Confirmation arrived this evening that we are to attend the Vatican and a service with The Pope. It is likely we will be seated in the front row and may have an opportunity to speak with the Holy Father and ask for prayers for Madeleine. This is a hugely important visit both personally,for Kate and I, but also for the wider campaign to publicise Madeleine’s disappearance. The trip has been facilitated through Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and we will be receiving assistance from the British Embassy whilst in Rome. On this occasion because of the short notice and the relatively early time of the service we have accepted the kind offer of the use of Sir Philip Green’s personal jet,  which will help get us home quickly after our Papal visit to see the twins before their bedtime. We will be accompanied by a small group of media who are still with us in Praia da Luz and, as usua,l all the material will be available to all the British press and broadcasters equally. For all trips we are assessing whether commercial flights can get us to our destination and back to Portugal quickly. This will NOT be a Tour- it is a series of very brief visits with the specific aim of raising awareness and we aim to get back here as quickly as possible.

We have decided that for the majority of trips it will not be practicable, or fair, to take Sean and Amelie with us. They have an established routine which we do not want to disrupt and will be looked after by very close family. Tonight for the first time they have gone to sleep in their own single beds, rather than cots, now that another two of our family have gone home. We were planning to turn their cots at home into beds after our 1 week holiday but obviously this has been delayed with Madeleine’s abduction. We have been in Praia da Luz for over 4 weeks and Sean and Amelie’s development from toddlers to litlle boy and girl continues. Madeleine will really notice the difference when she sees them!

Some of you may have seen on the news the huge inflatable billboard which has travelled all the way from the West of Scotland to Portugal which will be used near busy roads/motorways to keep Madeleine’s disappearance high profile. We had a brief chat with Chris and Les, who drove almost non-stop from Glasgow to get here. The extraordinary length ordinary people are going to to help us is truly overwhelming. We thank everyone for their efforts, no matter how small, and we know this will make a difference in our search for Madeleine.

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Day to day life for the McCann's

Usually there’s some free time then for a few stories or games with the twins before heading out.

9.00-9.15 We take Sean and Amelie to Kids’ Club. They really enjoy it and run in. They know the staff well and the staff are all excellent.  Both love the domestic corner and Amelie particularly likes to look after ‘babies’. We use the kids club a bit like nursery at home but we think Sean and Amelie still think they are on holiday!

 

9.30~12.15. We return to the apartments, usually for a series of meetings with our press officer, Mark Warner Reps, occasionally Consulate staff, lawyers and British Liaison officers. During this time we catch up with family and close friends, usually by telephone and discuss ideas how to keep Madeleine’s profile high especially throughout continental Europe.

 

12.30 Time to pick up Sean and Amelie from Kids’ club then head back to apartment for lunch, which has usually been prepared by one of our family/friends group who have been tremendously supportive.

 

13.30 –14.30 This is time to spend time playing with the twins either in the apartment or in the play area next to kids club.

 

14.30-15.00 Usually we take the twins back to Kids’ Club although Sean has had the odd afternoon in the apartment as it’s a bit cooler and he’s not much of a sun worshipper! They have been taking part in many different activities including painting, singing, stories, swimming, trips to the beach and they have lots of toys to play with.

 

15.00~17.00 We try to get some time together alone, going for a walk to talk things over or getting some exercise. This is often the time for quiet trips to the church for prayers.

 

17.00-17.30 Meet kids for high tea with other mums and dads. They love pasta and have been doing really well with their vegetables although a few chips have been squeezed in.

 

17.30-18.30. Games with kids at play area. Amelie loves trying to get in the baby pool!

 

18.30-19.30 Bath and story time with the twins.

 

20.00 We put the kids to bed.
 
20.30-23.00 We try to sit down for a family meal, again usually cooked by one of the small family group out here with us. Chat about the day’s events and plan the next day

 

23.30 bed and prayer for Madeleine that she will be returned to us safely ASAP.

In addition to above we try to attend various church services during the week, and make multiple phone calls to family and friends. We try to watch the main news early morning and late evening but have had almost no time to read the newspapers or even look at the pictures!
  
Kate is a keen runner and in the last few days has tried to include a run in the daily routine.  Yesterday (Sat) at 7am we ran to the monument at the top of the steep cliff overlooking Praia de Luz.  We reached it in 19 minutes.

 

                                          Maria João Pires

A pianista Maria João Pires nasceu em Lisboa e tocou pela primeira vez em público aos 4 anos de idade. Aos 5 deu o seu primeiro recital e dois anos mais tarde interpretava já concertos de Mozart em público. Entre 1953 e 1960, Maria João Pires estudou no Conservatório Nacional de Lisboa com o professor Campos Coelho, tendo frequentado também os cursos de Composição, Teoria e História da Música com Francine Benoît. Os seus estudos prosseguiram na Alemanha, primeiramente na Academia de Música de Munique, com Rosi Schmid, e depois em Hanôver, com Karl Engel.

O reconhecimento internacional de Maria João Pires teve lugar depois da intérprete obter o Primeiro Prémio do Concurso do Bicentenário de Beethoven, em 1970. As suas estreias em Londres (1986) e Nova Iorque (1989) foram largamente aclamadas pela imprensa. Em 1987, apresentou-se em Hamburgo, Paris e Amsterdão, por ocasião da digressão inaugural da Orquestra Juvenil Gustav Mahler, sob a direcção de Claudio Abbado.

Maria João Pires apresenta-se regularmente na Europa, Canadá, Japão, Israel e nos Estados Unidos. Fez a sua estreia no Festival de Salzburgo em 1990, com a Orquestra Filarmónica de Viena e Claudio Abbado. Em 1996 apresentou-se em Salzburgo, Ludwigsburg e Lucerna, acompanhada pela Orquestra do Royal Concertgebouw, sob a direcção de Riccardo Chailly.

A par com a sua carreira de recital e concerto, Maria João Pires desenvolve uma intensa actividade no domínio da música de câmara. Desde 1989, tem vindo a privilegiar a sua colaboração com o violinista francês Augustin Dumay, na companhia do qual realizou a sua estreia em Londres. Os dois artistas apresentaram-se igualmente em Espanha, na Holanda, na Bélgica, na Suíça e, sobretudo, em França. O duo prosseguiu entretanto a sua actividade, realizando recitais no Japão, em 1992 e em 1994, ano em que Maria João Pires se apresentou também com a Orquestra Nacional de Lyon. Após uma digressão a solo pela Europa, Maria João Pires estabeleceu, de novo, parceria com Augustin Dumay, tendo em vista a realização de concertos na Alemanha, na Jugoslávia e na Bélgica, no final de 1997.