During spring vacation this year, Sra. Anderson traveled to Spain
with her husband and 11 students from Ledyard High School. The group
flew from Boston to Munich to Madrid. The trip began with a visit to
Toledo that consisted of tours of the cathedral, synagogue, and church
of San Tomé to see the artwork of El Greco. It also included shopping
for the famous swords and knives made of Toledo steel, as well as the
beautiful “damasquinado” jewelry and accessories for which Toledo is
well known. Students participated in a “scavenger hunt” here for various
items in the city, which allowed them to practice their Spanish with
some of the local citizens.
Next the group visited Åvila and learned about the importance of the
nun Santa Teresa. They also enjoyed climbing on the walls that surround
this beautiful city and the views of the many storks and other wildlife
that live in the town.
From Åvila the group traveled to Salamanca, the city known for its
famous university, Roman bridge, and Plaza Mayor. Students ate churros
con chocolate in a café in the Plaza, danced at a local disco, and spent
lots of time shopping, exploring and practicing their Spanish.
After Salamanca the next stop was Segoviá, which included a tour of the
castle and views of the well-known Roman aqueduct that crosses through
the city.
Next was a visit to El Escorial, in the town of San Lorenzo. El Escorial
was the palace/monastery built by Felipe II of Spain and it contains
pieces of art and literature as well as the tombs of many of the famous
royalty of Spain. Students learned a lot about the history of Spain and
the importance of the Catholic religion in the country’s development
here.
After El Escorial the next stop was El Valle de los Caídos. This is a
beautiful site in the Guadarrama mountains north of Madrid and is a
memorial to all those who died in the Spanish Civil War. Francisco
Franco is buried here.
The last destination for the group was the capital city of Madrid. Here
everyone visited the Prado and Reina Sofía museums and saw works of art
by Velasquez, El Greco, Goya, Picasso, Miró and many others. Students
enjoyed exploring the city via metro and eating at the Hard Rock Café in
Madrid. As this was the group’s final day in Spain, lots of time was
also spent shopping for last minute souvenirs and eating the turrón,
pan, paella, helado, dulces and other typical Spanish foods one last
time.
Everyone in the group had a terrific time and felt sad to be leaving
Spain. All of the students were able to use their Spanish skills and
many were pleased at their ability to communicate effectively with
native speakers. Some had such a great time that they plan to return
again as part of study abroad programs at their universities. The guide
for the trip, Samuel Bull, made the trip especially fun and enjoyable.
Stay tuned for news of the next trip to Spain that will tentatively be offered in the spring of 2011!
Toledo
Avila
Salamanca
Segovia
El Escorial/San Lorento Valle de los Caidos
Madrid
