Thanks, Loren for the welcome home sign!! 
After a quick night's sleep Chris and I went to retrieve our "furry" princess, Sophie who although bathed and excited to see us,
was no where nearly dry!
GYC Tour T Shirts have many uses!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Day 12 – Innsbruck
The last day of the Tour before returning to the States! It has been a wonderful and memorable trip, and like almost every day, the weather today was perfect! We boarded the bus this morning for the 90-minute drive to Innsbruck in Austria. Wow, what a beautiful city! A 2-time host to the winter Olympics, Innsbruck has a population of about 130,000 including university students (a bit smaller than Gainesville when UF classes are in session) and is surrounded by the Alps.
We picked up a local guide and toured 2 churches, singing in the second one, Basilica Wilten.
We then went to a business where they manufacture bells. This was, for many of us, the most interesting part of the day. The business was founded in 1599 and is still managed by the same family. The sons now working for the factory are the 14th generation of the family in the business!
We were lucky enough to see a huge bell being “born” after a manufacturing and casting process of over a year. The bell was taken out of the cast and rung for the first time (see 3 pictures below, the 3rd one is the worker ringing the bell). Amazing to think about witnessing this for something that will possibly hang in a church tower or other building for over 500 years!
Our tour guide is the current manager of the business.
After the tour of the bell factory, we went on a walking tour of the old town portion of Innsbruck. What a beautiful city! We sang in St. James Cathedral in the old town.
After some lunch and shopping, we boarded the bus for the ride back to Garmisch and the final special dinner of the Tour. For the dinner, we walked to a gondola and took it up the mountain to a beautiful alpine restaurant. What a buffet! Lots of local Bavarian cuisine. Here are a few pictures from the event.
At the conclusion of the evening, the group boarded the gondola for the trip back to the hotel to prepare for the trip back home!
We picked up a local guide and toured 2 churches, singing in the second one, Basilica Wilten.
We then went to a business where they manufacture bells. This was, for many of us, the most interesting part of the day. The business was founded in 1599 and is still managed by the same family. The sons now working for the factory are the 14th generation of the family in the business!
We were lucky enough to see a huge bell being “born” after a manufacturing and casting process of over a year. The bell was taken out of the cast and rung for the first time (see 3 pictures below, the 3rd one is the worker ringing the bell). Amazing to think about witnessing this for something that will possibly hang in a church tower or other building for over 500 years!
Our tour guide is the current manager of the business.
After the tour of the bell factory, we went on a walking tour of the old town portion of Innsbruck. What a beautiful city! We sang in St. James Cathedral in the old town.
After some lunch and shopping, we boarded the bus for the ride back to Garmisch and the final special dinner of the Tour. For the dinner, we walked to a gondola and took it up the mountain to a beautiful alpine restaurant. What a buffet! Lots of local Bavarian cuisine. Here are a few pictures from the event.
At the end of the dinner, several people who made great contributions to the success and safety of the Tour were recognized.
At the conclusion of the evening, the group boarded the gondola for the trip back to the hotel to prepare for the trip back home!
Day 11 – Castle Linderhof, Ettal Monastary and other Bavarian Adventures
Day 11 was a great day for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was that all of the terrific sights we saw were fairly close to our base of Garmisch, so the bus time was not significant.
Our first stop of the day was the most dramatic. We visited Castle Linderhof, a small castle that King Ludwig II had built in the mid-1800s. What it lacked in size it made up for in pure opulence – WOW! The décor inside (which we were not allowed to photograph) was very ornate with lots of detail, 24 karat gold plating, porcelain, and other rare and precious materials.
Our first stop of the day was the most dramatic. We visited Castle Linderhof, a small castle that King Ludwig II had built in the mid-1800s. What it lacked in size it made up for in pure opulence – WOW! The décor inside (which we were not allowed to photograph) was very ornate with lots of detail, 24 karat gold plating, porcelain, and other rare and precious materials.
A bit up the hill from the castle, King Ludwig had a grotto built to look like a very opulent cave. The grotto used to host operas for an audience of 1 (Ludwig), who would listen to the performance while floating in a boat in the small pond in front of the stage. GYC sang a few impromptu songs in the grotto, and the acoustics were phenomenal!
Our next stop was the stunning Basilica and Monastery in Ettal. There are about 60 monks currently in residence there, but they were taking their mid-day prayers when we arrived so we didn’t see them.
The kids sang 5 songs in the Basilica and, again, the acoustics were amazing. The last note of each song reverberated throughout the huge dome for 5 seconds after the singing ceased.
Another highlight of the day was a visit to a cheese haus. They make several types of cheese there in fairly small batches. It’s an interesting mix of technology and craftsmanship. We tasted 6 types of cheese, each of which was fantastic because it was so freshly made! After the cheese tasting, many of the kids treated themselves to a slice of cheesecake or other delicacy made on the premises.
The evening brought our last formal concert in a nearby town hall. There were about 125 people in the audience. GYC performed with a German adult choir – we alternated sets of songs with them.
The large crowd LOVED the singing of GYC. They were clapping along to Rock Around the Clock and gave the kids a standing ovation after an encore. It was a fantastic way to end the formal concerts!
Our next stop was the stunning Basilica and Monastery in Ettal. There are about 60 monks currently in residence there, but they were taking their mid-day prayers when we arrived so we didn’t see them.
The kids sang 5 songs in the Basilica and, again, the acoustics were amazing. The last note of each song reverberated throughout the huge dome for 5 seconds after the singing ceased.
Another highlight of the day was a visit to a cheese haus. They make several types of cheese there in fairly small batches. It’s an interesting mix of technology and craftsmanship. We tasted 6 types of cheese, each of which was fantastic because it was so freshly made! After the cheese tasting, many of the kids treated themselves to a slice of cheesecake or other delicacy made on the premises.
The evening brought our last formal concert in a nearby town hall. There were about 125 people in the audience. GYC performed with a German adult choir – we alternated sets of songs with them.
The large crowd LOVED the singing of GYC. They were clapping along to Rock Around the Clock and gave the kids a standing ovation after an encore. It was a fantastic way to end the formal concerts!
So now the blue dresses and vests are packed and we prepare for the last day of the Tour!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Day 10 – Verona and drive to Garmisch Germany
It was an early start this morning because today had the most driving of any day of the tour. Everyone was on the bus by 8 am as we left Lake Maggiore under cloudy skies for the ride to visit Verona. Traffic going through Milan was horrible due to the rain, so Andreas divided the kids into groups to work on an assignment that would get them thinking about our mid-day stop in Verona, Italy. Each team was asked to create an alternate version of the story of Romeo and Juliet, to be narrated or performed on the bus during the late afternoon drive from Verona to Garmisch Germany, our last hotel destination of the Tour!
We arrived in Verona about 1 pm and went on a driving tour of the city. Verona is one of the oldest cities we have visited, having many Roman walls still standing. The bus climbed up a hill to a church that provided a breath-taking view of the city below, so we pulled on our rain gear and snapped a few pictures and looked at the beautiful panoramas.
We arrived in Verona about 1 pm and went on a driving tour of the city. Verona is one of the oldest cities we have visited, having many Roman walls still standing. The bus climbed up a hill to a church that provided a breath-taking view of the city below, so we pulled on our rain gear and snapped a few pictures and looked at the beautiful panoramas.
Our next stop was in the city center and we took a brief walking tour of the city. The buildings and architecture are beautiful! Below is a picture of Juliet’s balcony.
Below is a picture of the Arena di Verona, where concerts, operas and theatre performances are held outdoors – when it’s not raining!
The rain held off for a while, but eventually returned in earnest, so we schlogged through the rain back to the bus. The weather and traffic delays precluded us from the singing that was planned, but everyone remained in great spirits as we trekked through the Dolomites north from Verona into and across Austria into Germany to Garmisch. On the way, the team performances of the alternative Romeo and Juliet stories were creative and funny!
We arrived at the hotel about 8 pm after a long wet day, but this area is beautiful and we look forward to exploring some of the sites over our last 2 days of the Tour!
Day 9 – Milan
Today began with a bus ride from Lake Maggiore to Milan for a walking tour of the Milan city center. We toured a fortress that had a huge courtyard in the middle formerly used for military reviews.
The cathedral of Milan is the 3rd largest Catholic church in the world. It has recently been renovated and the scaffolding is now removed – it is beautiful!
Then it was off to the rooms to pack, because we leave this beautiful place tomorrow for Verona and then Bavaria!
The cathedral of Milan is the 3rd largest Catholic church in the world. It has recently been renovated and the scaffolding is now removed – it is beautiful!
Did GYC have the opportunity to sing there? Of course we did! The kids sang several songs to an increasingly large crowd as the music echoed around the cathedral. The acoustics were the most impressive of the tour thus far – on the songs that ended on a stronger note, we could hear the echoes of the last note for several seconds after the kids had finished singing. It brought goose bumps to all who heard it!
After singing in the cathedral, we toured a beautiful covered galleria nearby, filled with some of the most expensive stores in Milan. Think Prada, Gucci, Armani… and McDonalds!
We couldn’t help ourselves, Ms. D assembled the Chorus for an impromptu song at the intersection of the T-shaped mall. We spoke to several people from Milan, Finland, England and the US who all complimented the kids on how well they sang.
After some lunch and shopping (and a gelato!), we boarded the bus for the ride back to Lake Maggiore and Stresa. The kids (and adults!) enjoyed some time at the pool before a late dinner.
Then it was off to the rooms to pack, because we leave this beautiful place tomorrow for Verona and then Bavaria!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Day 8 – Lake Maggiore, Isla Bella, Isla Pescatore and Concert at Villa Guilia
What a breath-taking place Lake Maggiore Italy is! Cameras do not do it justice, but this is a special place. Our hotel, the Regina Palace, is a majestic hotel located right on the shore of the lake. Upon arrival the night before, everyone from GYC walked into the lobby and immediately looked up in awe at the beautiful ceilings, chandeliers and marble floors. Our day began with a short boat ride to Isla Bella, where we toured a palace and gardens.
The tour of the palace was highlighted by GYC singing 2 songs in one of the beautiful rooms of the palace. The acoustics of the room really accented the voices of the kids, it sounded like angels singing! I heard several adults touring the castle speaking as they continued their tour – the music really moved all who heard it.
Most finished lunch in time for some quick shopping before boarding the boat back to the beach near the hotel. 
Words and pictures cannot begin to describe the beauty, but this small island is a magical place!
The tour of the palace was highlighted by GYC singing 2 songs in one of the beautiful rooms of the palace. The acoustics of the room really accented the voices of the kids, it sounded like angels singing! I heard several adults touring the castle speaking as they continued their tour – the music really moved all who heard it.
After touring the incredible palace, the group toured the gardens of Isla Bella.
After the incredible gardens of Isla Bella, we boarded 2 boats again for a short trip to Isla Pescatore, which, as the name implies if you know your Italian, is a village known for its fishing. Here, the group split up for lunch in one of the island’s many excellent restaurants.
Most finished lunch in time for some quick shopping before boarding the boat back to the beach near the hotel. 
The afternoon had a nice slice of time for shopping, swimming, relaxing, or getting some much-needed laundry done prior to dinner. Then it was up to the room to change into concert attire for tonight’s concert on the other side of the lake at the Villa Guilia. Before boarding the bus, some of the kids had time for a quick rendition of “New York, New York”.
The concert was very well attended considering a thunderstorm that moved through about the time the concert started. The room was pretty steamy, but the kids performed beautifully!
The concert was very well attended considering a thunderstorm that moved through about the time the concert started. The room was pretty steamy, but the kids performed beautifully!
Day 7 – Zermott, the Matterhorn and Glacier Paradise
This day began with GYC packing and checking out of our hotel in Kandersteg Switzerland. We lugged the luggage to the train station and a 15 minute train ride to where the tour bus had been stationed. This unusual logistical maneuver saved us a lot of driving time. After loading the luggage and people in the bus, it was off for a 90-minute bus ride to Zermott, a beautiful town located at the base of some of the highest peaks in Europe, the most famous of which is the Matterhorn.
We then took a quick break for some hot chocolate at a small restaurant at the summit, and then took the gondolas back to Zermott and the warm weather. After some quick shopping, it was back on the bus for the drive out of the Alps and into Italy to Lake Maggiore and out hotel in Stresa for the next 3 nights. After a wonderful dinner at the hotel, we celebrated 4th of July outside the front of the hotel near the lake.
We took a short train ride to Zermott because there are no passenger cars allowed in the town. Upon arriving, we walked up the length of the town (alongside several thousand runners competing in a marathon) to the gondola to begin the trek up to the Little Matterhorn and the Glacier Paradise.
Although the summit of the Matterhorn was shrouded by clouds, it was still clear that this is an impressive peak, well over 14,000 feet high at the summit, one of the tallest of the Alps.
At the top of the gondola ride we were able to take an elevator up to a series of stairs that we trudged up to an observation deck located at an altitude of 12,736 feet – much higher than just about all of our Florida-based group had been before. It felt like we were truly on top of the world, and as you can see from the pictures below, it was a very cold part of the 4th of July for GYC!
After leaving the observation deck, we descended via elevator into a tunnel that had been carved out of the glacier. For many this was the highlight of the day – walking through a tunnel of ice that was thousands of years old! You can imagine that the temperature of this portion of the tour was the coldest of our trip as we walked through solid ice.
We then took a quick break for some hot chocolate at a small restaurant at the summit, and then took the gondolas back to Zermott and the warm weather. After some quick shopping, it was back on the bus for the drive out of the Alps and into Italy to Lake Maggiore and out hotel in Stresa for the next 3 nights. After a wonderful dinner at the hotel, we celebrated 4th of July outside the front of the hotel near the lake.
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