Day 7: A Perfect Friday Farewell - singing, shopping, and simple joys
Happy Friday! Our last day in paradise started with another full English breakfast that consisted of marmite, triangle hash browns, fluid mushrooms, and hearty beans. We gathered the singers for a group photo on the garden terrace which was taken by an adorable waiter (according to the singers). We waved goodbye to our fairytale estate and headed back into the town of Stratford-Upon-Avon for shopping, leisure, strolling, sightseeing, and more shopping.
Singers were able to visit the local market and buy some Scotch eggs, rings, fruits, toys, gifts for parents, gifts for friends, and souvenirs for themselves. Some singers went to the Shakespeare Royal Theater and lollygagged around the town. After our glorious free time, we drove into the lovely countryside of Sutton Coldfield, for some context it is comparable to visiting Modesto but with a bit more greenery and trees.
After arriving at a local church, singers relaxed a bit more, playing card games, reading each other stories, and taking a walk around the neighborhood. Ensemble fit in a quick rehearsal and rehearsed for the competition in addition to the upcoming joint pieces. Once finished, we headed to the hotel, said goodbye to our bus driver Gareth, and dragged our bags to the hotel. Our new homestay families met half of our singers and brought them to their homes! The hotel group enjoyed some pizza at the nearby park while enjoying the rare opportunity to partake in free dress, the singers each gave a “fit check.” Some kids rocked PEBCC originals and Eric showed off his 10-year old hand me downs from his younger brother.
Full from dinner, the singers found a park and everyone found an activity to partake in. From cherry picking to swinging and singing, it was incredible to see children being children without a phone in sight! Where else can you have 13-18 year olds playing together in a park, laughing together, and creating memories together.
While we’re enjoying the calm before the storm (competition week), the crisp green air of the countryside has given our singers a well deserved break and reset after our first full week of tour.
