OK. I guess that this entry is going to be less about Pamela, and more about what we went to see. But it's written from my view point. And in my eyes, Pamela is by far the most important thing about the whole weekend.

Anyhow, on Saturday evening we went to the "Night of the Museums." -Not a horror flick, even if it sounds like one. No, this is a concept that I've heard of here in Germany. All the museums in a city pick one night of the year, that they'll stay open all evening. (And perhaps in some cities, all night too. But here in Lüneburg, it was ending at midnight.) Many of the museums also have special displays or events too. And there's just one ticket that needs to be bought, which is then good for all the museums. (For that one afternoon/night.) I guess it does make sense; Most people, like Pamela and I, leap at the opportunity, (of so much for a very good price,) and then go and look at each museum for half an hour or so, before going to have a quick look at the next one. So although the museums can't be making much of any money from this day, they get fantastic amounts of interest. Everyone comes in, sees a little, and -hopefully, -thinks "what a great place! There wasn't nearly enough time to see it all. I'll have to come back some day, when it's raining outside, or when I have guests visiting."

Well, on that Saturday, Pamela and I were a little late getting out of the house, so we only got to see three of the seven or eight museums in the city. (As well as a bit of two open air performances.) We were first at the Nature Museum, where we were planning on attending an exhibit... or an event... about Night Creatures of the Lüneburger Heide. (That's the region we're in.) This event was unfortunately cancelled though, due to the Bird Flue. So, after looking a bit at the museum, we went to the City Hall, (Which is in it's self a kind of museum: It's at least 500 years old, with highly decorated rooms, carvings, chandeliers, and so on.) We were going to hear a madrigal group- but the room was already way over full, and it would be nearly an hour waiting there, just to get into their next singing... performance. Instead of waiting, we wandered about in the Town hall, and found ourselves listening to an explanation and demonstration of Renaissance Clothing in Germany. (Which was very well illustrated by the paintings on the ceiling of one of the main chambers.) Lots of floppy hats, square toed shoes, and endless meters of fabric for cloaks and poofy arms. As always, I found it amusing to be reminded of the clothing laws that were in effect at that time; That unless someone owns Such an amount of land, and So many workers, They were not allowed to have shoes with points more than 4 inches long. There's also the rules about the colours of your hat, and how much it's allowed to hang down.

After hearing all about such things, we went to the Library, Oohed and Aaahed at the ancient books there, and listened to a lecture/demonstration about Reconstructing? Repairing? Refurbishing? Renovating? No, none of those: RESTORING old books. (Old meaning, naturally, over 200 years, at least.) The most amazing one, (to me,) was the Leather bound, twenty pound, Brass Studded, (Books with studs! How cool is that!!!) 15th century -er, Something for a book. (I didn't actually take in, what this book was about. It was just beautiful. That's all.)

After this, there was still some time remaining before we planned on getting good seats for the last Madrigal Singing. So we wandered a bit here and there, and saw the end of an open-air renaissance play. (The "end" meaning not more than the last 7 or 8 minutes.) At last, half asleep, we got to sit down in the room where the singing would be. (And what a room! It was one of the ancient meeting halls in the Town hall. The were the wonderfully carved benches by all the walls. There were the Chandeliers with statues incorporated into them. There were the paintings, representing dukes, nobles, and important people from many centuries past.) And then all the sleepiness left me.

-With the very first song they sung. It was an English Madrigal. But the whole half hour wasn't only English. There was also a few of them sung in German, and in French too. The most beautiful and touching of them all was a sadder one in French. Oh. Oh lo lo. This was the absolute high point of my weekend. The life the put into the songs. The harmonies of them. The soaring of the voices. This one man, (it was SURELY a man... right?) Was so high, and so sweet, and so pure. It was a sheer delight to hear.

They had such energy in their performance too. Oh... yes yes yes yes yes yes. I'm now wishing to know if they have made recordings; Where can I buy their CD?

I don't know what else there is to say about them. They were just Great. And then, for their encore Number, (Even though it was Midnight, and the building was meant to be closing,) they sang "Now is the Month of Maying." -And I was in ecstasy. Why? Because I learned this Madrigal, in four voices, (or more?) At some choir festival in Vancouver. (Which time, I couldn't now say.) Besides that; That it was a romp down memory lane, there was the fact that it WAS May, and that This particular young lad Is in love. And enjoying his life fully. (Especially at that one evening.)

Na Yah. It was a perfect, wonderful ending, to an evening which could have been a total failure.