After breakfast this morning the group busses back to the city and splits up for sightseeing and shopping. One member of our group had gone yesterday to the information booth in downtown Prague and asked them for directions to Krabcice where we will play a concert this afternoon. The attendant had never heard of it, and searched on all his maps to no avail. Finally he threw his hands up in the air and said "it is not on any map I have here. Come back tomorrow and I will bring my really big atlas." Well, today he had located it in the really big atlas and reported that it is about a 40-minute ride out of Prague.

We gather at the bus at 4:00 to drive to Krabcice for our last concert in Europe. Krabcice proves as elusive for our bus drivers as it was at the information carousel in Prague. We stop several times to ask the locals for guidance. When we pull into town we find that it is small, but the one and only church in town is quite large. As the orchestra sets up and tunes we discover that the concert will be both audio- and videotaped, and the equipment they will use is quite sophisticated. The assistant pastor of the church introduces himself. He is a Kenyan named "Bob" who speaks excellent English. He explains that they are recording the concert so that the elderly in the nearby nursing home, which is run by the church, will be able to enjoy it later. Two fellows who grew up in Krabcice, but are now on "civic patrol" duty in Prague, have come back to town with the equipment to make the recording. The church soon fills to capacity, with people lining the edges of the circular balcony above. The pastor gives a short welcoming address and then turns to the assembled musicians and says in English, "it is very good that you are here. On most Sundays we have maybe 30 people, and today you see that the church is FULL! This is good."

The concert is beautiful and the audience enthusiastic. They call Laura back several times, refusing to stop clapping. We present the pastor with a copy of "Holsinger's Charlottesville" and 5 copies of the "Live!" CD. He brings out a large box containing dolls that the folks in the nursing home have made specially for the CHS musicians. When all the applause finally dies down we adjourn to enjoy a feast of pastries that have been prepared by the women of the church.

As the cellists begin packing up their instruments for their transatlantic journey, Jeff Suling asks if he can play something on the pipe organ. He pumps out a few resounding hymns before he is joined by the pastor of the church. The pastor then teaches him the Czech national anthem by singing it in his ear while he picks it out on the organ. This draws a small crowd of Czechs who are delighted to join in a sing-along once Jeff had learned the tune. It is a wonderful moment.

As we are leaving Bob says to me "very beautiful music. Next time you must stay for a while." I tell him that we would certainly enjoy coming back to Krabcice. His reply: "I will be praying that you do. You are all still very young! Plenty of time." We trade addresses and they ask that we write to them once we have returned to the US. They send us off with very warm good-byes. Our last concert in Europe has been a most pleasant experience.

Krabcice is a small village	The church is an imposing building--by far the largest in town	The CHS Orchestra enters the church to set up
We are warmly welcomed by the church pastor	The acoustics are good and tuning goes quickly	This young one is very interested in Laura Reed's bow
We are surprised to find very sophisticated audio and video equipment set up in the ancient church. The concert is being recorded for the residents of a nearby nursing home	The assistant pastor is a Kenyan with the very un-Czech name of "Bob". His English is excellent	The house is full, with standing room only in the balcony, and the audience is attentive
The video taping is very professional	The ladies of the church have outdone themselves with treats for the Orchestra	The pipe organ in Krabcice
As cellos are packed below, the pastor teaches Jeff Suling the Czech national anthem which he plays on the organ much to their delight	The good-byes in Krabcice are warm and spirited	We stop in Prague for our last dinner in Europe. The jazz band is good and many in the CHS group join the dancing

We return to Prague for dinner. We all sense that this wonderful experience is drawing to a close. The music is loud and many in the CHS group jump up to dance when the band plays swing numbers. On the bus ride back to the hotel there is chanting and dancing in the aisles. Mario, our driver, is thanked profusely and loudly. In a very tender moment Irene, our guide, addresses the kids on the PA, "you may know that Andreas calls you all his angels. But I call you my bangels. Do you know these? They are the little angels with small wings. They still have some growing to do, but they are always full of fun! Tomorrow, you see, we will park at the airport, you will leave, and I will feel very lonesome." We will miss her also... and Andreas... and Europe!

Tomorrow we travel all day. We will be returning with about 2/3 of the group. The rest are taking off on their own--or departing with parents--for extended stays in Europe. Those who are returning are excited about seeing Charlottesville again. It seems impossible that we have been gone only 10 days. So much has happened...

Patty Vandever's Journal Entry for July 16, 1998.