Ana, our exchange student-daughter from 2005-6 school year, now lives in Palma de Mallorca.  She took the ferry to Ibiza for a 9 hour visit with us!! How wonderful to have this treasured time with Ana.  Many USM friends will recall her as the atractive, athletic, fun Spanish girl who is an excellent hockey player.

Ana has continued her hockey career: playing on the Spanish National Ice Hockey and the Spanish Roller Hockey teams.  She is currently studying for a career in physical therapy while working as a Manager of companies facebook websites –creating and updating. She is clearly a very bright and curious learner.

Ana’s family lives in Castellon and spend summer, on the beach of Alcosebbre, Spain.

         

  

While many others tour Paris with a half-day city tour of the Eiffle Tower, Trocadero, St. Germain de pres, Notre Dame, Le Marais this morning Tom and I relaxed at the Plaza Athenee downloading photos (reliving our Trans-Atlantic Crossing).  Outside our hotel is the prestigious Avenue Montaigne as well as the Champs Elysees which is great for shopping.

Tom and I took the Metro towards the Basilica Sacr’e Coeur de Montmartre. We walked MANY blocks to and from the beautiful Basilica.

This evening’s Les Bateaux Parisian dinner cruise was fantastic!

 

Flew to Norway for a technical stop at Stavanger. Our flight then continued to Airport LeBourget, Paris. This is where Lindbergh landed, May 21, 1927. Upon arrival, transfer to our deluxe hotel located in the 8th District near the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees.Hotel: Le Plaza Athenee Paris

A full day of private sightseeing part of our group made a visit to the famous Geyser hot spring area with numerous hot springs and geysers – one of them erupts every few minutes; take a look at the magnificent waterfall Gullfoss; visit the volcanic crater Kerid and the greenhouse village Hveragerdi; drive across Ljabakkavegur Pass to the Thingvellir National Park, a unique place of beauty, with its interesting geology and history; then across Mosfelsheildi Health to Reykjavik.

The day started with the whole group going to the Blue Lagoon. Tom and I traveled with another couple to the western side of Iceland—up to the Langjokull Glacier (at top we experienced a total white-out). Next stop was Hraunfossar Barnafoss where the water actually filters through the lava rock cliffs and falls into the river. The Deildartunguhver Hot Springs (100 C) which sends heat to three towns…always hot water available!

We completed our second water crossing first flying over ice-covered Greenland.

Upon arrival, we transferred to the Hotel Borg where we enjoy luxury accommodations in the very center of Reykjavik. The Hotel Borg overlooks the beautiful square of Austurvollur, and is situated across from Althingi, the Icelandic parliament and the cathedral.

Hallgrimskirja church is Reykjavik’s main landmark and its tower is visible almost everywhere in the city. Construction began in 1945 and ended in 1986. The church features a gargantuan pipe organ.

Standing directly in front of church is a statue of Leif Eriksson–the first European to discover Ameria. (Landed 1,000 A.D.)

We flew over the immense forests and numerous lakes of Labrador on our way to Kuujjuaq for a technical stop.

 

Then continued over southern Greenland’s beautiful scenery before landing at Kangerlussuaq. As we approach the Arctic Circle and the “land of the midnight sun”, we had an astonishing 20 hours of daylight!

Hotel Kangerlussuaq

Enjoying the city we took a cab to the Musee des Beaux-Arts only to find it closed on Mondays!! Expected to view the Bryan Adams photo art exhibit. Next option was to “enjoy” our 50 minute walk in light rain: we walked the Battlefield ramparts, the Plains of Abraham which includes the Jardin of  Jeanne d’Arc (see impressive bronze statue) and finally  the Governors’ Promenade board walk along the St. Lawrence River back to the Hotel Frontenac.    For Trivial Pursuit fans: the Canadian Anthem “Oh Canada” was sung here on the Plains for the first time ever on St John Baptiste Day…June 24th in 1880.

As participants we met for introductions and attended an extensive briefing covering the general procedures of our journey.  Our meeting place is the historic Chateau Frontenac ideally located in the center of Quebec City, Canada.