Weekend Student Adventures: It's London, Baby!

My trip to London was absolutely amazing! What made it a worthwhile trip was that I did it with Andy Steve’s Weekend Student Adventures instead of going by myself.

What is WSA?

Andy Steve’s Weekend Student Adventures (WSA) is a travel program that is specifically programmed for students studying abroad.  I learned about this tour program during my orientation at John Cabot University, and it interested me because it seemed like an informative, yet laid back way to travel and see other countries, and it was a super good deal (all the trips are only 199 Euros!).


What really caught my attention, and solidified my choice to go with WSA (instead of going solo, or with another tour group) was their mission statement:
  
“WSA's mission is to foster fun, respectful, in-depth and unforgettable travel  experiences for students. We empower students to become immersed in the  cities they visit by experiencing cultures as a local, rather than merely observing  them.
 
WSA provides a unique experience for students, an invaluable resource for universities and peace of mind for parents. We truly maximize the long-term value of the study abroad experience. With WSA, the journey does not end  after a weekend -- students leave with a contagious worldly attitude,     enthusiastic about bridging cultural gaps.”

As an anthropology student, this really made me excited because I am all about the seeing of different cultures and experiencing new things!

I chose to travel with WSA because they provided a holistic travel experience that was created uniquely for students. I decided to pick traveling with WSA, not only because of the great reviews I heard from other students at John Cabot University, but also because WSA trips include a little of everything – from interesting facts about a city’s history, fantastic food and drinks, unique experiences and wild parties at night. They know what makes each city special and want tour members to make the most of their short visit. They included much more in each of their packages than competitors who only build in bus transportation and accommodation.

Anyone who is studying abroad should check out this wonderful program!

Here are 10 reasons why:

1) Many destinations to choose from
They hit up London, Paris, Barcelona, Prague, Dublin, Swiss Alps, Budapest, Amsterdam and Rome.

2) Popular with the Students
 Last semester they had 485 for a total of more than 1200 students on trips in two years!

3) Unique Tour Experience
 Each tour differs slightly, so check tour details online at www.wsaeurope.com/destinations, but each includes hostel stay, walking tours and professional WSA guide, some meals, entrance into key sights and museum and unique experiences in each city such as bike tour, boat cruise, tea at the palace, etc.

4) Exclusive opportunities (that you wouldn't experience on your own)
 Doing something on your own will always be cheaper, such as cooking dinner for yourself instead of going out to eat, but it’s about the quality of the experience that matters! the trips are very competitively priced and the value you get of having an unforgettable time in the city without wasting time and money on touristy decisions makes up for the slightly higher cost of an organized weekend. WSA benefits from group discounts when they go places, so you’ll be able to check out spots you might not have been able to get to on your own, in addition to cool experiences such as boat cruises and bike tours that we set up for you exclusively!

5) So many things to do.....
WSA trips include a little of everything – from interesting facts about a city’s history, fantastic food and drinks, unique experiences and wild parties at night. The know what makes each city special and want tour members to make the most of their short visit. They include much more in each of the packages than competitors who only build in bus transportation and accommodation, AND they offer opt in experiences for those who can’t get enough. You can’t do a trip yourself and get the same value that you do with their service!

6) Discounts, discounts, discounts!!
When you book your second trip with WSA, you will recieve a return customer discount for 15eur off. If you have a group of friends heading there together, email them so that we can make sure you each get 10eur off – get 15 people on the trips and they will give you your trip for free!

7) Major Meals Included!
They include some meals in each one of our tour packages, but leave others open for you to decide what sounds best depending on your interests .they have optional activities such as sangria classes, brewery tours and 5 course meals that they head to, but if you have something else in mind, this is your free time to explore.The guides have tons of experience and are happy to point you in the direction of your favorites to make sure your taste buds are satisfied!

8) Local Tour Guides
Andy Steves does several tours across Europe each semester, but WSA has found local guides in Paris, Barcelona, Prague and London who grew up in these cities and know all the sweet spots and local haunts that you might miss heading there on your own. Exploring a city with a local is a unique experience, and many tour members have become great friends with our WSA guides, which is an added bonus!

9) No hidden fees!
With a WSA tour, there are no hidden fees or "optional upgrades."  When visiting Rome, you have to see the Colosseum. When visiting Paris, you gotta see the Louvre. So what sense is there making you pay individually, and then wasting time standing in line?

10) Great Hostel Locations
You get 2 nights in a top-rated hostel in the heart of the city (Fri, Sat).

WSA is a good, well centered and well run program and I recommend it to anyone who is abroad. I had such an amazing time with them in London, that I will most definitely do anther trip if I had the chance!

Check them out at: www.wsaeurope.com

Why London?

I picked to go do the London Trip with WSA because of it’s unique itinerary. London is an expensive city and for a student that can be hard. I loved that the tour was all inclusive!  I picked the destination because not only was it the destination for the 2012 Summer Olympics but also because I LOVE anything and everything that has to do with England (The Royalties,The Accents, Orlando Bloom, The Beatles, Castles, Tea, Double Decker Buses, Harry Potter, London Bridge,Sean Bean, Biscuits and how the British pounds are so much prettier than the American Dollar).


Highlights of the trip:

I went with my roommates, Linda and Becca.  It was quite the adventure trying to get to London. In Rome, it was raining cats and dogs which made getting a cab difficult. Once we got one, we were on our way to the Airport. We flew with RyanAir, which was the cheapest flight available. RyanAir is something different, they are so strick with luggage! But we managed to get through without too many problems. I have never been fond of flying, but I do admit that it was thrilling seeing England from that high up. All that talk about rolling green hills is very true!

We had taken a super late flight that Thursday, and we didn’t arrive in London until midnight that night, and then we spent 3 hours sitting in customs. I was so glad to be in a place where everybody spoke English, it made going through the lines so much easier.  When we finally got through customs, we were able to hire a cab right away to take us to the hostel.

The hostel- even at 3:00am- was so cool. I had never rented a room in a hostel before, it was a very new experience for me. This one was conveniently located right near the Tube and was super easy to find. It reminded me of something out of Harry Potter, with the antique iron fences and winding corridors (I got lost twice trying to find the showers, there were so many hallways!). I loved it.

The next day, we met our tour guide, Jamie and got started! Jamie was super relaxed and very knowledgeable about London. The size of the group was perfect, there was just six of us, which made it so comfortable and personal. The first thing we did was go on the Tube (as they call it in London), so much fun, and so easy to use. The first day was a blur of getting oriented with the area, riding double decker buses and trying to stay warm (London is COLD!).

I think my favorite part was the bike tour through the gardens, Buckingham Palace and central London. I LOVE biking, so this part of the tour was perfect for me. It was a great way to see all the sights and stay warm. I saw so much, and Jamie was so informative about the various monuments and places we saw, it made me feel like London was a home away from home.

We ended the night by checking out the west end of London, and by walking around Pica-dilly, then Jamie let us loose for some free time. I loved that the schedule was flexible!

The second day we toured around London some more with Jamie, and saw some amazing sights! I absolutely loved seeing the Wobbly Bridge (it was in Harry Potter!), and the Tower Bridge. We then toured The Tower, which was amazing. The tour guides, also known as Beefeaters were awesome. We got to see the crown jewels, which were so beautiful and see where Anne Bolyen was held. After the Tower, we had some free time to shop around for gifts/souvenirs.

That night, (with the help of Jamie) we were able to map our way out to Abbey Road! So cool! We even got a pretty decent picture of us crossing the street. We also made to platform 9 3/4, but alas could not get in :,-(

Day 3 was our final day (so sad). We met up  with Jamie, and he took us to the local farmers market to get to delicious snackies and to shop around, and then he took us to this amazing Indian restaurant to eat the best curry in England. So good, and spicy!

Then we said our goodbyes to Jamie and headed back on the Tube to the airport.

Overall, it was the perfect weekend. I loved our tour guide, and that our group was so small and personal. I got to see all of London, and left satisfied that I had seen it all in such a short time. Thank you WSA for such a perfect weekend!!

Ciao for now!

Kathleen

Venice and my 21st!

We stayed in Venice for 3 days--the last day was unexpected because we missed our train--. Venice is absoulutly amazing, I have never seen anything else like it! After we dropped of our Piccola Macchina at the airport, we bought tickets for the public water bus that went back and forth to Venice (its about 95 euros cheaper than taking a water taxi). The ride over was beautiful, I was the most excited to see the ocean again! Here are some pictures for them boat ride over;

It took about an hour to get to the main island of Venice, there we hauled our huge bags over our shoulders and got thoughaly lost trying to find the hotel. When we finally found it, we were the most happy! We threw our bags on the bed, charged our cameras and then went out to explore! Our first stop was Piannza San Marco

Piazza San Marco (often known in English as St Mark's Square), is the principal public square of Venice, Italy, where it is generally known just as "the Piazza". All other urban spaces in the city (except the Piazzetta and the Piazzale Roma) are called "campi" (fields). The Piazzetta (the 'little Piazza') is an extension of the Piazza towards the lagoon in its south east corner. The Piazza San Marco is not far above sea level and during the Acqua Alta, the "high water" from storm surges from the Adriatic or heavy rain, it is quick to flood. Water pouring into the drains in the Piazza runs directly into the Grand Canal. This normally works well but, when the sea is high, it has the reverse effect, with water from the lagoon surging up into the Square. Its a good thing we werent there when it was raining!! The main part is this Piazza is  church of St Mark. is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco, adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, and has only been the city's cathedral since 1807, when it became the seat of thePatriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, formerly at San Pietro di Castello. For its opulent design, gilded Byzantine mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century on the building has been known by the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (Church of gold).


After looking around Saint Marks Square for a while, we went and explored all around the canals of Venice. We saw many shops, gonadalas and toursists. 

I thought the Gondolas were especially intresting!  Even though they were so expensive (90 euro for 30 min!!) that we didnt get to go on one, I still enjoyed watching them paddle down the canals. Its amazing how they never fall in!


Some intresting facts about the Gondola that I have Learned:


1) The gondola is propelled by a person (the gondolier) who stands facing the bow and rows with a forward strokes, followed by a compensating backward stroke. Contrary to popular belief, the gondola is never poled like a punt as the waters of Venice are too deep.
2) A sumptuary law of Venice required that gondolas should be painted black, and they are customarily so painted now.
3) It is estimated that there were eight to ten thousand gondolas during the 17th and 18th century. There are just over four hundred in active service today, virtually all of them used for hire by tourists.
4) The profession of gondolier is controlled by a guild, which issues a limited number of licenses granted after periods of training and apprenticeship, and a major comprehensive exam which tests knowledge of Venetian history and landmarks, foreign language skills, and practical skills in handling the gondola typically necessary in the tight spaces of Venetian canals.
5) Mark Twain visited Venice in the summer of 1867. He dedicated much of The Innocents Abroad, chapter 23 to describing the curiosity of urban life with gondolas and gondoliers.


It is the most intresting!!


And now to answer the most asked question of all: is Venice really sinking?

Venice was built on marshlands, a sedimentary island within a lagoon off the coast of Italy. Attila the Hun invaded Italy in 452, forcing many inhabitants to flee to the coast. A small group of islands in the center of a lagoon were collectively called Rivo Alto, or "high bank." The area soon expanded, and Ri'Alto became the center of Venice.

Venice is a warren of canals. Where most cities have roads, Venice has canals. Gondolas and water taxis transport people to and from destinations. With water levels rising, flooding has become a serious problem and is contributing to Venice sinking. During the high tides in autumn and winter, the Piazza San Marco, the lowest area of the island, becomes totally flooded with water.

When the high tide season arrives, the streets of Venice become blocked with water. Wooden walkways must be erected in order for pedestrians to walk safely. The high water level is causing damage to Venice and disruption to its inhabitants. It has now reached the point at which city governors see the problem as critical.

Fortunatly, there have been many plans to slow down the sinking, such as the Dam Project which helps regulate the water that passes through the Grand Canal. Also, nature has been an allie in the sinking process, the earth's natural underground water supplies acted as a cushion that helped slow the city's sinking. Since the city has stopped pumping this natural water source, the sinking has slowed ever so slightly.


Nobody has predicted an exact date on when Venice will actually sink, but I don't think its going to happen for a long while.


So if it sinks will it become like the lost city of Atlantis? Or maybe it will turn into a major scuba diving hot spot? 


I hope it never sinks, it's too beautiful!!


On a completly different note, I celebrated my 21st birthday this week.....


It was the most fun, pictures will be up soon. The one thing that did sink in Venice was my camera battery :( so now I have to reply on other camera's for my memories. Eventually I will get to charging my iphone so I can take pictures with that, I will do it before London, I promise!!


Non the less, my birthday was fun. We went to a delicious pizzeria called Dar Poeta and afterwards we went to our favorite cafe, G.G. Belli where we had a canoli. I recieved my very own first bottle of wine as a birthday present, I have to take pictures of it before we drink it. It is the most special :)


ciao ciao!!

Spring Break a Sucess? I think so!!!

Fun Fact: The film, The Never Ending Story was filmed and created in Garmish!

This is the view from the balcony. That is the Olympic Ski Jump, and behind the Bavarvian Alps.

Our last days in GP were packed full of adventure. We went up to the top of Zugspitze, which is the highest peak in Germany. At the top is a ski lodge, and museum. We had to take a cable car all the way up to the top. It was absoulutly incredible, and FREEZING!! 

Some fun facts about Zugspitze:

-The Zugspitze, at 2,962 metres above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains as well as the highest mountain in Germany.

-On the flanks of the Zugspitze are three glaciers, including the two largest in Germany: the Northern Schneeferner with an area of 30.7 hectares and theHöllentalferner with an area of 24.7 hectares. The third is the Southern Schneefernerwhich covers 8.4 hectares.

-The Zugspitze was first conquered on 27 August 1820 by Josef Naus, his survey assistant, Maier, and mountain guide, Johann Georg Tauschl.

-In April 1933, the mountain was occupied by of 24 storm troopers, who hoisted a swastika flag on top the tower on the weather station. A month later, SA and SS deployed on the Schneeferner in the shape of a swastika. On 20 April 1945 the US Air Force dropped bombs on the Zugspitze that destroyed the valley station of the Tyrolean Zugspitze Railway and the hotel on the ridge. After the war the Allies seized the railway and Schneefernerhaus.

-Shortly after World War II the US military took over the Schneefernerhaus (as the hotel at the top was then called) for the exclusive use of US military and civilian employees. Room rates, including meals, were US $1 per day. Ski lessons were available, taught by Austrians and Germans, at a cost of US $0.25 per hour.

The Unexpected Adventure:

After our descend from Zugspitze we began packing up to head to Venice. Unfortunatly, there were some complications with the train (we have had more trouble with the stupid train system more then anything else), Under the advice of our friend, we decided to rent a car and drive the 3 hours from GP to Venice. It was an adventure! I think it was worth it though, we go to see more of the Austrian and German country side,  I really got a feel for what it was actually like to live in Europe. It was worth it!

We had the most smallest car. Our little Piccola Macchina:

Here are some of the sites from the road. Driving in Europe is not that much diferent than driving in the US. Except that gas is by the liters instead of galleons, and it is super expensive.  Its a good thing we had our little smart car, we only had to fill up once the entire way down! They also have toll roads, and lots of tunnels which we did not expect at all.  

Coming soon: Venice!!!

Ciao (or i should say Guten tag ) from Garmisch-Partenkirchen!

My spring break has been absoulutly amazing so far. I am loving every minute of it. Right now I am in a little German town called Garmisch Partenkirchen. It is so beautiful!! This is what it looks

 like:

Here are some fun facts:

-Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria. Nearby is Germany's highest mountain,Zugspitze, at 2961 m (9714 ft.).

Garmisch (in the west) and Partenkirchen (in the east) were separate towns for many centuries, and still maintain quite separate identities.

-Partenkirchen originated as the Roman town of Partanum on the trade route from Venice toAugsburg and is first mentioned in the year A.D. 15. Its main street, Ludwigsstrasse, follows the original Roman road.

-Garmisch is first mentioned some 800 years later as Germaneskau ("German District"), suggesting that at some point a Teutonic tribe took up settlement in the western end of the valley.

-The valley came under the rule of the Bishop of Freising and was governed by a bishop's representative known as a Pfleger (caretaker or warden) from Werdenfels Castle on a cliff north of Garmisch.

-The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies^[2] is also located in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Marshall Center is an internationally funded and mostly U.S.-staffed learning and conference center for governments from around the world, but primarily from the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. It was established in June 1993, replacing the U.S. Army Russian Institute. Near the Marshall Center is the American Armed Forces Recreation Centers (Edelweiss Lodge and Resort) in Garmisch that serves U.S. and NATOmilitary and their families. A number of U.S. troops and civilians are stationed in the town to provide logistical support to the Marshall Center and Edelweiss Recreation Center.

-The King's House on Schachen, a small castle built for Ludwig II of Bavaria, is also located in the mountains south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Its grounds contain the Alpengarten auf dem Schachen, an alpine botanical garden

Pretty cool, huh?

Today we are going to take the tram up to Zuzgspirte, the highest mountain in Germany!

Yesterday we took a hour long train ride to Munich. We saw lots of beautiful churches, and a museum of modern art. We also went The Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München, which is the oldest beer hall in Germnay.

Saw some of the beautiful churches:

The day before that, we toured around GP with Kristen and saw the military base, had a very nice lunch at Hotel Edelweis. There was watermelon and french toast and pancakes! It was amazing. Everybody spoke english, and they gave us our change back in dollars.  A very nice taste of home!

 The adventures will countinue today!!

Ciao!!