OFF TO A GOOD START!
The delegations from 17 schools in 16 different countries converged on Bad Ischl in the heart of Austria and of the Salzkammergut according to plan during the day on December 4th. The town built its reputation not only on its mining activity combined with being a spa town, but above all through the presence of several emperors in the 19th and 20th centuries, thus conferring on the town a certain renown which lives on in the heart of the Austrians.
The delegations were welcomed by teachers and students from the ‘Tourismusschulen’ either at the airport or the station or directly in the ‘Jugendgästehaus’; their first objective was to set up their exhibition stands in the magnificent halls of the ‘Kongress- und Theater-Haus’. As usual there was a joyful commotion as the different delegations worked away at decorating, nailing and gluing to show off to best effect the thousand and one treasures which they had brought with them for the purpose.
The stands are still almost empty, but soon they will all have taken
on a festive appearance.
During the meal in the Jugendgästehaus, Hans Russegger, the ‘boss’ of the organising team, together with Monika Essl, came to greet the delegations and to wish them an excellent stay in Bad Ischl, hoping that they would enjoy ‘caring and sharing’ during these days devoted to Christmas in Europe.
But the organisers had already planned a surprise, and no mean surprise – with a ‘Christmas Musical Evening’ entitled ‘Advent im Salzkammergut’ presented by an Austrian star, Miguel Herz-Kestranek, supported by musicians and singers, among them a top-notch Hungarian ensemble.
It was a superb musical evening, enjoyed even by those with no knowledge of German. It was a simple and unassuming event, and immediately put the delegations in the right frame of mind as they fell under the charm of the extraordinarily beguiling voice of Miguel Herz-Kestranek. It was a truly beautiful musical evening, an unexpected ‘extra’ on the programme, and one which augured well for this Christmas in Europe which had got off to a fine start.
The finale of the Christmas musical evening done the Austrian way. Superb
It was a superb musical evening, enjoyed even by those with no knowledge of German. It was a simple and unassuming event, and immediately put the delegations in the right frame of mind as they fell under the charm of the extraordinarily beguiling voice of Miguel Herz-Kestranek. It was a truly beautiful musical evening, an unexpected ‘extra’ on the programme, and one which augured well for this Christmas in Europe which had got off to a fine start.
The finale of the Christmas musical evening done the Austrian way. Superb
