 The tour's first stop was Madrid, Spain, where participants
visited the Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Royal Palace and the Prado
Museum. The group spent a special afternoon enjoying a traditional
flamenco show at the Corral de la Morería.While
in Spain, they also visited El Escorial and Segovia in the Castilian
countryside. The first stop was the beautiful medieval city of
Segovia, where the highlight of a walking tour was a visit to the
14th-century Alcázar fortress. Next was a visit to the legendary
monastery of El Escorial. In addition, the group had a guided tour
of the city of Toledo, which included visits to the Toledo
Cathedral, the Church of Santo Tomé and a synagogue.
The travelers then had the opportunity to experience a night
train when they boarded the Elipsos train from Madrid to Paris.
Arriving in Paris, the group had a walking tour as a short
introduction to the city. While in Paris, they also had guided tours
including the Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe, Place du
Trocadero, Palais de Justice and much more. The whole group enjoyed
a half-day guided tour of the palace of Versailles with its
magnificent gardens and also had extended visits to Notre Dame and
the Louvre.
In addition, there was free time for the travelers to experience
Paris on their own. Some chose to visit Montmartre and the Sacre
Coeur, while others chose to travel to the top of the Eiffel Tower
or visit the Père-Lachaise cemetery or Pompidou Center. Of course,
some made time for visiting the countless shops in Paris. They also
learned how to confidently use the Parisian Metro system. The
highlight of the Parisian trip was a Paris-by-night cruise down the
Seine River.
[to top of second column] |
In both Spain and France, students and parents had the
opportunity to taste traditional foods of Spain and France,
including tapas, paella, Spanish tortillas, French pastries and
flammekuche.
Students also had the opportunity to use their Spanish and French
language skills as they communicated with the locals.
"What was interesting to see was French students learning a
little Spanish and Spanish students speaking a little French," said
Aimee Ellis, the LCHS French teacher who planned and led the trip.
"Overall, students and parents had an amazing educational
experience enjoying the cultures of two amazing countries," Ellis
said.
Plans for the next trip in 2014 are already in the works.
[Text from file received from Aimee Ellis]
 |
