Breathtaking Views of the Matterhorn – ON TOUR European Experience

European Experience No Responses »
Jul 152011

Guten tag friends and families,

Last time we connected you, we were on our way into the quaint little town of Annecy, France. After a fun filled couple of days in Paris, we arrived in this beautiful lake side French city and got a chance to take in some beautiful sites. One especially memorable moment happened as we emerged from a tunnel just outside the town when all trip members gasped in unison at the beauty of Annecy.  Annecy is a unique city in that it has narrow cobblestone streets with very few cars. It was a great experience for our group to walk around and see the town’s great cafes, galleries and boutiques. Our group activity – a photo scavenger hunt – was a highlight of our time in Annecy. The group was split up and given clues and challenges to complete using their cameras. Not only did this scavenger hunt result in a little bit of friendly competition but gave Trip Members a great chance to explore the nooks and crannies of one of France’s quaint cities. Some of the clues the Trip Members were looking for included a man with a toupee, a crazy mustache and ask a local to take a picture with their dog, IN FRENCH!  The first team to arrive back to our meeting spot having completed all the tasks, consisted of Sascha, Raquel, Ryan, Andrea, Cameron and Joe. Coming in with a very admirable second place performance were team members, Jake, Brad, Hayley, Brooke, David O. and Henry.

Day 10 was not only a very active day but gave us yet another chance to see the unique charm Annecy has to offer. A wonderful bike ride along the Lac des Cygnes, which translates to the lac of swans, gave Trip Members a picturesque riverside view and great bike path route along which to follow. Amanda really enjoyed the bike ride and said “the best part was when we got to swim in the clearest lake I’ve ever seen!” Reid definitely agreed with Amanda and also enjoyed such clear water! Sarah was so excited for her second bike ride ever and did a great job maintaining her newly developed skills. Following our bike ride, we had a relaxing afternoon at the Annecy beach. Trip Members enjoyed the warm French sun and sports coordinated by our sports coordinator, Jon. Beach volleyball, paddle ball and some water slide fun was definitely a great part of the afternoon. The Hermosa boys consisting of Joe, Jimmy, and Ryan and honorary member Brad went undefeated in the 2011 Westcoast Connection Volleyball Elite Series tournament.  Some rest and relaxation at the hotel and dinner in small groups around Lac des Cygnes closed off our 10th day together.

Day 11 Wow, white water rafting was both thrilling and exhilarating!!  With full wet suits on, each Trip Member was well on their way to taking on this challenging course without a hitch.  Some friendly competition down the river, which resulted in a significant splashing battle between boats, added to the excitement and fun of the rafting experience. Melissa sat way up front for most of the ride and really enjoyed the adventure! Sara and Boone lead one group at the front of the boat as Boone has rowing experience and taught her skills to Sara. Jordan loved the rafting and had a great time in her all-girls boat! A delicious gelato treat after dinner was a great ending to another perfect day.

Day 12 saw us traveling through one beautiful Swiss town to another as we made our way to the hidden town of Zermatt, which is tucked away in the Swiss Alps. Our Trip Members had the chance to ride the shuttle train into Zermatt as we learned that Zermatt is a village with few cars and pedestrian streets. After checking in to our hotel, we headed off for a fun night of games and billiards. Brooke played a fun game with Ryan while Julio and Ilyssa cheered them on! Amanda and Brad beat Bobby and Sara in a thrilling duel of pool that lasted three rounds.

Day 13 was definitely a day all Trip Members will remember. One of Zermatt’s biggest attractions is the Matterhorn. Luckily for us, we had the chance of either skiing down it or taking a gondola right up to the very summit.  Stanley had a great time skiing and spent his ski day on the hill with fellow ski friends, Jack, Jake, Josh, Jeff and Troy. Another group consisted of Allie, Boone, Ari and Raquel. Michael had a great time skiing the Swiss Alps with Cameron, Mitchell, Scott, Andy, Cody L, and Henry. After experiencing a fun day on the slopes, it was time to show off our dancing moves at the local disco! Kaela enjoyed dancing the night away with Allie. Cameron and Henry started a cool shimmying conga line and had a great time leading the pack!  Our wake-up in Zermatt on our last day was very exciting as the Matterhorn was in clear view. What a breathtaking site!  We said our goodbyes to the majestic mountain, and headed off to Italy.

Our first destination in the country famous for pizza and pasta was Venice. Our first ride on the canals of Venice was exciting and gave us all a great idea of how the locals travel around each day. Dinner at a traditional mom-and-pop restaurant was enjoyed by all, filling us up and giving us energy to explore the famous Piazza San Marco. The night ended with a nice dip in our hotel’s rooftop pool! We had a great time and enjoyed a refreshing cool down after a warm and enjoyable evening in Venice. For our second day in Venice, the group had a guided tour of the old Jewish ghetto. We then headed over to the famous Murano glass factory after lunch by the Rialto and the group was enthralled as they watched a glass blowing master create a beautiful vase. We learned that there is no school for the glass blowing master to learn this art, but rather it is a family skill passed on from generation to generation. Kaela and Ilana really enjoyed watching the glass blowing master create something beautiful from what appeared to be nothing. They, along with the rest of the group, gasped out of amazement and excitement as they saw the flaming glass ball transform before their eyes. We returned once again to Piazza San Marco for a fun and challenging “people hunt” where the objective is to interview locals and tourists based on a series of tasks and questions. The group was split up and was running through the Piazza looking for couples on their honeymoon, and people who could sing the Italian, American and Canadian national anthems.  Once all the groups were back we got our chance to experience a true Venetian attraction – a gondola ride. A group of boys made up of David J., David O., Ethan, Andy, Sascha, and Stanley were first to take off. Isabelle and Alanna shared a gondola with Hannah, Raquel and Ari and were all smiles during their trip! Cody L and Valentin shared a nice ride with Jordan and Melissa. Leaving moments before the quad was yet another boys group consisting of Sammy, Cody L, Scott, Cameron, Henry and Mitchell.

We hope you all at home are enjoying your summers, we sure are. Look out for another update very soon.

Arivaderci from Italy!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 3:56 PM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Adventures and Explorations! – Backpack Europe

Backpack Europe No Responses »
Jul 142011

Arc de Triomphe, Champs d’Elysées, Louvre, Jardin de Luxembourg, Latin Quarter!

Paris was absolutely beautiful; the weather has been perfect! To start our day off, we went over to l’Arc de Triomphe, an incredible monument in the middle of a staggeringly busy roundabout in Paris. To take advantage of the views that it offers, you first have to climb up the stairs placed in the pillars. This definitely turned into a journey to one of the great vantage points that Paris has to offer.
From the summit, one can gaze at the roundabout that circles our perch. Alex, Adam and Ben seemed to be particularly amazed at the flow of traffic that somehow made its way around the Arc. Ben took some great video of the cars circling with the motorcycles zigzagging their way through like Frogger experts. You’re also treated to a great view of the Eiffel Tower, which was where we got some of those classic shots of people ‘holding’ the Eiffel Tower from its tip. Alex then marveled at the regulations for being on top of the Arc, No Food, No Speedos, No Smoking… Yup, no Speedos.  It was a good thing, as a few in our group were debating that morning whether or not to adorn their favorite beach attire for the day. Another great site that you get from this vantage point would be the Champs Elysées, which we were about to walk along. We were told that at night, you see a continuous string of white lights and red lights, representing the head lights and rear lights of the constant traffic that flows along this busy street.
After a quick descent – easier on the way down than the way up – we stopped for a couple of group shots so that we would all never forget the wonderful monument. We then began our stroll along the Champs Elysées, the ‘Rodeo Drive’ of Paris, if you will. Sydney F, Andy, Ben, Matt W, Alex, Aaron, Eric, Baui, Justin, Adam and Robby all marveled at the vast amounts of galleries, boutiques, cafes and restaurants this long street has to offer.
After some free time to roam around in groups, we started our walk to the famous Louvre museum. This was a tour that many of us will never forget, not just due to the incredible works of art that we were treated to, but also thanks the incredible tour guide, Janice, that we had. She had an incredible British sense of humor that had us laughing at almost everything she said. She was also very knowledgeable about the extensive collections that we were treated to. The Louvre also is the home of one of the most famous paintings in the world; The Mona Lisa.
After our tour, we made our way over to the Jardin de Luxembourg, which is a beautiful, well-kept park, with long pitches of grass to lay down on and just hang out. Xander, Eric, Tyler and Matt F quickly pulled out a Frisbee, while Ben, Adam and Alex pulled out a hackeysack to play. Then, Sydney E decided we all could use some stretching time and had a nice yoga session.
After a little time to rejuvenate in the park, we walked over to the Latin Quarter to dine.  What an interesting area of Paris! The Latin Quarter is filled with restaurants with delicious cuisine from all over the world.
We ended our day on an evening boat ride along the River Seine. Trip members were captivated by the unbelievable view of the City of Lights. What an incredible and unforgettable way to end our day!
 
Next up, Musée Rodin, Napoleon’s Tomb, Musée D’Orsay, Café Rive Droite and Traveling to Tignes!
Our last day in Paris found us discovering the treasures of the Musee Rodin, home of the famous “Thinker” statue and Napolean’s tomb. We then had some time to explore the Musée D’Orsay for lunch and then went inside one of most famous impressionist museums in the world. While they understandably don’t allow you to take photographs inside, the experience definitely created a memory that will be etched in our minds for years to come.
After the museums, we headed over to Café Rive Droite where we would dine and have our evening activity, karaoke. It’s hard to describe how much fun we all had during karaoke, with everyone going up to the stage at least once, with some going 4 or 5 times. Sydney F was a great surprise to us all when she started belting out difficult songs with a beautiful voice that few of us knew existed until then. A big thanks was given to Matt F and Xander who ran up to the stage to sing long before most of us even knew we were starting karaoke, to get the fun started as early as possible. We had the whole restaurant dancing along as we belted out our songs!
 
The next day we found ourselves making the incredible journey from Paris to Tignes. Tignes is a beautiful mountain town that lies on the French side of the Alps. It is absolutely gorgeous!  Have you ever had one of those drives where you can’t help but gaze in awe out the window? This was one of those drives, with switchbacks bringing us up higher and higher into the Alps, with beautiful mountains as far the eye could see. This has definitely been a journey we will not soon forget!

 Stay tuned for more news from our amazing European adventure!!!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 11:59 AM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guten Tag! – Backpack Europe

Backpack Europe No Responses »
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: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sparkling Lights of Paris – European Escape

European Escape No Responses »
Jul 112011

If Napoleon were alive today, he would be proud of how much we have conquered thus far. Our trip is off to an incredible start, and it is certain that the foundations for great friendships are beginning to form. If our karaoke performances are any indication, this trip will truly be one to remember. Highlights included Gil stepping up to the mic with a solo performance, a beautiful serenade for staff member Becky. Peter’s rendition of ‘Ice Ice Baby’ also makes it into the top five, while Ben’s version of Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ was a testament to his talent as a DJ (DJBK!). The evening closed with everyone on stage singing ‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis at the top of their lungs! A special shout out goes to Danielle S. whose enthusiasm for singing was matched by her dancing moves!

As we got ready to depart Paris for our journey to Annecy, we were already looking back on our time here fondly. The Eiffel Tower at night is a sight to behold, both from land and from the River Seine. While we posed for pictures with the beautiful tower as our backdrop, it seemed as though David was overcome with emotion. Meanwhile, Jessie, Katie, Megan, Mimi, Lindsay, Gilly and Eliza met some Korean friends on board Les Bateau Mouches and embarked on our most recent challenge, ‘Trade Up’, trading a paper clip for a package of Korean Tea.

Our trip to Versailles was a gorgeous day, and just prior to getting a lesson on Louis XIV, we ate some of the most amazing crepes on a beautiful cobblestone street. While it seemed a little bit different, Colton’s beef filled crepe was actually quite tasty.

In addition to the artistry in Le Louvre, or the beauty of the Notre Dame Cathedral, we have also appreciated the smaller things on this trip. Brooke’s tutorial on Justin Bieber was most impressive, while the intellectual debates between Megan and Mimi have kept the bus rides rather entertaining and informative. We are all looking forward to seeing the countryside in France en route to Annecy.

Until the next installment, this is the European Escape signing off. Au revoir et a la prochaine!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360summer at 1:31 PM Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,
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