Travel Day from Schwemsal to Mönchenholzhausen 3 June 2010

The morning began with a great breakfast, of course prepared by Ute our wonderful host.All were quite happy to know we did not have to drive so far today, just a simple two to three hours instead of twelve to fifteen. Some of the boys went to play football whilst others drank a tea, jammed or began packing. By the time lunch was served we had the trailer loaded and the equipment back in the van, the food stashed away and the last forty of the seventy liters of Hungarian wine stocked safely for the journey.

 

We arrived on the busy A9 from Berlin to Munich and luckily turned on the radio just in time to hear that right in front of us was a sixteen kilometer traffic jam. We got the tail end of it, but were able to get off the highway and detour through the countryside a little to bypass it. Back on the highway just twenty kilometers further down we continued our journey with no further interferences. Grzegorz asked if it would be possible to get to a doctor. His ears were aching and he couln't hear very well. After finding out he had had the problem for two days and HOW it had happened we had to surpress the funny side of the story and be first concerned with getting him back on track. He had slept three nights in a double room with Robert. Robert not only snores like an old Lancaster plane from WWII, but he adds a certain overtone much like an expecting mother whale.

 

Arriving in Mönchenholzhausen we unloaded the vans and trailer and then Bob took Grzegorz to the hospital. The doctor examined him and soon found the problem. Grzegorz had tried so hard to drown out Roberts Ur-cry, that he had pressed his own ear wax firmly to the ear drum, which had now formed a thick layer through which he heard nothing and  was simply concerned.

 

Problem solved we got back to Mönchenholzhausen to meet the others who were waqiting for us to leaver together for our accomodation in Weimar. We have acomodation in Mönchenholzhausen starting tomorrow and our host for the next festival point in Weimar agreed to take us in for the night – in the railway museum. All the artists had heard from Bob that we will be in a museum, exhibiting, playing and sleeping. But they all thought it would be a modern building with one or two old wagons in it. They didn't expect a real live engine turntable junction with mechanics pits and all the works, and that each locomotive still runs! The idea to exhibit here brought on excitement and astonishment to Patrick whose words were 'It is going to be a real challenge to put on a fine exhibition here in such a short time', but his eyes glowed and it was obvious that he would make a good show out of it.

 

Uwe, our host in Weimar was sitting there with the railway museum team watching their last home made movie about the last museums locomotive trip. They welcomed us with a bonfire and a drink, and then showed us the sleeping car where we would all spend not just this night, but after Mönchenholzhausen we would have the same beds again and we could leave any clothes and things we wanted to.They will lock the complete wagon so noone can enter when we are in Mönchenholzhausen. All the artists really enjoyed the museum and the idea of the sleeping car. A few of us stayed up for a while with some of the railway lads and had a few laughs together. The weather had turned nice that day and the first strong sunlight had warmed the ground so we could sit around the bonfire and enjoy each others company under a star-lit night. All the artists found their way to a sound sleep in their beds, but one. Patrick fell asleep talking to the railway boys and he drifted into such a deep sleep that they simply carried him into the nearest bed without him even realising. Having done nothing but what is written here we can only say, 'What a wonderful day!'

 

Mönchenholzhausen 4 June 2010

We woke up in our sleeping car to get a good hearty breakfast that Uwe and his team had prepared for us. Uwe had already been to the bakers, laid the table, made the coffee and greeted us friendly on this warm summer morning. We were on the road at 9.15 am to be in Mönchenholzhausen on time for the kindergarten workshop.

 

The children were already full of anticipation when we arrived and Robert began immediately with his dance teaching methods. Patrick had come along for the fun and enjoyment and danced with the children. Bob played Irish melodies on his bouzouki as the little ones were dancing merrily. The group had been seperated from the little ones and then the really little ones who formed a circle in the middle of the older children's circle. It was just as much fun for us three as it was for them. After the dancing was over the children formed a circle around the cherry tree and we had to go in the middle. They then sang a wonderful song for us which still rings in our ears now.

 

We headed on back to the main venue and the centre of the festival which is the village pub and restaurant. Mario was busy cooking and Annette doing different chores from office work to fetching things, or bringing something. They have been the right hand for Bob's idea to bring an art festival into their village.

After lunch the artists were shown to their new 'homes'. 3 double rooms in the village guest house were sponsored. A further family took in Robert, another Bob, another yet again the inseperable Patrick and Bekir, the festival commitee's photographer Jürgen took in Judith and Antonio and Christian and Sandra took in Grzegorz.

 

After that the band took a trip into Erfurt while the theater prepared for their performance. Grzegorz was in the church with his zithers and preparing his performance just before the theatre. Pani Drewniok from Poland is a painter and graphist. She has been here in the village for a week already with an exhibition in the main venue. Bob met her in Poland through her son Adam, the bass player in a band Bob has often toured with, Carrantuohill.

Bekir and Patrick are exhibiting in the fire brigades house and the contrast in art is just amazing and wonderful to see. Patrick thought up some spontaneous installation work, adding to his rather illustrious works he made extra for the tour.

 

The theater group wanted to set up outside and so there was a make-shift forum made for them that actually looked great when all hands had finished helping – Philippe, Peter (the other inseperable couple), Miguel, Ingo, Bob, Jonathan, Bekir, Patrick and many other of the festival team from Mönchenholzhausen.

Bob and Patrick set about transfering data again and soon after Grzegorz's concert began in the church. From the artists Bob, Bekir and Patrick went along to listen and take some fotos. Grzegorz surprised us with new sounds and rhythems which we would otherwise find in acid rock music.

 

He then interpreted Chopin and may Polish traditional dances. It was a fantastic performance and everyone appreciated his skill and enthusiasm in his playing.

The official opening of the festival then took place in the forum set up for the theater group. The mayor, the president of the local church association, Bob and Annette spoke somewhat before Judith, Antonio and Thomas took over to perform their wonderful piece, fascinating yet again the audience with their interpretation of modern Comedia d'art.

 

The scene changed to an inside concert with Sierov and Schmitt, a Russian oboe player and a German guitarist. Their music was accoustic and lively. After them came The Elves, a female cabarett group from Erfurt who were at last years festival, and who were asked by many people to come back again. Bob and Patrick downloaded the last of the material and set about sending the reports and a few selected photos out to Deventer and Lincoln and went to bed comfortably, following all the other artists who had all gone to bed quite early, for once.