In july 2007, Goldsmiths Choral Union made a memorable visit to the Czech Republic, singing two concerts at the Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin in Hejnice, northern Bohemia, as part of the Basilica's regular Saturday series, the other at the Church of St Simon and St Jude, in Prague, where the choir was based for duration of its visit.

Artistically, it was one of the most satisfying tours the choir has made. In fact, chairman David Hayes unequivocally called it the best tour to date. The programme in each case was a reprise of the concert we gave at St George's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Westminster Bridge Road, in June: Schubert's Ständchen, and Psalm 23, Brahms' Liebeslieder waltzes, and Schubert's Mass in E flat. Audiences were large and extremely appreciative, and it was a pleasure to sing to them.

Friday 27 July

06:50 BST
We've been at Hearthrow airport since 05:30, still bleary-eyed after getting up at four to finish packing, Our taxi came at ten to five and we made excellent time through south London's deserted streets. Now it's time for final check-in. Very smooth. Going through the security scanner, however, is quite a palaver, especially since we have to remove our shoes. Not being frequent fliers, Tessa and I had not encountered this form of inconvenience before. I must remember to wear slip-ons next time. Just under two hours to departure, so time for a good breakfast.

08:50
Takeoff on time for Prague. We later learn that the second flight was delayed by two hours.

11:45 CEST
Touchdown in Prague after an uneventful flight. A little turbulence on the way down. In fact we hit quite a deep air pocket – at least that's how it feels. We meet Eleanor and Eva, two lovely ladies who will be our couriers for the weekend. After buying tickets that cover the bus, tram and metro (underground) networks, we discover that Prague's transport system is pretty cheap, but you must remember to validate your ticket: the penalty fare is about 1,600 Czech crowns or ć40.

13:15
We arrive at our hotel, part of the Swiss-owned Mövenpick chain of international hotels. It's an off-putting pink-coloured building, but inside there's plenty of wood panelling. We freshen up, unpack a little, and head for the executive terrace for lunch. It's on top of a hill reached by a cable car from the hotel ground floor. After a leisurely lunch, where we start as we mean to go on with the beer and wine, we decide to explore. Tessa and I join a group heading for Prague Castle. This is one of the most famous sites in the city and is the largest medieval castle complex in Europe, a strange mixture of palaces, church buildings and fortifications whose history goes back to the 9th century.

Following a ride on the Metro, we finally get to the castle after a pretty taxing climb up a hill – taxing because the temperature is at least 30 °C (at least it feels that hot). We wander round the complex with its beautiful gardens and visit St Vitus' Cathedral, a stunning Gothic building, but give the museum a miss in favour of a café selling delicious ice creams. Then it's back down the hill. We find a tram this time but overshoot our stop. Oh well, more walking.

19:30
We finally arrive back at the hotel following our excursion to find that the people on the second flight have only just arrived after a long delay at Heathrow. Having recovered briefly in our rooms, we repair to the executive terrace for a pleasantly convivial dinner. The service is rather slow. Unfortunately, working out the bill is even slower and requires a deep understanding of higher mathematics. Luckily, though, Chris Watts is on the case. After a nightcap or two in the bar above the executive terrace, we finally toddle off to bed.

Saturday 28 July

08.00
Down to breakfast and it's bedlam. The Japanese are in town and my brain can't take the noise. Somehow we get our breakfast and return to our room for our music and concert clothes. In the lift, a Japanese lady who is leaving the hotel that day gives Tessa a fan. Very kind, if a little strange.

09:00
We assemble on our coaches for a long drive to Hejnice, a small town about 100 kilometres north of Prague, in the Liberec region of the country, near the Czech borders with both Poland and Germany. After a comfort stop we arrive at Hejnice about 11:45 and have a look around prior to rehearsal.

13:00
The rehearsal goes pretty well, although a fierce rain shower discourages us from venturing out immediately after it. We are able to enjoy lunch in the church cloisters, though – delicious baguettes, soft drinks, etc.

15:30
Our concert takes place in the beautiful Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin of Hejnice, part of a magnificent complex built on the site of a wooden church dating back to the 13th century. It has been a place of pilgrimage for about 800 years. The original church was rebuilt and expanded in 1472 and a Franciscan monastery was added in the 17th century. The cathedral-like church in which we are singing dates from the 18th century and is famous for the linden-wood sculpture of the Madonna and Child of about 1380 that graces the altar. The monastery is now the seat of an International Centre for Spiritual Rehabilitation. The concert is very well attended; people are even queuing up in the rain. Unfortunately, because of a mixup in the publicity posters, they all think we are singing the Brahms Requiem. Once they're inside, a lady announces what we are actually going to be singing. Thankfully, there is no mass exodus of disgruntled concertgoers.

The performance goes very well, in spite of a boomy acoustic. Our soloists for the trip are the ones we had in London: Martene Grimson, a brilliant young Australian soprano, who will be singing in an opera in Amsterdam after she leaves us on Monday; alto Sophie Mansell, who with her husband, bass Nigel Williams, forms a dependable team that GCU has used severeal times now; and tenor Jon English, another old friend of the choir. Since the Schubert Mass in E flat requires a second tenor for one movement, your humble Webmaster is drafted in to fill the bill. All the soloists receive bouquets of gerberas, including me. Afterwards we are treated to a fantastic meal of pork, potatoes and salad. They even manage some birthday cake to celebrate the birthdays of three of our members. We bid a fond farewell to Hejnice at about 18:00.

21:00
We arrive back at our hotel in Prague and after dumping our music and concert clothes we head for a drink. No room in the top bar we used last night, so some of us repair to the one on the ground floor. Eventually, after much booze and conviviality, it's time for bed.

Sunday 29 July

09:00
The Japanese have gone, so breakfast is a much more tranquil affair. The choir is not required for rehearsal until 16:30, so we have a free morning in Prague and don't have to return to the hotel until 15:45 for transfer by coach to our second concert venue. Tessa and I join a little group that includes GCU chair David Hayes. David, a retired town planner, is also an excellent tour guide, a natural and complete enthusiast: "Always look up the buildings," he tells us. So off we troop under his leadership for a fascinating walk around the Old Town. Having been captured quickly in 1939, Prague, we learn, largely escaped the ravages of World War II and still retains many of its baroque and 18th-century buildings. We take in many sights, from the astrological clock at the Old Town Hall and the burial place of Tycho Brahe at Týn Church to St Nicolas' Church, in the Old Town Square, where Mozart played the organ when he was in Prague staging Don Giovanni in 1787. We take lunch in a Czech restaurant where we scandalise David by ordering fish and chips.

14:30
We return to the hotel by tram and get ready to be driven to the Church of St Simon and St Jude. The transfer takes place on time and we find ourselves inside the great baroque-style building reconstructed in the 18th century on the site of an earlier church. It's now used for concert performances by the Prague Symphony Orchestra, but chamber concerts are also given there. Mozart is said to have played the organ here too. The acoustic was extremely responsive from our point of view, but Brian Wright confessed himself deafened by both us and the piano. He used the rehearsal just to top and tail and we had about an hour afterwards to get ready for the concert.

19:00
Our second and final concert in the Czech Republic takes place at the Church of St Simon and St Jude. Again the venue is gratifyingly packed. We all respond to the generous acoustic and both Ständchen and Gott ist mein Hirt go much better than yesterday. The Brahms Liebeslieder waltzes are a little over-characterized for my taste, but the E flat Mass is marvellous. The "Cum sancto spiritu" fugue gets special applause, as it did in Hejnice. Brian is clearly delighted with the way things have gone. The soloists and I get only one gerbera this time. I donate all my flowers to the hotel chambermaid.

21:30
Our farewell dinner. We embark on a boat that takes us on a little cruise down the River Vltava. We enjoy a handsome buffet and again the beer and wine flows freely. David and Brian make good speeches and we toast the choir. Goldsmiths Choral Union, seventy-five years young this year and still producing great performances. It's a great choir to be part of. Off the boat at the end of the lavish dinner and onto the coach. On ours there is some unseemly singing: as we pass Wenceslas Square, the strains of a certain Christmas carol ring out in four-part harmony. Honestly, there are some people you just can't take anywhere! Back to the hotel and just time for some more alcohol and chat. We finally head for our room and are in bed by 01:30. How abstemious!

Monday 30 July

10:00
Packed, breakfasted and ready to leave, those of us who came out to Prague on the first flight last Friday are on the first flight home. We assemble on the coach for the transfer to Prague airport, saying goodbye to the second-flight people and hoping that their return is smoother than their outward trip (we later learn that it too is trouble-free). So-long to the pink Mövenpick hotel.

12:40 CEST
Our check-in and security check have gone smoothly, and the BA flight is on schedule. Nahledanou, Praha – Goodbye, Prague.

13:45 BST
Here we are back in the UK. Now, where's that taxi we ordered?

For more photographs of our Czech visit, have a look at Dan Berney and Scott Pollock's photos on the Google Picasa Web Albums site.