There has been some interest in setting up a carpool for the trip to Grand Rapids on the 11th. If anyone is interested, please respond to this e-mail, or post a comment on the blog so that we can gauge the interest level. Then we'll set up communication between anyone that is interested so you can make your own plans.
Thanks
JVH
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
What We'll See Part 7 - Assisi
On the road between Rome and Florence, we'll stop off in Assisi. Known to most Americans for being the spiritual home of St. Francis of Assisi, the town is one of the most picturesque in all of central Italy. The main site is the Basilica di San Francesco - the church built in 1230 to memorialize the life of St. Francis. Some key facts about the Basilica:
Names:
Basilica di San Francesco; Basilica of St. Francis
Date:
1230
Location:
Piazza Superiore (Inferiore) di San Francesco
Hours:
Lower church daily 6am-7pm; upper church daily 8:30am-7pm (until 6pm in winter). Treasury and Perkins Collection Easter-Oct Mon-Sat 9:30am-7pm.
Mass:
Sun morning before 2pm
Cost:
Free
Dress: No shorts, miniskirts, or bare shoulders
Photos:
Not allowed in Upper Church
Click here to see a map of Assisi.
Here's a short tourist-made video of Assisi:
Names:
Basilica di San Francesco; Basilica of St. Francis
Date:
1230
Location:
Piazza Superiore (Inferiore) di San Francesco
Hours:
Lower church daily 6am-7pm; upper church daily 8:30am-7pm (until 6pm in winter). Treasury and Perkins Collection Easter-Oct Mon-Sat 9:30am-7pm.
Mass:
Sun morning before 2pm
Cost:
Free
Dress: No shorts, miniskirts, or bare shoulders
Photos:
Not allowed in Upper Church
Click here to see a map of Assisi.
Here's a short tourist-made video of Assisi:
T-shirt delivery
I'm sure that you're all getting very excited for the trip - only 300 hours until we leave!
I have gotten the tickets for all our flights - they are all e-tickets, so we won't need to worry about carrying around paper copies.
I also picked up the T-shirts and will be delivering them some time next week. I'll be including with the shirts a folder of important information for you and your parents. Please be sure you read all the documents.
Also, a few of you still have not gotten me your tip money - you'll need to do that very soon. I'm going to give it all to my sister Jane, the chaperon in charge of passing out the tips, on July 5. I need to have it before then.
Finally, there are just 2 of you that still need to get me a copy of your passport ID page (you know who you are). That must be submitted to me ASAP.
I have gotten the tickets for all our flights - they are all e-tickets, so we won't need to worry about carrying around paper copies.
I also picked up the T-shirts and will be delivering them some time next week. I'll be including with the shirts a folder of important information for you and your parents. Please be sure you read all the documents.
Also, a few of you still have not gotten me your tip money - you'll need to do that very soon. I'm going to give it all to my sister Jane, the chaperon in charge of passing out the tips, on July 5. I need to have it before then.
Finally, there are just 2 of you that still need to get me a copy of your passport ID page (you know who you are). That must be submitted to me ASAP.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
What We'll See part 6
We'll spend a few days in Florence, the heart of the arts world during the Renaissance. Much of our visit there will be occupied with some of the most important religious and artistic monuments in the world. Click here to see a very informative interactive map of Florence.
Some of the key sites we'll see or you can check out during free time:
1) Duomo, including the baptistery and the bell tower.
2) Ponte Vecchio
3) The Accademia
4) Uffizi Gallery
5) Boboli Gardens
Some of the key sites we'll see or you can check out during free time:
1) Duomo, including the baptistery and the bell tower.
2) Ponte Vecchio
3) The Accademia
4) Uffizi Gallery
5) Boboli Gardens
Monday, June 23, 2008
What We'll See part 5 - Genoa
We'll have about 1/2 of a day in Genoa, the famous Italian port city that will be our last stop in the country before we head to Spain.
Genoa was once one of the most important cities in the world. Its port was a center for European trade, and the region flourished as a result. Check out this video for more sites and history.
Genoa was once one of the most important cities in the world. Its port was a center for European trade, and the region flourished as a result. Check out this video for more sites and history.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Daily Itinerary
Just to remind anyone who may have forgotten, here's our daily itinerary for the trip - we'll start things off by meeting at the Starbucks in the Grand Rapids airport at 3 p.m. on July 11. Anything listed as optional or extended in the itinerary will be something that we all do. Some of the daily activities may be subject to change.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Hotel and Flight Info - please read
Here is the confirmed information for our flight schedule and hotels. Since our first flight leaves at 5:11 p.m. you should meet me at 3 p.m. to check in and clear security. A few things to note:
1) We'll have a longish layover in Detroit, so plan to have something to occupy the time in your carry-on.
2) We'll be leaving Frankfurt and arriving in Rome in 2 separate groups - Check the itinerary to see which flight you'll be on (they are only 1 hour apart). Mr. Van Hof will be on the first flight, to meet with the tour director in Rome. We'll wait for the second group there, and depart the airport together.
3) All the hotels have websites - check them out to see the amenities they offer and their locations.
4) If you're getting these posts via e-mail, it might be better read this post on the blog itself. This is my first attempt posting a PDF file to the blog, so bear with me. If it's too tough to read, I'll re-send this as a group e-mail with a PDF attached. You can see the PDF file in full size if you click the little square on the upper right corner of the file below.
5) When we deliver the t-shirts, you'll get a hard copy of this document.
1) We'll have a longish layover in Detroit, so plan to have something to occupy the time in your carry-on.
2) We'll be leaving Frankfurt and arriving in Rome in 2 separate groups - Check the itinerary to see which flight you'll be on (they are only 1 hour apart). Mr. Van Hof will be on the first flight, to meet with the tour director in Rome. We'll wait for the second group there, and depart the airport together.
3) All the hotels have websites - check them out to see the amenities they offer and their locations.
4) If you're getting these posts via e-mail, it might be better read this post on the blog itself. This is my first attempt posting a PDF file to the blog, so bear with me. If it's too tough to read, I'll re-send this as a group e-mail with a PDF attached. You can see the PDF file in full size if you click the little square on the upper right corner of the file below.
5) When we deliver the t-shirts, you'll get a hard copy of this document.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
What We'll See Part 4
In Barcelona, it will be hard to find a neighborhood not influenced by Anontio Gaudi. This video shows one of Gaudi's most famous collection of works - Park Guell.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Trevi Fountain History
We will certainly see the Trevi Fountain when we are in Italy. This is a link to a brief history of the fountain.
Friday, June 6, 2008
What We'll See part 2
Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor)I had to do one more Valezquez post, to point out this painting, on display at El Prado in Madrid. Here's what the museum's website has to say about this piece: This painting is considered one of the worlds greatest works of art, the secret is in creating something revealing in an everyday scene. The painter of "the air" reflects his own workday: in the mirror on the far wall is the reflection of the King and Queen , which is the theme of the painting he is working on, the Princess is looking at her parents, surrounded by her aids and the loyal family dog near by.
Question:
Is the gentleman in the doorway entering the room or exiting it?
What We'll See part 1
The Feast of Bacchus
The Forge of Vulcan
The Buffoon of Calabazas
Count-Duke of Olivares on Horseback
A Dwarf Sitting on the Floor
I have posted many times about travel tips and the minutia of a European vacation. That's all valuable information, but I don't want that to become what this tour is all about. So, I've decided to start a new series of posts that will detail some of the amazing things that we'll see on this trip. Going in to this trip with the right attitude and with some background knowledge will allow you to appreciate each day's activities and to be aware of the significance of the things that we'll be seeing.
Today, my inspiration comes from Google. Their main page features a painting by Diego Velazquez - one of the greatest artists of Spain - who was born on this day in 1599. When we are in Madrid, we will visit El Prado, the largest art gallery in the world, which will feature many of the major works from Valezquez's career. Also, Valezquez's famous self portrait is on display at the Uffizi Gallery - a spot you might choose to visit during some of our free time in Florence. Above are some images of just a few of the Valezquez pieces on display at El Prado. Below is a video slide show of some of his best works, on display around the world.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Calling Cards
There's been some confusion on the calling cards - some people haven't gotten them, some tossed them, some don't know where they are. I'll be getting a shipment of calling cards - one for each traveler - via Fed Ex in the next few days and I'll deliver them to you when I drop off the t-shirts. You can use these to call home while on tour, and you can fill them with as many minutes as you'd like.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Meeting update
Thanks to all the students who came to the meeting today. Here's a top ten run-down of what was discussed:
1) Each member of the group will be getting a trip t-shirt. The shirt will be a ringer-t: white, with blue bands on sleeves and collar, with a small red logo. I need you to e-mail me and tell me what size you need. (please be aware that when you respond to these e-mails, the whole group gets the message. Try clicking on "reply to sender" or just send a separate message to me at jvanhof@gmail.com.) My wife, Jill, and I will pick up the tab for your shirts and will deliver them to your house once the school year ends.
2) I told the group that our flights and hotels are not officially confirmed, but we do have some general notes, all of which are subject to change. At least one of the hotels will have a pool - so you might want to pack a suit. All the hotels are air conditioned. Some hotels will be located on the outskirts of our destination cities, some will be centrally located. Usually, accommodations get better (and hotels get newer) as you move away from the city center. We will be flying out of Grand Rapids to Detroit on Northwest. All remaining flights will be on Lufthansa. We'll probably have layovers in Detroit and Frankfurt. We'll be meeting at the Grand Rapids airport at 3 p.m. on Friday July 11. There is a chance that we'll be split into two groups for one or more legs of the flight. If that's the case, each group will have 2 chaperons and neither group will leave the airport without the other.
3) On tour, we'll be traveling with another group. It's a group of 10 students and adults from Kansas. I am not sure yet where we'll meet up with them or who they are. This is proof that at least 10 people actually live in Kansas.
4) I talked for a long time about having the right attitude on tour. Please remember that there's a good chance that you'll never see the stuff we'll be seeing again. Make the most of the trip, and try to make as many positive memories as possible. When we have to wait for a train or a dinner reservation, use the time to take photos, journal, or talk to locals. Try each day to maintain a positive attitude and to smile twice as much as you do at home.
5) I advise women to not take purses - think about taking a backpack or day bag as your carry-on. That can then double as a purse once we're on tour. These bags are bigger and will allow you to carry more - a useful feature when you're gone from the hotel all day. Also, the deeper pockets are a deterrent to pick-pockets.
6) I reiterated that flip-flops are a bad idea.
7) Mark your luggage both with a name tag (with address) and with a clearly visible identifying mark - a ribbon, a sticker - something that makes it stand out from the 100 other bags on the luggage conveyor.
8) Get a watch. On tour if you are late, 44 other people suffer, some of whom are from Kansas (and who knows what they'll do when they're mad). Get a watch, and wear it every day, all the time. (Remember, you won't have a cell phone to use as a time piece.) If we agree to meet at a central location at a given time, arrive 5 minutes early. Early is on time, on time is late, late is unacceptable.
9) Use Google earth to check out our destination cities. The program has photos of all the things we'll be seeing.
10) There are several travelers that still need to get one or more of the following to me:
A) Tip Money ($75 - cash or checks payable to Jeremy Van Hof)
B) Passport photo copy
C) Insurance card photo copy
D) ID photo copy
E) shirt sizes
Please get these things to me ASAP - You will not get your airline tickets until I have all 5.
You can mail them to me at 5400 Blue Haven Dr. East Lansing, 48823 (e-mail for t-shirt sizes is fine).
1) Each member of the group will be getting a trip t-shirt. The shirt will be a ringer-t: white, with blue bands on sleeves and collar, with a small red logo. I need you to e-mail me and tell me what size you need. (please be aware that when you respond to these e-mails, the whole group gets the message. Try clicking on "reply to sender" or just send a separate message to me at jvanhof@gmail.com.) My wife, Jill, and I will pick up the tab for your shirts and will deliver them to your house once the school year ends.
2) I told the group that our flights and hotels are not officially confirmed, but we do have some general notes, all of which are subject to change. At least one of the hotels will have a pool - so you might want to pack a suit. All the hotels are air conditioned. Some hotels will be located on the outskirts of our destination cities, some will be centrally located. Usually, accommodations get better (and hotels get newer) as you move away from the city center. We will be flying out of Grand Rapids to Detroit on Northwest. All remaining flights will be on Lufthansa. We'll probably have layovers in Detroit and Frankfurt. We'll be meeting at the Grand Rapids airport at 3 p.m. on Friday July 11. There is a chance that we'll be split into two groups for one or more legs of the flight. If that's the case, each group will have 2 chaperons and neither group will leave the airport without the other.
3) On tour, we'll be traveling with another group. It's a group of 10 students and adults from Kansas. I am not sure yet where we'll meet up with them or who they are. This is proof that at least 10 people actually live in Kansas.
4) I talked for a long time about having the right attitude on tour. Please remember that there's a good chance that you'll never see the stuff we'll be seeing again. Make the most of the trip, and try to make as many positive memories as possible. When we have to wait for a train or a dinner reservation, use the time to take photos, journal, or talk to locals. Try each day to maintain a positive attitude and to smile twice as much as you do at home.
5) I advise women to not take purses - think about taking a backpack or day bag as your carry-on. That can then double as a purse once we're on tour. These bags are bigger and will allow you to carry more - a useful feature when you're gone from the hotel all day. Also, the deeper pockets are a deterrent to pick-pockets.
6) I reiterated that flip-flops are a bad idea.
7) Mark your luggage both with a name tag (with address) and with a clearly visible identifying mark - a ribbon, a sticker - something that makes it stand out from the 100 other bags on the luggage conveyor.
8) Get a watch. On tour if you are late, 44 other people suffer, some of whom are from Kansas (and who knows what they'll do when they're mad). Get a watch, and wear it every day, all the time. (Remember, you won't have a cell phone to use as a time piece.) If we agree to meet at a central location at a given time, arrive 5 minutes early. Early is on time, on time is late, late is unacceptable.
9) Use Google earth to check out our destination cities. The program has photos of all the things we'll be seeing.
10) There are several travelers that still need to get one or more of the following to me:
A) Tip Money ($75 - cash or checks payable to Jeremy Van Hof)
B) Passport photo copy
C) Insurance card photo copy
D) ID photo copy
E) shirt sizes
Please get these things to me ASAP - You will not get your airline tickets until I have all 5.
You can mail them to me at 5400 Blue Haven Dr. East Lansing, 48823 (e-mail for t-shirt sizes is fine).
Monday, June 2, 2008
Miscellaneous Updates
Thank you to everyone who shared their opinions this weekend regarding the last leg of our return trip. The majority vote was to opt for the bus ride on Monday night, the 21st of July. The bus will drop students off at DeWitt High around 11:00pm. The additional fee is unfortunate but seems to be awash given the current gas prices.
All flight information will be posted this week. Please be sure to check it out and remember to review airline/airport baggage and security regulations.
Tip money ($75) is due by the end of June. We would like to exchange this money before we leave. Money can be given to Mr. Van Hof at school or can be sent to his home address (please email or call if you don't have the address).
We will be ordering group t-shirts. We're asking all travelers to wear them on the first day of travel (to the airport for the flight there). This helps the group stay together at this early stage when chaperons don't yet know all of the kids. If you will be at the PRIDE meeting on Tuesday you can give Mr. Van Hof your t-shirt size. Otherwise, please call or email him. We will deliver the t-shirts to your house sometime before July 11.
In reviewing the Vatican website and several blogs, we want to reiterate the dress code for the cathedral. Females must wear a skirt or pants covering the knees and no shoulders can be exposed. Blogs mentioned that several people were even turned away with capris because they were considered shorts. Males must wear full-length pants and no tank tops. Absolutely NO shorts are allowed. It might be worth checking out some light weight pants (like linen), pants that can be converted to shorts (with zippers), or decide to carry these items in a day bag.
Please continue to check the blog for further updates. As always, please call or email with any questions. We're getting very excited as the trip date gets closer!
All flight information will be posted this week. Please be sure to check it out and remember to review airline/airport baggage and security regulations.
Tip money ($75) is due by the end of June. We would like to exchange this money before we leave. Money can be given to Mr. Van Hof at school or can be sent to his home address (please email or call if you don't have the address).
We will be ordering group t-shirts. We're asking all travelers to wear them on the first day of travel (to the airport for the flight there). This helps the group stay together at this early stage when chaperons don't yet know all of the kids. If you will be at the PRIDE meeting on Tuesday you can give Mr. Van Hof your t-shirt size. Otherwise, please call or email him. We will deliver the t-shirts to your house sometime before July 11.
In reviewing the Vatican website and several blogs, we want to reiterate the dress code for the cathedral. Females must wear a skirt or pants covering the knees and no shoulders can be exposed. Blogs mentioned that several people were even turned away with capris because they were considered shorts. Males must wear full-length pants and no tank tops. Absolutely NO shorts are allowed. It might be worth checking out some light weight pants (like linen), pants that can be converted to shorts (with zippers), or decide to carry these items in a day bag.
Please continue to check the blog for further updates. As always, please call or email with any questions. We're getting very excited as the trip date gets closer!
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