Our Adventure Is At A Close

Last night we took a night tour of Rome. We met a fellow teacher from MN who was also exploring Europe. We had a great time seeing all of Rome after dark!

We are packed and ready for our return to Tulsa!! We had a great time and learned many, varied and unusal things!

A Correction

The building in the June 9 post is actually Monument Victor Emmanuele. Our map reading got a little off.

In the Country, Below the Country, and a Surprise

We rode out of the city a ways and went to the Catocombe San Callisto. Thousands of Christians were buried here centuries ago. There are three levels of catacombes. All robbed in antiquity.

We happened upon what we thought was a little church not far from our hotel. Basilica S. Maria degli Angeli hides an amazing inside behind a nondescript outside. There is a huge organ (as the picture shows). We were lucky enough to hear and see a demonstration of it being played.

Flat Stanley Visits the Colosseum

Today Flat Stanley went to the Colosseum. It is huge!!! You could almost hear the crowds roar!!

Under Construction

They are working on most of the buildings. It's the pits getting old! We went to the Pantheon today, the inside is unbelievable.

Finding Our Way Around

Finding places in Rome is a challenge. The streets do not run parallel and perpendicular to each other. Also, they are not all labeled, or labeled on the map. It makes it quite interesting. We briefly saw the Colosseum yesterday and were able to go in the Sistine Chapel. It was better than you could imagine. We didn´t go into St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope was home as well as a few thousand of his guests.

This building is the Palazzo Venetia. It was once the Pope's palace.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

We had plenty of time to reflect on our 16 hour train to Rome and made a list of all the ways that we have traveled since we began our journey.

1. automobile

2. plane

3. feet

4 .bus

5. metro

6. train

7. coach bus

8. boat

9. Eurostar train

10. taxi

11. water cruise boat

12. sleeper train

It has been worth every step to see the places that we have only read about!

Today after dreaming about the Trevi Fountain we finally got to see it with our very own eyes and hear it with our very own ears!!!!

A Night in Paris

We took an illuminations tour of Paris last night. We saw the Eiffel Tower, took a cruise down the Seine, and toured the city by bus. It does not get dark until 10:30! What a difference a few thousand miles makes.

Excuse the typos and grammer as we are using French spellcheck and a European keyboard. What a hoot!!!! Everything converts to French.

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley was so excited in London when he saw children playing at school that he decided to stay and play awhile. Their playgroud was underground and very narrow. It made us thankful that our school has a large playground.

While in Paris Flat Stanley went to Musee d' Orsay to see the great Impressionist paintings, and to Sacre Coeur to attend church.

Monet's Garden

After dreaming about where Monet painted for many years we finally got to see it with our own eyes! The gardens look just like the pictures that are so famous! Beautiful, peaceful, and colorful!

We stopped at a challet in the country for lunch. It was such a charming setting with a working water mill. We had salad, salmon pate, duck and whipped potatoes, for desert apple torte. We moved on to Versailles to see the famous palace. It is so huge!! The bedroon where Marie Antoinette slept with the original fabric bed cover was amazing. Such a shame she lost her head!

Sunny Day in Paris - Finally!

We finally saw the sun today. It took most of the day to come out but it finally did. We, along with everyone else in Paris, went to the Louvre. The picture was taken at the plaza in front of the Louvre.

You Think the Traffic is Bad!!!!!

So this is Paris!!! Beautiful!!!!

Visiting the Queen

Today we thought we might drop in to see the Queen and have a spot of tea. The Royal Guards didn't think that was a good idea!

Churches and Rain

Our good weather didn't hold out. We awoke to cloudy skies and a rainy forecast. We made it to St. Paul's Cathedral and took multiple pictures all around the outside before the rain started. St. Paul's is absolutely beautiful.

After St. Paul's we went to Westminster Abbey. It is beautiful also. Those massive churches filled our day.

Where Are the Queen's Jewels Kept?

This year we discussed and wrote stories about where we thought the Queen keeps her jewels. Today we saw the Tower of London where the Queen keeps them in a vaulted room guarded by her Royal Guards. Inside the room we saw crowns, scepters, rings, earrings, and other sparkling jewels.

Edinburgh

Not even a shut down underground line could keep us from a tour to Edinburgh Thursday. It is a very interesting, medieval looking city. We took a guided tour around the city and explored Edinburgh castle. We also explored St. Giles church. We enjoyed the day, although it was cold and blustery (as you can tell by the picture).

Better Late Than Never

We have been so busy that we have not had time to up-date our blog. You know how it is when you're a world traveler!

On Wednesday we went to Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover and rode the London Eye with a special guest. Primary 1 "oops" first graders see if you know who it is! We are having a great time!!

The Adventure Begins

They say that the third time is a charm. We found this to be true! Alicia and I sent proposals to Fund For Teachers three years in a row to study castles and cathedrals and were selected this year.

I was at the DMV getting my picture taken for my new drivers license when my cell rang. It was Alicia telling me that we got it!!! I was so excited that I jumped up and started dancing around the DMV. The clerk looked at me like I was a nut until I explained to her about the call. When I left the customers were congratulating me on my exciting news.

On April 20th we received our check at a meeting along with other Fellows that were selected. It was a great evening!!! We met several other teachers that were going to many unusual places to gather information to bring back to their students.

Join us for our experiences as we study the many exciting places that Europe has to offer.