Setting up in Gotha

The church here is located right next to the Rathaus or city hall in Waltershausen, just next to the city of Gotha.  Eisenach, where Bach was born, is maybe 40km west of here.  The lower parts of the tower of the church dates from 1458 but the present church was completed in 1720, and the organ was installed in 1730.  It's really quite an amazing building with three rows of balconies, with a beautifully painted ceiling.

Yesterday was a very tiring day; I was up at around 6h, and Maggie and I drove to the carpool near Zaventem.  Then it was a long drive in a hot car to get here by around 15h, and we rehearsed until 20h.  Then we checked in at the hotel, and had a massive dinner of white asparagus, white potatoes and a schnitzel the size of a newspaper.  I have seen nothing resembling a leaf since Saturday, so I was happy to eat some cucumber and red and green peppers with my scrambled egg this morning at the hotel breakfast.

Unfortunately there is really no time to do or see anything other than the inside of the hotel room and the inside of the church.  Today we have our raccord at 12h, and then the concert at 15h, which will be recorded for broadcast by German radio.

I have found that three of the other singers are driving immediately to Hasselt, maybe 85km from Wavre, so we hope to arrive late in the evening tonight, and Maggie will come to meet me.  This gives me the great advantage of sleeping in my own bed an extra night, seeing Malcolm and Duncan a bit more, and also packing at leisure tomorrow.  I also hope to get in a run with Yoshi tomorrow...