Language and Courtesy

Fortunately on this trip we will start in a country speaking English, but we also have the opportunity to visit the French and Spanish. While many people in Europe may speak English, not everyone does.  And even if they did, how rude of us not to bother learning at least the basics of the language.  So in planning for our trip you should try to know at least  un poco de español, un peu de français.  Courtesy and politeness are the essentials.  Try your best to learn the following phrases.

Please
Excuse me
Sorry
Thank you
You're welcome
Yes / no
Do you speak English / Spanish?
Where is?
I don't understand.
I don't speak ...
Help
How much is?
Numbers

Paris:
www.fodors.com/language/french
www.digitaldialects.com/French/Phrases.htm
Madrid / Barcelona:
www.fodors.com/language/spanish
www.digitaldialects.com/Spanish/Phrases.htm

Livemocha is another great website to learn a language and you can help others learning English.

Free apps for your iPods / iPhones:
Personally I like the Babbel, 24/7 Tutor, Duolingo, or World Nomads  (These are all available in French and Spanish.)

Day 8: Madrid

On day 8 we will arrive in Madrid.  We will start with a guided sightseeing tour (on a tour bus with stops) of the city.  We will travel along Paseo del Prado, Gran Vía, Calle Mayor seeing the Plaza Colon and Puerta del Sol.  We will also visit the Royal Palace, where the King and Queen of Spain once lived.   After lunch we will visit the Prado Museum and possibly some free time before dinner.  Maybe we will eat a dinner of tortilla española, yummy!   The prize for the day is a treat found at Chocolatería San Ginés (or a similiar location)

First person to answer the following questions correctly wins!

1.  What is the prize treat found at Chocolatería San Ginés?

 

2.  What is a tortilla española?

The following questions are about things we might see on the sightseeing tour.  The answers can be found at GO Madrid

3.  What is Madrid's main square?

4.  What is Madrid's most famous and most central square (although actually has the shape of a semi-circle)?

5.  What is the function of the Real Casa de Correos?

6.  What happens at the Real Casa de Correos on New Year's Eve?

7.  Outside the Casa de Correos is an important stone slab, what does it mark?

9.  What is the official symbol of Madrid?

10.  What 3 important things are found in the Plaza de Cibeles?

11.  Why is the Plaza de Cibeles important for the Real Madrid Football team?

12.  What is Madrid's main park, largest and most beautiful?

13.  What can we do in this park?

14.  What palace is found in this park?

15.  What 3 famous art museums are found near the Paseo del Prado, known as the Golden Triangle of Art?

16.  What 2 monuments are found in the Plaza Colon?

17.  What street is also known as the Spanish Broadway?

18.  At the north end of the Gran Via is the Plaza de España, what monument is found there?  (Our hotel is just off of the Gran Via)

19.  How many of the 2,800 rooms at the Palacio Real are open to visitors?

 

We will visit the Prado.

20.  Of the European masters displayed there, which two are Spansih?

21.  What is the most famous painting at the Prado?

22.  Who was King Felipe III's favorite artist?

23.  Where will you find Goya's "The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid"?

If we have the free time, I would also like to visit the Reina Sofía Museum.

24.  What famous painting is located there?

25.  Who painted it?

26.  What was the purpose of the painting?

I hope you also checked out some of the photos on this website.  We will be seeing many of these places soon!!!!!

 

This is a sample of a day.  Each night our tour director will post a schedule like this in the lobby.  

 

 

Day 7: More Paris and the Train!

Today's prize will be some candy for the train trip.

Remember you can answer via comment, email or twitter.

We will start our day with a walking tour of Paris led by our tour director.  We will visit the Louvre and Notre Dame, walk along the river and through the Latin quarter.  We will then have free time for lunch and some shopping before heading to the train station for our overnight train trip.

Louvre:

1.  What was the Louvre before it was a museum?

2.  When did it become a museum?  

3.  When did the glass Pyramid open?

4.  According to the Masterpiece Tour, who are the Louvre Museum's three great ladies?

5.  In what room will you find the Mona Lisa?

6.  Can you take a photo of the Mona Lisa?

7.  Other than the Mona Lisa, list three pieces of art you want to see in the Louvre.  (There are many works of some famous Spanish artists such as Goya, Velasquez, and Murillo)

Notre Dame

                          Edgerton's High School Group in 2007

8.  What does Notre Dame mean?

9.  Where in Paris is Notre Dame located?

10.  When was Notre Dame completed?

11.  Who is a well-known heroine from France?

12.  I want to climb the bell tower, how many steps?

13.  What is the size of the rose windows?

Respecting This Attraction:

The Notre Dame Catheral is not just one of the greatest Paris monuments. It is above all a catholic church, which is to say, it is a place of christian worship and fervor and therefore it should be respected and when visiting, tourists should behave accordingly.

14.  What is the river that runs through Paris?

Latin quarter

15.  Why is this neighborhood called the Latin quarter?

16.  We will find the Pantheon of Paris in the Latin quarter, what two buildings does it resemble?

17.  Who is a famous French person buried there?

18.  Do you have to pay to enter the Pantheon?

I am not sure where we will have our free time for lunch and shopping, so let's move on to the overnight train.  I've already shared a picture of the sleeping for the overnight trains.  From what I can find it will be about a 13-15 hour ride from 6ish in the evening to 9ish in the morning.  

 

Next stop Madrid!!

Day 6: PARIS!

Since we don't know the time of our departure from London, we are not sure how much of Paris we will see on day 5.  But on day 6 we will see it all!   We will start the day with a two and a half hour bus tour of Paris.   We will have a photo stop at the Eiffel Tower and end at the Opera or the Arc de Triomphe. *See Question #17 for today's prize!*



Opera House of Paris
1.  What will be showing at the Opera Nacional when we are there?
 
Arc de Triomphe
2.  Where is the Arc de Triomphe located?
3.  The triumphal arch is in honor of those who fought for France, especially what war?
4.  How tall is the arch?
5.  When was the Memorial Flame first ignited?
6.  What happens at the arch at 6:30 each evening?
7.  How can you get to the arch?
8.  Would you like to visit the arch up close and go up in the arch?

The bus will then continue with some of you to Versailles.   You will have time for lunch and a tour of Versailles with some free time to explore the gardens.



Versailles
9.  What happened at Versailles in 1999?
10.  What American leader attended the Versailles Summit in 1982?
11.  Where in Versailles was the Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919?
12.  What war did this treaty end?
13.  The Palace of Versailles used to be the seat of power, where the kings of France lived.  What is it today?
14.  Why did Louis XIV build the Grand Trianon?
15.  What is the name of Marie-Antoinette's estate?  (please visit it and take great pics, I missed this stop in 2007)

If you are not visiting Versailles, you will be finding something else to do in Paris for the day.   Check out these lists and tell me what you are interested in.  Those going also check out the lists because we will all have some free time in Paris.

Paris Options 1
Paris Options 2
Paris Options 3

Surprisingly this article of things NOT to do in Paris, will help you find some options as well.  This is a good read for all (those going to Versailles and those not)  What NOT to do in Paris

16.  List 2 things you are interested in for our free time.
17.  #9 Don't fill up on croissants, what should we try instead?  (This is the day 6 prize)

We will then meet up for dinner and free time in the city of lights.   I'm sure our tour director will have some ideas for us too.

Remember you can answer the questions as a comment, twitter, or via my email laurafrey61@hotmail.com