Subject: RE: EuroGathering 2005: The Final Countdown
From:
Skipjack K8
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 08:42 AM
Well, what a trip that was, like clockwork, apart from the interstate highway that isn't on any maps yet. Thee hours from Calais to the eastern side of Paris central, dropped off young people with Uncle Iain, then four and a half hours down to La Garenne, 750 miles in a day, and seventeen hours in the saddle.
Can't really remember my name today, as it was 3am arrival and to bed, but we've done coffe, croissants and tunes this morning. That's enough from me, I'll try and get all gathered to do a bit.
MudGuard speaking:
So far it is a great weekend, though the location is a bit - let's say - remote (it took me 8 different means of transport to get here: tramway, subway, suburban, plane, regional train, metro, train, car)
Good music, a beautiful house, wonderful hosts, good friends, good food, good wine, great wheather (sunshine, 22 degrees in the shade)
Got to stop, other people queueing ...
Charmion here --
We are comfortably established in a little hotel where Monsieur et Madame feed us like fighting cocks and the coffee is from heaven. It feels like summer here (they were threatening snow when we left Ottawa on 23 April) and the garden at La Garenne is in bloom, with the resident thrushes and blackbirds competing with the Mudcats conducting their first session before lunch. We will have to leave sometime soon, but I won't think about that now.
Susanne here --
Temperature has gone up to 27 degrees in the paddock where the cars are. 13 hours of driving have landed us in the middle of a beautiful summer. I don't want to go back up north, but stay - pampered by our generous hosts Jill and Roger, partaking of the bread and cheese provided by Pat and Richard (mr & mrs Moo), with skipjack playing the piano in the background, as he is doing just now, or somebody else doing some music. It's right up there with the rest of the memorable Eurogatherings so far!
Giok the hot now, I just hate it here, food wine music; no dancing girls though, still the weekend is young and I wish I was too. Interesting to put faces to names, some people are like you would think they'd be while others confound all my preconceptions. Anyway there is a large German waiting to add a few pearls of wisdom, and he's too big to argue with. Wish you were here, particularly those who wanted to come but were prevented by conferences, and cash flow.
Giok
Wolfgang's bit
It's summer here at the end of April, a beautiful place. With all that hot air, even in the evening, and the local red wine, people get the most funny ideas, like me for instance singing for the first time a solo in all Mudcat meetings that heve been and I've been at all yet (like Greg, Andy and Richard). It was a thirteen hour drive down here, which is a bit crazy for a weekend, but not so much when thinking about all the good friends to meet and the music.
Wolfgang
Sunshine, good food, geat company and music: what more could you ask? Don't you wish you were here?
It's a good job that it's not raining 'cos I'm sleeping in a tent. On the way down I paid for a hotel room - I could have slept anywhere but I needed somewhere secure for my instruments while I was out sightseeing. It comes to something when musical instruments get a higher priority than me!
Doug C
Yep...second (or third or fourth of fifth all of the above! Temperature up to a nice 29C now. Lovely location, music in the open barn until the wee hours, night animals craoking and calling and the milky way above. What could be better with good music and good friends. Off in a moment to upend the lot of them in the canal!
Peace
moo
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