PMOJO — Purdue Musical Organizations

May 17-18, 2005

Today, the Glee Club embarked on our U.K concert tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After meeting all of our guests and helping them load their luggage, we left Purdue for O'Hare airport on three coach buses at noon. Traffic was not bad at all, and we arrived in Chicago at 3 pm. Once there, we quickly checked our luggage, all hoping our bags weighed under the 43 lbs. limit (Let's just say that some were more successful than others). After check-in, a few of the guys decided to exchange dollars for pounds, while others went straight through security and to the gate.

The plane ride itself was pretty uneventful (a very good thing). We took off at 7:00 pm after what seemed like going in circles on the tarmac for thirty minutes. I personally enjoyed being able to watch takeoff on the video screen on the seat in front of me via a camera mounted on the front of the plane. It was as if I was actually the pilot! In the air, the Glee Club and our traveling guests had various ways to keep themselves occupied for the seven-plus hour flight. The screens embedded in the headrest in front of us allowed us to play video games, listen to the radio, or watch dozens of movies available. Because we were close enough to the artic circle, the sun never fully set on the horizon. There was always a faint orange glow visible.

We arrived in Manchester, England at 8:30AM local time (2:30AM back home). Some of us were more rested than others, but we still had much to do. After clearing through customs, we took coach buses to the famous Belfry hotel where we will be staying until Saturday morning. After a quick orientation, we were on our own until the Welcome Dinner at 6:00PM. Many of us mingled with the guests, checked out the pool, or got a little sleep.

After the dinner, several of us walked the Brabazon, which you golf fans may recognize as the course famous for hosting the Ryder Cup. The course was beautiful and looked very challenging. Many of the guys went down to the pub at the golf resort; it seemed rather touristy though. Tomorrow, we're off to Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, so some guys decided to go to bed early to help get over the jetlag we are all experiencing.

May 19, 2005

After eating a wonderful English Breakfast buffet at the Belfry Hotel, the Glee Club traveled to Stratford-upon-Avon, home of the legendary William Shakespeare. Our guides first took us on a short detour so we could first see the childhood cottage of Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway. We were there for roughly an hour before leaving for the birthplace of Shakespeare. It was incredible to learn that most parts of the building were original and hundreds of years old! After touring the area, the rest of the afternoon was at our leisure to explore the various restaurants, shops, and monuments of the city. It was truly breathtaking. We both personally enjoyed walking along the riverfront and seeing the gondola boats that were docked and conducting business out of their vessels, as well as the statues from various plays of the Bard.

That night, the Glee Club and our guests traveled by motor coach (the English version of "bus") to Birmingham for independent dining options. Some guys then decided to walk around downtown, while others took advantage of opening night of Star Wars and see it in a local theatre. Everyone who saw "Revenge of the Sith" thought the movie was fabulous, but we're not going to give away any secrets. After exploring the local fare for a few more hours, we returned to the Belfry Hotel to prepare for tomorrow's optional excursion to Warwick Castle.

May 20, 2005

Today brought the first of five optional excursions that could be taken while here in the United Kingdom. Those who decided not to go explored the hotel area or golfed on one of the Belfry courses which have had the distinction of hosting the Ryder Cup four times! Those who did choose the excursion were able to visit Warwick Castle in Warwickshire. The castle was amazing! We were able to walk through the state rooms, towers, armory, and dungeon. The towers were not for those who are wary of heights--- they are each over 130 feet high! It was amazing to hear that the castle has been standing for almost a millennia. We returned to the hotel after lunch, and many of us on the tour enjoyed the world class spa facilities.

This evening also brought the Glee Club our first performance of the tour. We first had dinner with our guests at the Sutton Coldfield hotel before arriving at the town hall where we would be performing. We had the honor of singing alongside the Birmingham Ickneild Male Voice Choir and the Second City Sound. The atmosphere was absolutely amazing. The audience seemed to enjoy the program immensely from start to finish. Afterwards, there was a short afterglow reception held in an adjacent room of the performance venue. Here, Brian had us sing a few more songs to the happy gathering of audience members. It is truly a memory which we will not forget.

May 21, 2005

The last half of this week has gone by incredibly fast. It is hard to believe today was our last day in England, and we would be heading to Scotland by bus shortly after 8:00AM local time (2:00AM Purdue time). Being mostly a travel day, not very much of an exciting nature took place. We stopped in the Lake District of England for lunch at Rheged. The complex was built underground so as not to disturb the environment and so it would blend in with the surrounding countryside. We were served pork casserole, steamed potatoes, and vegetables. For dessert, we had apple crumble. John thought it was "simply delicious," but Joshua did not necessarily agree (some of the English food has been a little different).

Afterwards, we were quickly back on the road and finally arrived in St. Andrews, Scotland around 6:30 pm local time. We were astonished to see the grandstands being built around the 18th green in preparation for the upcoming British Open. Once off the bus, the sound of bagpipes could be heard in the air being played by a gentleman dressed in a kilt just outside the entrance of our hotel. The rest of our evening is now to ourselves, most of the guys went into the town to explore the historic, seaside village. Being so close to the North Pole, the sun does not set until about 10:00PM, and we all enjoyed the local college atmosphere (the students just finished finals week).

May 22, 2005

The Glee Club's first full day in St. Andrews started with heavy rains, but then cleared to a sunny afternoon and evening. It was a tad chilly, with temperatures about 5 degrees colder than in England. Today, we ventured on our second optional excursion of the tour, this time to Glamis Castle. A royal residence since 1372, it is the family home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne. It is also the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the late Queen Mother.

For those not touring the castle, there was the opportunity to explore St. Andrews itself. Some chose to play a round of golf on the links, while others walked along St. Andrews' beautiful coastline. There were also the remnants of the St. Andrews Cathedral and the Palace where the Bishop of St. Andrews once lived. Incredibly, only half of the west side and foundation of the cathedral exist today, as most of the structure burned to the ground in a massive fire nearly 700 years ago. Locals later destroyed much of the rebuilt structure during the Reformation. The scorch marks on the stones can still be seen! We all enjoyed the many shops in town.

As evening fell, the Glee Club had both a worship service and an evening concert at Holy Trinity Church, just located no more than a mile from our hotel. As His Royal Highness, Prince William, attends the local university (and he was seen last night in the area by some of our guests), we were all hoping to be honored by his presence at our show. The church was packed, and all seemed very much to enjoy the night performance. We arrived back at the hotel around 9:45PM and quickly headed to the fairway of the 17th hole to take a few group pictures. We still can't believe we are walking on a course where such of the likes of Tiger Woods and Jack Nichalus have walked in years past. Tomorrow is a big day; many of us will be heading into the city of Edinburgh.

May 23, 2005

Our last day in St. Andrews was one of the most fun of the trip so far. Most of the group went to Edinburgh, the capitol of Scotland, in the morning with the tour group. As the large city was only an hour away by train, several of us decided to go on our own and take the train into town. The bustling city provided many sights, and we had a fantastic time! We first explored the city by double-decker bus. Our tour guide had us rolling on the floor laughing as he told jokes. The city is built on two large valleys, around an ancient castle on the ridge in the middle. The Royal Mile on the hill running down east from the castle was home to many interesting shops and great taverns. One of our favorite stops was the neo-modern Scottish Parliament (Scotland was granted its own parliament in 1999).

After the trip back to St. Andrews, we all relaxed for a bit. A few of the guys went to play the Ladies' Putting Green (a mini-golf course, in a way). For only £1, we could then say we had golfed at the world's most famous putt-putt! We also enjoyed relaxing in the spa after a long day of walking. Many of us spent the remainder of the night in town with the local college students to enjoy our last night before heading to Glasgow.

May 24, 2005

This morning brought the Glee Club travelling by bus to the largest city in Scotland. But, before arriving in Glasgow, we took a quick diversion to tour both Scone Palace and the Glenturret Distillery. Scone Palace was an incredible sight when we pulled through the narrow gates. This palace, now currently home of the Earls of Mansfield and former venue of crowning of Scottish Kings, hardly showed its age. The exterior was covered in red ivy and the inside was comparable to the insides of the White House with plush carpets and elaborate rooms. After a quick tour and a walk on the grounds, we were off to the Glenturret Distillery.

Located just outside the heart of Perthshire, Scotland's oldest distillery has had 2,000,000 individuals walk through its facilities to see "The Famous Grouse Experience." A very enthusiastic tour guide walked us through the buildings and explained the process of how they make their whiskey. In keeping with what has become a theme of the trip, some enjoyed the unique foods at lunch afterwards, but others have not become accustomed to the change.

The last leg of our journey brought us to Glasgow, Scotland's largest city. This skyline was a big change as the skyscrapers we saw have been few and far between in the countries we have visited thus far. Our tour guides drove us through the city, showing us major sights such as the City Chambers, George Square, and Buchanan Street. When we saw the Cathedral we would be singing at the next day, the sounds of camera shutters filled the bus, trying to capture it's immense size. Shortly there after, we finally arrived at the Hilton Hotel where we checked in and took a much need rest after a long day. For tomorrow: an optional excursion to Loch Lomond and an evening performance at Glasgow Cathedral. Stay tuned!

May 25, 2005

We all knew the weather wouldn't hold up for the duration of our trip, and today brought some gloomy weather. Despite the rain, however, we left on our fourth optional excursion to Loch Lomond. Some went on the coaches with the tour group while others departed on their own and took the train. No matter how we got there though, we all had a great time. Stopping in the Village of Luss, located on the west side of the loch (which means 'lake' in Scotland), we walked onto the docks and were amazed by its beauty. The mountains all around us were somewhat hidden in the clouds and the smoothness of the water made the scene even more tranquil. After roughly an hour of picture-taking and souvenir shopping, we boarded the bus and headed to the Trossachs, Scotland's first national park, for lunch. We had a couple hours on our own to explore the area before we left to head back to Glasgow. Many of the guests enjoyed a wool factory, while several of the guys ventured up the trails of the nearby park.

At 5:00PM, the Glee Club met in the main ballroom in full-dress to eat dinner before departing for Glasgow Cathedral. Traffic was a little more congested than usual, due to most of the traffic lights in the city breaking down. When we arrived, you could literally hear the gasps as we pulled up to the church. Walking inside, we saw that its layout was very similar to the Gothic Style of the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. The tall archways and very long hallways made our jaws drop, on top of knowing it has been standing since the 11th century. The show was just as incredible as the venue. We were introduced by the sound of bagpipes (like the End of Season concert) and performed for a very enthusiastic audience. Being as cavernous as the hall was, any sound we created reverberated in the hall for several seconds, making many of our sacred selections sound extremely rich and full. When the show ended, we mingled with those who watched the show, and then we headed back to the hotel to enjoy our last night in Scotland before embarking on our flight to Ireland tomorrow. We can't wait!

May 26, 2005

Today may have been our most hectic day. We checked out of the Hilton Glasgow at 6:00AM, and traveled directly to the airport to fly to Kerry, Ireland. We made it to the airport without a hitch, but then ended up waiting in the terminal as our plane was delayed for over two hours. It finally did arrive at 10:30 AM, and we were on Irish soil shortly before noon. After helping our guests collect their luggage, we loaded the coaches and departed for the town of Killarney, Ireland, to shop and grab a bite for lunch. Myself and a few others happened to stumble across a store that sold only Indiana University items. Sean Hoos noticed the bright crimson and white from the corner of his eye while walking past the doorway. Too bad Purdue was nowhere to be found. That will have to be changed! The Glee Club stayed in the town for about two hours before departing for the Hotel Europe just outside of the city.

At 7:00PM, the PVGC and guests departed for The Laurels Singing Pub to enjoy dinner and Irish entertainment. The night was full of Irish dancing, singing, accordion playing, and joke telling. I forgot that Bog could even play the accordion, but he was quite enthusiastic about it which in turn made us all very excited. At one point in the evening, our Irish Tenor host called out the names of countries, and if you had any relation to this country, you were called up on stage to sing a few songs. Our English tour guide, John Powell, sang for England, Jason Kaeding and Zach Frazier for Spain, and we made Israel Pederson sing for Israel. We all had a good laugh, and it was a wonderful way to begin our stay in lovely Ireland, the last country of our International United Kingdom Tour.

May 27, 2005

One word can describe today's events: incredible. The Glee Club and guests embarked on a day long trip this morning to the Ring of Kerry. The Ring is a road that runs in a circle around Kerry County (where we are staying), traversing through mountains, valleys, and ocean sides. The view was simply spectacular. At one point, we had a travel stop so we could stretch our legs. As soon as some of the guys got off, they saw the mountain and immediately began running to the summit. I would have to say this mountain was at least 1,000 feet high. But nonetheless, some brave mountain climbers reached it, and Keith Starost waved our own Gold and Black Purdue flag at the peak in triumph. What a sight!

During our trip, there were also plenty of stops taken for photo opportunities and shopping sprees. I myself took somewhere up to sixty pictures with my camera, but the views were just too breathtaking to pass by. We saw cliffs with ocean spray hitting the rock walls, mountain tops obscured by clouds, sheep grazing on valley grass, forests that went as far as the eye can see, and beaches that lured us to the ocean shores. Being from the midwest, it was a view of beauty that is hard to compare to anything else I have seen in my lifetime.

Our journey came to an end at 5:30PM, where we then had until 7:00PM when we headed into downtown Killarney for independent dining. Some of us decided to eat in the local pubsand cafes, while others used this time to shop, or just simply relax in the hotel after an exhausting day. We then had the option of returning to the hotel at four different times. A few of us decided to stay and take a taxi back to the hotel. Our decision to stay was well worth it as we listened to a fantastic Irish folk band, the Molly Maquires, at the Danny Mann Pub. For those who have been wondering, we have been unable to transfer pictures to the web here in Killarney, but we hope to add some picture updates soon. Until then, as they say in the United Kingdom, Cheers!

May 28, 2005

Being our last day in Killarney, many took advantage of the day to explore the town and surrounding countryside. Randy Cook led an adventurous group of Glee Clubbers on an expedition to the top of the mountain behind our hotel. According to Randy, there were no trails and only six or seven guys actually made it to the summit which he estimated to be near 3,000 feet high. For those who did reach the top, they say the view was absolutely spectacular and took several pictures of the hotel and lochs below.

For those who didn't venture into the clouds, PVGC members and guests had the option of going on our final optional excursion to Muckross House. Located in Killarney National Park, it is one of the top attractions to tourists. Even though this mansion dates back to the Victorian period, it was amazing to see how most rooms have been preserved in their original condition. One of the most beautiful features of the house was the red and pink flowers of the Muckross Gardens. Many who went stated it was the best excursion of the trip.

Once the tour group returned around noon, we were on our own until dinner at 5:00PM and our show at 7:00PM in the main ballroom of the Hotel Europe. Our last official show of the Glee Club season, it was very special for most of the guys, especially the seniors. It was also special, however, for one particular audience member. After "halftime" Mark Ehrlich, manager of the Glee Club, invited his sister and former manager of the Purduettes, Carrie, to the stage. Once there, she was surprised by her boyfriend, Ruben Ruban, who had flown in from Chicago to propose to her. She said yes, and we all wished them the best for a wonderful future together. The rest of the show took on a "love" theme and once the performance was over, the manager of the hotel bought a round for all of us to enjoy on the back lawn. What a day! Tomorrow, we leave Killarney and head for Dublin, stopping to view the world famous Blarney Castle and Blarney stone on the way.

May 29, 2005

It is difficult to fathom that we only have two more days left on our International Trip. The time has flown by at an incredible pace, and today we venture on our last travel day across Ireland. We left the Hotel Europe in Killarney for Dublin, almost directily North-east. Along the way, we stopped at the town of Blarney to see the world famous Blarney Stone. The landscape was breathtaking. Blarney Castle was situated amonst a forest of trees, completely hidden from view from our drop-off point in the parking lot. It took about a 5 minute walk to the castle. Some of us chose to actually go inside and make our way to the Blarney Stone at the top of one of the castle's towers. I found myself holding on to the rails rather tightly once at the top when I saw how far of a drop it would be to the ground. It was reassuring though seeing the iron rods over gaping holes at the side of the castle preventing anyone falling through.

Once to the stone, I got down on my back while a gentleman held me by the waist. The stone is actually located on the edge of the castle wall, on the other side of one of the holes I mentioned earlier. I quickly discovered flexiblity is the key, since I had to practically lean over backwards to kiss it. Many of our guests and fellow Glee Clubbers did this as well. After making our way back to the ground, we were on our own to shop and eat until loading the buses for one last stop in Cashel to view St. Patrick's rock. Shortly thereafter, we were off to Dublin, arriving around 5:30 that evening to have the night to ourselves and prepare for tomorrow's tour of Dublin and the Guinness Brewery.

May 30, 2005

I think today is a day that many of us have been looking forward to for sometime. We will have the opportunity to go on an extensive tour of downtown Dublin and walk through the Guinness Brewery. The buses left the hotel at 9:00 am, where we drove all around the city. Some sites we saw were the home of the President of Ireland, the American Embassy, Dublin Park, and the Book of Kerry. It was lots of fun and was a great time to take what photographs we had left on the trip.

Afterwards, we left for the Brewery. It is a very old looking building, with dark brick walls and cobblestone streets within the complex. However, the interior was a completely different story. It was filled with neon lights, decorative designs, and glass surfaces. Amazingly, the very center of the building where our tour would be was a seven story pint glass! We were able to walk around on our own, learning how Guinness is made with all its different ingredients. The tour ended with the group going to the Gravity Bay, a circular room on the top of the building that allows a 360-degree panoramic view of downtown Dublin. We were offered a free pint of Guinness if we would like, but other refreshments were avaiable as well. My most memorable part of the tour however was Brian directing us in song. We must have sung for at least thirty minutes before it was time to head back to the buses for our trip back to the hotel.

Later that night, we traveled to another hotel in the area to see an Irish Caberet show. The night started out with a fantastic dinner, with our choice of chicken, salmon, or beef. After approximately an hour, the show began with the sound of elbow-pipes, accordians, and tamborines. The night was filled with singing, comedy, and of course, Irish Dancing. It was a great way to spend our last night in Ireland with all the guys and our guests before we leave in the morning to head back to the United States.

May 31, 2005

Today, we leave the United Kingdom to come back home. There were two groups, one leaving earlier in the morning and one leaving later. Packing the night before, we left our bags outside our rooms to be picked up and left for breakfast in one of the ballrooms of the hotel. Afterward, we left in our assigned groups for the airport. After a quick lay-over in Heathrow, we were off to Chicago O'Hare airport, where we would arrive at either 3:00 pm or 6:00 pm CDT depending on which group we were in. My flight was rather uneventful. It took about eight hours, and many of the guys took advantage of this time to read, walk around the cabin, or just try and catch some sleep. Once we were over land in upper Canada however, you could see everybody's excitement. We were peering out the windows for minutes at a time, counting down the hours until we landed. When we did arrive at O'Hare and cleared through Customs, most guys loaded onto the Purdue buses waiting to take us back to West Lafayette, while the local guys stayed in Chicago.

The United Kingdom tour of 2005 was a great success. The places we went, things we saw, and people we met truely will make this an adventure most of us will not forget. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to travel to three different countries before I graduated from college. Getting this opportunity was simply incredible, and many of the guys have made lasting friendships that will last a lifetime. On a personal note, I would like to say it has been a privilege being able to let you know the day by day activities of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club while overseas. I am excited about the year ahead and look forward to writing more journal entries on our upcoming trip to New York City for Veterans Day and our annual Spring Break Concert Tour. Until then, farewell!

John Kronberg
Sir of World Wide Web 2005-2006