We just landed in Boston safe and sound! We should be back around 4:00.
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We just boarded British Air. We’ve got everyone!!! We’re on our way back! We flew out of Nice without a problem and are currently in Heathrow. Everything is on schedule!!! We should be landing in Boston at 1:20 pm. We will call as soon as we get on the bus to come back home. In the morning we went to a parfumiere. There we were given a history and lesson of how essences are extracted from various flowers as well as the differences between the names of perfumes (e.g., parfum, eau de parfum, and eau de toilette). On the way to our next destination, we stopped at a Casino (a popular French supermarché). Students greatly enjoyed picking out their lunch: brie, baguettes, strawberries, raspberries, yogurt, octopus, paella, tomatoes, cucumber salad, chocolates, etc. In the afternoon, we went to the Maeght Foundation, a museum of modern art There we saw works by Calder, Miro, Chagall, Kandinsky, Giacometti, etc. Unfortunately, our good luck with the weather ran out today. It’s been raining all day. We were hoping to have lunch in a park in However, after lunch we visited a most unique chapel designed by Magritte. The stained glass was gorgeous, especially the blues and yellows. It was the Chapelle du Rosaire. We then drove down to Nice and the Cotê ‘dAzur. Even though it was raining, this coastal city was still impressive. Here, some students walked along the Promenade des Anglais and others shopped the Place Massena. Right before we left for dinner the sun actually began to come out. After dinner, we returned to the hotel where everyone is packing We began our day in ancient Glanum and St. Remy de Provence. We saw a unique mausoleum and triumphal arch of a Roman settlement from the 1st century BC. We were able to explore this site without a crowd. The weather continues to be spectacular … mid to upper 60s without a cloud in the sky! After visiting the site, we let the kids explore the local town of St. Remy. It should be noted that students are continuing to display confidence and independence in moving about French villages and towns in their free time. Many students fell in love with the chocolatiers in the town. (“It was like a French Wonka factory.”) We spent the afternoon in Aix-en-Provence where the kids walked up and down the Le Cours Mirabeau. Here they were able to get a cafe lunch and appreciate the fountains, some beautiful examples of 17th and 18th century architecture. Mon Dieu! We encountered our first clouds this afternoon as the mistral wind blew through Provence. After a couple of hours, we drove further south to Cannes for dinner. We had mesclun salad, linguini al dente with chicken and a mushroom sauce. I’m currently writing from our hotel in Nice. The kids love their rooms! Well rested, we began our day traveling to Pont du Gard. However, on our way Mrs. DeKoning insisted that we stop off at the famous Haribo candy factory. Pounds and pounds of gummy bears and sweets were purchased. There will be many happy siblings when we get back! We arrived at the best preserved aqueduct in Europe by 11. Built in the 1st century CE, “the Nîmes aqueduct is among those with the smallest average grade. Over it’s 50 kilometers, the grade barely reaches 26 centimeters.”!!! In the afternoon we traveled to Vaisson-la-Raimaine for lunch and sight seeing. This Medieval town is built atop an ancient Roman one where an count bridge is still in use today. In the evening we went back to Avignon for dinner. Tomorrow we get up early to head to Nice. STUDENT COMMENTS I liked Avignon because it has a lot of neat crafty shops with housing above them. We had a leisurely start this morning. After breakfast we had a short drive to Nimes where we visited one of the most well preserved amphitheaters in Europe. In fact, it is still used for various events today such as bull fights. In the afternoon, we then drove to Arles where everyone found a cafe to their liking for lunch. After lunch and free time we visited the theater and amphitheater. Just as in Nimes, the theater and amphitheater are retrofitted with a modern stage and lighting. In fact, fences were painted red and the very sand of the amphitheater was groomed for a bull fight for tomorrow. We also appreciated the inspirational sites of Van Gogh such as his Café de la Nuit. Be sure to see the picture of students standing in front of that very cafe today. Lastly we had dinner al fresco in Avignon. We need to get back there tomorrow for some shopping. Also, I would also like to mention that we have been truly blessed with respect to the weather. There hasn’t been one drop of rain and the sun has been with us every day sans clouds. It’s been between 60 and 73 degrees. Tomorrow is the Pont du Gard and Vaison-de-la Romaine! We don’t have to get up until 7. STUDENT COMMENTS I am already planning my next visit to this beautiful country. Katie Cavanaugh The amphitheater was very unique and the shopping was phenomenal. our sisters are about to be spoiled |
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