Esk Community Choir - What's New?: 2016 EUROPEAN TOUR

By: Susan Walker

Our home in Amsterdam - 3rd & 4th Oct

We were the ' T16' ... The 2016 Esk Touring Choir, 30 in number, some first -time tourers, all high on the joy of anticipation as we arrived at Brisbane's International Terminal ready to embark upon our much awaited Tour of Europe. Arriving in Amsterdam via Abu Dhabi following some 30 hours of plane travel, this morphed into the joy of extracting ourselves from the confines of the sardine-like aeroplane seating from whence snatches of shut-eye were measured by the receipt...or not...of ice creams or muffins at meal intervals. However, presented with a card full of well-wishes from our delightful Etihad flight staff and the dimpled smile of our Tour Shepherd, Ondra, greeting us at our point of disembarkation in this beautiful buzzing city, running the gauntlet of international travel was soon forgotten though the promise of a soft pillow was certainly not far away.

Ondra Strejcek

Klaus Babic

It is imperative at this early juncture that I must formally introduce Ondra, our Tour Leader, along with his right hand man Klaus...well, left hand really as this being Europe, the debonair Klaus, our softly spoken Viennese driver did fastidiously glide us around from the left side of his huge Panorama Bus.

Ondra, who hailed from the Czech Republic, became our indispensable companion and friend over the 18 days duration. Versed as he was in the needs of a Choral group having himself had an extensive musical background and with a capacious knowledge of history he became
our font of information and our 'True North' anticipating our every need.

Having arrived in Amsterdam on the cusp of autumn, it appeared we had made it just in time to feel the chill of the Northern Hemisphere change in temperatures. However, with our 'Roger Jackets' at the ready, the bracing mornings only served to invigorate and invigorated we were as we headed off on our bus on day two to experience the sights, the sounds, to suss out some specific herbal cookies for one highly motivated choir member and enjoy the rich culture of this beautiful city before our first performance at the English Reformed Church.

T16 Choir at the English Reformed Church, Amsterdam

To perform in a Church is always an overwhelming thrill. To experience our very first performance in such a beautiful church, lying silent among residences given to women in 'unfortunate circumstances' ie unwed; This church which, since the Reformation in 1607, has been under the guardianship of English speaking worshipers was for each of us the closest thing to Heaven and our voices spiralled as we sang to the enthralled onlookers. Our hosts' gracious hospitality was the embodiment of their motto, "Within these walls let no-one be a stranger".

Alice and Johanna

Equally emotive was our Johanna's much awaited reunion with her long lost cousin, Alice, and our encounter with two Aussies from Sydney who happened by when they spied our poster and by co-incidence had recently parked their Caravan overnight in Esk, for them a tiny town made memorable by the cows' early morning wake-up call at their caravan door.

Bike...bike...bike...!!!!!

"BIKE!!" became the catch-cry as we were guided around a city where car traffic was completely outnumbered by bicycle riders who seemed hell bent on mowing us down in cold blood, prone as we were to some untimely stepping out.

From her tiny hiding annex which she and her family called home we followed the story of Ann Frank, a 14 year old, wise and courageous beyond her years; we marvelled at the Masters on show at the Van Gogh Museum; we bussed around the bridges, canals, delighted in the decorations on house boats, learned of the manual operation of those giant windmills, so synonymous with Amsterdam and culminated with a delightful not-so-little hot chocolate or coffee and bagel at a Harbour-side cafe. With a cache of keepsakes and a store of wonderful memories, we boarded the bus for the 2.5 hour journey to our next port of call, Antwerp in Belgium.

Now our seating on the bus, being that this was the predominant mode of transporting the touring party around Europe thankfully was not a case of its allocation being decided on the basis of survival of the fittest, but a smooth process of the placing of bottoms on seats by natural selection. Up the front sat Ondra who, on microphone daily, painted a backdrop of history and features for our upcoming day. Alongside Ondra, Klaus the driver, behind whom sat our own 'Thelma and Louise' aka Leah and Joan who had special needs to ride 'shotgun'. A little further back sat a small group who wished to enjoy the passing parade, endlessly jotting scraps of information, a whisper of a story, the colour of the sky, snapping photos, chewing the fat. Filling the centre sat 'the couples' and bringing up the rear were the group who were to become affectionately known as the 'hen house' ably led by the cacophonous cackle of Suzanne. And with this, the wheels of the bus happily went round and round.

Antwerp, the second largest city and largest port in Belgium is renowned for its charm, fashion, art, particularly that of Pieter Paul Rubens who called this city home, its diamond trade, startling medieval architecture including its famous cathedral, and its cultural contrasts. However, for all this, our Hotel sorely in need of an upgrade, was surely from the Fawlty-Towers period right down to a 'dining room Sybil' sliding red plates under our breakfast bowls faster than a toupe in a hurricane. Blocked sinks, narrow openings on showers, keys not working and a very harrassed 'Basil' being the only employee in attendance necessitating his having to send his own 'Manuel' up the road to replenish depleted alcoholic supplies. However, despite much of the city being destroyed during World War II, its reconstruction and retention of 'Old City' relics was truly impressive.

A highlight was our visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Plantin-Moretus Museum - seemingly unlike any typical museum until one wanders the rooms of this medieval building which houses, amongst other things, priceless manuscripts and original typesets for the world's oldest printing presses dating back to 1622. The exquisite central garden, also dating back to this time, was the setting for our second performance where our voices reverberated off the old stone walls to the enjoyment of many inquisitive observers.

Brugge

Back on the bus we headed for one of the best preserved medieval towns in Belgium- nay Europe - beautiful Brugge. This, a smallish port city on the very large harbour whose population swells by thousands each day as tourists flock to its city squares and cobbled streets to wonder at the giant spire on The Church of Our Lady, caretaker of Michelangelo's Sculpture - Madonna and Child; to stock up on chocolate, beer, laces and wonderful experiences and it was near-impossible to leave without bulging carry bags and a growing appreciation of beer and European history.

Gent

About an hour out of Antwerp on the following day, we were discovering Gent, reputedly Europe's best kept secret. It was difficult not to be awestruck by the ornateness of the Cathedral of St Bavon which dates back to 942 (though not fully completed until 1569) transforming the old Romanesque features to the elaborate Baroque elements and Gothic style. Similarly was the stunning form and character found in the church of St Nicholas. Many wandered down to follow the river to the Castle of the Counts and surround themselves in its medieval past. Others fossicked around Markets or found warm places with the locals to sip hot drinks and sup on waffles.

Margaret sizing up the throne

Margaret sizing up the waffles

"Oooee! That Yellow Siberian Liqueur
sure has a kick"

However, Brussels awaited and buoyed by such a beautiful day along with the contents of Klaus's bus beverage supply, including some ostensibly inoffensive little yellow thing possibly invented to restart the hearts of frozen Russian soldiers sent to the Siberian salt mines, it was back on the bus for the one hour drive before we hit Brussels... literally!!

Klaus protecting our bus.

I know...but you'll just have to wait until the next installment as I leave you here on this high heading for bustling Brussels, our final Belgian stopover.