Freiburg

December 20, 21

No pics in Freiburg. I think I gave my camera a rest. Though the image of McDonald's on an old city gate would have made a great terrible photo. Laura met me at the train station. And I stayed at her friend Annike's place. One of her flat mates had already gone home for the holidays so I was able to sleep there. It was great. She too sings in the Freiburger Bach Chor. Unfortunately I didn't get to sing along with the Oratorio this time. Herr Professor Doktor Konductor was a little more fussy about who lets into the choir. He told Laura he wasn't taking anyone who hadn't sung with him before. I'd then emailed him with the I'm-a- visiting-Canadian-who-loves-the-Oratorio story and attached my choral resume but he didn't seem to buy it. He never even emailed me back which I thought would at least have been courteous. I went along to the dress rehearsal which was quite fun...the sexy cembalo player was my favourite. He reminded me of Mozart. And even snotty woman who kicked me out of my chair made for fun time. The dress rehearsal was very good. They ran through the whole thing without stopping pretty much. And I was right up close (even after I had to find a new chair) Almost better than the concert somehow. The concert was great too and I sat with Laura's boyfriend Achim who had never heard the Oratorio before and in fact isn't even a classical music fan. But he was very much interested and asked questions and we had a few text discussions and he said he liked it. So maybe there's another CO fan in the making. :-)
Afterwards we went out with Annike and some of her friends. We did the Freiburg student thing...walk around town until you figure out where it is you want to go or until you find a place that has enough room for you. We got home very late. And I realized that I'm quite removed from the student life! Friday Laura and I went on a hike. Saturday morning we did some shopping around town. The cutest moment were two little girls, maybe 9 or 10 years old playing Christmas carols on their recorders. They had a little hat out for money. There isn't a lot of busking around on the streets. You don't hear as many carols around as you might at home it seems. Though Friday evening there was an alphorn trio playing but they were playing "Kein schoener Land"