Misty Mountain Hop - Day 5

The forecast change in the weather was not evident when we awoke, with blue skies over the peaks and the day already warm. Our commitment for today was only a single concert at 9.00pm, so we had the luxury of a long relaxed breakfast before a short service remembering a funeral in Bunbury that day. Our original plan for some of us for the day was a 50 km bike ride into Austria ( allegedly nearly all downhill) then leaving the bike there and catching the train back - but in the end this couldn't fit in with the day's plans. Instead all the ladies were taken into nearby Brunico to explore the town and shop, while the men had a 90 minute rehearsal through the evening's repertoire before joining the ladies. I stayed back at the hotel to catch up with things before taking a walk through the nearby area for lunch. Unfortunately the only thing available to buy was ice cream - so a message to Carmel ensured some food returned with her before the next rehearsal at 3.30 .That done, we had some free time just as thunderstorms rolled in over the nearby peaks.
Dinner was a five course feast again - but no drinks as we still had to sing. The Festival is an odd thing in that it is almost entirely performance based. No workshops, and few opportunities to socialise with other choirs. There was a Tyrolese Welcome Party scheduled for tonight but it didn't commence until 11.30pm and was to finish at 1.00am - and it was at least 40 min away by coach. So we gave it a miss. Tonight's concert was at Monguelfo with four other Italian Choirs - two men's choirs and two mixed and all A Cappella. Again it was a late 11.00pm finish to the concert, arriving back at the hotel at 11.45pm. Fortunately tomorrow's Festival schedule doesn't commence until lunchtime, with an Open Air Review at Lago d'Anterselva followed by the Choir's Parade through the town. That gives us the opportunity for a welcome sleep in and then breakfast before a rehearsal before we depart on the coach to the venue.
You can see footage of Brunico, as well as snippets from the concert on our Facebook page.