Bon Voyage! – ON TOUR European Experience

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Aug 012011

Greetings from Nice, France!

Although we’re sad our trip is coming to an end, we’ve had an incredible last week together.  Here is what we’ve been doing on our final days. After our first night in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast , the group awoke early to take a ferry to the beautiful island of Capri.  Our day began by exploring the island and admiring the beautiful sights.  We then hopped on two private boats to take us around the island.  Bari, Sarah M. and Madison M. took advantage of the time in the sun to improve their tans.  The boat then brought our group to the grottos where trip members had the opportunity to swim.   After our scenic swim, we were all glad to return to land and experience Sorrento by night.

The following morning our group was sea bound once again as we headed to the chic resort town of Positano.  Ben R., Zack L., Justin, Tyler, and Ben L. decided to conquer the mountain on the island.  Upon returning to Sorrento, the group enjoyed a traditional italian meal. No meal is complete unless it is followed by evening of karaoke.  Followed by David’s New York Groove, we were serenaded by Lori, Steph P, Sarah S, Danielle and Shelby.

After an incredible time in Sorrento, the group headed off to Florence. On the way, we made sure to celebrate the birthdays of Danielle and Will.  Dean, Adam B, Mike, and Ben F made comical speeches in Will’s honor on a bus filled with balloons and banners.  Upon arriving in Florence, the group went to dinner and put on their dancing shoes in preparation for Space Electronic Dance Club.

The following day Jason E., Jason S., Dean, and Bryan chose to get up earlier for the option to see a beautiful synagogue.  As a group, we then headed to the Duomo where we had the chance to climb old and narrow stairs to reach the top of the Dome. Although we thought the stairs would never end, it was definitely worthwhile for the view of Florence from the top! Before we left Italy,  we learned how to cook the food which we treasured over our stay. At cooking school, Rachel stood out as a chef to be by commanding her kitchen and making a delicious bruschetta.  Brandon and Carly Z. helped to create the cakes for our dessert.  After cooking, we were all glad to dig in to the masterpiece that we created.
With one more day in Florence, we went art hunting.  Steph B., Lisa, and Jon were amazed with the David’s lean physique and abs of stone at the Academia. Amanda, Carly F., Ben H., Madison Y., Alyssa, Kelly, Jess and Rachel roamed the masterpieces while others got gelato at a nearby cafe. For dinner, the group split between girls night out and boys night out for an evening of food and laughs.

Then we headed off for our two last days of adventure. On our way to Nice, we stopped to admire the Leaning Tower of Pisa and after a few more hours on the road stopped in Monte Carlo for dinner and evening activities. Alyssa, Dean, Sarah S, Danielle and Lori experienced an exotic foot massage by fish at the Fish Spa and Jason E., Richie, Brandon, Jullian and Matt raced in human hampster balls.

Today we’re celebrating Emily’s birthday and Ty, Cassidy Zack F. and Eric are excited to hang out at the beach, banana boating and tubing before a farewell banquet to celebrate our adventures.

We’re sad our trip is almost over but all good things must come to an end! Its been an amazing summer and we look forward to a Westcoast family reunion in the future!

Sincerely,

The ON TOUR European Experience

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 11:32 AM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One Final Au Revoir – European Discovery

European Discovery No Responses »
Jul 282011

Bonjour encore!

In what seems like a flash, we have now arrived at our last stop, Nice, France….but before I tell you about the present, allow me to rewind back just one week ago where life literally gave us lemons in Sorrento, Italy.

Sorrento truly looked like a movie-set, lined with delicious looking restaurants and small, sophisticated boutiques. With hungry bellies, we headed for Fauno, an outstanding Italian restaurant which provided trip members like Sam, Gabe and Rob with the best homemade ravioli on this side of the Mediterranean. Eager to spend time with each other, we went back to the hotel to for a few Westcoast special programs, where trip members Brooke, Kim, and Michael seemed to enjoy the most with their belly laughs.

When we arose in the morning, we packed our sunscreen and headed for the famous island of Capri. Some trip members like Alex K., Natasha, and Rachel were eager to lay their eyes on the unbelievable scenery while others like Abby, Lauren W. and Jen hoped to see celebs…(and we did find out that Anne Hathaway was on a boat in Capri at the same time as us thanks to Liza!) Our boat-ride excursion led us to the majestic green grottos, where trip members like Stephen, Richard, Sam W. and Dylan couldn’t get enough of the water. Jacob W., Zach and Emily G. were completely enchanted by the experience, mesmerized by the sun which sparkled on the deep blue sea. 

The following day, we soaked up the sun a bit more in Positano, another beautiful town off of the Amalfi Coast. With freshly sun-kissed cheeks, we wandered through the town. Alex S., Anthony and Jacob W. played a little beach football while Marisa, Whitney and Jillian perused the towns many shops and restaurants.

In the blink of an eye, we arrived in Florence just in time for an unforgettable meal of homemade pastas and other traditional family recipes. Afterwards, we headed for the Piazza De La Republica where Brooke, Emily L., Allie, and Dani all reconnected with their childhood as they rode on the carousel.

The next day, we deepened our relationship with Firenze (Florence), with an exciting and educational guided walking tour. We witnessed the statue of David with our very own eyes, and Lauren B., Sam F. were truly astonished by his intricate structure. A few more sights brought us to a new episode of the Amazing Race, where trip members were asked to take a photographic scavenger hunt of the city. Allison’s team again reigned supreme (though everyone’s a winner!) Jake and Haley F. were particularly motivating for their teams, and Hailey D. and Max were resilient as can be, refusing to give up on each exciting task.  We enjoyed cooking school and of course our night out at Space Electronic Disco!

Fast forward about 12 hours after a quick stop at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and we are now in Nice, France…dreading the inevitable goodbye that comes in just one day.

In only one month, we have sailed the ocean blue, and swam in it, too…we’ve climbed hundreds of steps, overlooking great cities from dream-like views…we have retraced the footsteps of Roman gods and made wishes in fountains, despite the odds…we’ve traveled by train, by boat, by plane, we’ve bathed in the sun and we’ve danced in the rain. We’ve cooked our own food on piping hot stones, we’ve eaten croissants and gelato.

The past thirty days have proven to be much more than just a summer trip…they have been the time machine which has transformed us to young adults from kids…they have been the days where we laughed until we cried, the days where friendships have blossomed, the days where memories became engraved in our minds. We dread the goodbye that comes in just one day not just because it means that real-life must start again, but because this trip has truly changed our lives. Just thirty days ago, we came as strangers, and now we will leave as family, united. It is with much sadness that we say our final au revoir. But, instead of leaving with tears, we leave with much, much more: friendships to last a lifetime, memories to cherish for always, and a little piece of every place we’ve been to carry in our hearts forever.

With all of our love,

European Discovery

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 3:30 PM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yodel-eh-eh-hoooo friends and family – Backpack Europe

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Jul 192011

 

From baguettes and crepes to weinerschnitzel and chocolate fondue, our group has made its way through France and Switzerland and we are currently on a high speed train headed for our first stop in Italy, La Spezia.
Interlaken was great fun. We reached new heights at the indoor ropes course, where Jenny’s shrills of joy echoed throughout the entire facility. The high ropes course consited of five routes of obscure challenges like riding a mini bicycle on a tight-rope and scaling rock holds that resembled giant stalagmites – and all five routes were suspended 20-feet off the ground! Jeremy was impressed by the fact that the ropes course offered various challenges and provided a pretty good workout.  Emma also commented that her ropes experience far exceeded her initial expectaions and she really enjoyed all the zip-line components that were offered. The ropes facility was located in the town of Grindelwald, which was a short and very scenic train ride from where we were staying in Interlaken. Trip members had some time to explore Grindelwald and everybody explored all the cute shops that lined this picturesque town.

Our group’s waterbabies had their time to shine when we spent the morning at an extensive outdoor aquatic center. Sunny, Sam, and Zach raced in friendly competitions, while Jenny, Mike S., Alex S., Aidan and Alec braved the 10-meter diving platform. The aquatic themed day continued into the afternoon as we set out on the Simme River for an awesome white water rafting adventure. Our rafting guides were very knowledgable and friendly and they commented that we were one of the best groups they had seen all summer! Josh had an amazing time on the water and we all dubbed him Captain Jack Sparrow of our small fleet. The group looked awesome, all “kitted” (as the river guides say) up in helmets and wetsuits, with huge grins in every direction.
Of course, no trip to Switzerland would be complete without sampling some of the finest chocolates in the world. Bennet was very pleased with the chocolatiers in Interlaken and was ok with the fact that his usual evening treat of Nutella crepes was replaced with beautifully decorated chocoalte truffles. Cheese and chocolate fondue were also very much a part of our Swiss experience and everyone had a good laugh when our waiter chose Remi to be the cheese fondue demonstrator at Bebbi’s, one of the traditional Swiss restaurants where we dined.
Evenings in Interlaken were spent at the local billiards hangout where Bennet, Aidan, Alec and Mara played several rounds of pool, while Shayna showed us her foosball skills. Special thanks go out to Sam and Jenny for organizing  and running the comical game of the Bachelor/Bachelorette one night. The group is doing well and everyone is enjoying their European adventure. France and Switzerland were awesome and we are eager to see what Italy has in store for us!

Hope all is well back at home!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 3:45 PM Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Guten Tag! – Backpack Europe

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Jul 142011

Guten Tag friends and family,

We are in the Swiss Alps now and the fresh mountain air, clean spring water and abundance of adventure activities are all an exciting change for our trip members. A few days ago, we bid our farewells to Paris and boarded the train to the ski resort town of Tignes, France. The group was pleasantly surprised by the rustic charm of our new hotel and its superb restaurant that featured what Brendan could only describe as “one of the world’s best Creme Brulees”.

Early the next morning, some of us set out for the slopes and enjoyed a full morning of skiing and snowboarding in the brilliant sunshine. The high-speed gondola was very futuristic and cool but the various T-bars took some time to get used to. Mike S. impressed us all at the terrain park, while Sam and Remi admired the breath-taking views.

The rest of our time in Tignes was spent doing some pretty gnarly mountain biking (shout-outs to Mara and Emma for representing the girls on the bike trails) and visiting the awesome sport complex. Over the course of two days, Josh, Zach, Jeremy and Mike S. played doubles tennis, Sunny and Jenny encouraged the girls to head over to the aquatic center, Sam showed us some of her crazy gymnatstic skills on the outdoor trampoline, Alec tested out the 10-foot air bag jump, and Bennett played some beach volleyball.

We left Tignes feeling refreshed and recharged and crossed the border towards Geneva, Switzerland. As we drove through town, Zach and Schiff (Alex) pointed out all the Ferraris and noteworthy cars around us. The afternoon was spent exploring Geneva and touring the United Nations. Josh took quite an interest in the tour and reflected on his experiences with model UN at his school. Other highlights of Geneva included our amazing hotel and the sight worthy Jet D’eau, which caught the attention of Alec and Aidan. As we travel by train through Switzerland, we are continually impressed by how accurate and punctual transportation is around here. Mike S., Aidan, Bennet and Alec like to compete and guess how many seconds off of the estimated time of arrival the train will be.

Our time in Geneva was short and sweet and we are all excited to continue our adreneline rushes in the outdoor adventure town of Interlaken, Switzwerland.

Auf Wiedersehen!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 11:14 AM Tagged with: , , , , , ,

The Hustle and Bustle of Parisian Life – European Discovery

European Discovery No Responses »
Jul 122011

Bonjour, Madames et Monsieurs!

Close your eyes and breathe in the sweet aromas of French bakeries that dance through the air of Paris. Envision the Eiffel tower, sparkling in the distance, while boats drift swiftly on the Seine throughout the night. The glory of Paris is ever-present, and we’ve discovered more of its magic with each passing moment.

Since arriving in France, the hustle and bustle of Paris has kept us on our feet as we climbed the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Sacré-Coeur. Lizzie was completely enchanted by the Eiffel Tower, whose beauty almost moved her to tears (happy ones, of course)! Lindsey, Stephanie and Marielle were the first to the top, while Lauren W. and Sammy Fr. chose to take the scenic route up, marveling at the view with each step.

We visited the prominent Louvre museum, where Jacob and Whitney were exceptionally curious, impressing guides and trip members with their knowledge. Later, we visited the Champs-Élysées for our first exquisite French lunch and Haley F. could not stop talking about her dessert of fresh strawberries that were as sweet as candy. Having eaten conveniently close to the Arc de Triomphe, Richard and Josh were eager to begin their ascent to the top. Zach, Michael and Max stood proudly from the highest point of the arc, taking plenty of snapshots of themselves overlooking the city of Paris.

At nightfall, we gave our feet a rest, stretching our vocal chords instead. Trip members stole the show at Karaoke, including Jesse B. and Gabe whose stage presence was electrifying.The food in Paris is impressing everyone!  We have indulged in crepes (Alexa’s new favorite food) and various other French delicacies. Alex S. has also grown quite fond of French fare, allowing new foods like chocolate croissants and baguettes to sneak their way into his heart. When Melanie tasted Ratatouille she proudly exclaimed, “this is the best Ratatouille I’ve ever eaten!” as we all laughed knowing that it was her first time trying it.

With stars presents in the night sky, we viewed Paris from a new perspective as we traveled by boat along the Seine. Jillian, Marisa and Gabby soaked up the sights as they gazed at the beautiful French architecture along the shore, while Eric waved joyfully at the locals on the various bridges and docks. Meeting Hailey Wickenheiser wasn’t so bad either…THAT’S RIGHT, FOLKS. Thanks to our superstar trip director, trip members had the opportunity of a lifetime to meet and chat with Hailey, the captain of the Women’s Canadian Olympic gold medal hockey team, the #1 women’s hockey player in the world.

Sweet Parisien dreams reinvigorated us for a new day, as we set off for Annecy and the beautiful French countryside. The view from the bus fills us with wonder and excitement, with luscious greenery providing the perfect backdrop for our travels.

A bientôt!

Bisou Bisou!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 12:25 PM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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