DATELINE, FRIDAY MAY 7, LONDON
We have had a wonderful day. Arrived at London Heathrow about 30 minutes late, but our coach was waiting, and we headed out with our guide for the orientation tour of London. We then visited Westminster Abbey, which is the site of coronations and the burial spot for important British officials. Went to a grocery store for a quick (but delicious) takeout lunch and hopped on a double-decker bus for the short ride to the Belgravia Police station where we had a presentation by the Director of Counter-Terrorism. All students were well behaved so I didn’t have to leave anyone behind at the station!! Then it was our first ride on the London Tube (subway), a new experience for most of our students, but they were game for it, and we didn’t lose anyone. Checked into our quaint and very “British” hotel before heading to dinner at an upscale pizza place and a sunset ride on the London Eye, the second largest ferris wheel in the world. Truly, a great first day in London!
DATELINE, MAY 8 LONDON
Another great day in London. Lots of talk this morning about the British election and the lack of a clear majority for either the Labour or Conservative Party. After breakfast, students were off to the Imperial War Museum devoted to the history of the military, most particularly World Wars I and II. The kids are now official pros at navigating the subway system, a particularly challenging task since some of the lines and stations are closed for renovation in preparation for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Had dinner at a family restaurant near our hotel. Another good day. All students are happy and healthy.
DATELINE: SUNDAY, MAY 9, LONDON
Today it was the Tower of London, complete with a visit to the magnificent crown jewels. We also enjoyed a tour by the Beefeater Guards, who are retired British soldiers. A rigorous “audition” is required to become a Beefeater Guard, but the reward is great—a permanent “flat” (apartment) inside the Tower! Pretty nice real estate. Students were free in the afternoon to explore London and visit museums. We finished the evening with a delicious dinner at a great restaurant in Covent Garden. Remember Eliza from “My Fair Lady?” She always wanted to own a flower shop in Covent Garden. It is now full of shops of all kinds and lots and lots of street entertainers. Another great day in London.
DATELINE: MONDAY, MAY 10, LONDON
We awoke to something unusual in London—sunshine and blue skies. Lots of discussion during breakfast of the continuing election “crisis” and the efforts by both the Conservative and Labour Parties to form a coalition government with the Liberal Democratic Party.
It was a beautiful day for photos at Windsor Castle. Took a 30 minute train ride from Paddington Station near our hotel, enjoyed an educational tour from a Castle guide, and a quick lunch in the town of Windsor before catching the train back to London. Afternoon was free and then we had a nice dinner at the Rolling Stones Café in Kensington. Finished the evening with an invitation-only admission to the Changing of the Key Ceremony at the Tower of London. This solemn ceremony has taken place every night without exception for more than 600 years. We were lucky to be among the exclusive group admitted. Not bad for a bunch of “Yanks” from Florida!!
DATELINE: Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Off to St. Paul's Cathedral for a guided tour and a "hike" up more than 100 steps for a magnificent view of London. It's our last night in London so we ate typically British food -- delicious fish and chips (plus many other menu items) at a local pub near our hotel.
DATELINE: Wednesday, May 12, 2010
We awoke yesterday to the news that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had formed a coalition government, and the Queen had invited David Cameron to become the new Prime Minister. Students were busy reading the morning newspaper over breakfast.
Shortly after breakfast, we were off to San Pancras train station to catch the high-speed Eurostar to the heart of Paris – 2 hours and 12 minutes. What a busy day we had!
We had a little glitch at Gare du Nord rail station in Paris because the van that carries our luggage to the hotel was 30 minutes late which made us rush, rush, rush to the American University of Paris. But once at AUP, we had a wonderful lecture on French restrictions against wearing the Muslim veil in public. Then it was a guided tour of Notre Dame, a short break to relax, and then off to the the Eiffel Tower and a late night cruise on the River Seine.
DATELINE: Thursday, May 13, 2010
Today, we visited the Church of Sainte Chapelle known for its beautiful stained glass windows and the Conciergerie, known as the holding place (and torture chamber) for prisoners during the French Revolution. Its most famous prisoner was Marie Antoinette. This evening, we will have dinner in the Latin Quarter which is the university district of Paris.
DATELINE: FRIDAY, May 14
This was a free day for those staying in Paris. A day to walk along Seine, visit the Louvre, take the train to the Palace of Versailles, and eat chocolate croissants. For seven of our students, though, today was a passage back to America's finest hours on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944. They toured Omaha and Utah Beaches. They saw the locations where thousands of young Americans jumped through the foggy darkness to begin the liberation of Europe. And they paid tribute to those American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who never left Normandy and who are buried on the hilltop overlooking Omaha Beach at the American Cemetery in Normandy. Two of our students -- one a Navy cadet and the other an officer in the U.S. Army -- lowered the American flag as the mournful strains of "Taps" sounded through the otherwise silent cemetery. On this day, our students from the University of South Florida learned more about war and its consequences than they would ever learn in any classroom in America.
DATELINE: SATURDAY, May 15
Our trip is nearly over. We have seen so much and learned so much. While our students are looking forward to their homecoming in America, they are not the same kids who began this journey 10 days ago. They are now students of the world.
