Another excellent choir trip at the end of April to Montenegro. There were 25 of us travelling with Brian of Bridgewater International. A good trip with Easyjet into Dubrovnik and then a coach drive to Budva in Montenegro. A long delay at the border as Croatia didn't seem to want to let us out. A shorter delay at the Montenegro border. Finally a short ferry trip and we arrived in Budva for a late dinner at 9.30pm at the Alexander Hotel. On Monday, we were escorted into Budva old town by two members of the choir we would be singing with on Tuesday. A rehearsal at the Modern Gallery and then a short tour around town visiting the Museum. Back to our hotel, a drink at a nearby bar and a short stroll before bed.
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| An early stroll before breakfast |
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| I spotted these runners Yvette and Judith |
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| One of my collection of found objects |
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| Walking around near our hotel before meeting up with the others |
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| Part of the hotel complex |
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| Walking into the old town |
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| Our guides next to Brian who is working |
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| Gathered by the Modern Galerie of Budva |
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| Rosie and Tina being papped by Sue |
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| The choir |
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| Listening to the history of Budva |
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| At the Museum |
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| Added to my collection of dragons |
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| Strolling around Budva Old Town |
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| Jim at one of the town gates |
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| On the way back to the hotel we spotted this |
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| Not posed at all |
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| Evening stroll |
On Tuesday, we had a coach trip to Perast and Kotor, another old town. We sang in all the squares in the old town. A Spanish lady came up to Yvette to say she had been sung the song we were singing - Tres Hojitas Madres - by her mother. She was quite tearful, as were some of us!
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| A view from the coach on the way to Perast |
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| Listening to our tourist guide |
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| The two islands off Perast |
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| Brian and the rose while we were having coffee |
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| Perast |
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| View from the bus stop at Kotor |
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| Views of Kotor |
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| The Spanish lady in the colourful shirt |
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| Deciding where to sing |
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| Using Judith as a model |
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| A blurry picture of these drinkers, Tracey, Tina and Rosie |
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| Sarah and Ian looking at their Montenegro book |
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| Shame I didn't captured the bike a moment earlier |
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| A reflection from the river below |
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| Looking across to the bus pick up |
Back to Budva to chill before the concert. I strolled into the old town early and had another walk around. Then the concert and a dinner given by the tourist office.
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| There were 3 cats looking at this washing but they moved when they saw my camera. Luckily this cat kept coming back to the washing |
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| I climbed up here for the following views |
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| Our hosts |
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| At the dinner |
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| On the ferry back to Dubrovnik and home |
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| Rosemary modelling her suitcase |
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| Rosie sunning herself |
A excerpt from the programme for the concert.
"Voice of the People Choir
In Budva, Montenegro 1.5.2018
Programme
1. Amaheebu (Baka)
2. Siyahamba (South Africa)
3. I am a River (Nickomo) & River River (John Warner)
4. Tourdion (Pierre Attaingnant)
5. Beyond the Sea (Charles Trenet arr. Wendy Sergeant)
6. Tres Hojitas (Traditional Asturias folk song)
7. Wild Mountain Thyme (Scottish folk song)
8. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen arr Dee Jarlett)
9. Herring Song (Traditional folk song from Devon)
10. Peace song (Christina Mimmocchi)
11 Parting Glass (Scottish Traditional)
Yvette Staelens, is a natural voice practitioner, community choir and workshop leader. She has been leading choirs in Somerset since 2001. Her current choirs are Voice of the People, Halsway Choir and Moor Voices. .........
Voice of the People is a touring choir that started in Bridgwater Somerset UK in 2001. It combines singers from all Yvette's choirs and tours annually. To date we have visited, sung and made friends with choirs from the Czech Republic, Poland, Moravia, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, France and Slovenia. We learn all of our songs aurally because we are a non-auditioning choir and most of the singers do not read music. We like to share songs from fold traditions from cultures around the world, including our own.
Bridgewater Internatinoal is an International friendship organisation dedicated to bringing people together from communities across the globe. Based in Bridgewater Somerset, UK, you can follow us on www.bridgwaterinternational.co.uk or contact us on bridgwaterinternational@gmail.com
Thanks to Mirjana Pajovic and the Harmonija Women's Vocal group of Budva and also Dusan Medin and the Modern Galerie of Budva."
