Ware to Wulfrath
On Friday 30th November, 25 intrepid ukulele players were ready to go where no ukulele group has gone before - Wulfrath, Ware's twin town in Germany. At 6:20am we had loaded the coach and set off.
Of course we watched a Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain DVD and a George Formby film on the way, as well as doing a music quiz!
We made good time to the ferry in Dover, which was our first impromptu performance in the family lounge! Plenty of passengers joined in, but we didn't see how many jumped overboard! We even streamed it live so that our adoring fans back home could watch.
We finally got to Wulfrath at around 6pm, where we were greeted by Ingo, our contact from the town. We set up and performed at 3 places in the town, where we also met the president of the Wulfrath twinning committee. We were made very welcome, and plenty of people joined in with our songs.
On Saturday morning, we had free time. Many people went into Wuppertal (where our hotel was) and explored the town's Christmas market. However, two members decided to venture to the zoo. After discovering the famous suspension train was "kaput," Lloyd and Jodie caught a bus with the help of a German resident. Unfortunately, they caught the bus going in the opposite direction to the zoo, but after a long walk and a taxi journey they eventually got there! Patsy, the Ware Ukulele Group mascot went with them and met plenty of new friends! Pictures below.
On Saturday afternoon, the group travelled back to Wulfrath to see the Christmas market, where we had a few hot Christmas drinks from Ingo and his friends.
After a walk to a nearby church, we watched two choirs perform Christmas songs such as carols, O Holy Night and Last Christmas. In the break, we got on stage and performed some songs of our own. The crowd went wild and started chanting what we can only assume was "one more song," although it could have been "get off" and it wouldn't have made a difference; we played another.
After the concert, some members stayed in Wulfrath to look around the market and have a few more drinks (seriously, I think we drank more than we played!) and the rest went back to Wuppertal, where a large group had an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. I think Chris won that one with 3 plates of food and a bowl of ice cream devoured!
A few people then walked back into Wuppertal to see the Christmas market, and would you believe it there were a few more drinks involved! The Apfelstrudel Cocktail was particularly delicious!
Sunday morning was time to come home again. We boarded our coach at 9am and started the journey back. We enjoyed the film Elf, and once more made good time to the ferry, managing to get an earlier one than planned.
Although it was much rougher on the way back, it didn't deter us from playing once again, this time for around half an hour. Plenty of passengers joined in again, and a lady even said that it had made it a lovely crossing.
All in all, it was a fantastic trip, and we are very proud to have represented Ware on our trip. Here's to the next one!
- Lloyd
