In th infamous words of the Bee Gees "Don't let me walk to Monday's rain". Yes it is raining in Vienna, this morning we are visiting Schonbrunn which is suppose to outshine even Versailles for royal palaces. Hopefully the rain subsides enough for the students to enjoy and appreciate the royal gardens. I'll let you know. Check yesterday's blog for an update.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Happy Easter
A happy Easter from all the students and parents in Europe to the families in Wainwright. We are presently on the road to Vienna, Austria.
Immediately after leaving Poland for the Czech Republic, we were pulled over by the policia for a passport check. Thanks for the preparation of our tour guide Mario, we were back on the road in minutes. It is 10 am as we travel through the beautiful countryside of the Czech. The biggest challenge on the bus is to photograph the passing cemetaries which are decorates to the extreme with white and yellow flowers for Easter. We have seen deer, chickens, the odd horse and goat, but we have yet to see a cow; thus another challenge as we ride the bus to Austria.
We arrived in Austria and took a walking tour of the Imperial Palace of the Hofsburg. The amount of statues of Roman/Greek within the architecture in Vienna is amazing. Amongst the Imperial Palace was the infamous Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Mozart's home and St Stephan's cathedral (as you can see in the pictures). I am amazed how the Europeans are use to tourists touring thier churches while services (but not mass) was happening. With Easter weekend, all the churches were busy with reconciliation, rosaries and venerations. I think the students were in awe of the grandeur of the churches and beauty of the prayers in another language. I noticed quite a few trying to record the bells of the church, the pipe organ playing, and even the prayers in the background.
Immediately after leaving Poland for the Czech Republic, we were pulled over by the policia for a passport check. Thanks for the preparation of our tour guide Mario, we were back on the road in minutes. It is 10 am as we travel through the beautiful countryside of the Czech. The biggest challenge on the bus is to photograph the passing cemetaries which are decorates to the extreme with white and yellow flowers for Easter. We have seen deer, chickens, the odd horse and goat, but we have yet to see a cow; thus another challenge as we ride the bus to Austria.
We arrived in Austria and took a walking tour of the Imperial Palace of the Hofsburg. The amount of statues of Roman/Greek within the architecture in Vienna is amazing. Amongst the Imperial Palace was the infamous Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Mozart's home and St Stephan's cathedral (as you can see in the pictures). I am amazed how the Europeans are use to tourists touring thier churches while services (but not mass) was happening. With Easter weekend, all the churches were busy with reconciliation, rosaries and venerations. I think the students were in awe of the grandeur of the churches and beauty of the prayers in another language. I noticed quite a few trying to record the bells of the church, the pipe organ playing, and even the prayers in the background.
Auschwitz Visit
We have just finished our visit to the camp and it was a somber experience for all. Besides the reality of the crimes that happened there, the biggest shock is how the Nazis knew and hid the death camp reality from the public and the victims. The students were commenting how they read about it and seen the pictures of Auschwitz but walking under sign "Arbeit Macht Frei" (which means "work makes free" oh the irony) and walking in the gas chambers and by the furnaces brought a sense of what exactly happened there.
In the afternoon, we visited Wadowice (birthplace of Pope John Paul II). We were able to enter the church of his childhood and first ordaination. There was Easter Saturday prayers being said in Polish. After Wadowice we returned to Krakow for supper.
A hello from Mrs Gaydosh to her sister Adriana Salvia.
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In the afternoon, we visited Wadowice (birthplace of Pope John Paul II). We were able to enter the church of his childhood and first ordaination. There was Easter Saturday prayers being said in Polish. After Wadowice we returned to Krakow for supper.
A hello from Mrs Gaydosh to her sister Adriana Salvia.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, April 2, 2010
Second Morning in Poland
After a good night sleep a lot of students are up early awaiting a hearty breakfast for the day ahead. It is sunny today (so far) and we hope for a beautiful day.
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
First day in Poland
Well it is the end of our first day in Europe and it is the first night in a hotel bed that everyone for the past 48 hours have been looking for.
We toured the old city square of Krakow which dates back to medieval times and tasted true Polish cuisine. The students and chaperones are completely exhausted but are eager for tomorrow's tour of Auschwitz and Pope John Paul II church that he was ordained.
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We toured the old city square of Krakow which dates back to medieval times and tasted true Polish cuisine. The students and chaperones are completely exhausted but are eager for tomorrow's tour of Auschwitz and Pope John Paul II church that he was ordained.
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Thursday, April 1, 2010
Friday morning in Europe
Well we have landed in Europe today. We are presently on our last flight from Germany to Poland. It is 9am in Europe (1 am in Wainwright) and there are a few tired students already. I cannot wait to drag them along on our walking tour. I hope to finish this off when we land in Poland.
On our way
Well 5 am came early this morning and we are now presently on the bus towards Edmonton. Everyone is excited.
We have made it through security in Edmonton with only loosing two people (Mrs Charlesbois and Dr Watson); apparently Tim Hortons was calling them. We found them
later and all is good. We are now in a sit and wait in Edmonton; except for Mrs Romanow and four student who were on the 9 am flight to Calgary.
Well I haven't been able to upload at Edmonton so I thought that I would continue on this blog. The last group is presently on the way to Calgary where we will meet as a group to continue on to Frankfurt and then to Krakow. We just started the 16 hr journey and the day seems long already.
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We have made it through security in Edmonton with only loosing two people (Mrs Charlesbois and Dr Watson); apparently Tim Hortons was calling them. We found them
later and all is good. We are now in a sit and wait in Edmonton; except for Mrs Romanow and four student who were on the 9 am flight to Calgary.
Well I haven't been able to upload at Edmonton so I thought that I would continue on this blog. The last group is presently on the way to Calgary where we will meet as a group to continue on to Frankfurt and then to Krakow. We just started the 16 hr journey and the day seems long already.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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