Day 1 & 2 Postcard - June 16, 2003
Well, we've all been traveling now for two days and are safe and sound
spread out around the Rochester community.
First of all, want you to know that Choir Dad & Chaperone Chris Thorn has
been doing marvelous things with our web site and you definitely need to
log on immediately to see the results: www.wisconsinchildrenschoir.org
In the tour schedule, he has linked locations to some on the spot photos.
Check for the underscored items in our schedule. This has been lots of fun
for us and all digital cameras have been asked to contribute to send instant
updates home. And, since Techno Chris is highly wired - in more ways than
one! - the updates come periodically all day long, even when we are on the
bus in transit! Unlike my personal laptop which is ancient and frequently
does not allow my access to the internet.
I'll update you as to what we have been doing for the past 48 hours.
Drive to our first night stay went really very quickly - and that's what
happens when movies are playing from curb-to-curb. Kids were excited in
anticipating all the fun places and new people we'd be seeing. We stopped
for lunch at an Indiana tollway rest area, moving from a 67 degree bus to
80 degree parking lot.......we definitely weren't in Wisconsin anymore!
Pulled into Oberlin, Ohio right on time to the Oberlin New Union center
for the Arts. Quickly made our introductions, were shown our temporary
headquarters on the third floor of an old, 3-story school. Our floor
space was the Oberlin Choristers' rehearsal room and the Oberlin Dance
Studio dance floor - mirrored walls and beautiful views from the big
windows on the high point of Oberlin. Dumped our suitcases and then off
to Lorenzo's Pizzaria where our tables were waiting for us and pizza was
promptly served. Margaret had a mini rehearsal and then we walked the two
blocks of Mayberry-like Oberlin, an adorable, quaint old city where you
literally could not find an ice cube after 10:00 p.m. Headed over to
Gibson's for ice cream cones - yep, 36 of them! Then back to the old
school and lights off and mouths shut by 10:00 p.m..............well, by
midnight Chris and I finally had the whispers wound down.
Monday, June 16, 2003
All of us were up by 6:00 a.m. to have our suitcases packed, sleeping bags
rolled up, and everything back down to the parking lot to load the bus at
6:30 when Captain Jack (our driver) pulled up. Off to the edge of town to
a beautiful new County aquatic center where everyone - yes, that means
YOUR daughter or son - got in and out in ONE HALF HOUR! No small feat to
accomplish, by the way! As they got back on the bus, they grabbed their
breakfast and juice selections, loaded up the next movie and off we headed
to Niagara Falls. We could not have had a better, more beautiful day to
view the spectacular falls. A few kids and Chris Thorn were dropped off
Stateside to take a Maid of the Mist boat ride where they got blue
raincoats. 31 of the rest of us headed across the Rainbow Bridge to the
Canadian side. At the Canadian customs stop, the agent came on and looked
carefully at all of our documents - thanks for the heads up on what to
expect and the citizenship documents we definitely had to have. Then,
after giving us the A-OK, she expected a performance! Being the excellent
US citizens that we all are, WCC complied quite willingly - whatever the
Customs agent asked for, she was going to get! Onto the Falls and down to
the Journey Under the Falls, outfitted in our yellow ponchos where we rode
the elevator down 125 feet to the tunnels which took us to portals where
water was completely roaring sheets in front of us - quite scary! - and to
an observation platform where we got SOAKED! If you've seen the movie
"Niagara" with Marilyn Monroe, this is where the guy gets killed and
remember the shoes never get picked up from the shoe check..........?
Well, anyhow, so glad the girls did so well on their hair-dos at the
aquatic center - yeah, right - the heavy mist took care of any of the fine
dos! Across the border again this time with a United States Customs agent
with an intimidating manner, asked about all the kids on board and even
checked the bathroom for stow-aways. Let us back into New York where we
met up with the tiny group and onto Goat Island for our picnic lunch.
Felt great to run free and dry off in the spectacular sunshine. Hopped
onto the bus for our final jaunt into Rochester, where we were greeted and
treated like Royalty! Pizzas were ready and waiting for us, kids had just
enough time to eat, change into concert attire and quick rehearsal before
the 7:30 concert. The Bach Children's Chorus hosted us and performed for
about 20 minutes before our kids. They were a large group with what
appeared to be younger choristers overall. Fantastic church for the
performance venue - beautiful old, high ceilinged with lovely wood floors.
Our kids did a great job, performed their hearts out, and looked terrific!
You should have felt proud even from this distance. Their homestay hosts
were anxious to whisk them off to their homes. Poor kids in Rochester
still have school this week, so some of the older ones even have exams.
And, still, their generosity was overflowing. As we tour and get the
benefit end of our fine hosts, it makes us even more willing to extend the
same hospitality to any other group traveling through our area.
Networking is definitely a great thing!
All kids are doing great, and as you can guess, if you haven't heard from
them that's all the better. We're keeping them too busy to have much time
to reflect on what's happening at home. Technology willing, I'll be
sending regular updates.
Well, it's late, so I'd better re-group and get some solid sleep tonight.
Tomorrow's road awaits at 7:15 a.m. for me!
SUE
