11 July update

Today was a big practice day for us.  The boys met after breakfast in one of  the hotel conference rooms,which are serving as rehearsal venues for the duration of the Games, for a 2 hour rehearsal.  Bernard conducted, Bonita played, Jin-Chu organised and Eliane and I sewed - buttons on pants and seams on bags.  At 11 am we met up with Mike and Ruben, for a final drive with them,  to the Joffe's home just outside of Cincinnati.  The boys have become very fond of the gruff Russians and I suspect that the sentiment is returned.  Mike even read a little speech that he prepared wishing the boys a "first place in the Games".

Dr and Mrs Joffe are Josh Engelbrecht's great aunt and uncle, and they invited all 70 members of the choir to lunch at their beautiful estate just outside the city limits of Cincinnati.  Our welcome was a bunch of maroon balloons and a "Welcome Kearsney College Choir" message at the entrance to the drive.  We walked up the drive past their magnificent home and then surveyed the green lawn with a large white awning, tables decked out in maroon and white and beautiful, bright flower arrangements on each table.  A catering company served the boys drinks and snacks before they took their seats and were invited by Mrs Joffe to serve themselves, buffet style, from a variety of delicious dishes.  The dessert which followed was a delight to the taste buds! The photographs of the day says it all.  After lunch the boys sang Shosholoza for the Joffes and their friends who shared the meal with us. 



The highlight of the day seemed to be a visit to the 'restrooms'!  The Joffes had hired a trailer comprising of two restrooms, male and female - these were beautifully outfitted and definitely worth a stop en route back to the bus.  Thank you Dr and Mrs Joffe for a wonderful 2 hours spent with you.

The boys were complimented on their manners and the waitrons of the day expressed their desire to see the boys perform in Cincinnati over the next two days after hearing them sing Shosholoza.

We returned in time for a second two hour rehearsal, while Eliane and I went more than across town to the closest music shop (a round trip of 3 hours) to buy two sets of drumsticks for the choir.  I do not understand why these type of shops have not been given an opportunity to establish stores at the World Choir Games Centre.

Then on to the next meal at the WCG Centre, a large building with round tables and chairs and various stations where one can serve food and also serve drinks.  The meals have been most satisfactory with enough of it to satisfy 64 eternally hungry lads.  The choir then set off to a nearby church for an evening rehearsal, while I made my way back to the hotel to get my daily diary and photographs up to date relatively early in the evening.

See the rest of the day's photographs.