After meeting the Canadian groups back at the Canadian War memorial, EF and Dave Robinson were able to line up everyone up very efficiently and the march has begun. I must say that I am a very proud Canadian and these are the times with which I grow even more proud to live where I do. A sea of red has begun to infiltrate the streets of London leading to “Bucky Shack” and eventually through Canada gates...as previoulsy mentioned we will be the largest contingent of Canadians in Green Park since the end of the war. The ceremony begins around the Canadian fountain in the park and it is surrounded by that sea of red I also mentioned before...the sun is shining and it is warm and wonderful to be standing with all of the kids as days of old are recounted. A number of students recite pieces of literature about war time and wreaths are laid follwoing the solemn playing of the LASt Post and the Reveille...Honorable Gordon Campbell the High Commissioner for Canada is present as is the Minster responsible for Veterans Affairs Steven Blainey, a CFAer, and they speak glowingly about the role these kids are playing in our future of remembrance and i fully concur!
Following the ceremony at Green Park its back to the TUBE and off the Imperial War Museum....Brendan is so excited it’s hilarious! The kids, as I think I have already mentioned(not sure because my blogging has been spotty at best!) are becoming extremely adept at moving through the TUBE, this comment will be even more evident a little later in the today’s edition. AS we left the very moving ceremony, the kids are starting to see why they came here, someone needs to take up the torch of Remembrance and it needs to be them. I feel that we are in good hands!
The Imperial War Museum is the first stop today(really yesterday, but again I am pretending) on our museum and history tour. The museum itself is home to many pieces of quite rare artifacts from both WWI and WWII, in fact it has also recently expanded to include information about veterans and current conflicts in the world, such as Afghanistan. Brendan is about to go on display as he is extremly knowledgeable in all areas of war machinery. This is usually the time I cherish most with Brendan, as I have nowhere near the knowledge on these things. Most of my interest centers around the personal stories of veterans as you well know. Strategy and the war machine are Brendan’s strong suits for sure.
The museum is actually quite amazing as it features full size spitfires hanging from the ceiling along with other artifacts such as a one of a kind German rocket prototype that is really neat. One of the most amazing pieces are the German V1 and V2 bombs that we heard about earlier today when we were learning about the air raids throughout London...I am completely amazed at how the Brits were able to survive these raids. I have actually attached a random video that should show you much of what Brendan showed me. The kids loved this museum and many also got to experience a very moving and sombre Holocaust exhibit throughout the entire third floor. I have been quite intrigued with the Holocaust after reading Eli Weisel’s novels and even moreso after visiting Amsterdam and the holocaust museum and deporation sight along with Anne Frank’s house on our last world tour. This was certainly one fo the more impressive exhibits i have ever seen and very forthcoming about what exactly took place. The exhibit actually finished with a scale model of the Auschwitz site and fairly graphic explanantions of what was going on each step of the way.
I want you to know that some of the quieter ones are also enjoying themelsves ...I am not playing playing favorites and actaully hang with many of the kids but the fact is some of them just don’t say much...I would say some are still a little initmidated by the European experience, its a little busier than Summerside!
From the Imperial War Museum we head to dinner at Wagamama for noodles...some of the tough ones are using teh chopsticks and some wimps are asking for forks. Not sure if I should classify it that way or more like some are starving and don’t want to waste time with the chopsticks and want to dig in with forks!!! The last movie reference of the day but it needs to be mentioned...CJ is still hungry and so am I..we have another plate of noodles in front of us...I tell him you be lady and I will be tramp...let's eat these noodles!!! I think Alex has a nice shot of it as well!!
The decision has been made that these kids have been so awesome that they are getting with rewarded with a longer day and some night life and shopping in Piccadily Circus. Since we are on a travel day tomorrow the kids can sleep on the bus, so a late night and early morning won’t hurt them at all. But prior to that we are of to the Churchill War Rooms and Churchill Museum. I asked Brendan if going here was the equivalent of me going to my first Bruins game, but he decidely said it would only be the equivalent of me going to a Bruins game....I thought Brendan really knew me....no way would he be that excited for anything!
The Churchill War rooms were the heartbeat of the British war effort, especially the bunkers during the air raids. Everything is set the way in which it was 70+ years ago and the adjoining Churchill museum is a wonderful look at probably one fo the most beloved Brits of all time. In fact, JFK said that Churchill was one of the most important figures in human history...wow...The kids also loved learning about the man who’s face is so recognizable in this area of the world. What they didn’t know was the very peronsal side of Churchill and his affinity for painting and his family. Churchill’s history is one of a noble past but as a child he was basically ignored by his father, Lord Randolph Churchill, as he was sent away to boarding school at the ripe old age of 7. From that point on Chruchill became very involved in the defence of Britain as a soldier and eventaully the defender of the country during its most trying times.
There really wasn;t much that Churchill didn’t do...he was elected, he was basically fired, he was re-elected and stayed a member of parliamnet until he was 90 years old. HE was hated by some, loved by many and respcted by all for his efforts to defend his country and the whole of Europe. What many of the kids enjoyed was hearing about his wit....if you were unaware Churchill was known for his quick wit, dreadful honesty, love of cigars and of course his drinking!!! He was also the first commoner of Britain ever granted a state funeral...far from a common man. The last exhibit was a video of the funeral back in 1965 I believe, not long after his 90th birthday and 70 years to the day that his father died.
But it was his wit that caught most of the kids attention by a number of the quotes that Churchill is given credit for....for example this comment was made in parliament...
Mrs. Baddock: “'You are drunk Sir Winston, you are disgustingly drunk.
Churchill: 'Yes, Mrs. Braddock, I am drunk. But you, Mrs. Braddock are ugly, and disgustingly fat. But, tomorrow morning, I, Winston Churchill will be sober.”
Or another one of my favorites....
“Lady Nancy Astor: Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea.
Churchill: Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it.”
However, on a more serious note, Churchill also had a few more telling quotes that we can all learn from..
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
In the end, these kids are learning a great deal in a very short period of time....these are those WOW moments that we all look for in teaching...I like to think that I get these all the time in class, but I just don’t. It’s not that we get it everyday on tour, but we certainly have more opprotunites at times with the exceptional experinces that we have at our dispossal.
After herding everyone out of the of Museum we are off on a brisk 15 minute walk to Piccadilly. Barb get your walking boots on because we are hoofing it!!! I have also failed to mention the parents involved...Danny and Kim Brawn, Angela Carragher and Lisa ROnahan have all been extremly helpful and great travelers. Margie has everyone helathy ot this point and Alex is going to provide you with memories of the trip to last a lifetime. So thanks to everyone involved. Off we go!
Piccadilly Circus is the equivalent of Times Square in New york and has some great shopping for everyone. But it’s the crowds and the atmosphere that is most exciting. I have attached another random youtube video, but in order to understand the atmosphere on a holiday weekend, you might want to triple the population of the area in order to understand what it was like for us. IN fact the TUBE excursion after the clsoing of the stores at 10 had roughly about 1000 people cramming in to 8 stalls to get into the station...these kids were really composed for rookies! Upon returning to the hotel the kids are asked to pack and be ready for the 5 AM wakeup call and breakfast at 6 AM. We’ll see if they are really morning people....
Well well we are finally into Day 3(actually nearly done as soon as I get this darn thing written) I really don’t you to fell sorry for me, but I spent the first hour of the bus ride writing about our yesterday adventures...and forgot it all on the bus tonight and was unable to retrieve it...so here we go wrirting it all over again...so if you read it tonight and it looks different in the AM(Sunday) thatis because I have my notes back and have made some adjustements...stupid maybe, but I promised you this would get done!!! Ok so let’s set the day(Saturday is just beginning...use your imaginations)
Into Day 3 and the kids were up at 5 and at breakfast by 6 and all is well...even the non-morning people are relatively cheery...Katie MacLean says that she is an all day person...I’ll check with Neil and Cathy and get back to all of you on that...Today is on to Canterbury then onto the see the White Cliffs of Dover where Becky says that she is going to belt out the song and a Happy Birthday shout out to Becca and Makayla on their 17th birthday....so it will be goodbye to the UK, you were good to us and we all want to come back....and onto France....but first Canterbury.
Canterbury is basically the equaivalnet of St. Peter’s Basilica but for Anglicans instead of us Catholics...now I have been to the Basicilica and it was unbeleivable and this one is on par. More Gothic in style, but the size is astounding and the architecture almost unbelievable really when you think of the era inwhich it was built! I will attach anotehr video for you to see..or why not just come over...its worth seeing trust me!
The kids also get to see the other side of Canterbury as its middle age buildings are also very commercialized and with some newer buildings sprinkled in bewtween....so yes they get to shop!!! All is well in the world!
From Canterbury we head to the Dover Docks and get to see the famous white cliffs and board our ferry for our trip to Calais and the 2nd stage of our journey in France. Very easy ride down and easy exit from our coach as we become walk on passengers and our luggage is collected along with a couple of hundred other Canadians. Excited for my first ferry ride since the Abby! This one looks must the same, but with a duty free shop, a liquor store and a few bars...imagine that on the Abby...jeepers that would have been downright dangerous!
Following the 90 minute crossing...Bievenue a France and in the most special France way we are greeted with nothing...
what do you mean...well we were lucky we had our bus but 4 others groups didn’t.....
ok what about our luggage? What do you mean you do not know anything about luggage??
How they heck do you think we have been living for the past few days...
of you say you think you may be able to make a call and see....Merci beaucoup monsieur...
oh you say you have found the truck we loaded it onto...merci encore...
and you will get that truck to us...things are looking up...merci merci encore!!
You will have the truck here in a minute...bien oui monsieur, merci un troisieme fois...
merci pour le camion avec le baggage...quoi..what...you just park it and leave???
...yep that’s right 300 pieces of luggage and they won’t unload it...screw this I will do it....I jumped int the back of the truck and start unloading all of the luggage..another few minutes and after one chap has retrieved his own luggage he leaves...excuse me kind sir are you from west of Quebec and East of Manitoba?? Thought so...thanks!!
That was rude of me sorry folks but that was what I felt like saying...was a little frustrated at the moment! Anyhow...Wade Forbes jumps in after a few minutes and we both unload the entire truck as the french ferry personal sit in the cab of the truck waiting for us to finish...the only other helpers are of course...Islanders..hate to brag, but we are they best!!!
Well after a brisk workout and about an hour delay we are off from Calais to Caen for the night. The kids are pooped so its good for them to sleep for the first 30 minutes because there is very little to see as this the insutrial area of France and not very appealing to the eye at all so they are not missing much. AS we move closer to the Normandy region it becomes quite beautiful..if you think we have rolling hills you haven’t seen anything. They also get a good picture of why the war effort and taken this area back from the Germans was so difficult because of the landscape. After about a three hour drive through areas like the Somme valley we arrive at Caen and I need to sleep! We have a 6 AM wake up call and its after 1 AM..tomorrow we are on Juno Beach and Beny sur Mer cemetery and up to Thelus for our cemetery! I can’t wait!!! Take care and bonne soire!
dc
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