The weather gods smiled on us: a tropical storm with 60 knot
winds passed through on the day we performed at the Normandy
American Cemetery but the storm’s eye passed over us just as we
arrived at the venue and the rains didn’t start again until after the
ceremony concluded. The days before and after were blustery,
but mostly fair; though unfortunately the big temporary stage set
up in the town square at Sainte-Mère-Église was condemned
and unusable after the rains and wind the night before. We sang
instead on the clay surface of the square itself (under the effigy
of Pvt. John Steele, whose parachute famously hung up on the
church tower during the paratroop drops on the night before
D-Day), with thousands of spectators massed behind temporary
barricades.
On our way back to CDG and homeward flights, we performed in
the Luxembourg Gardens on a free day in Paris. The spectators
there pulled up chairs left scattered about under the trees; one
mom and her toddler sat on the steps of the performance gazebo
and gazed up at us while we sang.
My wife, Marcia and I didn’t leave for Denver with the others: her
chorus had its own tour scheduled for eastern Europe a week
later. We took the opportunity relax for a few days in the Austrian
Alps and to make a pilgrimage to the Flying Bulls’ Hangar-7 in
Salzburg. So many immaculate airframes!
Here’s the link to a video I compiled from photos and video clips of
the tour: https://youtu.be/IKABVBIVwfM
Sound of the Rockies Normandy Chorus