Otsailan's Visit to Peebles - Summary

Visitors and hosts assembled on the steps in front of the Peebles Hotel Hydro.

In addition to the visits to Kingsland Primary School, the Old Parish Church and the Eastgate Theatre (all reported separately above), the visitors enjoyed a very full programme.

On arrival on the evening of Thursday 30 August, the group were piped into the Peebles Rugby Club premises by local piper Rosemary Gordon.  Twinning Chairman, Bruce Macalister welcomed the choir who were then introduced to their hosts.  Visitors and hosts enjoyed a buffet provided by Jennifer Nisbet.

On Friday 31 August, a Town Walk led by Mary Reid was followed by lunch at the Rugby Club again.  In the afternoon, the choir visited Kingsland School and in the evening were guests of the Peebles Old Parish Choir (both reported above).

On Saturday 1 September, the ladies of the choir sang for the residents of the Peebles Nursing Home.  A break for coffee at the Tontine Hotel was followed by singing (and dancing) in the quadrangle of the Chambers Institute.  Lunch was taken at the Peebles Hotel Hydro.  The evening was spent with hosts, some of whom teamed up and had mini-concerts.  Others entertained the customers of the Bridge Inn.

Most of Sunday 2 September was spent with hosts and many of the visitors attended local churches.  Around 8 of the Otsailan Choir led the singing of the Basque song "Hegoak" along with the church choir during the collection at the Old Parish Church service.  This was much appreciated by the congregation present and may even have led to more tickets being purchased for the concert at the Eastgate Theatre in the evening.  Later in the afternoon the choir rehearsed at the theatre before giving a splendid concert along with Kingsland Primary School Choir (reported above)

Monday 3 September was spent visiting Glenkinchie Distillery followed by a short visit to Edinburgh.  A farewell reception was held in the upper room of Neidpath Castle where gifts were exchanged, speeches made and yet more songs sung.  One of the hosts, Andrew Vickery, penned a song of tribute to the visitors and this was performed by a group of the hosts.

On Tuesday 4 September the visitors assembled at 6.15 am at the Eastgate Carpark for departure to Edinburgh Airport.  After much hugging, and a few tears, a convoy of cars set off for the airport for flights back to Hendaye via Paris and Biarritz.

Many thanks are due to all those who helped to make this trip such a success.  Special thanks are due to all the hosts, the pupils and staff at Kingsland, the Old Parish Choir, Peebles Arts Festival Committee, all those who came along to the concert at the Eastgate Theatre and to the many people of Peebles who made the visitors feel so much at home.

MORE PICTURES BELOW - CLICK ON EACH TO ENLARGE