Sunday, July 31, 2016

MTC Week #135 - Europe Tour, Part 2

As mentioned last week, I wanted to devote this post to pictures I took in Europe and some concluding thoughts about the tour. So without further ado, here are some pictures to help you get a visual of things I saw and experienced. (Click on each for a larger version). And I just want to express, again, how grateful I was for the opportunity to go and share the light of Christ, through music, with so many people in Europe.

Getting off the plane during a layover in Amsterdam

Our hotel at our first stop, Berlin

The Brandenberg Gate in Berlin

Reichstag building in Berlin--historic government building



A uniquely designed holocaust memorial

A fun souvenir shop and a currywurst shop (Berlin)

One view of the Berlin Wall - the wall and below it








People just chillin' in the evening hours by the river (Berlin)

Another view of the Wall

A giant modern spire on top of the Reichstag (Berlin)

Our first performance at the Berlin Philharmonie

Inside the Philharmonie starting a sound check

Another view of the Philharmonie

Before our concert. Siope, Dennis (my great roommate), and me

Going to the restroom costs money!

 
One of the MANY outdoor restaurants/cafes (Munich)

A plate someone ELSE ordered. Ick!

A friend, Ryan Withers

Our second concert, at the Meistersingerhalle (Munich)

Dennis, Ben, and I enjoying the very yummy Magnum bar

Outside a Nazi indoctrinization building (Nuremberg)

A church member's unique bike (look close)!

Exit of a parking lot--trying to get one of those perspective shots

Site of a Nazi base camp. This shows THEN...

...and this shows TODAY (Nuremberg)

Another view of the Meistersingerhalle

Dennis and I took a run through an old cemetery (Munich)

The famed Glockenspiel on the Marienplaz (Munich)

Not sure you'd see a row of these sold in the US :)

A view of the Marienplatz (central shopping area)

Some guys dressing up in traditional clothing

The Graggenauer Viertel (mansion for the once elite royalty)
 


Beautiful gardens within Vienna

Votive Church seen from the center of Freud Park (Austria)

Hmmm, what's that poster in the background?

Where we ate dinner in Vienna. Yes, we were spoiled

The Musikverein - famous concert hall we performed at in Vienna

Some musicians in a restaurant (Munich)

Good friend Ryan Bateman and I having dinner (Munich)

Site of the Munich Olympic park

Olympic swimming venue

Some locals we met at the concert in Vienna

Gorgeous lake near Nueschwanstein Castle (outside Munich)

Valley near Nueschwanstein Castle

Nueschwanstein Castle

Nueschwanstein Castle in the background

Another valley near the castle. Pretty country!

Where we performed our 3rd concert - the Hallenstadion (Zurich)

Outside the Hallenstadion in Zurich

A side street in Zurich

Another view within the Hallenstadion (famous hockey arena)

A Hallenstadion employee helping with the concert

We found the filming site of one of the scenes from Willy Wonka! (in Munich)

Our concert venue in Frankfurt - the Jahrhunderthalle

Inside the Jahrhunderthalle

Closer view of the Jahrhunderthalle

Just returned from seeing off-the-beaten-path areas next to this hall

Click to zoom in and see who's performed at this famous hall

A photo before the concert at the Jahrhunderthalle
The Heildelberg Castle in the distance (outside Frankfurt)

Part of the Heildelberg Castle

A view of Heidelberg from the top of the castle

Our tour guide for the castle. A very sweet lady.
Dennis and I had fun almost being devoured at the German Film Museum (Frankfurt)
Our performance hall in Brussels

Our performance hall in Brussels

A poster in the lobby of the hall

The Grand Palace (I think) in the main square in Brussels

Had to try a Belgian waffle in Belgium! Yummm
Some canal boats in Amsterdam

A canal in Amsterdam

Locating one of the oldest homes in Amsterdam

Ah! A yummy crepe dinner.

Had to try McDonalds to see how it compared to back home

One of the oldest windmills near Amsterdam

The "Oude Kerk" or "Old Church" - founded in the year 1213!

Some stained glass in the Old Church
Outside the performance hall in Rotterdam

The De Doelen where we performed. The acoustics were incredible.

In some main city plaza in Rotterdam. Not quite sure about the baby structure.

Our sound check at the De Doelen.

Lining up to go on stage

Outside view of the De Doelen
Welcome to France!

A group of us having dinner at the Paris hotel

Notre-Dame Cathedral. Incredible.

Another view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral

One of several Eiffel Tower shots

This was taken after a group shot of the choir and orchestra

We did some filming for the Paris Temple open house, forthcoming

Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur

Sainte-Chapelle. Incredible stained glass detail.



Additional links of interest about tour: