The sky is riven with angels singing

Well, it wasn't quite like that last Sunday when our choir had its annual performance at the opening of the International Women's Club Christmas Bazaar at the Avenue Mall shopping centre - but almost. 'Cause even though we're far from being a professional choir, we have a lot of heart and soul and that's ultimately what gives you your wings, doesn't it!

The IWC Christmas Bazaar is an annual event where members prepare goodies from their home countries, from t-shirts to food to souvenirs, and donate all proceedings to some Croatian charity or other. It's the third time that we've opened the Bazzar, each time belting out three songs that our Kappellmeister chooses (we've decided to give them a bit of a "show" next year as a lot of the people in the audience sort of waited around expecting more). This year we sang "Angelus ad virginem", a Rennaissance song, "Ding, dong, merrily on high", another Rennaissance song and "O, Pastiri", a Croatian song composed by Ivan pl. Zajc, someone more famous for his operas than Christmas carols.

Our first performance started way on back when one of the members of our choir was the then President of the IWC and asked us if we would mind singing at the Bazaar. Of course not, we shouted in one voice. And even though my stomach was in a knot and I felt on several occasions like going to the lady's and expelling my breakfast (which, I'd like to add, I ate at 5 am), I quite enjoyed the experience, as we all did. Like our Kappellmeister says, getting over stage fright simply takes practise - the more you perform in front of an audience, the less the fear factor gets. So much so, he says, that you start craving performing in front of people, sometimes to the chagrin of the audience...

Well, we're gonna get some more practise when we sing at a convalescent home next Saturday. Appropriate, since the money raised from this year's Bazaar is going to two convalescent homes in Slavonia. And I'm sure the old folks won't mind if we sing out of tune or too loud at times - from what I understand, your hearing declines with age...

Anyways, here are a few photos from this year's Bazaar:

A little (well, not so little) Dutch girl on the wrong side of Amsterdam

Was too chicken to ask him what was under his kilt...

What else would the Americans promote but - le McDo?

An obliging German in lederhosen. Great legs, eh!

The Chinese stand

The Polish stand

Some German goodies

Some Eastern goodies

PS hubby recorded the whole event but I can't find the USB jack to connect the camrecorder to my laptop so I can't show you how our choir sings for the moment. Soon, soon, I promise...