What a day! We got to sleep in a little bit before boarding the bus to continue our trip to Northern Italy. We drove through the snow capped mountains. Quite beautiful...for those that stayed awake!! We stopped at a truck stop for lunch. It is very much like an oasis on the tollway but the food was really, really excellent! Every dinner comes with a pasta course but I have to say the gnocchi at the truck stop was the best I had on the whole trip!!
On to Padova (or Padua as we say in America). It was a chilly day but lots of sun and no rain!! We took a tour of the city. It has one of the oldest universities in Europe. We stopped at the cathedral named for St. Anthony. Very beautiful and acoustically perfect! Our tour guide asked if we could sing one song and they agreed. Being a respectful choir director, I started the second song right away as to avoid the plug being pulled : ) Then our tour guide gave me "the look" that said "time to move on." It was awesome and we had amassed quite a crowd. But, we needed to get going. The Priest and other church staff were saying ancore, ancore (which is where our "encore" comes from) which means more, more. Such a special treat to get these surprise performance opportunities.
Our concert tonight was also in Padua. We were again part of a large festival. We sang in a huge cathedral and I'd guess about 500 were in attendance. It was great. When it was over, the host said, "this is when you sing your two encores." Hmmmmmm, I thought...wish I would have prepared an encore! Let alone two!! BV sang Singin' In the Rain (which the host said we'd likely get to do tomorrow...) and out of nowhere we sang The Lord Bless You and Keep You. We haven't sang that since last May!!!!! But, I am certain some tears were shed as for some it is the beginning of the end.
We checked into a new hotel. We will check out of this hotel before some of you even get to bed!!! Tomorrow--Venice and then on to Dublin to make our journey home.
Thanks to all in case I don't get to write again! Please thank Mrs. Davis who travelled with us and NEVER had access to a piano!!!! Parents and students--please say/send a note of thanks to your student's chaperone. Chaperones are up first and in bed last. Your child will come home and tell you they are exhausted...so are the chaperones who worked hard to keep all safe and comfortable!
Students--thanks those that made this trip possible for you! Mom, dad, grandparents...anyone that bought a coupon book or a mattress or brought their coupons to CPK!
See you soon!!
