After a long journey, Executive Director Dan Hart, Music Director JoAnn Falletta and husband Robert Alemany, and Poland Tour Ambassador Cindy Abbott Letro arrived in Krakow. They met several members of the wind octet there on Tuesday, and shared dinner and happy hour. Today was a free day in Krakow. Unfortunately, it was also a rainy day in Krakow, but Dan and JoAnn still got out and experienced the city.
 JoAnn Falletta peers out of “Eros Bound,” a statue gifted to the City of Krakow by Mitoraj. It’s become an icon! |
 Executive Director Dan Hart sports his new BPO fleece in Old Town, Krakow. |
 A refuge from the rain: inside a shopping arcade in Krakow. |
 Old Town, Krakow. |
Meanwhile, our instruments, music and wardrobe trunks continue their journey. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Customs cleared everything for export. Our trunks landed in Liege, Belgium, the nearest cargo airport to our destination. Stagehands Charlie Gill and Sean Avery met them there, and will continue on with them to Wroclaw — a ten-hour road trip!
 All of our trunks are unrecognizable in the cargo hold of the plane. |
 Loading our pallets onto the cargo plane bound for Liege from JFK Airport. |
 “I went to Belgium and all I got to see was this runway.” Stagehand Charlie Gill at the cargo airport in Liege. |
 Giuliano Miranda with Agility Logistics worked incredibly hard on our behalf these past two days. He’s going to accompany us on the tour, and do it all again at the end. Thank you, Giuliano! |
 Everything has passed customs inspection and is good to go! |
 The most beautiful word in the English language: CLEARED. |
Tonight, our musicians are putting the final touches on their bags, doing one last load of laundry, revising the instructions for the pet-sitter and saying a temporary farewell to all of their friends and family. Their own journey begins tomorrow afternoon. Keep checking in — we’re just getting started!