Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

Saturday was a great, and tiring, day! I had my first choir concert in Germany. I sang with Vox Bona, the chamber choir of the Kreuzkirche in Bonn. This Christmas concert was a "thank-you" concert for those who donate to the music ministry at the church. I got to invite a lot of friends to the concert, and two of my friends from my fellowship program even made it! I really enjoyed having them there! Of course, E and I went to the market before the concert! Following our Bonn concert, everyone had to drive to Cologne for an encore performance. I met up with E and S in downtown Cologne, allowing me to add to my Christmas market count: +2 markets in Cologne!

E with her rum Gluehwein. This is right before she was introduced to Poffertjes, when her life changed forever, for the better!

Enjoy these videos that E took for me!

Here is Ola Gjeilo's "Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium)."

My favorite, and my director's favorite, "Ave Maria" by Morten Lauridsen.

Here's a shot from my concert! I am the second person from the right in the first row.

Cologne Christmas market No. 1. The main market is right by the Dom, near the main train station. The church in the background makes this one of the prettiest markets, but the cookie-cutter, mall-kiosk style stands make the market feel generic and sterile. The Gluehwein was okay. The walk around was a bit stinky; I think there is some sort of stinky cheese dish that you can buy at this market.

The tree and lights at the center of the market are stunning! 

Cologne Christmas Market No. 2. I am not sure if this was the Neumarkt market, but it was less generic and the decorations were unique to each stand. We were trying to get to a restaurant I had eaten at this past summer, so this market was an accidental find.

The lighting was cool here too. I loved the purple!

S and I at Loewenbraeu, the only place that had space for us to eat! Generally I don't go to Munich-based restaurants in places other than Munich, but the food and Gluehwein were tasty!

Schnitzel "Hawaii" with Bratkartoffeln! I haven't eaten this much food in awhile!

Get excited about the next posts: all snow and Salzburg!