France, part deux

Wednesday, July 22nd

In another can't-make-this-up moment of tour, the Whiffs stayed at the Chanel family's chateau in Bordeaux, France. This particular chateau has been around for hundreds of years and hosted both Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson when they visited the region.

In the evening, we sang a concert at another chateau a few miles away.

Thursday, July 23rd

On this day, we took two wine tours, one at the Chanel's chateau and another at a top-tier winery. On the first tour, we walked through the entire wine-making process and learned how to properly taste wine-- a useful skill. The second tour involved more of the same.

At night, we dined and sang at Chateau Canon, the Chanel family's other chateau.

Friday, July 24th

In the morning, we drove for about six hours towards Paris. When we arrived at a town outside of Le Mans, we met our homestays, ate dinner, and sang a concert at a stunning cathedral out in the country.

Saturday, July 25th

In the morning, I ran for about half an hour around my homestay's city, then biked to their family's store -- a Home Depot-style business that also sells clothes and pet food--, and then rode around the countryside.

Later, the Whiffs went on a tour of historic Le Mans.

About the photos above:

1. A pigeon flying in Le Mans
2. Le Mans’s St. Julian Cathedral
3. Another cathedral photo
4. And another
5. Performance poster
6. Jesse consults with a grey goose in a fourteenth century home’s courtyard
7. Before wine tasting
8. At the second winery we visited on Thursday
9. We sang right in front of the wine vats at Chateau Canon
10. The view from Chateau Canon

Why did I include a picture of a flying pigeon? In every country we've visited, I've seen both pigeons and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. Maybe I'll post a photo of a KFC later.

France

Over the course of almost fifteen hours, the Whiffs flew from South Africa to Qatar to France. We landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport at around 2pm and left at around 4pm.

Casey, Jay, Jesse and I ventured from our airport hotel to visit Paris. The city won me over almost instantly-- partly because when we stepped outside our metro station stop, the first building we saw was the Notre Dame cathedral. For the next five or six hours, we walked around, ate dinner, took photos, and just enjoyed the most beautiful city in the world.

For the next week or so, we'll be staying and performing in chateaus in southeastern, northeastern and western France.

Table Mountain in Cape Town

Yesterday, Jay K. and I climbed Table Mountain. The three hour trek included a hike through Skeleton Gorge, one of the more challenging paths to the top.

In a few hours, we're going to fly to Qatar and then to France.

Cape Town, South Africa

Friday, July 17th
Two of our cars got lost on the way to a concert at a township outside of Cape Town. The seven Whiffs who made it decided to perform on our own. We sang with several other choirs from Africa and the United States, including the Morgan State University choir.

Morgan State simply blew us away. Their gorgeous, soulful and powerful sound rocked the house. They were simply flawless: their soloists were incredible and all the members sang with absolute conviction. I just enjoyed being in the audience.

Saturday, July 18th
Yesterday, on Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday, Brian E., Andrew and I visited Robbins Island, home to the prison that held Mandela for nearly three decades. It was especially poignant seeing his prison cell and the limestone caves where he did his hard labor.

In the evening, we sang at a local university with the Morgan State choir and several other groups.

Sunday, July 19th
Today, Jay K. and I will head to the top of Table Mountain.

Tomorrow, the Whiffs will fly to France.

An inauspicious start to our stay in South Africa

Mumsie got mugged
When we arrived at the Johannesburg airport and passed through security, the officer there told me that when I get to Cape Town, I should avoid Long Street. No further explanation. Just avoid Long Street.

When we got to our boarding house that night, a group of Whiffs wanted to go to Mama Africa, a restaurant/performance club on, where else, Long Street. I told the folks who wanted to go that the security guard without any provocation told me to avoid that strip. I more or less got blown off and told that I was being overly cautious. Rather than calling a cab, we walked the four blocks.

Right when we set foot on Long Street, two African teenagers quickly approached us and asked for money. Casey, Jesse, Julian and I put our hands in our pockets and promptly walked away. Brian a.k.a. Mumsie, on the other hand, must have frozen up and shown fear, because they went to him and picked his pocket at knife point.

No one was hurt, but we were all shook up by the experience.

I've got an ice box where my room's 'sposed to be
During this year, we've stayed at some of the finest hotels in the world: the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile; the St. Regis in Shanghai, China; the Siam City Hotel in Bangkok. Here in Cape Town, however, we're staying at a boarding house that has no heating, broken windows in rooms, creaky floors, and questionable public showers.

Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope
Despite our struggles on this leg of the tour, we did make it out to the Cape of Good Hope yesterday. I'll post pictures soon.


Comments? Or just want to say hi? Email me at elliotjwatts(at)gmail.com

Last day in Asia

Monday, July 13
We flew from New Delhi to Bombay/Mumbai during the afternoon. At night, we were treated to a delicious Indian meal by none other than Dionysios Bouzos. Frank Newman '08+1 and his cousin, who is doing AIDS research here, joined us.

Tuesday, July 14
Today, we say farewell to Asia. While traversing the continent, we visited Japan, China, Thailand, Nepal and India. Late tonight, we will fly to our one stop in Africa: South Africa.

Taj Mahal

Today, we visited the Taj Mahal. ( :

India

Tuesday, July 7
After our final goodbyes to the Sherpa family, we left Kathmandu and flew to New Delhi, India. Upon our arrival, seven of us ventured into town for a delicious Indian meal at a somewhat bourgeois restaurant about twenty minutes from our hotel.

Wednesday, July 8
We limped through this day. Our somnolent flight from New Delhi to Udaipur left at around 6am, so we had to leave our hotel at 3:30am. When we finally got to our hotel in Udaipur, most of the group chose to sleep rather than explore in a zombie state.

Thursday, July 9
Jay K., Rex and I took a tour of the grand palace. We hired an officially-licensed tour guide, who showed us all the important parts of the palace in an hour for 150 rupees, or $3.

Sadly, we haven't found much else to do in Udaipur. I've spent a fair amount of time in bed because of some stomach problems ) :

Friday, July 10
Because of the rain, our collective tiredness, and our limited options, I think most of us will elect to hang around our hotel today. Tomorrow, we're headed back to New Delhi for a full free day.

July -- not August! O_o

Off to India!

Sunday, July 5th
During the day, we visited many temples and other historical sights in downtown Kathmandu.

Can't make this stuff up: the former Nepalese royalty had us over for a dinner party. We sang in a room decorated with pictures of the past rulers of the country. The food was exceptional. The Whiffs drank and enjoyed their company for hours into the night.

Monday, July 6th
We sang for a Buddhist nunnery up in the mountains. Some of the children escaped their terrible circumstances to go to this beautiful, well-run and peaceful school. We sang three songs for the little girls who all had smiled on their faces. I'll admit, I had to hold back tears.

During the evening, we performed at a bar for our gracious host and Yale alum Kesang Sherpa. She showed us an excellent time in Nepal, and it was a pleasure to sing for her.

Tuesday, July 7th
We leave for India this afternoon. Southern subcontinent, here we go

Everest!

This morning, Casey, Jesse and I took a short plane ride to see Mount Everest and some of the other enormous mountains of the Himalayas! Amazing, amazing, amazing.

Bottom photo: Everest is on the left. Lhotse is on the right.

The wats in Thailand

Here are some photos from the Whiffs' visit to the wats (Buddhist temples) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Last picture: Jay F., Brian, Jesse, Julian and I. We couldn't wear shorts, so we had to put on purple pants

After a long airplane adventure, we're now in Kathmandu

Saturday, July 4th
Happy Independence Day! I'm sad to miss the fireworks and BBQ that I would usually enjoy on this day back in the U.S.

Being in Kathmandu, Nepal, is just incredible. Despite the country's ubiquitous poverty, we're staying at a luxury resort in a gigantic forest. Tonight, we'll perform at the resort for its guests, the US Embassy, and other foreign ambassadors.

Friday, July 3rd
Before heading to the airport, I got a Thai massage, my third in as many days, at a parlor down the street from the hotel. Our flight took us from Phuket to Bangkok, then from Bangkok to New Delhi. We had to spend the night in New Delhi's airport, sleep on chairs and wake up in time for our 5:30am boarding call.

A few more photos

1. The view from our hotel in Phuket. Gorgeous!
2. Our greeter at the train station in Shanghai. On the left is Trevor; on the right, Jamie.
3. Me inside the Water Cube!

Feel free to email me at elliotjwatts(at)gmail.com
I'd love to hear from you!

Photos from the past few weeks

About the photos above
1. Jay Kim and I at the Beijing Olympic Water Cube (where Michael Phelps won eight gold medals)
2. Julian, Jay Frisby and I at the Forbidden City in Beijing
3. Me at the Great Wall!
4. Casey singing at karaoke in Tokyo
5. The Whiffs singing at an ancient temple in Kyoto