Day 1 – June 30, 2009

 

      We arrived in Anaheim, southeast of Los Angeles, yesterday around noon. Our hotel for the Barbershop Convention is the Clarion, conveniently located near the Convention Center. Of course, everything here is about Disneyland, just a few blocks from here, but we are not interested in the theme park, since we’ve been there before.

     We are here for the International Barbershop Harmony Society Competition. My chorus, the Narragansett Bay Chorus, is competing with choruses from all over the United States, Canada, and even some from around the globe (England, Sweden, New Zealand, etc.). The excitement is mounting as we have our first practice this morning.

     While we are here, we plan to see some of the local sights, and then, when the competition is over, we will tour California for about two weeks. Our plan is to drive up the coast, stopping in Santa Barbara, and Monterey, before spending a few extra days in Sonoma, California’s Wine Country. Next, we will head north and inland, to Lassen Volcanic National Park, then work our way back to Anaheim for our return to New England.

     I will try to make daily posts during our trip, with emphasis on the various attractions we visit during our stay here. Hopefully, there will be photo albums each day to supplement the text.