Day Six: Saving the Best till Last

So we went to the Vatican on day 2. I mean, that was a thing. Who gets to do that? If you'd told us at the beginning of the year we'd be singing Mass at the Vatican at the end of the year, well, I don't think any of us would quite have believed it. But then on our final full day in Florence we had not one, not two, but three amazing experiences that really made this the best day. And we should add a fourth - because this was the best meal all week too! We sang High Mass at Santa Croce. We sang in the Duomo - which was closed to toursists so we could sing in there. And we finished with another Compline, up at San Miniato al Monte, high over the city, with views over the whole bowl of Florence.

Santa Croce. Its beautiful facade, guarded by a statue of Dante, with frescoes of St Francis by Giotto, stands above a piazza where traditional Italian football is still played on the stone surface. Here we came to sing Taverner and Byrd. English music in Latin. Then on to the Duomo. What an unbelieveable experience. I don't think I have the words. You just need to see this.

And then up to San Miniato al Monte. We ended the music for the tour by singing Compline in one of Florence's oldest and most sacred sites. Lord thou hast searched me and known me, we sang. And all our singing days were written in His book. And it was a beautiful, and wonderful, and glorious thing.

Thanks for joining us on our journey. We had a blast. We are so grateful to the friends of the choir who helped us get here, and who made our stay so wonderful. The places we have visited and stayed and eaten and sung will always be with us. The laughter, the music, the wonder. The worship, the peace, the gelato, the football, the negronis... Amazing.