Tuesday: Tour of Belgrade, Lunch in Bohemian section, Closing Circle

After last night's splendid concert and experience of affection and impending loss, everyone got a good night's sleep, had breakfast at 9:30, and boarded our bus for a guided tour of Beograd (spelled all sorts of ways). First stop was the National Serbian Cathedral, which is under construction, and has been since 1905. It is a four dome glorious space fully there structurally, but needing about 20 more years of mosaic and plaster work, which is begun and quite remarkable. Ensemble sang" Lift thine Eyes</em> then "Mnogaja leta</em> (Long Life, in Russian).

"It is a full celebration of sounds, it is joyful, and the sounds collide and support each other, like you can almost see the sounds by hearing it. The Cathedral is where that piece belongs, it added so much richness to the interplay between high sopranos soaring and the rest of the choir's singing -- dancing joyfully." -- Tina

Dan made a hand-held video of the mini-concert, which our guide said was one of the first choirs to sing in the Cathedral, certainly the first from outside Serbia. A quick-time version was added to youtube.com this morning.

Second stop was at Marshall Tito's garden and memorial which includes a brief history of Yugoslavia, many gifts presented to Tito from dignitaries from other countries (tribal gowns from many countries in Asia, handcrafts, swords from 2000 year old battles... )His house was destroyed in NATO bombing, but the museum and crypt were spared.

 Our guide told a fairly accurate version of the history of Kingdom, Socialist Republic, Republic, NATO intervention and modern state. Questions by our young diplomats focused on attempts to fit the Balkans and their collective histories into their young person views of 21st century life, and its emphasis on the Middle East.

The final stop was at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, the reason why Beograde exists. Europeans, Asians and Africans have fought for this strategic location probably forever. We know the city was leveled to the ground 44 times, with more that two million soldiers dead in the collective battles. The area between Beograd and the rivers is a fortress, now a park. As each conquering army broke through the defenses to the current occupants, they destroyed city and fortress, only to rebuild on the ashes and occupy the area for the life of that civilization, until a new army marched through. Celts, Alexander the Great, Romans, The Crusaders, the Ottomans, world war generals and countless smaller armies have seen the need to control the rivers that meet in Beograd and have fought here.

Excavations have found earlier fortresses to pre-Roman times. "The park is so quiet -- hard to think of so many people dying here."

We walked back through several fortress remains, Roman, Ottoman, and German to the bus and a short ride to a restaurant in the Bohemian quarter in central Beograd. Lunch was on the outdoor patio with a lovely cool breeze, away from traffic.

Following lunch, the members of Ensemble moved tables aside and formed a circle for their end of tour ceremony. Maestro, a stuffed turtle that travels with Ensemble in the care of one member was brought to the meeting. After Bob gave his end of tour summary and thanks, Maestro was passed around the circle. As a member holds Maestro, he/she says whatever he /she wants about tour, leadership, Ensemble, music friends... For 18 members this was the last meeting of Ensemble and feelings were intense. They recounted how they have grown, "I was so shy I never talked to anyone, and it took a long time to come out of my shell." "I really did not want to join Ensemble, now I love you guys so much, I don't know what I am going to do." There is such profound affection among them for each other, I felt a little intrusive just being present as a witness. The long good-bye that started last evening after the concert continues and I suspect from the hand-holding, hugs, sitting close and piles of friends on the grass that it will continue until they join their other families at SFO tomorrow.

After the circle, the choir members (with a little help from Suzie) presented the three chaperones who celebrated birthdays on tour with shirts from Festival Lent, signed by many choir members. The choir members chipped in and had lovely presents for all chaperones. Bob took the floor and commended Cassy and Katherine for their leadership during the year.

To bus, shopping, packing, ice cream, dinner, packing and bed.