KALININGRAD

In the summer of 2001 we travelled through the Baltic States. Under Dik's guidance, we visited Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These countries became independent after and due to Perestroika. We also visited Kaliningrad, former Köningsbergen. Kaliningrad is still Russian.
As every tourist, we visited the Cathedral. This cathedral was badly damaged in world war two, and although restoration had no priority during the Soviet regime, the largest part has now been restored. We were invited into a small side-chapel, for the choir was going to sing for us.
Six Russians came in and sang as if an ‘angel’ choir had descended from the heavens. Afterwards their CD's were on sale and of course we all bought them most enthusiastically.
Having returned home, Dik contacted the choir (easy using e-mail) and invited them for a tour of a week in the Netherlands. The tour was a great success and thus Dik became the manager of the choir. Links became even stronger. Dik fell in love with the conductor Elena, they got engaged and in September 2004 they married in Kaliningrad.
Dik - the man with the hat- became a prominent figure in Kaliningrad. He was invited to become a member of the Lions club there.
This spring, Dik represented Kaliningrad at a European congress in Sweden. ! A Dutchman behind a Russian flag !
International cooperation can arise in many ways.
Important events and contacts will be mentioned on this website.

How things are developing with the choir, can be found on their own website