Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 7 - Reflections from Auschwitz

Writing this virtual blog has been fun for me.  It has given me time to look back upon past travels and re-visit some of my favorite spots. Searching through old pictures and seeing so many former students (many of whom are adults now) has been helpful in this time of isolation and social distancing.  With all of that said, I have tried not to explain everything we see or do while on tour.  I have 8 students who will be traveling with me next year and this is their trip.  I want them to have a sense of these places through this virtual blog, but I don't want to take all of the mystery of these places away from them either.

Which leads me to today's entry, as you've noticed.  I am no longer writing as if I were in Europe.  I am not.  I am in my office with my puppy asleep on the floor next to me.  Today, on our virtual tour, we would be visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau.  I don't want to attempt to pretend that I am there.  Instead, I will be writing from the perspective of a teacher who has visited twice, both times with students, and both times with very different experiences.  I will include some photos that I took on my most recent visit, simply because they are easier to access for me, but I might be able to locate a few from the fist trip.

I hope you understand my deviation from the virtual tour and that you find my reflections to be thoughtful and interesting.

First, some general information about Auschwitz-Birkenau.  The grounds of this place are divided into three different camps.  Auschwitz I is where your tour begins.  It is located on the grounds of a former Polish military camp.  Barracks were used to house prisoners and now are used as a walking memorial to the victims.  Auschwitz II is also known as Birkenau.  It is the largest of the three camps and was the one that housed and exterminated the most people.  Much of it has been torn down today, but the stables some prisoners lived in and a large memorial stand as reminders of the size and severity of the location.  Auschwitz III is not part of a high school tour.  It was a labor camp not far from the other two locations.  In fact, there were many sub-camps in the vicinity, but these three share the Auschwitz name.  The website hosted by the memorial and musuem is amazingly interesting and I'd suggest all interested should visit.  Click here to see the website.  

In 2007, Mr. Fontenalla arranged a trip that very much mimicked the one that we were scheduled for this year.  We, along with Ms. Nancy Lemoine, took about 18 kids along with us.  We had seniors through Freshman, boys and girls, and we did not share our experience with any other school districts.  It was us, Arnoud our Tour Director, and Zoltan, our Bus Driver.  It really set the tone for what student travel could be and I eternally grateful for Font allowing me to attend.  I did not blog about that trip.  My memory may be a bit faulty, but here is what I remember:

Auschwitz was less busy on the first trip.  I do not remember a crowd.  Our guide took us into the first camp and every once in a while, we would stop to hear him discuss some of the history.  In the first camp, as you walk through the barracks, you can look through large windows into rooms that used to occupy beds.  Now, however, the stand as eerie reminders of the magnitude of the Holocaust.

At that time, I was not terribly emotional and throughout the first part of the barrack's tour, I was speechless, but able to hold my composure.  We walked down the long hallway and saw hundreds of suitcases.  We then saw even more shoes (photograph is above).  I was at the end of our line.  It is a habit that I have, but I do not want to leave anyone behind when we are walking somewhere.  Directly in front of me were two freshmen girls.  They were becoming closer friends on the trip, but I don't recall how close they were before we left.  As we turned into the next hallway, one of the girls crouched over and began to cry.  This brave young lady was Jewish and we knew the visit would be especially hard for her.  I saw her and began to move closer to try and provide some comfort, but before I could, they other student scooped her into her arms and gave her a safe place to cry.  In the horrors of Auschwitz, I saw the beauty of humanity.  I cannot tell that story without crying (nor can I type it).  Those two 14 year olds taught me more than I could ever pick up in a book and I am forever grateful.  I have also never told them the impact that moment had on me personally.  

We continued down to a small home. It was the Commandant's quarters.  A small swingset stood by the building.  Next to it, was the gas chamber and furnace used at Auschwitz I.  It was a dark and foreboding place, as we traced the footsteps of others into what they had been told were showers.  The numbers were too high, however, and the Nazi's determined they needed a larger facility.

The Showers at Auschwitz I.  The Commandant's Quarters are to the right.

Our group left for Birkenau which was a short distance away and rejoined our guide.  He took us through the larger part of the camp.  He showed us where the train would pull up and how the victims would be separated by gender and by presumed strength.  He pointed out the chambers which had now been destroyed.  His tour was the most impactful tour I have ever taken.  He concluded by reminding us that the Holocaust was not a Jewish event.  It was not a Polish event either.  It was an event that challenged all of humanity.  He charged us with the task of remembering that idea and working towards helping all in need. 

My second time visiting Auschwitz was in 2014.  The trip was designed to be a History of the Holocaust tour.  We had about 18 kids.  The chaperones were myself, Ms. Alongi, Ms. Mottola, and Joanie (the longtime nurse at SHS).  We also shared our experience with a group from Saskatchewan, Canada.  The trip had our students previously visit Dachau near Munich.  That small labor camp became the model for almost all of the other camps in the Nazi regime.  Dachau had a furnace, but it was never used.  It's museum tells the rise of Hitler and the party and discusses the first political and religious prisoners.  It is somber, but it is not Auschwitz.

Read About the 2014 Trip to Dachau here.
Read About the 2014 Trip to Auschwitz here.

I will not recap the entire trip in today's reflection.  You will understand much more of what we saw, and experienced, by reading the entry above.  I will, however, reflect on the moment that connects these two times in my life.  Our group had people from all walks of life.  We shared some things in common, but our differences also resonated.  We only had one freshman student with us...a young man.  Leaving Dachau, I think, he asked me what the larger point of life might be if there is so much darkness in the world.  It was a scary question, and while I don't address it directly in the blog, there is a reference to my answer.  It was an answer that gleaned from my first visit to Auschwitz.  It was an answer that rests on the strength of our humanity.  

Now in Auschwitz, we found ourselves at a relatively new memorial.  The camp, in 2014, was much busier.  There were lots of groups and we formed a very long, almost impersonal, line through the barracks portion of the tour.  At this memorial, however, our guide said some departing words.  She was a lifetime resident of the city.  Her family had lived in the shadows of the camp for all of her life.  The story she told, similar to one I had heard years before, was deeply personal.  When she concluded, Joanie gathered us all together.  She had brought stones from hear her home and as a sign of remembrance, she asked us all to leave one in honor of all of the victims.  Joanie is Jewish and the visit for her was something quite difficult to take.  Our combined group honored her request.  Vic Thunderchild, a chaperone from our Canadian group, then began to speak.  His words, however were not words...they were song.  From his native tongue, Vic led us through a spiritual hymn and prayer of honor.  When he concluded there was silence, but that deafening silence was broken with a prayer from Ian, one of our students.  Ian was a soft-spoken gentle giant.  He is also quite religious.  He words came from deep within his heart and he asked us to honor all of those impacted by the Holocaust.  

These three actions all carried the same message.  The heavy weight of this act of depravity rests on our shoulders, but we are not alone.  We carry that weight with all of the good and caring people who are out there.  My answer to the young man questioning the futility of it all, was that when bad times are in front of us, the call to humanity is always there.  We live in troubled times.  We are making personal and professional sacrifices to help others simply by staying home and washing our hands, but those actions are indeed helping.  In the camps, during the worst of time, the stories of shame resonate in our history books, but the innumerable times where one person helped another amidst great danger are largely untold.  The evil that men do never triumphs over the good we can do.  

Mr. Lavoie, I hope today's reflection finds you well and that the greater message connects with how you are feeling during this time of crisis.

Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 6 - From Prague to Poland

The drive from Prague to Krakow is over 5 hours long.  Couple that with some construction and a few rest stops, our day has been a long one.  Tomorrow, suffice it to say, includes a trip to Auschwitz and Birkenau which can be mentally tough as well.  That said, our group is in good spirits tonight and had a great time on our city walk of Krakow and the Wawel Cathedral.

At our restaurant tonight, the owner's daughter was intrigued by the group of Americans eating her dad's cuisine.  She joined us for a photo shoot after dessert. There is nothing like a little cake and ice cream to bring out the smiles in everyone!.

We left Prague around 8:30am.  This means we needed to have the bus packed fairly early and Franz was appreciative of all of the help.  The streets were pretty empty in the city, while we exited, and we found ourselves on the interstate (intercountry) in short time.

The roads and sky were clear today as our trend of seasonable weather continued.  It looks like we've got some rain ahead on Saturday, but we should be making our way through Slovakia when the worst part hits.  The long bus rides are always tough.  Kids usually sleep during the morning drive, but after lunch they get a little restless.  We help pass the time with some bus games.  Karl, ever so masterful as a Tour Director, organized a few distractions.  First, after the kids broke out into song (we aren't earning any money as a choir), Karl stopped them and asked them to compose a parody song about our trip using the sounds of their favorite pop music.  The kids, for the most part, loved it.  After our impromptu talent show concluded with an epic of remake of Budapest about wishing we were in Budapest, Karl shifted gears and allowed the kids to ask him questions about his amazingly interesting life.  Albuquerque was their number one point of interest, lol.  Karl tried to turn that around on the chaperones, but I don't think the kids cared about my upbringing in Saugus.  Lastly, we played a version of 20 Questions.  With the microphone on the bus, a bunch of kids got the chance to be MC.  It really helped break up the long haul.

Kids are working on the song parodies in this picture...although there may still be a sleeper or two.

We arrived into Krakow at about 3pm.  Maybe 4.  We met our city guide, Theresa, and she began to explain to us the history of the city.  It has a fascination with dragons and a former Pope lived in and around the city.  As we walked the narrow streets and staircases of the oldest part of the city, I could tell that our kids were loving the atmosphere.  Krakow feels old...the city square has a beautiful marketplace, but I don't usually see many kids there.  Even still, there is a warmth to the city that you don't often feel in larger city squares. The large Cathedral in Glowny Square has a trumpet player who announces the hour as time passes.  We were able to hear two blows from his horn before dinner began.  

For dinner, we had a traditional Polish meal, but the highlight was Beet Soup.  Even though it was not really soup weather, the kids loved this color schemed soup...well, those adventurous enough to try it.  Before and after dinner, kids could be found getting street food and trinkets in the market.  The square is really the best in Europe for keeping track of small groups of students.  The chaperones grabbed an outside table at a cafe, enjoyed a nice cup of coffee, and watched as the kids meandered through the different shops.  It was not too busy at this hour and the kids kept on checking in.  These kids are a good group.

When our post-dinner walk had finished, we hopped on to the bus and headed out to the hotel. It was called the System Hotel but I know it as Hotel Pop.  One my first trip to Europe with SHS students, we stayed here.  That was 13 years ago, I think.  Mr. Fontanella, Ms. Lemoine, and I enjoyed a late night pizza after Font, the kids and I played soccer in the parking lot of a nearby Ikea.  We also had to sign-up to use the hotel computer to send email.  Wifi was not really prevalent back then...wow, has the world changed.  

Travel days are often short on this blog, it has been more than exhausting.  I am including a quick video that I found that showcases things about Krakow.  I would have made one on my own, but I am not that skilled.

Before I sign off, a couple of kids just came down to the lobby to order a pizza.  They wanted to show me a picture they had taken on our walking tour.  It was of a painting of King Sigismund II.  The kids said he looked like me!!!  You be the judge:

This picture was from the walk...I couldn't get my camera working (so I thought). 
It is the only one without a smile!

Well, it is almost 12:30am here.  I should be signing off.  We have a long emotional day ahead of us.

Mr. Lavoie, impressed that he was able to put in a Belizean selfie into context for today's blog.

Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 5 - Old Town Road

I love Prague.  It is one of the places where I want to spend much more time than a school trip allows.  I'd love to rent a flat for a month some summer, maybe longer, and really get to experience the culture of this beautiful city.  I feel this way every time I visit. 

Karl had taken us on a short walking tour of Prague last night...into Old Town and down by the Charles bridge, but I did not write too much about it because I knew today was going to be packed.  I was right.  We had a great day.  It was in the 60s and sunny for most of the day, but got a little chillier at night...and as you can see, we were out and about tonight.  We signed up for a ghost tour.  Our ambassador to the other side was another American expat.  She was from Vermont and had moved here to further her studies. She does these city tours as her side hustle, lol.  She was great and everyone was rapt with attention.

I don't really believe in ghosts, but I did capture this one picture that might make you wonder. If you look under the white light (behind the gate) you might see a silhouette of something unexplainable!

The tour lasted about 1.5 hours and capstoned a really long day.  We walked over 13 miles throughout the cobble-stoned alleys and bridges.  Our city guide was amazing.  She was able to connect to our group immediately and our kids were constantly asking questions.  It is always a great thing to see; we don't learn/teach much about this part of the world, so questions can be tough, but these kids were on point.  We met her shortly after finishing our breakfast as we boarded the bus.  Franz took us to the top of the hills outside of Old Town and she hopped on halfway up the hill.  We entered through Prague Castle and explored the medieval grounds of St. Vitus Cathedral.  The kids had fun posing as Czech guards (the President lives here) and taking pictures of the view of the city.

We walked down the hills to the Charles Bridge.  It was quite busy, so we walked carefully through the crowds.  It has a strong reputation for pickpockets and it is one of the reasons why I like to be there at night when it is empty and safer.  The are lots of vendors and statues and selfies...so I reminded the kids to be vigilant.  We are in for the night and no one reported anything bad happening, so our street smarts paid off!  In Old Town, we were met with Prague still breaking down from the Easter market.  I wish we were a week or two earlier, but the square is still quite cool.  If I knew about this earlier, I would have had parents czech this out...a Webcam showing the city square (On my next visit, we will arrange a wave!)

We stopped here for an hour of free time.  A bunch of the kids grabbed a coffee from Starbucks, but some were more adventurous.  One of my favorite items in this part of the world is Trdelnik.  It is a dessert food and in Prague you can get it stuffed with ice cream!!!  It isn't the healthiest lunch, but we walked 13 miles today, so back off, lol.  Here is what it looks like, but you will have to come with me next time to taste it!!!

After our lunch, we continued into Old Prague and saw the 13th Century Jewish Cemetery.  It is a very interesting place.  The graves of the dead were placed above those from years before.  It fits right in to any horror story and yet still earns the solemnity that you'd expect.  

After the Jewish Quarter, we headed back into Old Town.  There I broke the group into halves.  Some kids wanted to shop at the little souvenir stores and markets in the square, but others wanted to experience a European mall.  We set a meeting time to gather in front of the Glockenspiel and I took some kids to the shopping center.  It was not a long walk, but there are so many cool distractions when you are in a foreign city.  We got to the mall and I think the kids were somewhat disappointed in how close to our malls it was, that said, they still bought things that you could buy at home, lol.  

We meandered back to Old Town Square and I went to find the others...as promised none had left the square or the three main tourists roads that have all of the shops and restaurants.  We were whole again and just in time to meet with Karl.  He took us to our restaurant for dinner.  

Tonight's meal was a hamburger with potato served over gravy.  It was really good.  The potatoes were whipped smooth and no butter was spared.  The gravy enhanced every bit, but the burger was overcooked.  Karl explained to me that European restaurants almost always overcook their beef.  I am assuming it was a hold over from the Mad Cow breakout years back.  Even well done, however, I enjoyed the meal and judging from the kids, I think they did too.

After dinner, it was time for one more Tdnelik before our ghost tour.  Some kids bought that last souvenir and others just sipped on a cappuccino while awaited our guide.  Eventually, Karl beckoned to our group.  There is an archway near the cathedral and he said we'd be meeting our guide there at about 7:30.  We were all huddled there when this very strange man approached.  He was carrying a burger king bag and wore a long black trench coat.  He stared at us.  It was so creepy, but then, out of the bag, he pulled a lantern...he began to explain the dark deep secrets of the murderous history of Prague.  Turns out, his name is Fred Strangebone and he is an actor and tour guide.  He led us through the streets with the kids on every word.  What a phenomenal tour!!!  

We are back at the Meteor and the kids are up in their rooms (well most, there are four down here with me as I type).  We were chatting as I worked on tonight's entry and they all loved Prague.  I asked them what their favorite part was and most agreed it was being in a place where the signs looked different, but the smiles looked the same.  We often forget that humanity represents itself through common denominators and one of those is the smile.  As kids struggled with the language barrier, they learned that kindness resonates.  It is one of the most important lessons to learn while traveling and it is why I do these tours!

Mr. Lavoie, still somewhat shocked at how things are today. The memories of a Charles Bridge filled with people stand in stark contrast to the bridge today...but we will walks it steps again...in due time.

Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 4 - Czech Out Today's Blog!

Our First Travel Day

Today was a long day.  We woke relatively early and had a good breakfast before collecting all of our bags and meeting in the hotel lobby.  We helped Franz pack up the bus and then many of the kids fell back asleep as we made our way out of Berlin.  It is a 4 hour ride to Prague, but our trip makes a few stops before we reach the City of a Hundred Spires.  In that time, it should be noted, that I built up the courage to ask Franz if he had ever heard of Saturday Night Live's Hanz and Franz.  He hadn't.  I hope he doesn't look it up, lol.

The day is beautiful again.  Mid 60s here with only a few clouds in the sky.  As we made our way down the highway, I kept on thinking about the different weather I've faced in Europe and how the kids, all of them, just accepted it and moved on.  We can all appreciate the good weather, but ignoring the poor weather and appreciating where you are...that is the key.  

Bus rides in Europe can be filled with sleeping kids (as our morning trip was) or loud and excited kids (as our post Dresden ride was).  I love both of them.  Either way is usually rewarding because both are signs of kids who have had, or are having, a good time. Today's ride was not different.

Sleeping students means that they are so exhausted from a great trip that they pass right out on the bus!

A bus filled with talkative kids (of all ages) means they are having a blast in the moment (Truth is, we were stopped here)

As we pulled into Dresden, the kids felt like we were in old Europe for the first time.  You enter the city from a small valley down by the Elbe River and above you, you see the architecture.  Most of the city is Baroque, but it isn't authentic from the time period. Dresden was badly damaged during the Second World War and much of it has been restored after the peace.  The Zwinger museum was our first destination off of the bus, but the kids didn't seem to be all that excited about looking at art...well, some of them were, but most have never really been to an art museum.  I challenged the kids with two essential tasks, one, don't touch anything.  Two, take pictures of the paintings (when allowed) that look like people at Saugus High School.  It is a fun little game and I promised an ice cream to the best photo taken.  Needless to say, I bought four ice creams today because three of them were so good!  

The Opera House in Dresden.

After the museum, we walked through an archway into the old world.  At least, it felt like it.  We approached the Frauenkirche.  The church was almost completely destroyed by bombings during the war, but has been completely restored and there are photo tablets all over the place to compare pre, post, and current Dresden.  It is amazing how good the work was.  We also happened across a wedding at the church! 

I don't care if she is a Bride, she photo bombed the picture!

There are no fast food places here in Dresden. They exist, but they aren't in this part of the city.  I asked the kids to step out of their comfort zone and eat something new.  Some kids ordered pizza, some braved the sausages, and others settled for pretzels....lol.  I will get them to try new things soon!  

We gathered at the meeting place Karl had set up and hopped onto the bus.  Franz reminded the kids that they could eat and drink their snacks, but they had to clean up after themselves...he also asked that we not bring anything that could stain!  I hope the kids listen, Franz is doing a great job of navigating the narrow roads.  

It is only a four hour drive, straight through, but with bathroom stops and Dresden's long stay, we have been on the go for most of the day.  We approached Prague, but the outskirts are just a modern city.  Our hotel is on the metro line, but is really nice.  It is the Hotel Meteor Plaza and is operated under the Best Western umbrella.  

We went into Old Town, for a few hours, after dinner. Prague must be seen at night and while we have a ghost tour scheduled for tomorrow, I wanted everyone to get a glimpse of what tomorrow has in store.

Prague Castle in the background.

We are back at the Meteor and everyone is up in their rooms...which are scattered all over the place and none on a floor lower than the third.  Only three of us took the elevator because it was so small and old.  I can hear the kids talking to each other from their windows (there is a small courtyard in the middle of the hotel).  They are not too loud and it isn't that late yet.  I will do room checks in a minute and then I will write some postcards down in the lobby for a bit.  

Mr. Lavoie, still somewhat shocked that school is canceled for the year, but loving the memories of these trips and splicing photos from all of my different adventures into one tale. 

Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 3 - Ich Bin Ein Berliner

Escaping into Freedom!

Waking up earlier than usual is a habit for me on Eurotrips.  I usually don't fall asleep until about 2am and I set the alarm for about 1.5 hours prior to the time our Tour Director tells us that we are leaving.  I usually get up at about 5:30am regardless.  Sometimes I catch a little extra sleep, but today was not one of those days. It was another beautiful day.  I made the phone calls to the kids waking them up and then I headed out on a morning adventure to my favorite coffee place.

My first visit to Berlin was in 2007.  The discovery of a Dunkin on that trip was a great way to connect where I was to home.  It is an experiment that I still have kids do...basically, go to a place that you know from home when you are away and compare it with the foreign location.  Most often, I take the kids to a McDonalds.  The cleanliness, the attitudes of the employees, and the various menu items can all be culturally significant.  The Ostbanhof Dunkin Donuts is a train station coffee shop, but it was clean and the young man serving Mr. Jones and I was very pleased to meet some Americans.

Our order complete, we walked back to the Ibis to meet the kids and have the hotel breakfast.  In Europe, hotel breakfasts are often much more than what people are expecting.  Usually, you can find some hot items (sausage, eggs, etc), cold cuts (I make sandwiches), and yogurts or cereal (Which I often mix).  Most of the kids start traditional, but by the end of the trip, they are trying new things...often Nutella emerges as a quick favorite.  My advice to the kids is to eat a hearty breakfast because it is free.  Lunch is not!

This morning's breakfast was sponsored by
Strawberry yogurt over granola, salami &
Cheese sandwich, eggs, and bacon.

Karl had us meet at the front of the hotel at 8am.  We walked towards the train station, but met Franz and our bus along the way.  The morning's adventure was a bus ride through the city.  Our local guide was named Jim.  I have been on four of these local tours and Jim has been my guide three times now, lol.  He is an American who moved to Germany to study architecture. Each time I experience his tour, I learn something new.  Jim is also able to relate to the kids, throwing out American pop culture references.  I think I heard of the kids say his tour was lit.  We drove through the city.  Jim referenced places where the Nazis held massive rallies and book burnings. He also explained how the "new" Berlin has grown in multiple phases.  We are in the midst of the most recent boon to the Germany economy.  The EF Tour video for the Berlin Experience shows quite a bit of what we have seen today, so I thought I would include it: You even see our hotel...

One of the highlights for the group was our tour of the Topography of Terror museum.  The museum showcases the rise of Nazi power and Soviet occupation.  It is a powerful example of how a place can resonate with its own past.

After the museum, we visited the Brandenburg Gate, it is in the video posted above, but Jim took us on a walk to visit the Berlin Holocaust memorial.  It is a stark reminder of the horrors that surround the history of this place, but I tried to remind the kids that it does not define Germany or Berlin.  The Holocaust memorial is one of my favorite locations in Europe and it is a precursor to what we will see in a few days.  

These stones are all different sizes. 
The brutality of the design really hits me when I visit. 
I think the kids feel it too.

 To lighten our mood a bit, Jim also took us to Berlin's most prestigious shopping district called the Kurfurstendam.   We did not get out here, much to the shagrin of the kids, who wanted to experience Berlin's version of Rodeo Dr. and the Champs Elysee.  It was "Not Gucci" as one youngster proclaimed...but we had a schedule to keep and it was near lunch time.  We left the bus near Checkpoint Charlie.  It was a disappointing location for most of the kids, realizing quickly that the place had become a tourist trap.  It is centrally located, however, and kids were able to go off and buy lunch from one of the many quick service places nearby.  I bought noodles with chicken...I think it was chicken.  Yeah, chicken.  Definitely.  It was actually really good for something I could not identify, lol.  A few kids bought tickets to the Berlin Hot Air Balloon which rises high above the city while tethered to the ground and others ran off into the chocolate store.  After lunch, we took off towards the Berlin Wall.  

There are remnants of the Berlin Wall all over the city.  You can see impressions of its former location on sidewalks and across boulevards.  At some points, it is reminiscent of the Freedom Trail.   We went to the longest remaining section of the wall and posed for some necessary photos with the iconic structure.

Mr. Fontanella explaining the German flag colors to the kids.

After changing quickly, Mr. Font posed for a group photo.

Every few years, the City paints over the artwork and hires
new artists to convey their thoughts on Freedom and Oppression.

After what seemed like over 10 years of Berlin Wall pictures, we went to dinner.  We had schnitzel and it was amazing!!! I forgot to grab a picture of it, my b.  We had a little bit of free time in Alexanderplatz for souvenirs and ice cream.  I like to see a city lit up at night and Berlin, while modern, is still a great spot for seeing European life.  We decided to take the Metro back to the hotel and found an interesting phenomena...the picture might describe it better than my words.

It was a vending machine that sells French Fries...behind it is one that sells Sausages.

Returning to the hotel after a wonderful day/evening is always the highlight of these trips. Asking kids their favorite experiences and reminding them to journal their thoughts always makes the long nights worth it.  I am sitting here wrapping up the blog with another cup full of ice (It is the same night staff at the Ibis).  A couple of the kids are hanging out for a bit here on the WiFi...they think it is stronger than in their room (it is).  We are chatting as I write and I love how excited they are for the rest of the trip.  We have a travel day tomorrow.  We are off to Prague via Dresden.  It has been a while since I've visited Dresden and I am looking forward to see if it has changed at all.  It will be the kids first glimpse at what "old Europe" looks like even if it isn't really that old, but I am getting ahead of myself.

Mr. Lavoie, working hard to remember where all of his previous Berlin photos were stored...I think I found them all...can't wait to take new ones next year!

Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 2 - Eurotrip Runs on Dunkin

Berlin's Ampelmann tells us it is time to go!!!!

Bringing a little Constitution to
Europe!

It has been a long couple of days.  I woke pretty early yesterday morning and found snow on the ground in Saugus.  I spent most of the morning with last minute preparations and getting Monty's food taken care of...my parents will be watching him while we are gone.  After double checking my luggage and backpack, I was dropped off at the airport.  I usually arrive about an hour before I ask the kids to get there, but yesterday, one family had beaten me to Logan, lol. 

In due time, everyone else arrived at the airport and we said our goodbyes.  We went through security without a problem and then made our way to our gate.  We had plenty of time to spare so the kids ran off to get some food, drinks, and snacks and I watched all of the extra bags.  We eventually boarded and without any real issues our flight took off.  

The flight was largely uneventful...and I should know, because I was awake for most of it.  I tried to fall asleep, but I do not think I got more than 2 hours of combined sleep.  It looked like most of the kids did better than me.  At least one of them slept through our gourmet dinner selection of really dense chicken surrounded by unidentifiable "roasted" veggies.  

We landed and made our way through customs to grab our luggage when we noticed it was a beautiful sunny morning.  No one lost their bags and everyone grabbed a coffee or snack while we waited to meet our Tour Director.  His name is Karl.  He is a native Berliner, but he has also lived in Hungary and Albuquerque, go figure, lol.  He explained all of the rules and told the kids what do to if they found themselves separated from the group throughout the trip.  We hopped on-board the bus and met Franz the driver.  I can't stop thinking of Hanz and Franz.  If we get a flat tire, I won't be worried.

The Reichstag, don't think too much about those dark clouds, they lifted
and it was a beautiful day.

It was too early to check into the hotel, but we unloaded the luggage and took off on a walking tour.  The German metro system is very well organized and Karl took time to explain where our hotel was and where we were headed.  We took the subway across the city and got off near the Reichstag.  I noticed that I was not the only one struggling to stay awake on the trip.  The Reichstag is the German parliament building.  It played a pretty important role in the rise of the Nazi Party.  You can read more about it by clicking this link.  After relaxing a bit on the grass outside of the Reichstag, we headed off towards Potsdamer Platz for lunch.  Potsdamer Platz is a main thoroughfare in Germany.  It was bisected by the Berlin Wall and it feels like it is a bisection of old and new today.  The skyscrapers and modern architecture were a topic of discussion for Karl and the kids as we were able to remind them of how war-torn Europe was after World War 2 and the Cold War.  

After Potsdamer, we made our way (on foot) to the Gendarmenmarkt.  I could try to explain it, but instead...go here and check out the panorama.  This plaza is about halfway between Potsdamer and Alexanderplatz...which is one of my favorite spots in Berlin.  First, it has a Dunkin Donuts and I got a large Ice Coffee to help me through the rest of the day, lol.  Second, it holds a huge open air market filled with snacks and trinkets.  It was set up for Easter still, but the crowds were fairly thin.  Lastly, it was a communication center during the Soviet occupation of Germany and the huge TV tower still stands above the city.  Karl explained how the designer of the Tower (a secret christian) was able to design it so that a cross reflected off of the tower whenever the sun hit it.  It really is cool...especially when the kids saw the men hanging from it to clean it.

A Happy Place in Germany!

Our dinner was located in a 5 story mall near Alexanderplatz.  It was buffet style and you could choose from traditional German sausages, Chicken, or pizza...the kids all took pizza, lol.  I don't blame them as I finished my ice coffee (although I grabbed sausage and some french fries).  

Currywust and Fries...the Lunch of
a Champion!!!

After dinner, we continued our walk to the Hotel Ibis Ostbanhof.  I have stayed here before and enjoy the location.  It is new, near the Metro, and near the Train station (banhof) that has another Dunkin Donuts (for tomorrow), lol.  The walk also allows for our first real look at the Berlin Wall.  It really is amazing to see kids in 2020 reflect on the importance of this historical artifact.  They never lived during its stranglehold over the city, but they have learned about it over time.  We will see it again tomorrow on our formal tour of the city, but they were definitely in awe.

The lobby here is okay for writing a blog, but I've sat in better.  The hotel employee was kind enough to get me a lot of ice for my diet cokes while I put this together.  The kids are all up in their bedrooms.  I've told them they have until about 11 before I start doing bed checks, but with the amount we've walked today I don't know if many will stay up that late.  Tomorrow, in Berlin, it looks like another great day.  We have our guided tour and then a couple of museums on schedule.

Mr. Lavoie, sitting in his living room trying to put the pieces of this trip together in his head.  

A Metro Musician.  It was cool watching the difference in the reactions
between the American kids and the German Metro riders to this man's music.

Taking the Train back to the hotel after a long day/night.

Virtuo-Euro Trip 2020 - Day 1 - A Travel Blog For Our Modern World.

Yesterday, I was driving down Central St. from Saugus Center towards my house.  As I passed the Iron Works, I saw a young couple taking prom pictures.  My only assumption was that they were preparing for John Krasinski's Virtual Prom sponsored by his new webshow, "Some Good News."  The Covid-19 pandemic is hitting us in a thousand different ways and is reshaping how we live our lives.  While many watch the numbers of infected rise on a daily basis, we do not, and cannot, quantify how the virus is impacting everyone...high school seniors are filled with anxiety about whether or not they will be having their own proms, graduations, or whether they will see their high school classmates again.  It all happened so quickly.

Saugus High School travelers in April of 2012.  We had just landed in Amsterdam.

Another group, albeit smaller, that found themselves impacted by this disease was a number of people who had planned on traveling during their spring breaks or over their summer vacations.  For me, I had two summer trips planned (both of which are still in limbo, but I doubt will happen).  I also had a student trip planned to Central Europe.  There were only 9 of us.  We were supposed to leave today...and that is why I find myself sitting in my office, writing another introduction to "Where in the World is Mr. Lavoie?"  This time around, it is a virtou-Euro-trip.

A group of Sachems at Logan about to head to Ireland in 2013.

The goal of the virtual Europe trip is so that my nine students can catch a glimpse of what we will see next year when we depart.  This year's blog is going to be a bit of a preview mixed with some of my favorite memories and pictures from the trips of the past.  We will make our own memories next year, but so many of the kids had been working hard to pay for their trip and asking them to hold off on their dream adventure was one of the hardest things I had to do, but it was the right call.  I hope that they will read this and will become filled with excitement.  I hope their parents/guardians/loved ones will read this and will feel assured that the kids will have a blast when our adventure begins in reality in 2021.  I also hope others will read this blog...former students and their parents, people who are isolated from loved ones and looking for a diversion, and others...my travel blog has always been geared for multiple audiences.  Another group I hope reads these blogs are the current students and parents of Saugus High School students who have not yet decided to travel.  The world may seem scary right now, but it has seemed scary before.  Throughout our past, people have ventured out into their brave new world.  We have benefited from those journeys.

We have just landed in Munich in 2014 on our History of the Holocaust Tour

The unofficial, or official, motto of my trips is "One Must Travel to Learn."  It was a quote from Mark Twain and even though he lived many years ago, it still has relevance today.  While we are stuck at home, Twain believed the best experiences one could have came from stepping away from our comforts and experiencing what the world had in front of us.  This blog has always maintained that its readers, whether they've been traveling or not, learn from the interconnectedness of our modern world.   

A large group of Sachems...headed to England and France in 2015

Here is what to expect for the next twelve days...I will be writing a brief explanation of what we would be doing that day.  There will be links to the different museums and exhibits we might have visited.  I will share photos from these places...usually from my past trips, but sometimes taken from the web.  I will talk a little about the food, the cultural connections we will make, and I will probably throw in a pun or two when appropriate.  The posts will probably be shorter than if we were on sight, but will give a glimpse of what to expect.  

Can you Belize that this group of Saugus kids had just landed in Belize! (Also in 2015)

We were supposed to depart today.  We never received our flight times or our airlines, but we were supposed to be meeting at Logan Airport today. My best guess is that we would have been meeting at around 5pm unless our flight was delayed by this snow storm.  We probably had a flight to Frankfurt and tomorrow, we'd be connecting to our first stop, Berlin.

I want to pretend, in a way, that we have traveled and so, beginning tomorrow, the posts will read much more like we were there than this one.  I hope I entertain and educate.  I just wish our group ran into other Saugus students like we did in 2015 when Ms. Morando's group and ours had the same departure day and left within two hours of each other from the same Logan terminal...I caught this shot of Mr. Valerio and myself.

Mr. Lavoie, currently in his office but wishing he was headed to Logan for the adventure of a lifetime!