Happy Fourth of July!

I've never not been in the U.S. for the fourth of July before. The first time I went to opera camp (years ago), I was in San Francisco. I watched fireworks in a parking lot with other students in that program from the roof of a van, and I think we made hot dogs in someone's apartment.

That was fun.

But so was tonight. For the fourth, the American students (not me, but the others who did the full program) performed a show at the Alta Mensa, a club in Freiberg. It was a version of Mozart's Schauspieldirecktor with other music added (so more of them could perform). It was a lot of fun.

It may have been even more fun because I had a beer. I've finally found out what kind of beer I generally like: wheat beer. And at the Alta Mensa, they serve one--the Meisler Weisse. Fortunately, I like it. And it's only two euros and ten cents (today, that's about $2.70) for a large glass. I think it's a pint, actually...

Have I mentioned that beer is actually cheaper than water here? Don't worry; I'm not going to become a drunk. But the weisse beer is good. The show may have been a little better with it, too.

But after that I was tired, so I came back to the hotel. It doesn't feel like the fourth of July at all...no one is shooting fireworks right now. Fortunately, I did see a few of the fireworks when I got here on Sunday for the end of the Bergstadfest. So two years ago, I returned to America just in time for the fourth of July fireworks. And this week, I got here just in time to see them after the Bergstadfest.

Or maybe whenever I enter a country, they shoot fireworks. After all, I am Opera Girl.