walk around. We gathered at 1:30 for a short bus ride to the Madaleine Church for a rehearsal at 2-ish and concert at 4. The concert was quite well attended by an appreciative audience! After loading the truck, and the buses, we headed off for a short bit of free time by the Opera, then dinner at Fontaines St. Honore.
July 3, 2009 - Paris is not only at a pretty high latitude; it is also quite far west in the local time zone. So the sun comes up a little early, but it sets after 10, and it is still quite light out at 11. We drove even farther north today - to the city of Caen in Normandy, via Giverny and Rouen. Giverny was Monet's home. We toured his house and beautiful gardens, and the pond with the lily pads which he painted. Following Giverny, we stopped in Rouen for shopping and lunch. The cathedral at Rouen is famous for the many, many impressionist paintings Monet made, from the same vantage point, in different lighting. The Cathedral is huge and beautiful. In one of the crypts lies the heart (only!) of Richard the Lion-hearted. We arrived in Caen finally around 5, and checked into our hotel. We are on the beach, known as Juno - site of the Canadian landing on D-day. Dinner was in the hotel restaurant, on the beach. Tomorrow we visit Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery! Happy 4th of July!
July 4, 2009 - Today began a bit overcast. After breakfast, we headed over to the area of coastline known as "Omaha Beach" - one of the American landing sites on D-Day (which in France is known as "J-Jour"). At the American cemetary there was a wreath-laying cemetary involving 4 PYO players who had family members involved in the D-Day landing. The National Anthem was played on the Carillon, Taps was played, and all observed a moment of silence. Then a PYO chamber group performed the Poulenc Suite Française. We took a group picture on the steps, and then had some time to walk to the beach.
We then travelled to Caen to visit the Peace Memorial and museum, which had striking exhibits telling the story of World War II, with a movie about the D-Day landing. Our evening concert at the Church at St.Aubin-sur-Mer was well attended, well played, and well received. We had a short reception next door to the church with cakes and juice, in the sun, before the concert. Following the concert, however, we drove back to our hotel in unexpected rain!
July 5, 2009 - Today was a travel day. We left our beachside hotel at 10:30, and drove along the coast of Northern France, through Le Havre (over the largest bridge in France), Calais (where the French end of the "Chunnel" is located), and into Belgium. We arrived in Bruges at about 5:30. The hotel is quite nice, and is surrounded by a big park, so there was frisbee tossing and some football (American) happening in the evening.
July 6, 2009 - We walked around Bruges today. We had a canal cruise at 10, a rather long walking tour until 12, time on our own until 1:30, Dinner at 2 at the Panier d'Or on the Market Plaza, time on our own until 4:30, rehearsal, then time for some food until 7:30. So a lot of time, a lot of walking, a lot of chocolate and waffle shops, and French Fry stands (but you must eat them with Mayo!). We also had a shower at about 12:30 - it was short, though. Most of the day was sunny. The concert was very well received, in the big, new Bruges concert hall (2002).
July 7, 2009 - Today we travelled to Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium, and currently also the capital of the EU. It is a medium-large, and very interesting city. We had a driving tour, and a walking tour. Highlights were the Atomium (built for the 1958 World's Fair); the Basilica (which we drove by); the Musical Instrument Museum, where we spent about an hour (which is a few hours too little); the Cathedral, modelled after Notre Dame de Paris; and the town square, which is bordered with 17th-century buildings. Other highlights were the waffles and the chocolate! And some sun, and some rain. Then we drove back to Bruges, for dinner - a traditional Flemish dinner in a penthouse restaurant across the street from the Cathedral.
July 8, 2009 - Today was a travel day. We left cloudy Bruges at 9, and drove to Pumerand, which in on the outskirts of Amsterdam, but to the north. We stopped at a rest stop at the border for lunch - quite an extensive restaurant (and a MacDonald's, too). Rain! We got to Amsterdam area around 2, and had a visit to Zaanse Schans, a traditional Dutch village, with working windmills, and wooden shoe maker, a cheese maker, various other exhibits and gifts. It was cold and very windy, but the tour through the windmill was interesting, and watching clogs being made was fascinating (by machine today, a shoe can be cut to shape in about 5 minutes.) We then headed for the hotel, which is wayyyy out in the country, surrounded by a giant golf course. We played outdoors a bit, had dinner, and recreation until bedtime.
July 9, 2009 - PYO did Amsterdam today: A canal cruise, a couple hours at the Van Gogh museum, some free time (which many people spent at a sheet music shop near the Concertgebouw), followed by one last, pretty well-attended concert in Monnickendam. All-in-all, a very successful trip! Home tomorrow!
July 10, 2009 - Those going home were home by midnight. Others are having an extended stay in Europe or someplace. A great time was had by all...
Portraits - Here are some nice close-ups of people on tour!
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