Culture Tour (Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France)
Dreams heed no borders, the eyes need no visas. With eyes and our minds excitedly open we were privy to many beautiful vistas: The gift of breath taking panoramic views of the Alps, changing landscapes through Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France as well as the many historical monuments, varied architecture and cultures afforded the touring Culture Tour boys life long memories.
We had felt that travel is like reading a book, those who do not travel read but only a page – within the spirit of this statement, 28 boys together with Mr Howard and Mr Pascoe experienced their own “touring novel”.
Academically, the tour catered for a tremendous amount of historical information as each city visited was introduced to the touring party by means of a bus tour and local guide whom on each occasion delivered a wealth of knowledge to us. Furthermore, each of the cities and their respective monuments captivated the interest of our boys and staff. Who could not be amazed by iconic tributes such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe, Sacre Coure, Notre Dame Cathedral, the inspiring Louvre Museum, Allianz Arena, Hohensalsburg Fortress and Mt. Pilatus?
A simple bike tour in Munich was a great way to enjoy the city, while our visit to the Audi Museum and BMW world added to the boy’s love of cars (the history behind cars and the technology involved in the progressing world of automobiles had the boys captivated). A visit to CERN with its underground technology and particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research stretched our boys.
A cogwheel train from Alpnachstad up Mt. Pilatus presented post card like views while simply walking around Salzburg and the streets of Geneva, Lucerne and Paris allowed our boys to fully absorb and appreciate the sights and sounds of the cities as well as a chance to meet and interact with the various locals.
Socially, touring with your peers yielded a tremendous amount of enjoyment and fun. The boys loved the holiday away from home while still being able to contact loved ones from the hotel Wi-Fi. Room sharing and group breakfasts become rather entertaining, lunch on the streets and suppers at Hard Rock Café, Hafbrauhaus, Pizza Prizzi and the odd boy favourite MacDonald’s kept the troops sustained. It was great to observe the interaction between the boys as our Grade 6 and 7 boys really ignored the age divide and were simply a ‘band of brothers’. Each day each moment was filled with laughter, genuine passion for what the day will offer and a spirit of comradery and an acknowledgment that each boy is part of something special.
Naturally, the day spent at Euro Disney was a welcome break for the boys and each boy could simply be a boy and enjoy the gift that is the entertainment to be found at Euro Disney. This visit also allowed Mr Howard and Mr Pascoe the chance to “relax” by occupying a coffee table and simply enjoy the calmness of people watching while sipping copious amount of coffee for a great part of the day.
Our boys rose to the challenge of being patient as far as the various flights, time in airports, bus trips and a busy tour schedule. They conducted themselves in a manner which brought a great deal of credit to themselves, their families and our school. Their energetic and polite manner, South African accents and our group diversity was enjoyed by locals and fellow tourists alike.
Thank you to every parent and the College Executive who supported this tour.
To the boys, thank you for affording Mr Howard and Mr Pascoe with many memorable teacher moments. Your zest and respect for the tour, your love for our country and your positive representation of our Preparatory and our College was a gift to observe.
