Etap in Mainz

This morning we all rolled out of bed just in time for our 5 hour bus ride to Mainz, Germany, where we first stopped so Bradley could pick up a rental car and then on to our Etap Hotel in the business district of town... We then hurried on to the church in Ingelheim, a beautiful castle church built into the city wall, first commissioned and funded by Charlemange in 775.

As our very talented bus driver Rene piloted us through the tight winding city streets, we came upon the beautiful church, but we couldn't drive up to it! It ended up that Hans Jurgen, the bus driver for the tours in the 80s and 90s, led us around the back side where there was a larger parking space at the top of a hill... Not only was the old city architecture beautiful, but we were surrounded by the rolling hills and fertile lands of the Rhine River valley... it was gorgeous even in the rainy weather!

We had pulled in around 5, a little later than planned, but without panic because the concert was scheduled for 8... but we found that in order to better accommodate our drive back to Mains after the concert, the church had publicized a 7pm concert, so we put it into overdrive :). After getting our stuff into the church and s short rehearsal, we broke for supper at around 6, and then had to meet in a back room, changed, by 6:40... so there was a little hustle involved haha

The space was beautiful to sing in though, and probably the oldest church I'll ever sing in... the space we sang in was finished in the 14th century (but the guys changed in a 12th century baptism room... kinda cool). We sang to a very small audience, under 50, but very receptive and appreciative! Many said that they were sad more people from the community didn't come out to hear us. For the intermission, Ken performed an organ piece, an arrangement of 606 by Hans, who composed it in a bus on a tour outside of Vienna in 1990, it was great that he got to play it for Hans in Hans' church where he is the choirmaster. A great concert!

After a tour of the grounds and information on the inside of the building, it was back in the bus for our 20 min. drive back to the Hotel... we're all settled into our rooms now and hetting ready for bed!

Tomorrow is the Rhine River Cruise! Pray for good weather, it's been pretty crappy for the past few days so hopefully it clears up!

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, we're still having fun despite the weather! (and still getting along fairly well too! haha)

Goodnight!
John