Parting Shots France

Twelve days, seven hotels, six busses (!), and two flights later we are all safely back in Galveston. All but one bag made the return trip home, but Sarah had her last piece of luggage delivered yesterday. Everyone was concerned about the events at Orly Saturday morning--Amanda's group departed the airport at 7:30 and they shut down from 8:30 to 1 PM for an investigation into the shooting of someone who attacked a guard. Fortunately, we were already in London when the news broke.


A lot of travelers took great pictures on the trip. Below is a link to my pictures--most importantly the group pictures which not a lot of students may have. We have submitted the best to the yearbook, but feel free (students) to send Ms. Rekoff a select few if you want them added to our page.


We will post the video as soon as it is edited and will send out information about registration for next year's trip in April.  Until then, enjoy the photos!

Visit the site at: https://springbreaktravelhs.shutterfly.com/
Enter this site password: europe2017

 

 

France Final Day

"I have been to France."
"I have been to Paris!"
"I've been to the French Riviera."
"I went to Normandy once..."
"I have been to Provence."
"I have been to Avignon."
"I've been to the Loire Valley and Chenonceau."

Any one of these statements would be impressive in and of itself. A conversation starter-a point of connection with someone-a counter to perceived stereotypes, maybe. Our travelers now claim all of the above. It's a lot to take in. We are all grateful for the trip, for our guides Magali and Christophe, and for the unprecedented sunny weather we enjoyed this past week. We hope this is a spark, the ignition of a flame inside these young people to travel, to explore, and to meet new people.

(Spoiler Alert!) For Spring Break 2018, the new people they meet will be from JAPAN!! 🇯🇵

France Day 11

Pont-du-Hoc: 225 Rangers scaled the cliffs to take out German guns trained upon both Utah and Omaha Beaches on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Troops had to scale the cliffs using grappling hooks and ladders fired from the boats they were landing in. Due to poor weather and a mistake in navigation, they arrived after sunrise and the element of surprise was lost. Only 90 men were still fighting after 2 days. Deep pits remain where a naval bombardment provided cover. This was our first stop of the morning.
Vierville-village of our guide and west end of Omaha Beach-the draw they advanced upon in Saving Private Ryan is one of only two points of entry to Omaha Beach today. Students walked out onto the sands and then approached the hills, reflecting upon the same view G.I. Joes had when they came ashore.
Our third stop was the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-mer where over 10,000 fallen Americans are interred. Several of us were brought to tears as individual stories of our national heroes were told at the memorial museum also on the grounds. Beside one of the tombstones to an unknown soldier we planted an American flag and had a moment of silence.

Lunch will be in Bayeux and dinner in Paris. Students will see the Cathedral of Notre Dame one final time. They will breathe in the air of France and spend their last euros. It will end abruptly, and although they miss home, there will be a tinge of sadness to leave behind so rich an experience. Weeks and months from now memories will resurface...France will always be a part of our collective conscience.

France Day 10

Christophe showed the documentary 'Sacrifice' this morning to set the tone for entering Normandy. Our first stop was at the Caen Memorial and museum. It's difficult to describe what mood this type of experience elicits from students. It is highly educational. It is also somber, serious, and surreal. Did this really happen? Were the atrocities really that widespread? They were particularly struck by the sacrifices made by so many young people. There were several student groups touring the museum at the same time, an international mix of learners and guides all watching, reading, and hopefully learning.

Many technical marvels enabled the D-Day invasion, including the floating bridges designed by the British to offload heavy artillery, additional troops, and supplies after an initial beachhead was established. It was foggy, but we stopped at Arromanches to view the remains of the temporary structure which a storm eventually destroyed.

We have now retired to our hotel in Grandcamp-Maisy. There is another EF group here--they are hard to miss in their pink EF bus! No elevators hasn't dampened the students' enthusiasm...it is easy to tell they are excited that home is only two days away. Some of them are homesick, others "pet"sick, and others are already asking how much it costs if your bag is over the weight limit on the return flight! In an ironic twist of fate, our final hotel may find more shampoo in the bathrooms after we leave rather than less. 😀

France Day 9

The weather has continued to show us favor. Students had a local guide show them the architecture and history of Paris this morning on a bus tour. Both groups had terrific guides who were almost as 'punny' as myself. Next, we spent a couple of hours touring the Louvre, the largest and arguably most significant museum in the world. Everyone saw the Mona Lisa (La Jaconde to the French), Greek statue of victory, and the Venus de Milo. (And did you know that in addition to democracy, the Greeks also invented the 'selfie'? See 1st century statue below...)

Afterwards, the group split: some wanted to go shopping and others took a guided walking tour to Notre Dame Cathedral. We reconnected at dinner before taking the metro to Montmartre. Here students bought souvenirs, photographed the Sacre Couer, and enthralled themselves with the sight of Paris at night. They listened to live musicians perform in the cafes while artists sketched caricatures. It was the quintessential way to end our time in Paris.

France Day 8

Chartres Cathedral, one of the most breathtaking in the world, has been largely untouched by pollution or war due to its location far outside industrial centers. Pilgrims visit to see remains of the Virgin Mary's scarf. The green rooftop is made of lead.

After Chartres we drove to the golden gates of Versailles and donned Whisper headsets for a guided tour. The former palace was crowded with tourists from around the globe eager to see the splendor and decadence that has inspired so many architects worldwide. Washington, D.C., for instance, was designed by a man born in Versailles. It's opulence and grandeur are still remarkable.

We weren't finished. Students cheered to see the Eiffel Tower rising in the distance and were thrilled when we dropped them off at the base. Students paid 5€ to climb 670 steps to the 2nd-level observation deck and took selfies galore. The weather was perfect and the light of the setting sun accentuated the city below. Our only hiccup was not realizing that the stairway down closed at a certain time and long ques developed for the single elevator in operation. It took more than an hour to get everyone down.

Tomorrow we will see more of Paris, ride the metro, and give students time to shop for souvenirs. Only three full days left to soak in France! (The candy pictured below is France's version of Sour Patch kids.)

France Day 7

Too many flat irons connected caused a breaker to blow this morning at the hotel. Not a big deal unless four girls are sharing a room scurrying to prepare for departure or you are in the shower. These are the times that make group travel so exciting!

Christophe told us about the rose bushes planted at the end of each row in the vineyards. They are used as a "canary in the mines." Diseases will impact the rose bush two weeks before infecting the rest of the fields.

Also today, students toured Leonardo da Vinci's final home and museum while the adults toured a winery. It was an excellent STEM connection! Alyssa won 15€ in the French lottery during lunch, and with that luck and no rain in the forecast we drove to Chenonceau, one of the beautiful chateaux outside Amboise. Students took great pictures and played hide-and-seek in the garden labyrinth.
Back in Amboise, we toured the royal chateau with our local guide-definitely an educational treat!

Dinner was another unique experience--we ate in a troglodyte cave that once was used to hide munitions for the French Resistance. The menu consisted of sausage, potatoes, and a special pork paste on the bread that was ground in the consistency of tuna. The students pictured below at the special restaurant are from Houston's YesPrep charter school and have been with us all week.

Tomorrow we have an early departure for Versailles and then Paris. It is 11 pm here and I don't hear a sound from any of the other rooms. Having this much fun is exhausting! Till tomorrow...

France Day 6

It is hard to believe that after today we will have completed only half our tour. We have seen and heard so much and there is much more yet to experience. For example, today we learned the decidedly French origins of the middle finger. (It supposedly has to do with archery and war with the English.)
We passed through Clermont, home to Michelin tires. The owner was also responsible for the restaurant rating guide begun in the early 20th century to assist his truck drivers in finding quality dining. There is a black cathedral there constructed out of lava rock from the nearby volcanoes.
Our train transport to the top of the extinct volcano was COLD! There was a blowing fog enveloping the peak and clumps of snow decorated the observation deck. The brave hiked 1 1/2 hours to the base.
The two groups had to be split tonight between different hotels. Laurent, driver of Bus #1, earned every bit of his tip navigating narrow one-way streets and a parking lot designed for Volkswagens!

France Day 5

Avignon was a lovely city to visit--historical significance combined with modern elegance. The Pope's Palace was a fortress and residence for nine popes in the 13th and 14th centuries. Students explored multiple levels of the stone edifice and saw views of the city from the upper turrets. Lunch was another opportunity to experience French delicacies, including freshly made crepes with Nutella. Who knew if you have nut allergies you shouldn't eat something called "nut"ella. Fortunately, pharmacies with green neon blinking signs are easy to find and Benadryl is an international brand.

Lyon was a three-hour drive north. Each 'road trip' has been another chance to purchase Orangina, Milka chocolate, and French McDonald's!

Lyon is famous for silk and French gastronomy. Bouchons are the dining establishments home to many renowned chefs. (i.e. Lyonnaise) Because this is central France, many distinctive tastes come together here. (Now we understand why McDonald's is so popular! ;)

Dinner was at Flam's, a German-style pizza. The picture below shows their "veggie" option.

The music video is also taking shape--but that will have to wait until after we return. And a final note: McDonalds in France is not really 'fast' food in Europe...Au revoir!

France Day Four

Our morning began with a transfer to Nimes pronounced "NEEM"; no 's' sound at the end. This is also true of Cannes ("CAN") and Tours ("TOUR") making us wonder why you place an s at the end...but the French assure us that even the writing of their language is more art than reason...we must accept their answer because who can argue with the word for water, eau, pronounced like the long vowel "O". Beautiful, perhaps, but not economical.

Nimes is home to the most well-preserved Roman amphitheater outside Italy. At its height it could seat almost 30,000 and it still hosts occasional bullfighting today. Students lunched in outdoor cafes and enjoyed having more than 30 minutes to gulp down their food. The pace of life is relaxed here in southern France, an attitude those from Galveston particularly appreciate. Next stop is the Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct which once carried fresh water into the city of Nimes. As an engineering marvel it rivals the amphitheater: only 1 inch slope across the entire bridge and no water pumps!

Tonight's dinner was fantastic. See below the picture from the quaint dining room. Magnifique!

France Day 3

Tourists are attracted to the French Riviera because of the natural beauty and climate. Our first stop at the 13th-century village of Eze also showed us the charm that is southern France. Most students took a photo in front of a quaint flower shop. We also toured the perfume factory of Fragonard and learned the process used to create more than 300 fragrances. Students now know the primary difference between eau de toilet and genuine perfume: price!

Several hairpin turns later (4 students needed doggy bags) we arrived at the seaside principality of Monaco. We were just in time to see the changing of the guard and then everyone was free to grab lunch. We headed next to Nice for a walking tour. The travelers had time to shop and eat one of one hundred flavors of ice cream at the popular Fenocchios. Dinner was also in Nice and one of the busses experienced a French supermarket called Casino. (City halls are called hotels. It can be a little confusing!) The students are doing a great job of taking lots of pictures...we can only hope some of the photos make it home and do not all end up on Snapchat! Bonne nuit!

France Day 1-2: London Layover

The flight across the Atlantic was smooth...one student remarked, "This is so cool!" I thought to myself, "If in-flight entertainment gets you stoked, just wait..." We have already lost three boarding passes, had luggage break, met Reba McEntire, and seen students eat a full plate of Chinese food before devouring the airplane fare. I'm worried I didn't suggest a large enough food allowance for some of the kids! We are at Heathrow grabbing lunch and passing the time till they announce our gate assignment. The temperature is 10 Celsius which means no one really knows exactly how cold it is.

Due to the air traffic controllers strike in southern France, our second flight had to be rerouted towards the German border and Italy so we could maintain contact with the ground for the duration of the trip. Viva la France!

Everyone's baggage arrived safely and we drove directly to Cannes where we will be spending the next two nights. Students saw a lot of small European cars on the road and now they understand: gasoline is $7 a gallon and it costs $1800 (US) to take the driving certification course. (at age 18) Jet lag is hitting everyone full force as we finish our first full day of travel and arrival. Till tomorrow!