The Gerrard Chronicles 2003 - May - Leipzig etc

May: Ken had organised a trip to Leipzig for the Anglo-German FHS which was accounted a great success. This was the first air trip & we used Ryanair to Berlin. We visited Colditz & Dresden, Weimar & Naumburg as well as exploring Bach’s town, where we went to a concert in the new Gewandhaus. Our obviously ex-Stasi guide was very thorough, although telling us more than we needed to know about their Olympic bid & Ken also gave three lectures on the coach, on Liszt, Wagner & the Thirty-years War. Dresden & Weimar were the tops & we visited Goethe’s Garden House, which we missed last time (2000). (Susan Pomeroy sent Ken an engraving of it as a thank-you). But Dresden needed more time, as we could not go round the Zwinger Art Gallery although we went round the Albertinum. Unfortunately, Ken had to abort next year’s trip, as the costs ran away unexpectedly. There are more photographs from this trip on this link.

At long last, the Almeida Theatre improvements were finished. We have sponsored it since we came in 1989 but were underwhelmed by the atmosphere-free new lobby. (link)

Ken's cousin Doreen, the Delaforce super-beauty, died at nearly 86. Having out-lived most of her friends & her daughter, she was not really sorry to be on her way.

It was good to visit Joyce Peck’s PV in Maidenhead, as Joyce (left) has had horrendous family problems & been out of circulation for some years.