We've Arrived!

The view from the 8th floor of the Ayre Hotel in Barcelona, Spain

The Chancel Choir's trip to Barcelona took a little longer than anyone had hoped, but we've made it. Most of the group left Chapelwood at "High Noon" Wednesday only to learn the flight on Air France had been delayed four hours. It seems a computer malfunction shut down De Gaulle Airport meaning the plane to take us across the Atlantic was arriving to Houston several hours late. As it turned out the delay didn't cause much of a problem since the layover in Paris was scheduled for four hours. We just got to get to know terminal D at Intercontinental better. Did you know there is an entire wall in the terminal dedicated to NASA? We didn't leave Houston until about 6:15 Wednesday night, arriving in Paris at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. There was also a short delay in Paris with our connecting flight as well, the 12:55 p.m. flight didn't leave until 1:30 p.m. so we didn't make it to Barcelona until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, which translates to 9:30 Houston time. Considering all that can and does happen with international travel, the delays were just a minor convenience. Besides if you shop around you can find tasty airport food. I recommend the chicken sandwich in terminal F at De Gaulle.

This evening we are to have dinner and take a tour of a "green area" near the site where the 1992 Olympic Games were staged. No question, we'll cut the evening short as the group is a little travel weary.
Carleton Cole

St. John's Concert

As the Chancel Choir gets ready to leave for Spain, Tom Jaber leads the group at a concert at St. John's Presbyterian in Meyerland.

3 days and counting for Chapelwood's Chancel Choir trip to Spain. This afternoon the Choir held a preview concert at St. John's Presbyterian Church in Meyerland. The group went through its entire program which is quite varied. The Choir opens with a traditional Quaker hymn called How Can I keep from Singing?. The mood continues with Music Speaks and a piece partially in Latin, Si Vis Amari If you want to be loved, love. There are several soloists including Katherine Kyle, Ross Chitwood, Peter Johns, Carl Sandlin, Andrea Jaber, Bonnie Deaton, and Mark Swindler. Other highlights to the program are a series of pieces from the musical West Side Story, and an adaptation of St. Francis of Assisi's prayer Make me an Instrument of Thy Peace. The concert concludes with a piece from Mark Hayes, called One World.

The Chancel Choir leaves Chapelwood Church Wednesday at High Noon with their arrival in Barcelona, Thursday morning.

Itinerary

Jun 29, 2011 Overnight Flight
Depart from the USA. Overnight flight to Europe.
Jun 30, 2011 Barcelona
Welcome to Barcelona, Spain's second-largest city and capital of Cataluña. Meet your Tour Manager at the airport and transfer to your hotel for check in. Time to relax before your arrival briefing and special welcome dinner with flamenco entertainment included. (D)
Jul 1, 2011 Barcelona
After breakfast, provided each morning of your tour, meet a local guide for panoramic sightseeing by coach of the city. See the Gothic Quarter with the Cathedral, and visit the Parc Guell. View Gaudí's unfinished Sagrada Familia (entrances not included) and the 1992 Olympic complex. You'll also see the famous Columbus statue erected in 1888 in the Plaza de la Paz. Dinner is not included this evening. (B)
Jul 2, 2011 Barcelona
Enjoy a free day in Barcelona to explore as you choose. The day's highlight is your debut concert in Spain at the Church of Santa Maria Del Pi, with rehearsal time scheduled prior to the performance. Dinner is on your own tonight. (B)
Jul 3, 2011 Barcelona
Today you'll enjoy an excursion along the coast to the nearby towns of Figueras and Girona. Entrances to the Salvador Dali Museum are included in Figueras. Spend the better part of the day exploring. Return to Barcelona in the late afternoon. Dinner is not included today. (B)
Jul 4, 2011 Valencia
After breakfast, depart for the coastal town of Valencia. Check into your hotel and begin exploring. Dinner is on your own this evening. (B)
Jul 5, 2011 Granada
Head south to Andalusia today. On arrival, meet a local guide for a visit to the Alhambra Palace, one of the greatest accomplishments of Islamic art and architecture, and the fragrant Generalife Gardens. Whispers headsets are included. Transfer to your hotel for check in and enjoy a free evening. Perhaps visit the Albaicín area with its whitewashed cobblestones and charming restaurants. Dinner is not included today. (B)
Jul 6, 2011 Granada
Morning free for independent sightseeing. Then prepare for your second concert with rehearsal time included beforehand. Perform at the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista in nearby Niguelas. Return to Granada after your concert. Dinner is not included this evening. (B)
Jul 7, 2011 Seville
Depart for Andaluca's capital city of Seville. Sightseeing with a local guide by bus and on foot includes the immense Gothic Cathedral, the Giralda Tower and the Alczar. Possible informal sing at the Gothic Cathedral. Check into your hotel and relax. Enjoy a tapas dinner together this evening. (B,D)
Jul 8, 2011 Seville
Spend the day exploring Seville on your own. Perhaps you might visit the Santa Cruz section of the city? Dinner is not included today. (B)
Jul 9, 2011 Madrid
Depart today for Spain's modern capital of Madrid. En route, stop in the city of Cordoba, where Roman and Moorish influences are seen in the long, arched bridge and the Mezquita, the colorful mosque. Continue to Madrid and check into your hotel. Free evening for shopping or sightseeing at leisure. Dinner is not included today. (B)
Jul 10, 2011 Madrid
This morning, enjoy a guided panoramic tour of Madrid, which highlights the Puerto del Sol, the Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor. Then visit the Prado Museum with headsets included, and see the works of exceptional artists such as Goya and El Greco. Afterward, prepare for your concert finale! Depart at 3.30pm for the town of Avila, an hour north of Madrid, and set up at the Auditorio San Francisco - rehearsal at 6pm. Perform your concert at 8.30pm. Return to Madrid following your performance. Dinner is not included this evening. (B)
Jul 11, 2011 Madrid
Spend today in Spain's old capital of Toledo - visits with a local guide include the Church of Santo Tome, the treasures of the Gothic Cathedral and the Medieval Synagogue. Possible informal sing at Toledo Cathedral. Return to Madrid for your final evening and enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate your successful Encore performance tour! (B,D)
Jul 12, 2011 Departure
Transfer to the airport for your return flights home. (B)