Exeter

On the first weekend of September, I was in Exeter with my choir. We sang two Evensongs and a church service, explored the city, ate well, and got to know each other a little better.

The start was a bit stressful for me, as I almost missed the train. You should always allow enough time for traffic in London :´)

Arriving in Exeter, we had some time for lunch before we started rehearsals.

Some of our rehearsals took place directly in Exeter Cathedral. A really beautiful space. Big, bright, beautiful stained glass windows, and always a new little detail to discover somewhere. You might think that I have been distracted from time to time.

The three photos above show the High Choir. We rehearsed and later sang in the old choir seats. A really beautiful place.

In our free time from rehearsals, we were able to explore the city a bit more. On Saturday, I found this beautiful little bookstore during a walk. There were a lot of second-hand books stuffed into a very small house, spread over two floors. Unfortunately, I found this place almost at the end of my exploration, otherwise I would have definitely stayed longer.

As a choir, we always had dinner and lunch together. On Saturday evening at a very delicious restaurant and on Sunday, of course, in a pub for a Sunday Roast.

The pub on Sunday was a very old pub. With many cozy corners and niches, many different chairs, and a very pleasant atmosphere.

Exeter is the capital of Devon and is located in the southwest of England. The city has about 130,000 inhabitants and its history dates back to ancient times. Parts of the Roman city wall can still be found today, and the remains of a Roman bath are also preserved. In the 13th century, Exeter became one of the most important cities in the southwest of England.

Today, Exeter is known for its high quality of life, which is also due to the fact that the city did not experience any major changes during the industrial revolution. Coal and iron deposits were too far away to build factories in the city.

Exeter was heavily hit during World War II. Many of the old, historic buildings were bombed and partially destroyed. The cathedral was also affected. Since the 1950s, the historic buildings have been partially rebuilt true to their original form.

The river 'Exe' flows through Exeter. If you go down to the river (Exeter is relatively high and very hilly), you pass this beautiful spot. I think it was part of the harbor. You can rent boats to row or paddle on the river. On the riverside, there are these small shops. In addition to small tourist shops, you can also find shops from local artists. There was really something for everyone here. A woodworking shop, a metalworking shop, paintings or jewelry, and a few small cafes.

On Sunday morning, this was our view into the church and onto the congregation. The cathedral has some colorful windows, but the large ones in the side aisles are clear and bright, so the whole church is brightly illuminated. In the large, spacious room, our choir sounds completely different and we had to get used to it a bit. If you want, you can still watch the church service. It was broadcast on the Facebook page of Exeter Cathedral and can still be accessed there.

I felt very honored to be able to sing in this relatively large cathedral with my choir. I saw a new city, got to know people from my choir a little better, and had a nice weekend full of music and fun. I really hope we can do it again and maybe go to another city.