Have travelled, have sung...

Dear Reader

We have been in Scotland for about 36 hours thus far. Or fewer, actually, although we have done quite a bit really.

After leaving Dubai we headed off on the shorter of our long haul flights. I had discovered a lovely movie on the long leg, and recommended it to my colleagues, a number of whom watched it simultaneously. We can all recommend What We Did on our Holiday. Poignant and funny. Once we landed in Glasgow it only took a short time to clear customs and we were on our way by coach to Edinburgh, with David at the wheel. I was very pleased to see the cases containing robes and music arrive off the carousel, and can confirm that they are all here.

We checked into the Hilton Hotel in Edinburgh, which is just around the corner from St Mary's Cathedral, where we have sung today. Some of the party even have a Cathedral view from their windows.

A walk to the main shopping street saw the purchase of crates for the music and SIM cards for phones and other telecommunication devices. Thence back to the hotel for showers and dinner. There is little to compare with the joy of great water pressure and hot water after a long flight. Dinner was typical of the first night of tour with a number of our party falling asleep at the table, or retiring hurt before the end of play.

Today being Sunday was one of our bigger days with more than one service. We sang at the Eucharist with the full choir this morning and Lay Clerks did Evensong.

The Musical Menu for today was Darke in E and Byrd Ave verum corpus with four hymns. Evensong was Sumsion in G, an introit and an anthem (will specify later), two hymns and Rose responses. The Cathedral people were warm in their welcome and generous in their praise for our contribution to their services today. We also got a look into their Choir's Song School, which has remarkable murals on the walls.

This evening a number of the Lay Clerks visited the Christmas Markets then went on a Ghost Tour, which involved vaults and a graveyard, all delivered by a very entertaining and enthusiastic guide.

So to finish off before I lose my work through sheer tiredness, here are some photos...

Much love to all at home

After Mass at St Mary's, Edinburgh

With Alice, my newest God-daughter

In the Song School

At the Markets

One of a number of new hats in the Lay Clerks

Another

Waiting outside St Giles for the Ghost Tour

St Giles

In the Vaults

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