Sounds of "Music" in a quaint Bavarian Village.

Obidiah makes new "friends" in Wenatchee

Tuesday, 28 August.  Our first full day in the Wenatchee Valley, the self-proclaimed “Apple Capital of the World” because of the many apple – and other fruit – orchards throughout the valley.  The city of Wenatchee (population about 32,000 metro is a little over 111,000)  is located at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers near the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mts and sits at the core of an outdoors paradise.  The Valley is blessed with four distinct seasons and each offers a variety of different adventures.  This area boasts some of the most magnificent and spectacular views of the surrounding mountains (close to 8,000-ft) and both rivers.  The Wenatchee River flows out of the Cascade Mts and is well-known for its many rapids, some reaching Class 5, meaning guaranteed thrills. 

In addition to its apple reputation, the Valley is also home to some great wineries (more on those in later blogs, because we’ve still yet to begin our wine tasting adventures in this area). A couple facts about this area before moving on to a recounting of today’s activities.  Wenatchee is listed by AARP as one of the best small cities to retire in and the National Geographic’s Adventure magazine lists this area as one of the 50 most desirable places to which to live and play.  The city ranked 4^th among the “Safest and Secure” small cities in the USA to live and the Ladies Home Journal ranked it as the 5^th greenest city in America to live.  Not too shabby.

We spent much of today in a leisurely visit with Lynette’s folks, Glenn & Glenna, who have lived in Wenatchee for a number of years.  We sat outdoors on their patio in some wonderful weather, catching up on what’s been going on with Lynette’s family as well as news about the Wenatchee Valley in general.  However, the real treat of the day was yet to come. Thanks to the generosity of Lynette’s folks, we were treated to a summer stock offering of “The Sound of Music” in what I have to describe as an almost perfect setting for this classic musical, the outskirts of the quaint, and very charming Bavarian village of Leavenworth .  This small mountain village, set along the rocky gorges of the Wenatchee River, was chosen by the Travel Channel as the ultimate holiday town and the Most Christmassy Place in America.

This world-renown mountain village is well-known for its year-round festival schedule, and tonight’s production of “The Sound of Music” by the Leavenworth Summer Theater was simply wonderful, almost magical.  The production was presented on the side of the town’s old ski slope, now converted into an outdoor theater.  I mentioned the “perfect” sitting for this musical, and outside of somewhere in the Bavarian Alps, the setting for tonight’s “Music” was certainly magical.  The entire performance – from the actors/singers, orchestra, set production, lighting, sound – was simply enchanting.  And the weather, while chilly as the evening grew late (we were all glad we had brought coats and blankets), graciously added to the overall charm of “Music.”  The moon seemed to come and go thru a mist of clouds that gave a bluish glow to the whole sky.  Magical, enchanting just don’t seem to entirely describe the whole captivating experience of this delightful evening, sitting on the side of a mountain listening to the wonderful words and music of “My Favorite Things,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “Do, Re, Mi,” “Climb Every Mountain,” and of course, “Edelweiss.”  An almost fairy-tale like experience to end our first full day in this beautiful part of Washington State.  Thanks, ever so much, Glenn & Glenna!

And guess what: we get to do it again tonight!  We have tickets (again thanks to Lynette’s folks) to see another production by the Leavenworth Summer Theater, “Annie Get Your Gun.”  We can’t wait.  Tonight’s performance will be at a different location in the Leavenworth area, so watch for details on future blogs.  Lynette & I are treating her folks to dinner at one of Leavenworth’s many fine Bavarian restaurants.  Wonder if there’s a schnitzel in my future tonight?   Why, I do believe there is!