Hospitality in bucket-loads!
Monday, January 14, 2008 by Reece Harley
So much has happened in one day!This morning, after my last post I went down stairs to find a 'simple' breakfast... ha ha ha! not likely!
More bread rolls, fresh sliced meats and cheese, strawberry juice, coffee with cream, jam, and tea in big blue and white teapots kept warm by little tea lights underneath! (As you can see, food rates very highly on my list of experiences, and i'm sure it will continue to.)
Then we went to the Rathaus (Town Hall) of Neurkirchen-Vluyn where we met with the mayor and performed a concert in the foyer. Then a civic reception in the council chamber with Champagne! 
Then, onto lunch at a buffet Chinese Restaurant. Suprisingly good for a German, Chinese restaurants serving Australians... :)
Just a short walk away from the restaurant was a beautiful, 600 year old Castle surrounded by a moat called 'Schloss Bloermersheim'. The family that built the castle still live there 600 years on and we saw the Barron drive into the Castle (across his own braw bridge!) as we walked past the entrance. One of our tour guides managed to negotiate a bag of Apples from one of the farm hands and we munched on these all the way back to our cars.
Just a short walk away from the restaurant was a beautiful, 600 year old Castle surrounded by a moat called 'Schloss Bloermersheim'. The family that built the castle still live there 600 years on and we saw the Barron drive into the Castle (across his own braw bridge!) as we walked past the entrance. One of our tour guides managed to negotiate a bag of Apples from one of the farm hands and we munched on these all the way back to our cars.
Then we travelled to a Senior-Citizens centre in Neurkirchen where we sang again, and the audience sang us a few songs as well. It was probably the funniest moment yet... A bevy of white haired, German fraulines singing us folk songs with linked arms...
After that? more coffee and cake of course!
Then we went back to Vluyn where we got to walk around and see some more of the town centre... It appears that in Vluyn we are a bit of a novelty. Our posters are in many shop-front windows and a group of teenagers shouted out "Hej! Are you the Australienes?".
Then we went to the 'Culturehalle' (Town Performance Hall) where we met up with members of our sister choir, and got slightly intoxiated on the free beer...
We have been looked after since the very first moment we stepped onto German soil. We have been plied with alcohol and food, driven everywhere and been put up in lovely houses. Certainly a great way to see a city!
