Christmas all around us.
Markets, Carols, Concerts and Seasonal Drinks!!
It's that time of year. Christmas trees, markets, lights, tinsel, presents and parties. It all happens in December.
Before Christmas, many of our local villages begin to have Christmas markets and celebrations. Our band, Celtiqua, were invited to play in Villiers which is on the very Northern edge of the Brenne National Park. We were a little sceptical about playing outdoors in winter, and soon discovered why. On arrival we found that our tent(!) had no heating and the air temperature was just 6 degC. The strong winds made the tent walls flap about like the sails of a sailing ship. There were a small number of stalls with Christmas products, a small number of visitors, and a food concession stall outside the tent in the car park.
Whilst we were setting up the band equipment there were 3 power cuts!! Not much fun. However, we were well fed in a great little restaurant called Hegarty’s, which we can thoroughly recommend. Excellent Fish and Chips and Irish beer. After which we played for an hour during which the Christmas stalls and the food concession quietly disappeared, as did the audience, (except for 2 stalwart friends who stayed to the interval, and then shivered, and, apologetically, headed for home.) We were left with an empty tent!
We made the decision to close everything down, pack away the instruments, and head to the restaurant for a warm drink where we were well-received by the local crowd who had clearly left the outside market much earlier and had arrived at the restaurant for a warm Christmas drink well before us! (So that's where they all went.) They reported excellent music and entertainment, so that was good to hear. We will play at Hegarty's again, but this time in warmer weather.
Over this Christmas season our Christmas Chorale was invited to sing in a variety of places, including the Calabash International Cookery School situated between Yzeures-sur-Creuse and La Roche Posay.
Vidéo clip ©Sidney Bond
The Chorale is organised by David and Jane Henderson, and has between 15 and 20 singers and musicians. It is quite a sight with all the singers in Edwardian costume. The songs are traditional carols which are sung in English, French, German and Latin.
This time last year we were delighted to see the opening of a new Pizzeria in the centre of Le Grand Pressigny, BRODY’S Our other band, “The I don’t Know Band” was invited to play for an evening soirée and birthday celebration. As it's Christmas time we had to sing a Christmas song. Here's David Henderson singing “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” accompanied by Cally on Bass, and yours truly on Keyboard.
Thank you to Laura Stahnke for this memorable video.
Le Grand-Pressigny has a Christmas market which takes place on the 21st December every year. Local crafts people, artists, potters and food enterprises all turn out to lend a festive atmosphere in and around the village.
Our Christmas Chorale was invited to sing at the Market, and in the church afterwards.
The final part of the day was a colourful and jovial parade of tractors through the village. The main road through the village was lined, 3 deep, with cheering crowds. They clearly enjoyed the spectacle. After this very enjoyable day there was only one thing left to do - A Pizza and a beer at Brody’s. (Don’t forget to book a table if you go.)
Thank you for reading. As they say on the BBC - “If you managed to (read) this far you must have real stamina”.
Seasonal greetings to everyone - Salutations de fin d'année à tous