So we are sitting in Heathrow with a few hours to go, and it seems like a good time to give some final thoughts. Pets were missed. Some parents were missed. Nobody missed their siblings. Except Seth.
Hannah: I have learned how to adapt to foreign situations and how to travel, how to navigate a city, how to navigate a foreign culture, and how to get the most out of travel. I learned how to pay attention to my surroundings and really see what's around.
Emma: This helped me step outside my comfort zone and made me more outgoing and independent
Molly: I don't want to leave. I am definitely coming back; I want to move to London. I learned not to trust my mom when packing
Seth: I actually don't want live in London (I thought I did). I liked Edinburgh, but the weather in London was worse than I expected. I didn't strangle Noah. I hate haggis, but at least I tried it. Nobody speaks Welsh in Wales!
Noah: I hate the plane ride. I can use a train effectively. My brain hurts. I guess it got bigger? It was like Eugene, but cooler. I still think this is a prank. This can't be real. I could stay another year.
Gabe: I saw cool . . . things. What did we learn? I learned a lot about medieval things and the conquerer dude and the eighth Henry dude. The stone walls showed me how deep of a history they have. They are everywhere. Is the queen still the head of the church of whatever?
Erika: Gave me a new perspective on travel--I have never traveled with kids my own age, and that was fun. I like new places.
Jaci: When people think of the US, they think of Donald Trump. Everyone hates him. I miss good water. The architecture was cool, and it was neat to see really old buildings next to modern ones. Variety is the spice of life.
Jacob: I saw different perspectives on the US and how other people think of us. I love the candy here.
Trevor: You have to bring salt packets--food isn't salty enough. The buildings are cooler here, and it's faster and I would live here. The lifestyle suits me. I ate haggis. There are dogs that look like the Skyrim dogs.
Victoria: I love the Tube and I finally remember the name! I didn't like the candy. Playing hide and seek in the castles was fun. I feel more confident in places I am not sure about. I wish I could stay longer. I want to travel more. The days felt longer because I was enjoying every moment, and it was fun!
Audrey: I learned how to do the Tube thing. I feel like like I can conquer the world. I kissed a stone, and now I can achieve anything.
Benjamin: I learned a week is long enough. I love dresses for men (kilts). Thanks, Gus, for the talk about the things and lots of other stuff.
Callista: The analogy of the grass being greener on the other side holds true. There is still a grittiness to the world. The grayness of the road after rain is the same, but there is still much more to discover. I assumed that every place would be the same with a different format, but there is a different vibe, actually. It's cool to discover.
Crystal: I learned way too much about Henry the Eighth.
"The craic [pronounced "crack"] is great!" --Ben "I agree!"--Everyone else
Most likely to live under a bridge in Scotland--Noah
Most likely to die of a fit of laughter--Molly
Most likely to spread rabies--Crystal (rooming with the CT people)
Most likely to teach everyone in London to do the dab--Benjamin
Most likely to be killed by a swan--Gus
Most likely to get left behind off a bus--Jacob
Most likely to speak the language (well!)--Seth
Most likely to buy the weird things--Jaci
Most likely to strangle her sister--Victoria
Most likely to be laughing--Audrey
Most likely to be mistaken for a German--Gabe
Most likely to buy livestock upon return--Trevor
Most likely to be found in a Pret--Erika
Least likely to get in trouble or get lost (and least likely to do IB)--Emma
Most likely to have hair blowing everywhere--Hannah
Most likely to make a face in a picture--Callista
Edited to add a note about our adventurous trip home:
We left our benches in the Heathrow Terminal, got all the way to the last gate, and as our boarding group was called, Hannah realized she had left her camera at the benches. Seth and Jacob took his bags while he raced all the way back, found the camera, and boarded the flight at the last moment. Whew! Then towards the end of the flight a lady collapsed in the back of the plane, necessitating a few passengers to be moved to accommodate the lady and the nurse. Erika and Crystal ended up way further up the plane, then had to wait for everyone to deplane (we were in the last three rows) to go back and get their stuff. After the paramedics got the lady off and we were all in the arrivals hall, things really got wild as the line was about a half mile long. We have never seen anything like it! After a few fruitless calls to United, I raced off using the Global Entry privilege, found the gate, and asked if Emmanuel Torres, the lovely gate agent, could help us out--and he did. Meanwhile, Gus used his gift of gab and somehow, miraculously, got the group to bypass the line and hustled them all through immigration, customs, and another security check. They all sprinted through the airport and made their connection. Disaster averted, and Gus got not one, but TWO runs in! Gabe's suitcase and ours ended up in San Francisco, but otherwise all was well, and now it is off to class!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
IHS Easter in London
Wow, fun and exhausting!
First, let's get caught up on the photos from Scotland:
So we had a short night, but after breakfast we headed down to the Croyden train station and took the train into London Bridge. From there we caught the tube to Waterloo station and started the adventure.
Let us first talk about weather. We left the hotel in a light drizzle, keeping our heads down as we walked the 10 minutes to the station. Then the train system struggled with the clock change (like they didn't know it was coming?), but no biggie. We hopped on the next train into the city. During the ride, the rain cleared up, and as a result our group headed out onto the London Eye with enthusiasm. A few of us wandered around the Embankment and down to the Big Ben Clocktower and watched the boats come in (part of the big Oxford/Cambridge regatta). Big Ben is actually the bell, but the tower is the largest four sided clock tower in the world--and it is huge. The lovely weather meant those on the Eye had a fantastic view, too. Then we split from the Connecticut group and wandered down the South Bank--first to the Vaults, a little-known tunnel under Waterloo station where artists can do graffiti. We saw PAD, the most prolific artist, working on a new piece, and we have to say that this is an under appreciated art form that requires tremendous skill. The spot is also not touristy or crowded, so that was fun. Then we continued down past a playground (where we stopped briefly to act like children) to Gabriel's Wharf. We had lunch here, and our timing couldn't be better--while we were eating the skies opened up!
After lunch the weather cleared and we walked down to the Thames and marveled at the London cityscape--St. Paul's, the Gherkin, the Shard, the Cheese Grater, and of course the Tower Bridge--before heading back up to the Houses of Parliament and up to Westminster. The Abbey was closed for Easter services, but we got to look at the statues on the square--Churchill, Gandhi, Mandela, and others--and talked to a Lamp Lighter about how the gas lights work. This inspired a conversation about our history and lit curriculum. Then we met up with Connecticut and our coach and guide for the day. Mario (from Portugal) and David Drury drove us around, starting at Westminster. Did you know that the statues above the door are all modern and depict 20th century martyrs (including Dr. MLK)? We didn't!
We drove past the New Scotland Yard building to Buckingham Palace, where we got out to take some photos. The queen was not in (she is at Windsor--maybe we will see her tomorrow?), but the hail started right then! We hopped back on the bus and continued on past Trafalgar Square, home of Nelson's Column (aka Big Brother--just ask the seniors!), and up the Strand. Then it was into the City of London, down Fleet Street of Demon Barbour and press corps fame, and then past St. Paul's cathedral. We were a bit tired, so we stopped after crossing the London Bridge (sixth iteration) to get a good look at the Tower Bridge and the HMS Belfast, one of only three remaining ships that took part in the naval bombardment on D-Day. After some coffee, we realized we were ahead of schedule due to the light traffic thanks to the holiday. So we drove across Tower Bridge (a treat!) and past the Tower of London, hearing about the ravens and the crown jewels as well as a bit of the history. Then we stopped at Leadenhall market. While empty, it was still exciting simply because of the Harry Potter connection!
We headed back to the cathedral, where we said goodbye to David and enjoyed a bit of free time. The normal $30 entry fee was waived because the cathedral was open for Easter services, and while we couldn't get photos or really wander around, we did get to see the inside for free. Yet another Easter bonus! A few of us got ambitious and hustled across the Millennium Bridge to the Globe theater. We didn't get inside, but we got to see it! Then we met up for an early dinner at a hummus place that was surprisingly good. While we were tired from our short night, dinner energized us. Connecticut headed straight back to the hotel, but we decided our time in London was precious and instead headed back down past St. Paul's. We caught a red double-decker bus back to Trafalgar square. Since the weather had cleared, we got to see it properly and even climb on the lions (made from melted French cannons). Several students got the full history lesson of the battle of Trafalgar as well as the literature lesson of 1984. Talk about bringing the classroom to life! Anyway, we headed back down Whitehall past the horse guards, the Old War Rooms, and towards Westminster, where we got on the tube and then onto the train back to Croyden.
All was well on the train (other than Molly getting the giggles), but once in Croyden Gus got us turned around trying to find the hotel. Remember how we kept our heads down on the way in this morning? That was a mistake! Then the rain came down (Storm Katie). We were hopelessly lost, soaked, and every person was laughing the whole way! It took awhile and three or four people giving us incorrect directions (ultimately bringing us back to the station), then getting proper directions that made it clear we had come the wrong way this morning--it really is a three minute walk! We were soaked and tired, but everyone was smiling and laughing. Audrey's step counter had her at 25,000 steps for the day! No pictures of the adventures in the wind and rain (camera stowed safely in the bag), but it will be a major trip memory.
London Day 2:
After breakfast we headed into town. While on the train from Croyden to London Bridge, we informed the kids that they would have to figure out how to navigate us to the British Museum--meaning the London Underground (the Tube) and then the city streets. I have never seen a group of teenagers pore over maps so enthusiastically (and competitively). They figured it out and only took us a half block in the wrong direction before realizing they had gone too far, and we got to the museum in good time.
Once there we took in the Rosetta Stone, the Gilgamesh flood tablet (we study it sophomore year when we read the epic of Gilgamesh), Egyptian mummies, Haida totems, Greek pottery, Korean armor, Japanese swords, and even an exhibit on money ranging from ancient coins to Dr. Who bills. In our experience, more than two hours in the museum is too much as brains get full, so we left at lunch time. We grabbed some fish and chips or Pret a Manger sandwiches (Pret is a thing!), then split up. I took those going on the Windsor excursion to meet David at the Natural History museum (next to the Victoria and Albert), where they boarded the coach to Windsor. David took them on from there, and according to them, they had a good time together learning about the kings and the artwork there. They also did a great job looking out for each other, and David said they were the easiest excursion group he had had in some time. Then they headed to Shepherd's Bush, where they did some shopping before dinner.
Meanwhile Gus took the rest to Covent Garden, where they explored the junk craft market and watched the buskers. I rejoined them there, and we took the Tube to Hyde Park and walked along the lake for a bit (we did not let them touch the swans despite their pleas) and then into Harrod's department store. It is crowded and stuffy but full of weird stuff as well as overpriced purses and jewelry. Molly observed that while there was a lot of money, the people weren't smiling. We were, though, as we boarded the Tube to meet the rest for dinner.
Despite being worn out, majority of the group opted to go to the nearby carnival for what Crystal described as the "cherry on top" of the trip. A few rounds of bumper cars and a carnival ride or two, then back on the tube. We are now packed and showered. Your kids have all begged us to lose their passports, but they are tired and in some ways ready to go home, too. Tomorrow's flight will be a nice wind down, a chance to enjoy each other's company one last time, and hopefully an opportunity to catch some Zs!
First, let's get caught up on the photos from Scotland:
Krispy Kreme at our first rest stop. We really did encourage healthier snacks . . . .
Stone walls with no mortar
Entering Windemere
It's called the Lake District!
Enjoying England's largest lake
Breeze!
Seth, Victoria, Benjamin, Audrey, Trevor, Jacob, Gabe
Fun on the coach
Such a pretty landscape
And cute villages
Rydal Mount, home of William Wordsworth
Molly looks at displays
Enjoying the gardens
Hannah and Emma
Crystal and Callista, whose many faces brought us a ton of laughs
Postcards!
Grasmere, where we had lunch
The moorlands
Gretna Green
Yep, we are in Scotland
Jaci likes the Highland Cows
Benjamin and Trevor
Gabe and Jacob
Trevor, you are too big for the playground!
Shortbread, courtesy of David
Scottish lowlands
Edinburgh Castle on the crag
Jaci and Erika
Seth and Benjamin
Looking up to the old city
Along Princes Avenue
Rose Street
Walking together
Easter decor
Jacob, Benjamin, Noah, Jaci, Erika, Molly, Seth
Magic hour
At the Knight's Watch tower
Cemetery
Only a bit spooky
Seth, Gabe, Crystal, Victoria, Callista, Emma, Jacob
Trying haggis
Hmm . . .
Hannah will try it!
The boys were less sure
Benjamin was not impressed. Seth thought it was fine.
Audrey and Señor Joe Parodi, the leader of the Connecticut group
Looking at the new city
Sandstone Georgian homes with alighting stones and foot scrapers
Holyrood Castle
Along the Royal Mile
Greyfriar's Bobby, the dog statue next to the coach mirror
Where Rowling wrote Harry Potter--also frequented by Alexander McCall Smith, author of the IHS novel The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Gary, our Wales to Scotland driver
Alan MacDonald, our guide
Robert the Bruce
Learning in the wind
At Edinburgh Castle
Erika, Hannah, Emma, Jacob, Victoria, Molly, Callista, Audrey, Gus, Jaci, Noah, Gabe, Trevor, Crystal, Benjamin. Where on earth is Seth? I know he was in the picture . . . . he somehow got covered by Gabe and Trevor. Oops!
Audrey, Victoria, and Molly wait to see the crown jewels
The Firth of Forth for the fifth time . . . .
Dog cemetery
Mons Meg
Edinburgh Castle
The Royal Mile
Inspriration for Jekyll and Hyde
Proof I was on the trip--hot chocolate at the Elephant House
We were up there!
Jacob, Seth, Benjamin, Crystal, Molly
Audrey and Victoria
Helping load the bags
On the train to London
Food, journals, music . . .
Train shenanigans
Fun on the train
So that was Scotland! On to London!
So we had a short night, but after breakfast we headed down to the Croyden train station and took the train into London Bridge. From there we caught the tube to Waterloo station and started the adventure.
Let us first talk about weather. We left the hotel in a light drizzle, keeping our heads down as we walked the 10 minutes to the station. Then the train system struggled with the clock change (like they didn't know it was coming?), but no biggie. We hopped on the next train into the city. During the ride, the rain cleared up, and as a result our group headed out onto the London Eye with enthusiasm. A few of us wandered around the Embankment and down to the Big Ben Clocktower and watched the boats come in (part of the big Oxford/Cambridge regatta). Big Ben is actually the bell, but the tower is the largest four sided clock tower in the world--and it is huge. The lovely weather meant those on the Eye had a fantastic view, too. Then we split from the Connecticut group and wandered down the South Bank--first to the Vaults, a little-known tunnel under Waterloo station where artists can do graffiti. We saw PAD, the most prolific artist, working on a new piece, and we have to say that this is an under appreciated art form that requires tremendous skill. The spot is also not touristy or crowded, so that was fun. Then we continued down past a playground (where we stopped briefly to act like children) to Gabriel's Wharf. We had lunch here, and our timing couldn't be better--while we were eating the skies opened up!
On the train from Croyden
Pictures! After all, look where we are!
With some of our Connecticut friends, though this time it was Trevor hiding and Seth only partially hiding
London Eye
Nope, not Big Ben--the Clocktower. Big Ben is the bell inside the tower. You can't see it.
Regatta! Boats coming in at the Eye
Trevor and Benjamin on the Thames
Modeling at the Vaults
Callista shows off
Victoria
We found a playground near the Eye!
Gus is the biggest child of them all
Selfies! Okay, there really is a story here.
Hannah, Emma, Seth, Crystal, Callista
Molly and Crystal on the banks of the Thames
On the river
Photobomb Noah!
Seth doesn't see the dance moves Jacob is performing behind him
After lunch the weather cleared and we walked down to the Thames and marveled at the London cityscape--St. Paul's, the Gherkin, the Shard, the Cheese Grater, and of course the Tower Bridge--before heading back up to the Houses of Parliament and up to Westminster. The Abbey was closed for Easter services, but we got to look at the statues on the square--Churchill, Gandhi, Mandela, and others--and talked to a Lamp Lighter about how the gas lights work. This inspired a conversation about our history and lit curriculum. Then we met up with Connecticut and our coach and guide for the day. Mario (from Portugal) and David Drury drove us around, starting at Westminster. Did you know that the statues above the door are all modern and depict 20th century martyrs (including Dr. MLK)? We didn't!
What, did you think we wouldn't get a picture of our lone Churchill campus student with Winston Churchill?
Freshmen with Nelson Mandela, whom we just studied
Westminster
Through the sunglasses
Lamp Lighter
Learning how the gas lamps work
MLK is just to the left of center
Stumpy the pigeon
The iconic phone booths
We drove past the New Scotland Yard building to Buckingham Palace, where we got out to take some photos. The queen was not in (she is at Windsor--maybe we will see her tomorrow?), but the hail started right then! We hopped back on the bus and continued on past Trafalgar Square, home of Nelson's Column (aka Big Brother--just ask the seniors!), and up the Strand. Then it was into the City of London, down Fleet Street of Demon Barbour and press corps fame, and then past St. Paul's cathedral. We were a bit tired, so we stopped after crossing the London Bridge (sixth iteration) to get a good look at the Tower Bridge and the HMS Belfast, one of only three remaining ships that took part in the naval bombardment on D-Day. After some coffee, we realized we were ahead of schedule due to the light traffic thanks to the holiday. So we drove across Tower Bridge (a treat!) and past the Tower of London, hearing about the ravens and the crown jewels as well as a bit of the history. Then we stopped at Leadenhall market. While empty, it was still exciting simply because of the Harry Potter connection!
David Drury explains about the queen
Buckingham
Before the hailstorm and the camera being put away!
Tower of London
Tower Bridge
Asking questions about the Tower
Driving across the bridge
Home of the Crown Jewels (and the Gherkin to the left)
Leadenhall Market
Harry Potter filmed here!
Old Tom the goose
We headed back to the cathedral, where we said goodbye to David and enjoyed a bit of free time. The normal $30 entry fee was waived because the cathedral was open for Easter services, and while we couldn't get photos or really wander around, we did get to see the inside for free. Yet another Easter bonus! A few of us got ambitious and hustled across the Millennium Bridge to the Globe theater. We didn't get inside, but we got to see it! Then we met up for an early dinner at a hummus place that was surprisingly good. While we were tired from our short night, dinner energized us. Connecticut headed straight back to the hotel, but we decided our time in London was precious and instead headed back down past St. Paul's. We caught a red double-decker bus back to Trafalgar square. Since the weather had cleared, we got to see it properly and even climb on the lions (made from melted French cannons). Several students got the full history lesson of the battle of Trafalgar as well as the literature lesson of 1984. Talk about bringing the classroom to life! Anyway, we headed back down Whitehall past the horse guards, the Old War Rooms, and towards Westminster, where we got on the tube and then onto the train back to Croyden.
Callista, Victoria, and Audrey at Shakespeare's Globe theater
At St. Paul's Cathedral
Millenium Bridge
Best buddies!
Jacob, Callista, Trevor, Gabe, Benjamin
"Smile!" is an ambiguous term
Waiting for the bus--or the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Double decker
Getting on the bus
Callista, Jacob, Crystal
Molly, Emma, Hannah
Enjoying Trafalgar Square
Most of us climbed up
Some sort of dance move. I think.
Who is Admiral Nelson? Victoria, Gabe, and Audrey get a history lesson from Gus
On the Tube
All was well on the train (other than Molly getting the giggles), but once in Croyden Gus got us turned around trying to find the hotel. Remember how we kept our heads down on the way in this morning? That was a mistake! Then the rain came down (Storm Katie). We were hopelessly lost, soaked, and every person was laughing the whole way! It took awhile and three or four people giving us incorrect directions (ultimately bringing us back to the station), then getting proper directions that made it clear we had come the wrong way this morning--it really is a three minute walk! We were soaked and tired, but everyone was smiling and laughing. Audrey's step counter had her at 25,000 steps for the day! No pictures of the adventures in the wind and rain (camera stowed safely in the bag), but it will be a major trip memory.
London Day 2:
After breakfast we headed into town. While on the train from Croyden to London Bridge, we informed the kids that they would have to figure out how to navigate us to the British Museum--meaning the London Underground (the Tube) and then the city streets. I have never seen a group of teenagers pore over maps so enthusiastically (and competitively). They figured it out and only took us a half block in the wrong direction before realizing they had gone too far, and we got to the museum in good time.
Long escalator in the tube--stand on the right, walk on the left
Once there we took in the Rosetta Stone, the Gilgamesh flood tablet (we study it sophomore year when we read the epic of Gilgamesh), Egyptian mummies, Haida totems, Greek pottery, Korean armor, Japanese swords, and even an exhibit on money ranging from ancient coins to Dr. Who bills. In our experience, more than two hours in the museum is too much as brains get full, so we left at lunch time. We grabbed some fish and chips or Pret a Manger sandwiches (Pret is a thing!), then split up. I took those going on the Windsor excursion to meet David at the Natural History museum (next to the Victoria and Albert), where they boarded the coach to Windsor. David took them on from there, and according to them, they had a good time together learning about the kings and the artwork there. They also did a great job looking out for each other, and David said they were the easiest excursion group he had had in some time. Then they headed to Shepherd's Bush, where they did some shopping before dinner.
Crystal's new friend
Erika looks at Greek pottery
Seth discovers sarcophogi
See, Dr. Who money really is in the British Museum
Inside the museum
Emma looks at the Rosetta Stone
Audrey fights through the crush to see the stone
Jacob eats fish and chips
Erika in Pret
Getting lunch at the British Museum
The Windsor group outside the Natural History museum in Kensington
Watching buskers
And swans
Harrod's
A Lego model of Harrod's inside Harrod's
Despite being worn out, majority of the group opted to go to the nearby carnival for what Crystal described as the "cherry on top" of the trip. A few rounds of bumper cars and a carnival ride or two, then back on the tube. We are now packed and showered. Your kids have all begged us to lose their passports, but they are tired and in some ways ready to go home, too. Tomorrow's flight will be a nice wind down, a chance to enjoy each other's company one last time, and hopefully an opportunity to catch some Zs!
Making faces at the reflections in the Tube
Good night!
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