The following is from Sharon's notes during Sarah's recent trip to Europe with the 118-student Utah Ambassadors of Music. This group is in it's 16th year, and was directed by Don Peterson, Director of Bands at Brigham Young University. Sarah was part of this elite choir by nomination from her instructor, Kerrin Gates, at Bingham High School, and has been working on the preparation for it since last November, including several day-long practices through the year, learning 16 songs on her own and with the help of her vocal coach, Kelli Norby, and her own drive, determination, and passion for beautiful music, She was blessed with this trip through the donations of many many friends and family. Special thanks goes out to Uncle Larry, Grama & Grampa Gibson, Grama & Grampa Foster, and Aunt Nancy for their extremely generous help. She couldn't have done it without you! Sarah will be creating her own 'journal' from the notes & pictures she took on the trip, but in the meantime, please enjoy my version of The Europe Chronicles.
I gathered the pictures from the internet so I could see what she was seeing while she was away.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011, 9:30 a.m.
I gathered the pictures from the internet so I could see what she was seeing while she was away.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011, 9:30 a.m.
I just watched Sarah’s blonde head disappear into a sea of people on the other side of security. They will head first to Atlanta, Georgia, and then wait six hours before boarding their 757 to London. She’ll be checking in when she arrives.
Thursday, July 7, 2011, 9:00 a.m.
Sarah made it to London. Travel day and flights were long and uneventful. She slept most of the way from Atlanta to London. It’s about 4 p.m. there and raining. They are heading to their hotel and then getting together for a group dinner and a small-group evening activity.
Tomorrow morning (about 2 a.m. our time), she’ll be performing in Wesley Chapel.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Sarah’s hotel is very nice. She and the two other girls she is rooming with (Amanda and Callie – both also from Bingham), each have their own bed, and the room is ‘tourist class’ so it comes with all of the typical comforts of an American hotel room. They slept well, had a nice continental breakfast, and headed out for the day at about 8:00 a.m. (1:00 a.m. our time).
The concert this morning at Wesley Chapel went well. They were performing to tourists and worshipers who happened into the church. Afterward, they had free time and walked in a small group to see the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery art museum with DiVinci originals, and are now waiting for a performance at Westminster Abbey to begin called Edensong: Commemoration of Twentieth-century Martyrs, which is to be attended by a representative of the Malawi High Commission. Immediately following, they will be heading to the Globe Theater for a performance of Wicked.
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| The Houses of Parliament |
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| Trafalgar Square |
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| The National Gallery |
On tomorrow’s agenda: Tower of London tours, Crown Jewels, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, lunch in St. James Park, Victorian Embankment and Barbican Center. Sunday, they head to Paris!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The musical performance at Westminster Abbey was ‘amazing,’ and she absolutely LOVED going to the theatre to see Wicked on Friday.
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| Westminster Abbey |
Saturday, Sarah had a great time taking the more formal tours of many of the tourist attractions she had seen during her walking on Friday. The saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and she was so close as the ‘old’ guard left on his horse and with much fanfare, that she had to step back to avoid being hit by his sword! She crossed off one thing from her bucket list – she got a guard to look at her! Can you blame him?
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| Buckingham Palace Guards |
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The trip on Sunday to Paris started with a ride to the Dover Port and its famous White Cliffs. She thought they were incredible. The ferry was much larger than she expected with a food court, shops, and too many things to see! It took about an hour-and-a-half to get to Calais, France, and then a several hour bus ride through gorgeous and very different countryside to the heart of the city. The hotel room this time is very small, with three twin beds, a dresser, a luggage rack, and three teenage girls in a room the size of a typical American bedroom! And, there is only one outlet, which makes recharging phones, iPods & cameras, and beautifying themselves each morning a struggle to say the least!
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| White Cliffs of Dover |
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| London-Calais Ferry |
Monday, July 11, 2011
Today the group went to Luxembourg Gardens, where the band performed, and Sarah ordered a Chocolate Crepe in French! She was scared, but ended up receiving just what she ordered, so she must have done okay. Then, they headed to the Louvre Museum, which she loved and where she unexpectedly saw a friend from her high school (small world!), had a delicious Chicken Cordon Bleu & Chocolate Mousse dinner, and went on a Seine River Boat Cruise. She’s taking tons of pictures!
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| The Louvre |
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| Luxembourg Gardens |
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| Seine River Cruise |
Tomorrow’s agenda includes the Eiffel Tower, a performance at St. Severin, Sacre Couer on Mont Martre, and Notre Dame!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
It poured rain as the kids stood half-way up the Eiffel Tower but, of course, she still loved it! Sacre Couer and the small shops nearby were another favorite where Sarah enjoyed another Crepe, her new favorite. She said that she had some preconceived notions about Notre Dame and how grand and beautiful it would be, and that it did not disappoint! She is amazed by the architecture (find that to be a new fascination), and the various aspects of the cultures, including food, fashion, and personalities. She filled up her first picture memory-card (that was supposed to hold 2,000 pictures - whoo!), so she bought a second one. She said the French have lived up to their reputation of being kind of snooty!
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| The Eiffel Tower |
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| Notre Dame |
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| My favorite naughty gargoyle |
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| Sacre Coeur |
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| St. Severin ~ They performed here! |
Today the kids traveled by bus from Paris to Switzerland. It was a LONG 10 hours with only three rest stops! They were greeted in pouring rain by their country hosts, who were waiting under umbrellas with a 'Welcome Ambassadors' sign!
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| Hotel Art de Vivre |
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| Crans-Montana |
I spoke to her after they’d been there about two hours and she said, “Mom, this is already my favorite place on earth!” I had the same reaction when I went! Her hotel is much better, a very cute bed-and-breakfast, and she’s rooming with the two girls from her high school.
July 14, 2011
Free time today! The girls spent hours walking around the little town of Crans-Montana. The citizens were so excited to see them and wait each year for the Ambassadors to arrive. Their performance in the town square was under a tent as the town is so small, they don’t have any venues appropriate for a large group! Sarah said the crowd was so receptive, many of them crying throughout the performance, and demanding five encores by simultaneous clapping!
July 15, 2011
The kids took a bus to Zermatt today and a vernacular to the viewpoint for the Matterhorn! Unfortunately, it was shrouded in clouds, so they couldn’t even see the mountain. So, they did some shopping, had a picnic in a picturesque park, and then returned to their quaint home town of Crans-Montana for a Fondue and Polka party! They had dancing lessons and tried new Swiss delicacies.
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| The Matterhorn, as viewed from Zermatt |
July 16, 2011
Another long travel day from Switzerland to Austria (about 10 hours by bus) with only two rest stops, one of which was lunch in the tiny country of Lichtenstein, home of the famous Valduz Castle.
Sarah was happy to arrive at quaint, family-run Waldhotel in Seefeld.
They enjoyed a dinner of Wiener schnitzel and fries, soup and salad, and apple streusel, while they were entertained by people in traditional dress playing American songs (including Oh, Holy Night and The Star-Spangled Banner) on the autoharp! Tomorrow they head into Innsbruck for the day.
July 17, 2011
Today started with a half-day of travel from Seefeld to Innsbruk, where they enjoyed lunch in the park and had a performance in Wilten Bascilica. The acoustics in this venue were incredible. Sarah said that a note would bounce around for 14 seconds after it was sung!
Sometime during their days in Seefeld, they also had a performance in a park, and in St. Oswald’s Parrish where the small group that Sarah earned a part in sang from the balcony. She liked the park performances because there wasn’t a defined audience. People would just hear them singing and come to sit down, and by the end there would be a huge crowd!
July 18, 2011
Today is Venice day! After a five hour bus ride, the kids enjoyed trips to a glassblowing shop, real gelato, and a traditional gondola ride, complete with singing gondolier! Although, they took several trips down wrong streets that ended in staircases that disappeared into the ocean to finally locate the gondolas!
Sarah perfected the art of European bargaining, getting herself an Italia track jacket and a Venezia sweatshirt for $30 euros (a discount of 10 eu, or about $15!). In the evening, they performed at St. Mark’s Basilica, where the namesake disciple’s holy relics are safeguarded.
July 19, 2011
The kids traveled to Germany today. It is to be a relatively quick stop of only two days. Sarah wishes that she had more time. Thankfully, their hotel is the nicest one yet! That’s a nice way to end the trip. The each got their own bed, and the rooms were well appointed and spacious.
Upon arrival, they headed to Dachau, the Nazi concentration camp from the Holocaust. Sarah said that it was completely surreal, and very sad, but she was glad to see what the ‘other side’ was like. There was a museum and an educational video. Having been to the Holocaust museum back home, she was intrigued by the differences in the versions told by the Nazis versus the Americans.
After their tour, they had lunch of chicken & fries in a restaurant that was in the middle of a quintessential German forest.
July 20, 2011
The morning is theirs, and Sarah and her friends plan to shop their little hearts out. She’s looking for some gifts to bring home. This evening, they will perform at Heilig-Geist Kirche, a small church in Rothenburg. The evening was rounded out with a late night Brat Party, where they searched the streets until close to midnight for bratwurst! Heading back to pack and anticipating a 4:30 a.m. departure was all outweighed by the knowledge that she was headed home in the morning!
July 21, 2011
Our little girl arrived at about 8:00 p.m., tired, wired, and ever the world traveler! We’re so excited to see all of her photos, which I’m sure we’ll share on Facebook and here on this blog. Keep watch!
Another long travel day from Switzerland to Austria (about 10 hours by bus) with only two rest stops, one of which was lunch in the tiny country of Lichtenstein, home of the famous Valduz Castle.
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| Valduz Castle |
Sarah was happy to arrive at quaint, family-run Waldhotel in Seefeld.
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| Waldhotel ~ Seefeld, Austria |
They enjoyed a dinner of Wiener schnitzel and fries, soup and salad, and apple streusel, while they were entertained by people in traditional dress playing American songs (including Oh, Holy Night and The Star-Spangled Banner) on the autoharp! Tomorrow they head into Innsbruck for the day.
July 17, 2011
Today started with a half-day of travel from Seefeld to Innsbruk, where they enjoyed lunch in the park and had a performance in Wilten Bascilica. The acoustics in this venue were incredible. Sarah said that a note would bounce around for 14 seconds after it was sung!
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| Wilten Basilica |
Sometime during their days in Seefeld, they also had a performance in a park, and in St. Oswald’s Parrish where the small group that Sarah earned a part in sang from the balcony. She liked the park performances because there wasn’t a defined audience. People would just hear them singing and come to sit down, and by the end there would be a huge crowd!
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| St. Oswald's Parrish |
July 18, 2011
Today is Venice day! After a five hour bus ride, the kids enjoyed trips to a glassblowing shop, real gelato, and a traditional gondola ride, complete with singing gondolier! Although, they took several trips down wrong streets that ended in staircases that disappeared into the ocean to finally locate the gondolas!
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| Sinking Stairs |
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| Gondola ride |
Sarah perfected the art of European bargaining, getting herself an Italia track jacket and a Venezia sweatshirt for $30 euros (a discount of 10 eu, or about $15!). In the evening, they performed at St. Mark’s Basilica, where the namesake disciple’s holy relics are safeguarded.
July 19, 2011
The kids traveled to Germany today. It is to be a relatively quick stop of only two days. Sarah wishes that she had more time. Thankfully, their hotel is the nicest one yet! That’s a nice way to end the trip. The each got their own bed, and the rooms were well appointed and spacious.
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| Hotel Gastof Schranne |
Upon arrival, they headed to Dachau, the Nazi concentration camp from the Holocaust. Sarah said that it was completely surreal, and very sad, but she was glad to see what the ‘other side’ was like. There was a museum and an educational video. Having been to the Holocaust museum back home, she was intrigued by the differences in the versions told by the Nazis versus the Americans.
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| Dachau Holocaust Concentration Camp |
After their tour, they had lunch of chicken & fries in a restaurant that was in the middle of a quintessential German forest.
July 20, 2011
The morning is theirs, and Sarah and her friends plan to shop their little hearts out. She’s looking for some gifts to bring home. This evening, they will perform at Heilig-Geist Kirche, a small church in Rothenburg. The evening was rounded out with a late night Brat Party, where they searched the streets until close to midnight for bratwurst! Heading back to pack and anticipating a 4:30 a.m. departure was all outweighed by the knowledge that she was headed home in the morning!
July 21, 2011
Our little girl arrived at about 8:00 p.m., tired, wired, and ever the world traveler! We’re so excited to see all of her photos, which I’m sure we’ll share on Facebook and here on this blog. Keep watch!