Monday, July 16, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Leaving Vienna
Well our time in Vienna and Europe has come to a close for this summer. After a long and varied day, starting with a tour of the Hofburg and the Sisi Museum, followed by a short visit to the Spanish Riding School and then a tour of Vienna's underground as seen in the movie "The Third Man" (which we watched last night) we put the finishing touches on our time here. Jasmin, the program coordinator, found an excellent restaurant on the other side of the Danube to end the trip and we had excellent Middle Eastern food with a wonderful chocolate dessert and ice cream, sending us off to pack with a full stomach.
I hope that all the students stay in touch and that all will return to Central Europe sometime in the future. Thanks for an excellent trip! When I get back to the US and onto my regular computer I will post all my photos here from the past week. Thank you again for offering your students the wonderful opportunity to travel to Europe and meet such a great group of students.
Stay in touch!
Jeanne and Jasmin
I hope that all the students stay in touch and that all will return to Central Europe sometime in the future. Thanks for an excellent trip! When I get back to the US and onto my regular computer I will post all my photos here from the past week. Thank you again for offering your students the wonderful opportunity to travel to Europe and meet such a great group of students.
Stay in touch!
Jeanne and Jasmin
Vienna Update
Guten Tag from Vienna!
We have been here four days now and our trip is almost over. The time flew by and we have been super busy, hence the lack of posts here!
How to summarize our myriad adventures: we went to many sites related to the Hapsburg family from the Kunsthistorisches museum (the Louvre of Vienna) to their summer residence called Schonbrunn with a zillion beautiful white and gold Rococco rooms to wander through. On Wednesday we went to Slovakia to visit Bratislava, a town about an hour from Vienna, which has not quite made itself ready for tourists after their "Velvet Divorce" from Czechoslovakia in 1993 and the ending of the communist era in 1989. Perhaps one day it will be as splendid as Prague as it certainly has the ability to do so.
Yesterday we had a special tour of the Theater an der Wien, one of the oldest theaters in Vienna, and some of us visited Sigmund Freud's house as well. Later in the afternoon, we had a "breather" from history and visited the Vienna zoo, one of the oldest in Europe, and with three special Pandas, one baby Panda to awe at. A great break!
An excellent addition to the program has been the cooking aspect. Here in Vienna we have been staying at a hotel that is more of mini apartments with a two-burner stove, a microwave, and frig, and small kitchen. Students have, in small groups, cooked together, a sort of progressive dinner for the past two nights and we've had excellent excellent meals. One of our students will definitely be a pro chef in the future, Mason Awe, and last night he made gumbo from scratch. Delicious delicious!
Okay we are off on our last day's adventure here. More tonight. I am having trouble posting pictures from my IPAD here but I will try to find a regular computer and post more soon!
We have been here four days now and our trip is almost over. The time flew by and we have been super busy, hence the lack of posts here!
How to summarize our myriad adventures: we went to many sites related to the Hapsburg family from the Kunsthistorisches museum (the Louvre of Vienna) to their summer residence called Schonbrunn with a zillion beautiful white and gold Rococco rooms to wander through. On Wednesday we went to Slovakia to visit Bratislava, a town about an hour from Vienna, which has not quite made itself ready for tourists after their "Velvet Divorce" from Czechoslovakia in 1993 and the ending of the communist era in 1989. Perhaps one day it will be as splendid as Prague as it certainly has the ability to do so.
Yesterday we had a special tour of the Theater an der Wien, one of the oldest theaters in Vienna, and some of us visited Sigmund Freud's house as well. Later in the afternoon, we had a "breather" from history and visited the Vienna zoo, one of the oldest in Europe, and with three special Pandas, one baby Panda to awe at. A great break!
An excellent addition to the program has been the cooking aspect. Here in Vienna we have been staying at a hotel that is more of mini apartments with a two-burner stove, a microwave, and frig, and small kitchen. Students have, in small groups, cooked together, a sort of progressive dinner for the past two nights and we've had excellent excellent meals. One of our students will definitely be a pro chef in the future, Mason Awe, and last night he made gumbo from scratch. Delicious delicious!
Okay we are off on our last day's adventure here. More tonight. I am having trouble posting pictures from my IPAD here but I will try to find a regular computer and post more soon!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Day 2 Salzburg
Being a Sunday, students were able to have a free am and either sleep in or partake in a leisurely am. Many rented bikes from the hotel and road along the Salzbach River or hiked up to the castle and monastery. Many also wandered through town and took in a nice cafe and ice cream.
We attempted to have a group picnic at 1pm at the Mirabell Gardens, where one scene from the Sound of Music took place, but were moved to take shelter under an archway of the Mirabell Palace as a freak rainstorm hit us. Luckily it passed by in ten minutes and the sun was out again and shining bright and hot for our Sound of Music tour.
From 2 pm to 6pm, students were on board one of the ubiquitious Sound of Music Tour buses replete with a tour guide dressed in typical Austrian clothing and a bus driver that honked at the right points in a Sound of Music song and also sang high notes. We travelled throughout Salzburg and the nearby lake district to look at many of the sights from the movie as well as actual places where the von Trapp family lived. From the gazebo to the church where Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummber took their vows, we saw it all. While many did not like being in the herd of 40 other tourists on a big bus, at least we were able to see the drop dead gorgeous mountain lakes and scenery and sing along at the same time.
Students are off on their own now at dinner and will be back here shortly to pack and get ready for our departure to Vienna tomorrow. I will post more photos tomorrow. More updates soon! Tschus!
We attempted to have a group picnic at 1pm at the Mirabell Gardens, where one scene from the Sound of Music took place, but were moved to take shelter under an archway of the Mirabell Palace as a freak rainstorm hit us. Luckily it passed by in ten minutes and the sun was out again and shining bright and hot for our Sound of Music tour.
From 2 pm to 6pm, students were on board one of the ubiquitious Sound of Music Tour buses replete with a tour guide dressed in typical Austrian clothing and a bus driver that honked at the right points in a Sound of Music song and also sang high notes. We travelled throughout Salzburg and the nearby lake district to look at many of the sights from the movie as well as actual places where the von Trapp family lived. From the gazebo to the church where Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummber took their vows, we saw it all. While many did not like being in the herd of 40 other tourists on a big bus, at least we were able to see the drop dead gorgeous mountain lakes and scenery and sing along at the same time.
Students are off on their own now at dinner and will be back here shortly to pack and get ready for our departure to Vienna tomorrow. I will post more photos tomorrow. More updates soon! Tschus!
Day 1 Salzburg
Hello to all!
We have been in Salzburg now for two days and have gotten some much needed r and r. This weekend retreat in the mountains has been a wonderful break from the hussle and bustle of Prague. Yesterday we left Prague at 8 am, after a short am workout, tugging our luggage 1/2 mile to meet the us on the other side of the river as the driver could not come in the city center and pick us up. We recouped well on the bus and at 2pm arrived in Salzburg after a lunch stop. Students got a quick tour of the town square, with a look at gorgeous castle that looms above the town as well as many Mozart named squares, chocolates, and restaurants. Students had free time to shop and take in Salzburg on Saturday as today most places in the city center were closed. At 5pm on Saturday several of us ventured into Mozart's birth home and looked at relics of the composer, including several pieces of hair and two keyboards he used. Pretty impressive stuff!
Later we went to an Austrian-Mediterrean restaurant and students were able to sample typical Austrian food: from a wonderful noodle dish to turkey meatballs in cream sauce with mushrooms and chives. Super yummy food!
To take in as many sites as possible, we continued our time in Salzburg with a trip to a pleasure palace called Hellbrunn of one of the archbishops from the 16th century. We visited his so-called "trick fountains" garden with a guided tour and got completely soaked. Beautiful grottos, fountains that went off when you weren't expecting, and water powered wooden statues and scenes. It was a feast for the eyes with some suprise moments. A fun evening all together.
We ended the evening watching a portion of the Sound of Music to get ready for the next day's adventure.
We have been in Salzburg now for two days and have gotten some much needed r and r. This weekend retreat in the mountains has been a wonderful break from the hussle and bustle of Prague. Yesterday we left Prague at 8 am, after a short am workout, tugging our luggage 1/2 mile to meet the us on the other side of the river as the driver could not come in the city center and pick us up. We recouped well on the bus and at 2pm arrived in Salzburg after a lunch stop. Students got a quick tour of the town square, with a look at gorgeous castle that looms above the town as well as many Mozart named squares, chocolates, and restaurants. Students had free time to shop and take in Salzburg on Saturday as today most places in the city center were closed. At 5pm on Saturday several of us ventured into Mozart's birth home and looked at relics of the composer, including several pieces of hair and two keyboards he used. Pretty impressive stuff!
Later we went to an Austrian-Mediterrean restaurant and students were able to sample typical Austrian food: from a wonderful noodle dish to turkey meatballs in cream sauce with mushrooms and chives. Super yummy food!
To take in as many sites as possible, we continued our time in Salzburg with a trip to a pleasure palace called Hellbrunn of one of the archbishops from the 16th century. We visited his so-called "trick fountains" garden with a guided tour and got completely soaked. Beautiful grottos, fountains that went off when you weren't expecting, and water powered wooden statues and scenes. It was a feast for the eyes with some suprise moments. A fun evening all together.
We ended the evening watching a portion of the Sound of Music to get ready for the next day's adventure.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Prague Day 3
Hello all!
Well, here we are on Day 3 in Prague and the time is going so quickly. It is a scorcher today and while I write, students are on free time exploring the many sights and sounds of Prague. Today is a national holiday (for St. Cyril and St. Methodius) although you would never know it as tourism is in full swing here. This morning we had a group meeting and went over the journal students are keeping for the trip. We discussed the last days in Berlin and first impressions of Prague. We then talked briefly about the 1960s in Prague and went to the Museum of Communism, a one story museum dedicated to Czech history from 1900 to 1990. With lots of text, pictures, statues of Lenin and pictures of Stalin, a documentary dedicated to the so-called Velvet Revolutions, students were able to make their way through the many changes that happened in Prague's history through the 20th century in addition to looking at artifacts from the time. Here is a link to the museum if you are interested. Ironically, it was funded by an American businessman.
http://www.muzeumkomunismu.cz/articles/newsweek.htm
We then went to lunch at a noodle place (a sort of Pan-Asian restaurant), a type of restaurant that is gaining popularity throughout Europe and afterwards headed to Wenceslas Square where the Prague Spring of 1968 and the Velvet Revolution took place. Students then embarked on more touring of the city on their own and several made their way to the museum dedicated to Alfonso Mucha, the Czech Republic's famous Art Nouveau artist.
http://www.muchafoundation.org/about/mucha-museum
As we speak, they are on a hunt for a Czech food item that is meant to stump other classmates. We await the results of their great race with eagerness
Well, here we are on Day 3 in Prague and the time is going so quickly. It is a scorcher today and while I write, students are on free time exploring the many sights and sounds of Prague. Today is a national holiday (for St. Cyril and St. Methodius) although you would never know it as tourism is in full swing here. This morning we had a group meeting and went over the journal students are keeping for the trip. We discussed the last days in Berlin and first impressions of Prague. We then talked briefly about the 1960s in Prague and went to the Museum of Communism, a one story museum dedicated to Czech history from 1900 to 1990. With lots of text, pictures, statues of Lenin and pictures of Stalin, a documentary dedicated to the so-called Velvet Revolutions, students were able to make their way through the many changes that happened in Prague's history through the 20th century in addition to looking at artifacts from the time. Here is a link to the museum if you are interested. Ironically, it was funded by an American businessman.
http://www.muzeumkomunismu.cz/articles/newsweek.htm
We then went to lunch at a noodle place (a sort of Pan-Asian restaurant), a type of restaurant that is gaining popularity throughout Europe and afterwards headed to Wenceslas Square where the Prague Spring of 1968 and the Velvet Revolution took place. Students then embarked on more touring of the city on their own and several made their way to the museum dedicated to Alfonso Mucha, the Czech Republic's famous Art Nouveau artist.
http://www.muchafoundation.org/about/mucha-museum
As we speak, they are on a hunt for a Czech food item that is meant to stump other classmates. We await the results of their great race with eagerness
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