http://myoofny.shutterfly.com/

Paris - Vernon - Normandie, France
July 26, 2010
Partly Cloudy, 78F

We boarded a bus early this morning and headed toward Venon, the home of Monet's beautiful gardens at Giverny.  We arrived at about 9:30am and toured his house and gardens.  There are several photos displayed around the house of him standing in the same room(s) with the exact same furniture.  The bed in his bedroom is the bed in which he died!  The gardens were amazing!!

Two and a half more hours on the bus brought us to the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandie.  The beach was beautiful from the vista of the overlooking cliff.  It is really hard to imagine what it must have looked like of June 6, 1944 with 5000 ships in the water and the awful battle which ensued.  Being there was an amazing experience.

July 25, 2010
Paris France
Partly Cloudy, 73 F

We hopped on the Metro this morning toward Port de Clingencourt and spent a few hours at the Flea Market.  Returning to the hotel around 1pm, some went to the finish of the Tour de France while most stayed by the hotel to do laundry and rest.  Napolean's Tomb and the Rodin Museum are close to the hotel, so several visited those places as well.  We all got together and went to dinner at Brasserie Mollard and walked back to the hotel, over the Seine and past some of the most amazing monuments in the world.  Tomorrow on to Giverney and Normandy Beach.

Paris, France July 24, 2010 Cool, Sunny (76-84F) Last night we arrived at Charles Degaulle Airport at about 9pm, about the same time that the homebound tour participants landed at Newark.  Our bus driver did not know the area of the hotel and so we spent about 60 min. circling the same streets in search for access.  Finally finding the hotel, we checked in, sorted out rooms and immediately went to sleep.  Today we took an introductory ride around the main monuments of the city on a bus.  We had a lovely lunch at the Jardins de Notre Dame Cafe near the cathedral, and then took the Metro to the Tour Eiffel.  Most of the group climbed to the 2nd level before we met at 5pm to return to the Metro and head to Pont Neuf.  There we met a Baton Mouche for a brief but beautiful ride on the Seine.  Back on the Metro to Chez Jenny, on Place de Republique, then finally into the Metro again to return to our hotel. Great day but all are completely pooped! Some new pictures will be posted tomorrow. ...

Krakow, Poland to Prague, Czech Republic
July 20, 2010
Partly Cloudy, Warm (84F)

This morning we loaded the bus and departed Krakow on our way to Prague.  The entire day was spent on the bus but we entertained ourselves by listening to a CD by the Klezmer Band we heard last night, and watched Amadeus, which was filmed in Prague in 1983.

We checked in to the Expo Hotel late this afternoon and took a quick journey by metro to District One (Old Town) before dinner at 9pm.

Tomorrow we have a walking tour, some free time and our final concert at 7:30 pm.

New pictures are posted on the Gallery.

Krakow - Auschwitz, Poland
July 19. 2010
Overcast, partly raining (70F)

Today was an emotional roller-coaster ranging from the depths of depravation (Irving Roth called Auschwitz the "Epicenter of Evil") to the uplifting positive force of the music we played at the Memorial site at Birkenau, and finally, the Klesmer music and the exuberance of hope at our dinner in the Jewish Quarter of Krakow.  Every one of us was deeply moved and, I am sure, all lives have changed significantly today.

Here are links to some of the pieces which we performed in Krakow yesterday.  If you subscribe to the You Tube page you will receive automatic notices when we post new videos.

Beethoven - Symphony 7 - Andante

Amazing Grace

Elgar - Nimrod

Shed No Tears

July 18, 2010
Krakow, Poland
Overcast, Thundershowers (70F)

The heat has finally broken, unfortunately with a deluge of rain which hit us just at the end of a walking tour to Krakow Castle. We had a morning rehearsal at the hotel.  The choristers used the lobby for an impromptu concert which was enjoyed by many of the passing hotel guests. We had some free time to shop at the Old Town market square in the afternoon and then a concert at the Franciscian Bascilica in the evening. Post concert ice cream cones in Old Town, then back to the hotel.  Tomorrow on to Auschwitz.

New video and photos will be posted later today.

Krakow, Poland July 17. 2010 Hot (104F) Sunny We are individually praying for rain and coolness and collectively doing pagan rain dances in Krakow's Old Town square.  We might have our wish tomorrow! Today we traveled from Zakopane after a very successful concert at the Holy Cross Church. The capacity audience called for two encores and gave both groups a standing ovation.  Following the concert we were treated to a fantastic dinner at a local restaurant with a cembalon band. On the way to Krakow we stopped at a salt mine and descended 300 meters below the earth (60 flights of stairs!) to see the beautiful salt carvings created by miners over the last 400 years.  Amazing! We were hoping for a little air conditioning at the Wypianski Hotel but, alas...  It is in a great location, just across from the entrance to Old Town and about 3 blocks from the central square. Rehearsal tomorrow then city tour.  Concert at 8 PM at the Franciscian Church in Old Town. ...

July 15, 2010
Traveling through Slovakia
Hot (98F) Partly Cloudy

We boarded the bus and left Budapest at 8am. We spent the day traveling through Slovakia on our way to the Polish border.  We made a lunch stop at a ski resort area used for hiking and a rest stop during the summer.  Finally reaching Zakopane around 3:30pm, spent a great deal of time sorting out rooms.  Most of the kids took a walking tour of the town, many went swimming, followed by a buffet dinner at the hotel.

Bed check at 10:30pn tonight.  Up tomorrow early for river rafting and a concert.

Follow the tour on Twitter at www.twitter.com/myoorch or follow links on the www.myo.org main page