Austria Blog
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After a long wait at Logan airport, we took off on time and arrived early into Munich. Our passport
clearance & customs were a breeze, and our delightful guide, Charlotte, whisked us out to
our waiting Motorcoach and our very friendly driver, Zeppi. As we were on route to Salzburg,
Charlotte passed out Austrian chocolate and taught us a little about the euro, a little about
Salzburg, and gave us a brief German lesson!
After arriving at our hotel, we dropped off our luggage and went into the old part of Salzburg.
We walked a lot! We saw the Mirabellgarten. The kids skipped through the archway, which was
made famous in the movie, The Sound of Music.
Some of the kids tried Mozartkugel, a kind of candy that is made up of chocolate and marzipan.
Everyone found their own place with their chaperones to have lunch, and then sang in front of the
Altermarkt square.
The group then returned to the hotel to freshen up and walked again to dinner to Haus Wartenberg! Traditional
fare, included beef soup with flat noodles, schnitzel, and apple strudel. Delicious!! The owner
requested a song at the end of the meal and the singers were just looking for another reason to
end the day in song.
After the walk home some ate sacher torte on the hotel terrace, some watched the world soccer
cup, and some went to bed. It was a long and productive day!
Thanks so much for the update.
Vielspass! (lots of FUN!)
| 29 June 2010
We emerged an energized group after a good night sleep at the wonderful Astoria Hotel.
Great guided tour of Salzburg filling in fatigue gaps from yesterday. Humor and history were great precursors for the trip to the village of Hallein for the luge ride. The choristers acted out spoofs from the Sound of Music on the hillside while waiting for their peers to descend timidly or full throttle .
Residents of Seniorenwohnanlage Aigen (a retired/assisted living home) were treated to the gifts from our choristers through the universal language of music. In turn, there was an exchange of affection and refreshments at the jause (reception).
After a quick break at the hotel and a brief walk to Stiegl Brauwelt (a typical family outdoor beer garden) we joined the locals to watch the world cup soccer finals and enjoy traditional Austrian fare. The evening was complete with a 15th birthday celebration for our Caroline Kiezulas with a sacher torte and musical candle.
traveler: ...
The Wilsons: ...
| 30 June 2010
Up and out at 8:45 for our traditional walk into Salzburg. By now the kids are accustomed to taking advantage of the acoustics in the footpath tunnel, singing either “Leanin’” or “Irish Blessing” - beautiful!
Next into the funicular and up to the Hohensalzburg fortress. There were spectacular views, and we could even see the Von Trapp estate from the Sound of Music. The challenging part was the formal attire change…. Some changed in the fortress and walked down-others changed in the catacombs in the Dom, where they performed a VERY beautiful and moving concert for about 350 visitors. The acoustics were incredible-their sound lived on even after they stopped singing. Norwegian conductor-”the children have beautiful voices”, Austrian local “your children are very well schooled!”, American Baptist minister “the spirit of God was flowing through each of the children while they were singing”.
The rest of the day was free time for all. Beyond shopping, some of the activities enjoyed:
- Hellbrunn Castle
- Marionette exhibit at the Fortress
- Fun at the water park
- Shopping on the picturesque Getreidegasse
- Schloss Leopoldskrone-The original “Uncle Max’s” palace that was inspiration for “Sound of Music”
- Mozart candlelight dinner with strings and vocal duets from his most famous operas
- Dutch Blitz playoffs and Mad Libs back at the hotel
- Chaperoned groups getting lost on the walk home and having fun navigating back in another language!
BTW-Everybody DID make it back safe and sound…
| 01 July 2010
After our usual, tasty breakfast spread at the hotel- nutella, croissants, muesli, yoghurt, dried fruits, pate, cheese and meats, fresh fruit, juice and milk, various world teas and coffee, we boarded the bus for our trip to Vienna. Goodbye Hotel Astoria!
First stop, Mondsee, for the stunning, 8th century church where Maria and Baron Von Trapp were married.
Next stop: Auto Grill for some of the best highway food most of us has ever had.
Last stop before Vienna: Melk Abbey. The state rooms were amazing! Gold gilt everywhere. One of the tourists recording them said the only thing missing was the fact that this was a church and they couldn’t applaud. It was quite the experience to hear them sing in such a divine setting with the echo of their voices continuing long after they stopped.
Last stop: Vienna. We checked in to Hotel Cryston, divvied up the rooms, and headed out with our guide Charlotte, to test drive our navigational skills on the underground. We had dinner at a large enough market to accommodate our groups and their various taste preferences. After a full day, all were ready to hit their beds.
This sounds great!
It sounds like you are all having an amazing time and I'm glad your audiences appreciate how wonderful you all are. Your music has always moved me and I'm so glad KT can be a part of it as you share your gift abroad.
Love you KT and miss you much!
Aunt Lisa says Hi and wants to know about your trip to GA.
Love Dad & Mom Rowell
A Day of Mozart
| 02 July 2010
We started the day at Hotel Cryston, with a breakfast similar to Hotel Astoria and then embarked on a city bus tour. In addition to seeing highlights of Vienna, the kids actually had a chance to see some of the Lipizzaner horses before they left for their summer sojourn outside of the city. Being on their own for lunch, some kids visited kiosks while others shopped at the local grocery store. Yummy kabobs at one site and interesting combinations of sandwich ingredients that broadened the kids’ food experience.
We re-grouped at 2pm for the trip to the Pensionistenwohnheim Prater for a concert. When asked to sing something in German Francesca Napolitano and Alex Wilson moved the residents immensely by singing the lullaby from Hansel and Gretel. Back on the bus and onward to the city for a Strauss - Mozart Concert and then dinner. Again we split off into chaperone groups and ate a number of different places. Back to the hotel and lights out by 10:30! Well, most kids had lights out by 10:30!!!!!
Love Grandpa
| 03 July 2010
Up and out at 9:15am via the underground with formal attire in tow. Mozart House and Museum of Musical instruments were really enjoyable. Many TCNE students could relate to the history of Mozart’s lifetime, his music and the significant contributions he has made around the world………….he was a wild guy!
After free time for lunch the choir convened for their performance at St. Peter’s. It was beautiful despite the delay challenges created by the fact that the organ accompaniment was in the balcony while the singers were at the alter hundreds of yards away. It was a wonderful acoustical space, and considering the kids have had no previous experience in that type of setting, their deportment and delivery was outstanding.
One hour later, the choir performed in the balcony for mass. Cantate Domino was stunning as were the remaining selections for the German Catholic church service. Being in the balcony of a church with such historic proportions clearly moved the kids. They felt accomplished, fulfilled, and privileged.
Small groups broke out for free time and everyone enjoyed all the different options available in Vienna. From the kids’ perspective, the area where they performed, the Stephansplatz Quarter, represented a combination of the old and the new. Pieces of European history interwoven with splashes of contemporary pop culture. The people, the buildings, the food, the languages, the styles, the stores were very eye-opening for our New England students.
We miss you Emily.
Love, Mom and Dad
| 04 July 2010
We had extra time to eat, rest, and pack before heading over to Albertinaplatz to sing for the Vienna Community Church during their noon service. Unlike the mass yesterday at St. Peter’s cathedral, this service was in English and easier for the choristers to understand. After the service, we met a native New Englander who used to be associated with TCNE and is a welcome friend. We enjoyed coffee and refreshments with the congregation before returning to the hotel to change and enjoy our last segment of free time in Vienna.
A group of choristers greatly enjoyed going into the city to the Prater Funfair-a mix between old and new, the art, statues, and rides attracted all who attended. Others poked around Vienna for souvenirs, and a few visited the spectacular Schonbrunn palace and gardens. Shopping was popular within the groups, and many choristers and chaperones spent the time with each other at the hotel.
We all re-united at the hotel at 7 o’clock, hungry and refreshed, and proceeded down the block to restaurant for a traditional Viennese dinner of a soup, vinegar salad, turkey medallions with noodles, and a crê pe desert. Topping this was the bursting sparkler on top of a traditional piece of Austrian cake to celebrate Dylan’s birthday tomorrow. The choristers polished off the food and appreciated talking with each other about the trip and the fun experiences they have had.
As we spend this last night here in the Hotel Cryston, it continues to be an unrivaled experience for all the choristers and the adults alike. From our beginning in Salzburg, the architecture, the cathedrals, the people, the food, the pure culture has simply been beyond description. It is July 4th, and throughout the day we took moments to reflect on that and acknowledge the immense and unique history of the United States with such a mix of cultures and blending of histories. We have spent the last week immersed in rich European history from the powdered wigs and ball-gowns of Mozart and Strauss’ dance music and busy people of Vienna to the side street cafés and flowing life of Salzburg. Although almost none of us spoke German, the history of this country is simply plastered on every tree, stone, and painting. Tonight the choristers are writing a favorite memory, and each one struggles with pinpointing one. The air is filled with memories already, and they can only become stronger through the years.
Comments from the families:
What stood out most for the group on the Austrian Tour:
1 David - The ride on “the Ecstasy” at Prater
2. Valerie - Walking through Vienna… and then walking some more.
3. Alexander - Riding up the ski lift
4. Chris - Ski lift and improv drumming in back of bus
5. Kristen - Getting to spend so much time with everyone and getting to know everyone
6. Erin - Sitting in the hotel window in Vienna and reading and talking across the
courtyard
7. Francesca - KRUNKLE!!!!!!!!
8. Sara - Jamie’s reaction as “Stacy” when the subway came.
9. Alexandra - Laughing our heads off in the Mangoney room
10. Caroline - The take off on the airplane out of Boston
11. Dylan - The Prater rides and the luge ride
12. Wendy -
13. Kim -The rides at the Prater
14. Judy - The amazing singing in the churches and the architecture
15. Taggart - Our final concert on the 4th of July at the Vienna Community Church\
16. Dan - Spending time with younger choristers
17. Corey - The culture and the awesome food
18. Suzanne - Sharing my son’s 1st European trip with him and experiencing a different
country and culture
19. Jaime - Great times with friends, all the laughs, KRUNKEL and schnitzel
20. Rachel - Bouncing on trampolines and subway
21. Nicolas - Singing in Melk Abbey
22. Graham - German television
23. Stephanie - Little shopping stores
24. Emily - Singing at the German Mass and falling asleep in the organ loft
25. Lizzie - The Mozart dinner concert
26. Lynne - Listing to TCNE and watching their confidence grow
27. Nathan - Exploring Melk Abbey and the luge
28. Doris - Hearing them sing in Melk and the sense of centuries that we are now
part of
29. Tessa - Singing at Melk Abbey and Klimpt exhibit in Vienna
30. AnnMarie - Concert at Salzburg Cathedral “Dom”
31. Melanie - Impromptu singing in the streets and tunnels
32. Morgan - The challenge of singing with the acoustical delay at St. Peters, getting lost
on the back streets of Salzburg without knowing a word of German (don’t worry she was with
her mother), Funny Pastor sermon in Vienna, playing “who can not fall down on the subway”
with everyone staring at us, Nutella in everything (ice cream, croissant, chocolate, wafers, and
everything).
33. Emily - The Alps and singing
34. Claire - Driving through the magnificent Alps
35. Rita - Luge ride and TCNE bursting into song randomly
36. Allison - Luge, Mozart dinner concert, and singing in the churches
37. Katie - Getting to know people better … basically everything.
38. Elysa - Singing in Melk Abbey, the view from the luge ride
39. Meg - Spontaneous singing while walking through tunnels!
40. Juliette - Luge ride through the mountains
41. Anna - Improv percussion, luge, Melk Abbey, many more
42. Caitlin - Luge and water park
43. Bernadette - who has the banana - Music
44. Francesca - Salzburg and being in my Mom’s group with Rachel, Jamie, Francesca,
and Sara
49. Bruce - Spontaneous singing in the Salzburg tunnel
50. Karla - Mozart balls
