2nd Half Student Blog Morocco

Emily: yesterday we went to Morocco and it was fantastic! We took a ferry over the straight of Gibraltar and at our first stop we got to ride camels! Next we went to a market and walked to the streets looking at all the stuff being sold. Then we went to
a Berber carpet shop where some people were pushed to buy carpets (but didn't in the end) then we went to lunch we we had lovely soup, cuscus and beef shish-kabobs. Our last stop was a herb and medicine shop where I bought mint tea, cinnamon and perfume.It was a really great day and a very interesting experience.



Carleigh: Spain has been absolutely amazing, but what i can't stop thinking about is Morocco. First stop, camel rides. My life is now complete. We didn't go on very long rides, but it was definitely worth the one euro. The markets were remarkable as well and we went into a carpet shop and a shop where they were selling spices and cosmetics and things. There were also a lot of cats roaming around markets. Yes mom, cats. I could keep rambling on forever, but I'll save some stories for home.

Sophie: I am throughly enjoying myself here in Spain. We are currently on the bus to Valencia, which is a 7 hour bus ride.( we have 6 hours and 45 minutes to go...) Morocco was truly fascinating and was very different from anything I've ever experienced. We were told by our local guide that the majority of the Moroccan population was young and youthful. As soon as we hopped off the bus all eyes were on us because we were such obvious foreigners. My blonde hair was possibly the most abnormal thing they had ever seen...We rode camels which was sick and paraded through the narrow streets of Morocco. We visited a spice and carpet shop which was interesting. We also had people try and sell us things on the roads. I loved Costa del Sol because it was hot out and we got to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Granada was blisteringly hot and was full of interesting artisan items. The only poor weather we've had was on our first couple days in Madrid so we have been extremely lucky. Ta-ta for now.


Tori: This trip just keeps getting better, so far biggest highlight riding a camel it was awesome. Morocco was an unforgettable experience and I cant wait to see Valencia and Barcelona! We are all having so much fun and no one wants to leave.

Chloe: So pretty much Spain is the most amazing place I have ever visited. All the cities have been sick and have all had such different atmospheres from each other. My favourite cities have been Seville and Grenada because of how alive they are. We also rode camels in Morocco which was so scary but so fun at the same time. As amazing as the trip has been I still miss all my family back home and cant wait to see you soon, love you all sooo much! Oh dad, im really considering the exciting career path as a gypsy...

Jasper: Wow... this has been so amazing! Morocco was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was really cool to be wandering through the city and experiencing the culture first hand. The cities we have seen in Spain have been amazing, Seville and Granada were really fun to wander around in. The flamenco dancers we watched last night were amazing. I am really looking forward to Valencia and Barcelona.



Victoria: it was a great opportunity that i got to go to Morocco and its so different it makes you think of your own life, as of what u should improve on and all those kinds of things.. also i liked some of the foods there, the only thing is the people there when they asked if u wanted to buy something they asked you many times even if you said no they kept trying and i felt a bit bad but i guess they are used to that... im so happy i got to ride a camel :D haha so much fun but a hit scary cuz they tall.. last night we went to a flamenco night tat was amazing, it was great i really enjoyed it :p also we are now on a bus to valencia hope i keep having as much fun as ive had so far.. its been great

Se young: With the colossal market and unique culture, Morocco was certainly quite interesting place. Because i heard that Morocco was a country in North Africa, my expectation of Morocco was a either a desert or a grassland full of different animals. But Morocco was very Arabic, including the buildings, food, religion and people. What i especially liked about Morocco was how people are friendly to each other; our tour guide hugged and gave a kiss to a little girl in the market as if he was one of her family, and the girl and people around them seemed to be very familiar with such scenery. It was very heart-warming picture to me. Also i was fascinated with the market where you can actually bargain and lower the price of things. I enjoyed the bargain itself and thought that i got the things for pretty good price, but it turned out that the Moroccan people had outsmarted me, However, it was very nice(yet a little disappointing) experience. I can't wait to visit Valencia and Barcelona.



Devon: Morocco was incredible, I was in awe of the amount of things that I saw. Our tour guide was very nice and funny as well. Getting to ride the camel was very cool. I am glad I spent euros on it. The market place was very interesting. I cant imagine living in there though. The place with the carpets was umm..... interesting. I was confused if I was supposed to buy the carpet or not. The food was surprisingly good. The religion and the culture was very different to ours but I was interested. All in all I liked Morocco but I wouldn't want to stay there. Granada was also cool and I wished we could have stayed there a bit longer. The Al Hambra and the Flamenco dancers were the highlights for me. It makes me sad when I think we are so close to the end.

1st Half Student Blog Morocco

Jenny, dear readers it is 6:48 and we are now on the bus heading to Granada. On a "how syked am I" level out of ten I am about a trillion. Yesterday we did a day trip to Morocco, AFRICA. We rode a camel, visited market maze, had lunch while being entertained by a candle dancer(?), got a lesson on how fire proof African carpets are, and were shown the secrets of natural plants and spices. The market was crowded, small, dark in some places, and full of animals. There was a lot of cats. Our guide told us that the cats were to keep the rats and mice away. Pretty smart. People were very friendly there. Then before we realized, it was time to go back to the hotel. I think One of the coolest things that we have done is have a tour of a Mosk/cathedral in Coredova. It had a mixture of christian, roman, and muslim accents, and such a beautiful court yard, with lots of orange trees (they are everywhere), and several decorative fountains. If any of my family members are reading this I have tons of new ideas for the garden. The one bad things that happened was that me and a few others got sick. Not to fear we are all on the road to recovery. ttfn.



Jamie: WOW! This trip can only get better! We are just leaving Costa del Sol and on our way to Granada. Costa del Sol was so beautiful, everywhere you look you saw green, beautiful unique buildings built for hot weather and seeing the sunset rise and set on the soft sandy beach. Our hotel even had a heart shaped pool, but apparently it is too cold here for pools (not if your from cold Canada). Yesterday we took a ferry to Morocco, Africa and had a tour with a very funny tour guide. When we first docked I noticed that there were a lot for taxis, and our tour guide said that that was how most people in Morocco travelled. Our first stop was to ride camels, and it was so much fun! When the camel would stand up and sit down, you felt as if you were going to fall right off. After we arrived in the market and our tour guide said that we would feel as if we travelled back in time because the market had very narrow streets. We got to have a little lesson on the hand made carpets the had in one of the buildings I guess it was because from outside it just looked like a small door. You would think that inside would be very small, but instead it looked like a mansion! Also about the carpets, one of the guys talking to us about them showed us that they can't light on fire! We also got a lesson on spices from different little shop. The one thing I found very cool was the green lipstick, or as they called it "magic lipstick". Why they called it that was because it was green but when you put it on, it turned a beautiful shade of pink!
People there are super nice and we got to try a whole bunch of things, from freshly baked bread to tasty mint tea, learning facts we didn't know of before and beyond!
Talk to you all soon, hopefully with much more to add to this travel story.

Morgan: So yesterday went took a ferry across the Strait of Gibralter and landed in Morocco. We were guided through Morocco by someone who was paid by the Moroccan government, and he knew his stuff. we spent most of our day in Morocco in the old quarter of some city, but on the way we rode a camel and were entertained by a combination of facts and witty banter. Once we reached the old quarter of the city we were greatly amazed by the narrow, maze like streets and the almost limitless supply of venders. During the tour we were led through the streets and into shops where our guide would usually take some food and give us an example of Moroccan hospitality, a couple of times he hugged children who then preceded to pose for pictures. We also visited a Burbur rug emporium where we were given a fine example of the quality of their wares, their rugs were made of all natural animal fibre which meant that they wouldn't burn, a fact which he flaunted through out his demonstration. after the demonstration i was pressured into buying a rug which was normally one hundred and fifty euros but being the crafty consumer I am, I negotiated the price down to eighty euros (but didn't buy it).
After that rather embarrassing ordeal we went for lunch and ate some soup, camel ( beef) shishkababs, and couscous. towards the end of the luncheon we where entertained by a dancing candle person who we decided was dancing the "Dance of 1000 Apologies for Burning Down the Rugs Store". After the fantastic luncheon we were led down a narrow alley and into a small store with one medium sized room, with the walls lined with spices. After we all walked in we were given a demonstration of many different spices and concoctions. I ended up buying the most goods here, with a total of thirty two euros spent, on three bags of tea, magic sleeping juice, and saffron. After we went to a souvenir store where I broke a hooka.


Iain: Spain has been pretty good so far. We visited Serville and its massive cathedral which was amazing. We also went to Morroco, where we were almost trapped in a carpet store. The foods also been pretty good, although very fishy as well.

maddy: first of all, julian please shower. I know you havent, but i still got you something from morocco. unfortunately it wasnt a gypsy. morocco was crazy. the kids there start speaking/learning french at 6 years old. Man and I thought we had it bad. i can actually say that ive been to Africa! i can also say that ive swam in the mediterranean sea! It was super salty but totally worth it. i cannot wait for another day in Spain. Please shower, take care.


Sara: I couldnt of asked for a better experience in Spain, its really amazing. Morocco was not what I expected it to be , but I still enjoyed it very much , its something I will never forget. Swimming in the Mediterranean was awesome too! Cant wait for Barcelona!

Ami: There are actually no words to describe how much fun EVERYONE is having. Traveling through Spain has been quite the experience and Morocco was definitely the "Eye Opener." Still can't wait for Barcelona, and Fam Jam I might need some more money on my card :) Love you

Morocco- Day 5

An amazing day. We'll let the students tell you about it tomorrow. They'll write on the bus to Granada and I''ll post it later. For now, how about some pictures of the kids on a camel?

Pictures Sevilla Day 4

The Alcazar, the Cathedral, the bull ring.

Pictures from Cordoba Day 3

Cordoba Cathedral is really Cordoba Mosque built on the pillars of a Roman temple. Incredible!

Student Blog Madrid

Kat and Kit have not corrected the spelling or punctuation for these blogs. We like capitals, generally.

This is our first student blog. "Madrid"
Write your name, what you liked, what was funny, what went wrong?

Jamie: I really liked the Royal Palace, with all the beautiful paintings, furniture and statues. What I found funny was when it started raining and hailing and we had to get back to the subway to meet our tour guide to go to dinner. Most people didn't have umbrellas so we all ran to these huge umbrellas at a cafe. This was also the part that went wrong because everyone got soaking wet!

Jenny: I really enjoyed the Plaza Mayor, which is a huge square in the middle of the city of Madrid. There we met spiderman; he taught us the sexy look. The neat thing about this square is that it has many arches that lead to the different sections of the city. It was used to bring everyone together. I thought it was funny on our first night when we had dinner, I said I was a vegetarian, and instead of giving me chicken meat balls they gave me tuna salad! I think what went wrong was in Frankfurt, Germany when the group got split and half of us got lost and literally had to run to catch our plane. we made it with a minute to spare! That was a close call. ttfn.

Iain: So far it has been pretty good. Madrid was pretty nice, and quite different from vancouver. Its odd not knowing what people around you are saying. We saw the royal palace of madrid, which was beautiful.

Morgan: So far it's going well graffiti covers 90% of the buildings, and people who wouldn't even be allowed on the streets in Canada are allowed to float around dressed as Spiderman, or Dora the Explorer. Instead of being the grateful Canadian I am and learning their language I force them down to my level of communication. All things considered Madrid is a very beautiful city that really epitomizes Europe, scooters, scenic architecture, and gypsies all in one graffiti covered package; what more could one ask for?

Aidan: Madrid was nice, I haven't lost anything yet or been kidnapped by gypsies. So far I'd say a successful trip.

Maddy: I LOVE Spain so far. I also love my parents. send me more money. please. not really. well maybe. depends how much you love me too i suppose. did i mention i love you? madrid shopping was the best experience of my life. i enjoyed it even more than the 24 hours of travel time in airports next to unpleasant crying babies. were on the bus now and im Still keeping a hand on my wallet. my dear brother julian, please feed Ron and take a few showers. Please. The stench haunts me and Im halfway around the world. love you.

Sara: Spain is so beautiful, I could live here. The architecture is stunning, everything looks like there has been a lot of care put into it. The shopping here is...... wow....... no words , considering weve only been in madrid for 2 nights and I've already bought so much , My dear parents , Please dont be shocked when you see how much I've spent. Gypsies have not kidnapped us so I guess thats a good sign. Mom Dad Daniel I love you so much and miss you so much! <3 Spain

Ben: To room 106 its called "sleep" you may want to try it some time.

Ami: Loving all the gypsies dressed as spongebob and dora, but the city is so beautiful. Going through the palace looking at all the mosaic roofs and imagining how the king and queen used to live there. Wandering through the Prado Museum just taking in all the magnificent pieces of art. Excited for whats to come! P.S. Dad please don't delete "The Bachelor." ADIOS AMIGOS!

Nicola: Hola Hola family! I'm in love with this place, everything is so pretty! So far so good, i haven't lost anything yet, which is very surprising. Seeing all the amazing monarchs and scenery makes me wanna live here. Sorry to make you jealous dad, but we visited the Real Madrid stadium.. By the way parents, i'm going to be very poor after this trip... oh and don't you dare delete Kardashians!

Carleigh: So far, everything is going great, besides the smell floating through the bus right now. The scenery is amazing, with crazy fountains and graffiti everywhere. I loved the Prado Museum, and seeing the artwork we talked about up close in person. Shout out to all my homies back in Canada. Hasta luego!

Tori: This place is awesome the scenery is amazing and so is the shopping! The royal palace was so cool the ceilings were unbelievable. Other than the fact i am sick and cant talk this is the most amazing trip.

Adrian: Madrid has been a really beautiful city. It was cool to just wander the streets and see the sights. The architecture is a very old style and nthere are many nice buildings. I'm looking forward to seeing the other cities in Spain!

Emily: I loved Madrid! It reminded me a little of the old towns bit of the old towns of Stockholm and Tallinn which I visited last summer! I also liked the inexpensive shoe stores that are located all over madrid. Looking forward to seeing the Mediterranean.
Oh dad can you record the next episode of glee please? Hope you're having fun in D.C mum and dad!

Victoria: Madrid was beautiful, i love the architecture structures/buildings so far its been a wonderful experience. for me the highlight was the palace it was so beautiful inside i cant believe i got the opportunity to visit it i loved the ceilings how they were painted and all the history coming from that palace is just so interesting i wish i had the opportunity to stay a bit longer but were in a tight schedule. MADRID FUE HERMOSA ESPERO DISFRUTAR EL RESTO DEL VIAJE TANTO COMO DISFRUTE MADRID.. saludos a la familia besos <3

Se-Young: Madrid was a beautiful city; much more than I expected! The beauty of the Royal Palace in Madrid was beyond my expectation. It was so fantastic that I can't even believe that someone actually lived there. I can't wait to see other places we will visit in this trip. I knew this trip would be nice, but I
didn't know it would be this amazing!

Jasper: Madrid was a really fun city! I loved seeing all the old buildings and historical sights. The palace was amazing, there were so many cool rooms and it was unbelievable being so close to the famous paintings in the Prado. I can't wait to see more of Spain!

Chloe: Madrid was amazing! The palace and the prado were sick, i am really Enjoying spain and i miss you all lots. FUN FACT i puked in the frankfurt airport, gotta love air canada airplane food (y)

Sophie: So far Spain has been absolutely amazing. The architecture is stupendous, the language is magnificent, and the scenery is beautiful. Currently, we are bussing to Cordoba, and I'm excited to see what's in store for us. I miss my family, but not enough to come home yet... Just a little shout out to my roomies. Y'all are great.

Devon: Spain so far has been fantastic. After lots of plane travel Madrid was excellent. It helps that I know some french because spanish is very similar. In Madrid the scenerY and the buildings are fantastic. The royal palace was surly a stand out. While I miss my family I would not be anywhere else right now.

Madrid Day 2

Here are some more pictures. We visited the Bourbon Palce of the Spanish kings (most importantly Charles III, known as Charles Mayor "the best"). We walked through a new section of the city to his celebratory arch. Later a visit to the Prado. Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe- burgers! (meat and veggie!)