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July 10, 2005 (Sunday) — At Versailles

We met at the conservatoire in the morning. after a nice evening with the billet families. We drove to Versailles, and took our picnic lunch to the gardens. After a tour through the palace, we had a rest period on the bus and then got our things to sing. The docents held the tourists back as we processed into the chapel, whis is usually roped off. LIke Notre Dame, we got to see some very unusual rooms and staircases out of the public view. They have mass once a month in the Royal Chapel, and we happened to be there on the right day. It's a great place to sing, with marble everywhere. The organ was definitely not at modern pitch. People at the mass were impressed with our singing, saying we were "first class". We found out that even with mass only once a month, they rarely have choirs, and the organist said that we were only the second American choir ever to sing at the Royal Chapel. The King was out of town, unfortunately.

 

Adam at the gardens

Getting cookies for our pinic lunch

Wandering through the gardens.

We gather in front of the chateau.

Boating on the king's reservoir

Tim in front of the fountains, which are turned on infrequently but were on while we were there.

Not sure whose portrait this was, but there are lots.

This angle is the only way to see the boys and the background of the chateau.

Here are Matt and Terrence.

Here's Kerry with a K

Waiting for the rest of the group to get through the museum

Mr. Fox's changing room before the service

Singing from the balcony in the Royal Chapel

Checking obut the ceiling

Here's the ceiling