Georgia Globetrotter

Neck pillows, claustrophobic tunnels and other tour essentials

2009-08-31T20:46:00.000-07:00

Neck pillows
In the San Francisco airport, several of us bought neck pillows (I bought this one; because it was inflatable, it took up virtually no space in my bookbag). This may have been the best purchase I made on the entire tour. Rather than straining my neck and falling out into aisles, I slept calmly and quietly on our many, many flights.

Claustrophobia
On tour, I discovered that I suffer from a mild case of claustrophobia. In New Zealand, we took a glowworm tour in underground caves out in the middle of nowhere. About halfway through the tour, our guide led us through a narrow and long passageway that we had to crawl and squeeze through. With a person crawling in front of me and behind me, I was overcome by the fact that I could be stuck in a rock formation. I made it out, but the experience terrified me.

In Israel, I had a milder fright when several of us visited Hezekiah's Tunnel. While the above-mentioned passageway took about a minute to go through, this tunnel took about forty-five minutes to walk through. After about ten minutes, I realized how long the walk would be. Rather than freaking out, I just kept telling myself out-loud that it wasn't that bad. Plus, I started singing my part to "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" (I'm still not sure why that was my go-to song). Again, I made it out alive. Now I know that I should avoid those situations altogether.

Upon further review
Exclusivity aside, I think Bohemian Grove is just a summer camp for grown men.

iPod
I definitely used my iPod as an escape during tour. It's incredible how closing your eyes and listening to one or two songs can mentally transport you. For me, I listened to southern hip-hop (e.g., Jeezy) to bring me back to the Atlanta area. I also used music to help me sleep on flights, in hotels, etc.

Running
Casey, Jesse and I ran in almost every country we visited. After a few years of going to the gym on my own, I had forgotten how wonderful it can be to exercise with others.

I also had some magical times running by myself. In Tokyo, I ran several times in a park a few blocks from my host family's home. There, I watched as eighty year olds slowly made their way around the path and as tiny Japanese children waddled along with their teachers leading the way and bringing up the rear.

In addition to the obvious benefits, running also served as a mental and physical escape.

Reading
Though I did enjoy reading, I mostly enjoyed watching almost half the group read my copy of The Color Purple. I bought it in a San Francisco bookstore a day or two before we left for New Zealand. By the time we reached Europe, I think Brian, Casey, Jay, Jesse, Julian and I had all read it. You should read it, too. ( :

Thanks for reading my blog this summer. As always, if you want to reach me, shoot me an email at elliotjwatts[at]gmail[dot]com.

Final days of tour

2009-08-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, August 11th
Casey, Jesse, Rex and I visited the City of David. We walked through Hezekiah's Tunnel and watched a 3-D movie on the city's history (David and his army took it from the Jebusites! Poor Jebus)

Wednesday, August 12th
We drove about twenty minutes outside of Tel Aviv to sing at a acoustically-masterful concert hall. Afterwards, our host took us to a relatively exclusive night club on the beach in Tel Aviv.

Thursday, August 13th
We rode in a van from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Twenty minutes or so after we arrived, we took a guided walking tour led by two certified tour guides from the local Rotary Club. We visited the Western Wall, the path Jesus took as he carried the cross, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and other famous sites.

That night, we sang to a sold-out crowd of over five hundred at what must be the finest YMCA in the world.

Friday, August 14th
In the morning, we drove outside the city to tour Masada. Later, we swam in the Dead Sea.

When we returned to Tel Aviv that night, we celebrated our last day of tour at a classy restaurant.

Saturday, August 15th
After a couple hours of sleep, we flew from Tel Aviv to Kiev to New York City. Most of us drove to New Haven to spend the night. Missing Middle Eastern food already, I ate at Mamoun's.

Sunday, August 16th
Continuing at a breakneck pace, we drove to Blue Hill, Maine, that afternoon. There, we performed at the First Congregational Church. Henry Becton, the oldest living Whiffenpoof, hosted us.

Some of us were fortunate to stay at the Becton's compound, which sat right on a lake and included both a pool and a pool house. After the show, Casey, Drew, Jay, Jesse and I sat poolside and stared at the perfectly clear midnight sky.

Monday, August 17th
After a delicious brunch provided by Becton's family, we drove from Blue Hill to Hyannis. There, we took a ferry to Nantucket Island. When we arrived, we sang a few songs for a Whiffenpoof centennial celebration which featured about fifty Whiff alums and their families.

Tuesday, August 18th
We spent the day relaxing at the house we rented. In the early evening, we sang at a Unitarian church.

Wednesday, August 19th
We said farewell to one vacation haven and hello to another. We made our way to a small summer getaway town in Rhode Island. Felicia R., Yale grad and native Rhode Islander, hung out with us at our own cookout and at a clam bake on the beach.

Thursday, August 20th
The Wheeler family, who also hosted us in Cambridge during The Game, took us to the local beach. They also helped arrange our concert at their country club that evening.

Friday, August 21st
In the morning, we drove to New London, Connecticut, to take a ferry to Southampton, New York. We sang at Trevor K.'s family's country club. At night, we partied on the beach.

Saturday, August 22nd
Before driving out to a Long Island country club for our final concert of the year, the five Whiffendoox visited the current Duke's Men group in Sag Harbor as they prepared for freshman rush. Full circle ( :

Second and fifth pictures -- from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Third and fourth: Masada
Sixth: The sixth place Jesus stopped on his way to Calvary
Final: In front of the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock

Back in the US!

2009-08-15T03:51:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Yesterday, we flew from Tel Aviv to Kiev to New York City. After nearly eighty days of international travel, we have finally returned to the United States.

In two hours or so, we will continue our tour by driving to Maine and singing a concert there. For the next seven days, we will be performing around the northeast US.

To close out this blog, I plan to post a few more pictures and to write more extensively about various world tour issues and answer some frequently-asked-questions. If you have any suggestions, please email me at elliotjwatts[at]gmail[dot]com.

-Elliot

Israel and Palestine

2009-08-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 9th
I adapted this entry from an email I sent to my family

Casey, Jesse, Andrew S. and I went into Bethlehem today. To do so, we had to cross into Palestine, which considers itself to be like the former apartheid parts of South Africa. Between the two lands is a giant, prison-like wall; graffiti (both peace-loving and unapologetically violent messages) were splatteredd across the Palestinian side. We had to pass through a checkpoint to get through the wall. The structure made it seem like Israel has prepared itself for an invasion. It was a harrowing but rewarding experience-- I got to see the place of Jesus's birth at the Church of the Nativity.

I also visited the Holocaust museum. It's tremendous, terrifying, and just breathtaking. It just hits home that the Nazis sought to (and almost did) exterminate an entire group of people largely because of baseless stereotypes.

On the way back to the bus station from the museum in Jerusalem, we were stopped in a huge traffic jam. Rather than paying the taxi driver to sit in traffic, the four of us decided to walk the final two or three blocks. When we walked about 100 meters, we saw the problem: police had barricaded the bridge. We quizzically watched from a distance for about five minutes. And then we heard an explosion. Apparently, the police found an unmarked object on a bus and, rather than checking it, blew it up, fearing that it was a bomb. About two minutes later, we were allowed to cross the bridge. The Israelis walking and driving did not miss a beat. One said that this kind of thing happens all the time.

All in all, this has been an emotionally charged day.

Monday, August 10th
In a few hours, we will sing at the Tel Aviv Museum.

Picture #1: Andrew walking into Palestine through the checkpoint
#2: The wall
#3: At the twelve-pointed star representing the spot of Jesus's birth
#4: Jesse and Casey at the Holocaust Museum

Last few hours in Istanbul

2009-08-08T02:39:00.001-07:00

Saturday, August 8th
Before flying to Israel this afternoon, Casey and I visited the Istanbul's archaeological museum. As we walked through town, we ran into a traveling Yale alumni group, which included Harvey Goldblatt, Master of Pierson College (my residential college!).

Picture #3: "Step on a kid..." -- a lyric from "Either Way" by Guster (and covered by the Duke's Men)

Turkey

2009-08-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, August 5th
In the same way that my friend Elizabeth had the right plan for Paris, Lonely Planet had the right plan for Istanbul. Jesse used his guide to take us to the Blue Mosque, an ancient cistern, the Aya Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, a restaurant overlooking the Bosphorous, and a whirling dervish performance at a hookah bar.

Istanbul, an important city to any Duke's Man, surpassed all my expectations. It's beautiful, developed and has thousands of years of history.

Thursday, August 6th
Several of us visited the city's ancient palace. In the evening, we sang a concert at Bogazici University. After the show, we hit the town as a group. While we walked the streets, the Whiffendoox (i.e., Whiffs who sang with the Duke's Men) sang our group's traditional closing song and alumni song, "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)."

Friday, August 7th
Casey, Jesse and I took an hour-long ferry down the Bosphorus River. At around 7pm, we sang a concert in a cistern constructed in the sixth century. After the show, we had a reception on the top floor of a building overlooking the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sophia.

Greece

2009-08-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 1st
Before the sun rose, we flew to Athens. We were met there by our old pal Dionysius Bouzos, a Yale grad. He showed us around the Acropolis and imparted his vast knowledge of ancient Greek history.

Sunday, August 2nd
In less than twenty-four hours after our arrival in Athens, we jetted off again. This time, we flew to Kefalonia, a small island off Greece's coast. After a long nap, we headed to the beach for some rest and relaxation.

When we left the beach, Dionysius's mother treated us to a gigantic and unbelievably delicious Greek feast. I think the meal made us forget our exhausting travel experience.

Monday, August 3rd
We spent most of this day on a larger beach in Kefalonia. After we ate dinner and went out for ice cream, we tapped Dionysius as an honorary member of the Whiffs. He has been helping the Whiffs plan tours for years-- this was just a small way of thanking him.

Tuesday, August 4th
We said so-long to Kefalonia and flew into Athens for a day long layover. First, we had to say goodbye to Julian, who starts his job in Boston in a few days. Afterwards, many of us checked out the New Acropolis Museum for a couple of hours. Before nightfall, we flew into Istanbul, Turkey.

Last days in France

2009-08-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 25th
In the evening, the city of Le Mans put on a brilliant light show. For hours, they shined different combinations of lights and images using computers and advanced projectors. It was truly spectacular.

Sunday, July 26th
The next morning, we drove to our final stop before our group-scheduled break. We stayed at an enormous, newly reconstructed chateau. We sang a concert and, in a scene from a Fitzgerald novel, ate dinner with the audience under the stars.

Monday, July 27th
We drove to Paris and began our break. While some members traveled to Germany and Holland, Jay K., Julian and I stayed in Paris the entire time. When we arrived in the city that evening, we walked to the Louvre and rode a ferris wheel, which gave us a chance to see the city illumniated. Later, we hung out with some English-speakers on a nearby bridge.

Tuesday, July 28th
Our hardcore tourism began on this day. We essentially followed my good friend Elizabeth's guide to the city. First, we visited the Musee de l'Orangerie, which includes two of Monet's 360-degree whole-room paintings.

After that, we spent several hours in the Louvre. We focused our attention its famous paintings and statues (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo) and also spent a considerable amount of time exploring its anthropologic exhibits. After walking around the enormous museum, we drank some hot chocolate at Angelina's and then walked to the Notre Dame.

Wednesday, July 29th
We continued our touristy ventures by visiting the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

Thursday, July 30th
While Jay, Julian and Brian, who had just gotten back from his short trip to Germany, checked out the catacombs in the city, I visited the Le Centre Pompidou. I loved its Kandinsky exhibit, which featured many of his finest paintings and manuscripts.

I met up with Jay, Julian and Brian at the Louvre's park. There, we drank wine and ate cheese for an hour or two. We went out for drinks around town to celebrate Brian's birthday.

Friday, July 31st
All the Whiffs returned from their break to perform a few songs for a wedding at the American Church in Paris. The lovely ceremony was followed by a reception at a golf course about a half an hour outside the city.

Picture explanations
3rd picture-- reading in the chateau's library
Last picture-- Jay examining the Notre Dame

Update coming soon

2009-08-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hi readers,

Sorry for the delay. Our schedule has been a bit hectic lately-- more hectic than unusual. I'm going to update my blog with more photos from France and Greece soon.

Today, we're flying to Istanbul (Not Constantinople).

AAD,
Elliot

France, part deux

2009-07-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

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:

A pigeon flying in Le Mans
Le Mans’s St. Julian Cathedral
Another cathedral photo
And another
Performance poster
Jesse consults with a grey goose in a fourteenth century home’s courtyard
Before wine tasting
At the second winery we visited on Thursday
We sang right in front of the wine vats at Chateau Canon
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

2009-07-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-20T01:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-19T04:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-17T01:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-13T23:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

Today, we visited the Taj Mahal. ( :

India

2009-07-10T03:04:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-04T02:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-02T05:10:00.001-07:00

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

Phuket, Thailand

2009-07-02T05:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 30
In the morning, we said goodbye to Bangkok and hello to Phuket, an island south of landlocked Thailand. Essentially, we left a bustling metropolis for a tropical paradise. Our gorgeous hotel right on the beach agreed to host us for four days as long as we sang one concert for its guest. We happily obliged.

Wednesday, July 1
Rather than motor-biking around the island, I decided to just enjoy the beach resort. I ate the breakfast buffet, got a Thai massage and swam in the pool. In the evening, we sang our concert for about forty of the hotel's guests. Not a bad deal.

Thursday, July 2
Not much to report here: I got another Thai massage (this time with Jesse) and read (I'm currently reading American Pastoral by Philip Roth). Tomorrow, we leave this splendid island for a completely different country, at least topographically: Nepal.

Bangkok, Thailand

2009-07-02T05:04:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 27
Ready to move on to our next stop, we flew from Shanghai to Bangkok that afternoon. Not satisfied with just relaxing at the Siam City Hotel, a five-star hotel that has hosted the Whiffs for the past thirteen years and is owned and operated by a former Yale professor, most of the group checked out Bangkok's clubs and bars.

Sunday, June 28
Exhausted by a long day, Julian, Jay Frisby and I went to the huge market that is only open during the weekend. There, Julian bought some authentic Birkenstocks.

Later that evening, we performed at our hotel for a lively and appreciate audience. Ten or so ambassadors from around the world were in attendance.

Monday, June 29
To satisfy our cultural needs, most of the Whiffs visited the truly incredible wats, Buddhist temples in downtown Bangkok. I had never seen anything like those temples before; the radiant colors and materials had me spellbound.

During the evening, our business manager treated us to a boat ride down a river that runs right through Bangkok. We ate spicy Thai food and enjoyed ourselves.

Shanghai, China

2009-07-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, June 24
Ten hours later, we woke up to a new city. Consistent with the amazing treatment we have received on this tour, we were greeted outside of the train station by a representative of the St. Regis Hotel in Shanghai-- a five-star hotel that would host all the Whiffs for the next three days.

That night, we sang a concert for the local Yale Club. Some of us went out to a local restaurant for food, drinks and hookah. After that, about six Whiffs went to a crazy club called Soho. One of the Yalies we met that night had dozens of free drink vouchers. We danced up a storm and then returned to our hotel.

Thursday, June 25
Starting on Thursday morning at around 9:15 AM, we became the property of the Shanghai Expo, the modern-day equivalent of the World's Fair, and its marketing firm. We went on a short tour of the Expo's plans for its debut in 2010. We also had to sit through a Powerpoint presentation that actively criticized the United States for not agreeing to participate in the Expo. Frustrated, I asked, "What would the US gain from participating in the Expo?" The non-answer I received from the official didn't convince me that the US should spend hundreds of millions of dollars for a six-month festival.

Later, we sang for a high school graduation-- a terribly awkward ceremony that we had no business attending.

We also had to rehearse for the next day's gigantic concert that featured around thirty media representatives.

Friday, June 26
I have no qualms about saying that this day was the worst day of tour. I don't blame Elizabeth, a sweet woman from Atlanta who worked for the Expo to plan its music festival. Still, the Whiffs were simply treated poorly.

The plan was for us to sing at the Shanghai Expo's music festival preview show. Rather than show up to a performance an hour or so in advance, as we have for virtually all 150 concerts we have done this year, the Expo sequestered us in the performance hall for hours upon hours. For three of those hours, we were forced to all sit in a moldy storage room. Granted, the Whiffs have been treated exquisitely for most of this tour, but this experience was just ridiculous.

All in all, the concert went well. The Whiffs' Chinese speakers talked to the media folks. Ostensibly, the whole experience was a success.

Beijing, China

2009-07-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 20, continued
After we deplaned, we had about three hours before our joint concert with Whim n' Rhythm, Yale's all-senior female a cappella group, for the local Yale Club. We had a brilliant time singing and partying with them that night.

Sunday, June 21
We visited the Great Wall. Rather than walking up and down, we took a tram up (weirdly, our tram said that President Bill Clinton had ridden that same tram car up to the Wall back in the 1990s) and tobogganed down.

Monday, June 22
We rode around ancient Chinese streets in tuk-tuks during the afternoon. Then, Jay Frisby, Julian and I checked out Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We also bought some authentic goods at a huge market in downtown Beijing. That night, we sang at Yale grad Dionysios Bouzos's house party for about forty of his friends. He has a magnificent apartment there; also, we're apparently going to do a similar at his apartment in Greece. After the show, a few of us hung out with some members of Whim at a bar near a lake in Beijing.

Tuesday, June 23
The Whiffs sang concerts for two different private schools during the afternoon. Come evening time, we said goodbye to the Chen family, our hosts who put all fourteen Whiffs up in their house, and boarded a sleeper train to Shanghai.

Last Two Days in Japan

2009-07-02T04:51:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 18
We enjoyed a free day in Tokyo. Casey, Jay, Jesse, Drew, Yuko, and I walked around the downtown area and sat in a park. At night, after a dinner with our host families, we all went to karoake. I sang Sinatra/Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin."

Friday, June 19
During the afternoon, we sang at an outdoor concert in the business district of Tokyo. That night, we sang our final gig in Japan: a concert at a private club in downtown Tokyo. In attendance: my host mother, her friend, the former CEO of Sony, and about forty others. After the show and dinner, we got to talk with the guests. Jesse and I chatted with the CEO about his children and grandchildren. Fun!

Saturday, June 20
A roller-coaster of a day. At a train station in Tokyo at around 6 AM, we tearfully said goodbye to our caring and generous hosts in Japan. We boarded a train to take us to the airport, where we then said goodbye to our tremendously helpful tour guides, Jody and Yuko. We then left Japan and flew to Beijing, China.

No recent updates for a reason

2009-06-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hey followers,

I've wanted to update for a few days now, but I haven't been able to. Google had a public dispute with China, so my email and blog were unavailable while we were in Shanghai. Now that we've arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, the Internet is crazy expensive.

Soon, I will add pictures from our visit to the Great Wall, Olympic stadiums, etc.

Cheers,
Elliot

Our two days in Kyoto

2009-06-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 16th

Last night, we sang a concert with the Doshisha University glee club in Kyoto, one of Japan's oldest cities. Largely because of the acoustics of the concert hall, we performed better than we have all tour.

Wednesday, June 17th

After singing a few short concerts at Doshisha, we took a tour of the college. Then, we sang at the Heian Jingu Shrine and visited two temples. We took a bullet train back to Tokyo, where our hosts treated us to an open bar at a downtown restaurant.

Sumo wrestling, electronics and a concert for our hosts

2009-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Casey, Jay K., Jesse and I walked with my host mother and Yoku to a local sumo wrestling training house. We spoke with a sumo wrestler about his fifteen years of training and competition. All the sumo wrestlers who train with a certain coach live in the same house and practice together everyday.

That afternoon, we visited a huge electronic store, where I bought some new Sony headphones, and walked down a street market, where I bought some dried mango.

In the evening, we performed at a gorgeous concert hall for our host families and their friends. The annual leader of the Whiff Japan trip led his own a cappella group made of older Japanese men. They sounded great and were hilarious! Also, our host families further showed their indefatigable hospitality and love after the show: each family gave every single Whiff a bouquet of flowers. In addition, my host mother, her daughters and her friends went out to dinner after the show.

Japan keeps getting better and better. We're so blessed to have such compassionate hosts; they have made this leg of tour a brilliant success. Today, we travel to Kyoto, where we will perform and spend the night.

Japan!

2009-06-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 12th

After a full day in Sydney, we flew ten hours to Tokyo, Japan. Since I had never been to Japan or any part of Asia, I had been looking forward to this leg of the summer tour. This is the Whiffs' twenty-seventh time visiting Japan, and the reception could not be any better. Each Whiff has a host family, which goes far out of its way to show us a good time. Plus, two young, recent college graduates, Jody and Yoku, have been assigned to help us along the way. On Friday night, we met our host families; keeping with tradition, I presented mine with a bottle of whiskey-- I bought mine Maker's Mark.

Saturday, June 13th

We got up early in the morning to prepare for what would be a remarkably long concert. We sang an hour-and-a-half-long set in Fujisawa, a city right outside of Tokyo. Afterwards, we had a delicious reception, which allowed us to talk with the audience members and the college students who sang and danced before our performance.

Sunday, June 14th

Today was the best day of tour so far. Casey, Jay K., Jesse and my host families took us into historic Tokyo to explore important sites often visited by tourists. We saw temples and cemeteries; we ate delicious street food, including a green tea ice cream sandwich. For lunch, we ate at a restaurant where you take the ingredients and prepare them on a hot pan on your table. Delicious! Afterwards, we rode on a riverboat to see Tokyo's notable buildings, including the Tokyo Tower.

The night ended with a party at the home of Casey's host family. We ate a scrumptious feast that had been prepared by the host families. Best of all, we sang and played games with the host families' adorable children.

Our host families' out-of-this-world hospitality and kindness remind me of how special this tour is. I can only hope that the next few days will be as magical.

About the photos above

-Koki: the cutest child ever

-One of the talented kids at the party

-Jesse and Yoku (sitting to Jesse's right) on the riverboat

-Jay checking out one of Tokyo's many bridges

-Casey doing the same

-Preparing lunch at our table!

-My host mother and I in front of a temple

Australia!

2009-06-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 11th

Thanks to JetStar's flight schedule, we got a free day in Sydney, Australia! After the three hour flight from Auckland to Sydney, the Whiffs took the city by storm. During the day, seven of us went straight to the wildlife exhibit, where we saw koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, etc. Australia has the world's cutest animals, for sure!

After looking at the fauna, we walked through the city's botanical gardens to view the flora. Surprisingly, we saw hundreds of bats hanging upside down on trees. When we passed through the gardens, we checked out the world famous Sydney Opera House! The building's architecture is stunning up close; I also had no idea that the House is made of several different buildings and that the roofs are made of white tiles. As Casey said that day, no matter how many times you see a famous landmark in photographs or on television, you can never really know about it until you visit it.

With a dozen photographs taken with the opera house, we walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, another Australian landmark. There, we had stunning views of the city skyline.

Later that night, a group of us went bar-hopping with a friend we met at the yacht club concert in Auckland. Who ever said Sydney can't be done in a day? ( :

Next stop: Japan

About the above photos

-First, a view of the Sydney Opera House from the Sydney Harbour Bridge

-Me in front of the Opera House!

-Sleepy kangaroos at the wildlife exhibit

-Cuddly koalas on a tree ( :

Some NZ photos

2009-06-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

About the photos above:

-the top photo is a group of Maoris performing the haka at the Auckland museum

-the second photo is me during a hike up a mountain in Queenstown

-the last shot comes from a photo taken at the end our hike

Further NZ coverage

2009-06-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 6th

During our first day in Auckland, we sang at the local yacht club for Auckland's American club and various other people. After our concert, we chatted with the audience and learned about how best to spend our last days in New Zealand.

Sunday, June 7th

Joel and my host mother surprised us by washing our clothes, including our white tuxedo gear. My gloves looked brand new! During the day, the Whiffs hiked all around the southern tip of the New Zealand's unbelievable north island, which included beaches, forests and mountains! That evening, we sang for a music festival at St. Kentigern College, a prep school. The high schoolers who also performed in the festival gave us a tremendous reception.

Monday, June 8th

We left our gracious hosts and moved into a hotel in downtown Auckland. Since the weather prevented us from going out during the day, about ten of us saw Star Trek at an IMAX theater! (This was my second time seeing it-- I'm tempted to watch it again!)

Tuesday, June 9th

Jay F., Rex and I visited Auckland's museum to see a Maori cultural performance. Impressed by the presentation's authenticity and the museum's wildlife exhibit, we told the rest of the group about the indigenous people's struggles in New Zealand as well as the troubled history of the various extinct animals that once roamed the countryside (e.g., the moa). That night, we sang at our hotel for its owners and also visiting travel representatives who wanted to learn more about New Zealand's profitability as a tourist attraction.

Wednesday, June 10th

The Whiffs go hard when we can. This day was no exception. In the morning, we traveled to Waitomo to go blackwater rafting. Though I generally had a brilliant time in the caves, I had a bit of a claustrophobic attack when we crawled through a particularly tight, ~10m long passageway. Scary stuff. After hours in the cave, we drove two hours back to downtown Auckland to sing for the posh Northern Club.

Bye, New Zealand!

massive update coming soon

2009-06-10T12:01:00.000-07:00

Followers, sorry I haven't updated in a bit. I won't let a day go uncovered and will be sure to update you with notes and pictures soon.

This morning, we're flying to Sydney, Australia. Because of a flight technicality, we get a free day there! Tomorrow, we're heading to Japan. Too much to handle! ( :

NZ updates!

2009-06-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, June 3rd
To celebrate our first day in Queenstown, Andrew, Casey, Jesse, Julian and I hiked up a mountain and looked down upon the town's gorgeous landscape. (pictures soon!)

Thursday, June 4th
We heli-rafted on Thursday! We flew in a helicopter to a river that flows between a canyon; then, we rafted down the rapids. That evening, we performed for the general manager of the St. Moritz Hotel, the five-star hotel that hosted us in Queenstown.

Friday, June 5th
Last night, we sang to people dining at the St. Moritz's restaurant. The restaurant fed us for the second night in a row and then let us explore Queenstown's nightlife.

Saturday, June 6th
Today, we're going to fly up to Auckland-- our next stop in New Zealand.

The Whiffenpoofs never experienced June 2nd

2009-06-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

As we flew over the International Date Line on our way to Auckland, New Zealand, we skipped over June 2nd, a day we will remember for not having experienced. We will soon board a plane for Queenstown, our main stop in NZ. Cheers, mate.

New Zealand bound!

2009-06-01T11:20:00.001-07:00

After a free day in San Fran, during which some us visited to Fishermen's Wharf and later ate at a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner, I plan to tie up loose ends today and prepare for our long flight to Queenstown, New Zealand. Let the international travels begin!

About the above photos
-the top picture is a group of us (Jay, Jesse, me, Casey and Rex) at Fishermen's Wharf
-the second picture is from Bohemian Grove; we were chilling by a fire in the musicians' camp, Aviary
More photos can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewstegmaier/collections/72157619028954698/
Andrew Stegmaier has taken the initiative to upload all of the group's pictures onto one site. Hooray!

3 updates

2009-05-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

Thursday, May 28th
For our first concert of tour, we sang at a church in Carmel. Afterwards, one of the church volunteers approached us and said, "I work for the church and am supposed to take you to the bar now." So, we went.

Friday, May 29th
In the early afternoon, we sang at a prep school. During the concert, the school's principal surprised us by telling the group that the California state legislature had recognized the Whiffenpoofs for its one hundred years of song and service.

That night, we performed at the Bohemian Grove, a super-exclusive, all-male private club outside of San Francisco. Innumerable redwood trees cover the Grove's expansive property. After we sang at the "Spring Jinks" concert, which also featured a jazz band, an orchestra, and a unicycle-riding juggler, we sang at several of the one hundred woodsy, Boy Scout-style camps at the Grove. (I may write another entry about the Grove, because a few sentences cannot capture its craziness.)

Saturday, May 30th
We have now left the Grove and have relocated at the University Club in San Francisco. Here, we will stay for two nights and celebrate the centennial year with the Whiffs of the West Coast.

Feel free to email me with questions or comments. elliotjwatts(at)gmail.com

In San Fran

2009-05-28T00:31:00.000-07:00

Our travels began today. After leaving New Haven, flying out of LaGaurdia, and barely making our connection in Detroit, we have arrived in San Francisco.

Now a Yale graduate! Off to San Fran today

2009-05-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

My parents and sister got to hear this year's Whiffs for the first time on Sunday night. I commenced on Monday and will be leaving for San Francisco in a few minutes.

Commencement soon, travel starts on Wednesday

2009-05-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

With my family arriving tomorrow and commencement on Monday, I have little free time before the 90-day international tour begins on Wednesday (tour itinerary below).

San Francisco, California
Queenstown, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
Sydney, Australia
Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan
Beijing, China
Shanghai, China
Bangkok, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Kathmandu, Nepal
Udaipur, India
Mumbai, India
Capetown, South Africa
Paris, France
Moscow, Russia
Istanbul, Turkey
Jerusalem, Israel
US Northeast