Thank you Harwich, MA!

Tuesday 2nd August 2011

9.30am and we're loaded up onto the coach and taken into Harwich Port where we met a couple of the local tour guides to take us on a walking tour of Historical Harwich.  The tour took in some of the oldest properties in Harwich and culminated in a look around the Brooks Museum, which has a lot of information on Harwich's local history including Charles D. Cahoon (Harwich's first Master painter), Captain Ellis, other seafaring history and the history of Cranberry Farming.

Then we were off to lunch at the Episcopal Church where we were treated to a Lobster or Chicken roll lunch, followed by strawberries and cream dessert.

After lunch we had time to explore Harwich Port, visit the local Beach or head back to the hotel to catch up on sleep or enjoy the sun by the pool.

5.30pm we left the hotel and headed over to Brook Park Bandstand for our 7.00pm performance of first half Harwich Town Band and second half us.  When we arrived at about 5.45pm the Harwich Town Band were already set up and there was a good number of people sat out in the park in their deck chairs.  Shortly after we had got all our instruments and band jackets unloaded from the van and coach it began to rain and the rain just got heavier and heavier.  Then the lightning started flashing accross the sky.  The Harwich Town Band stopped their performance due to health and safety reasons, but, the concert was moved 200 yards down the road to the Community Centre.  Everything was reloaded onto van and coach, offloaded again and set up in half an hour, with the help of a very efficient people chain the band created to pass instruments and other necessaries down the line and into the Community Centre. It was all very exciting!

Once we were all settled our half of the concert began.  Again we had a great audience - you can guarantee that if this had been the UK everyone would have gone home. However, this audience seemed to get bigger when we relocated than it had been at the bandstand - we suspect that people phoned others who had been dubious about the weather and not come along, to say that it was being moved inside.  All topped off with another standing ovation.  We love Harwich Town's residence.

British Legion Brass Band - Harwich Community Centre, Conductor - Steve Yoxon

Castel Coch
Bacharach for Brass
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans (Cornet Trio)
L'il Darlin'
James Bond Collection

Encore - Everybody Needs Somebody and God Bless America.

After the concert we went to the Riverway restaurant for another social with The Harwich Town Band and other members of the Harwich Tour Commitee.  We had a lovely meal: options of Chicken, Fish and Beef (or all three!).

I want to close this stage of the blog with a massive thank you to Harwich, MA.  They have worked tirelessly to make our stay something special and it sure was.  Everyone made us feel especially welcome pulling out all the stops for the three days that we were there.

Tomorrow we leave Harwich with some wonderful memories and a heap of new friends.