Pages

Sunday, May 2, 2010

May 1/2010(Day 1)

Overall it was a smooth getaway with an uneventful flight to Montréal. The flight from Charlottetown to Montreal was simple with no glitches and arrived on time for the hockey game!!!

Now it is off to Moe’s restaurant for lunch and of course THE BRUINS!!! Ooops I mean off to see the beautiful sights of Montreal...well at least Marilyn and Barb will see the sights!!!
Normally I would be sitting in one of two places my house with my Bruins shirts and jerseys close by, but this will have to suffice and let's not hope that this a bad
luck for my bruins....

SO the Bruins got up 2-0 and I was :), 2-1 still :), 3-1 even :)er yet, 3-2..mood is starting to change, 4-2 :) again...4-3 arrrrggghhhh, 4-4 that’s it this place is bad luck and it is all because I am not sitting in my house with my jerseys out and watching and yelling at the players to shape up or ship out...OT and I am officially not going to to Europe because the team just doesn’t play as well without me sitting in front of my OWN TV. OMG they nearly scored(I’ve jumped up)..holy crap they had another chance(I jumped again)...jeepers another one again( I may as well just remain standing)...my gosh the Bruins are all over them and I can’t figure out why all of these Montrealers are staring at me(might it be the Bruins T-shirt and the Bobby Orr jersey draped over the seat beside me...ahhh who cares!) Phewwwfffffff finally they scored..Marc Savard just back from 3 months of injury scores the winner and I just high fived some guy I do not know....the trip is back on and I am officially heading to Europe in a few hours.

I am sure that you are wondering what the kids are doing by now, well they were actually on their sightseeing tour of Montreal. The group arrives back at 5:00 PM and then we head down to the International boarding area and the kids are certainly starting to get ramped up. Shopping update #1 Emily and Shannon have decided that Montreal airport would be a great place to buy straw hats for summer beaching....Chisholm disagrees but then again I am a male lacking that S chromosome (s for shopping in strange places for seemingly strange seasonal items!)

Well as I have a penchant for making fun of people when they make silly little
mistakes, I must now poke fun at myself. Of course trying to be
diligent and after a rather exuberant OT goal celebration I decide to go for a walk in order to make sure all of our flights were running on time. Down to gate 51 I wander. Well that was a mistake because the minute I passed through (the poorly signed international departure checkpoint I might add) I soon realized after a few moments I was past the proverbial point of no return. Yep that’s right, 3 hours until departure and I am by myself and they(airport security) won't let me out. Luckily after hanging out with the Surete d'Aeroport du Montreal for about an hour, one kind guard agreed to
head down towards our meeting point and locate the "military looking guy" aka Kent Macrae and tell him where I was..... Long story I realize but hey get used to it, this is my blog and I can be as long winded as I like, no you know how my students feel everyday...haha just kidding! To make the long story longer the kids arrived with my stuff and all is well as we wait for our final boarding instructions onward to Charles De Gaulle in Paris. Next update will be shortly..running out of gas but Day 2 needs to be documented!!!

DC

WE ARE HERE!!!!

We have just arrived at the hotel after AN EXTREMELY LONG DAY OF TRAVELING from Paris to Vimy...I will update later after I shower and eat....take care and everyone is safe!!!!
dc

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Off we go....

Well this will be the last note before we take off. You are all anxiously awaiting the flight at Gate 1 in Charlottetown while I am down the road at my parents house where I grew up(please don't leave without me!!). I wanted to give all of you parents and grandparents one final thank for letting me take your children on this adventure!!! We will be safe and we will make sure to keep you updated on our travels...let the TOSH World Tour begin...take care and chat soon!!!
dc

Friday, April 23, 2010

Tour Summary: VEA Amsterdam and Vimy

Saturday 1st May (Day 1)
Depart Canada

Sunday 2nd May (Day 2)
Arrive Paris
Transfer to Vimy (2-3hrs) and visit memorial (up to 3 hrs, depending on flight arrival time)
Dinner at hotel

Monday 3rd May (Day 3)
Visit Beaumont Hamel (1hr30mins) and Neuve Chapelle (1hr). Transfer to Ypres, visit
surrounding sites (2hrs) and attend Last Post Ceremony (8pm)
Dinner in Ypres

Tuesday 4th May (Day 4)
Transfer to Netherlands via Tour Director Sightseeing of Bruges
Suggested Itinerary
8am – Depart hotel, transfer to Bruges (1hr15mins)
9.30am – Tour Director led walk and free time Bruges (1hr30mins) followed by quick early lunch in Bruges.
11.30am (latest) - Transfer to Groesbeek (3hrs30min)
3pm – Visit Groesbeek Liberation Museum (1hr)
4:30pm – Walk into town (20mins)
5pm – EF arranged dinner in central Groesbeek
6:15pm – In position to begin walk to Canadian cemetery
8pm – Remembrance Ceremony begins
9:30pm – Depart and transfer to hotel in Netherlands for check in

Wednesday 5th May (Day 5)
10am – Arrive for full day at Liberation Day Celebrations in Wageningen
EF arranged lunch in Wageningen
3pm – Liberation Day parade – followed by entertainment. No included dinner, plenty of food stands.

Thursday 6th May (Day 6)
Visit Amsterdam for guided walk including four sites; Jewish Historical Museum,
Portuguese Synagogue, Deportation centre (Dutch Theatre) and Auschwitz Memorial
(3hrs)
Free time in Amsterdam
Dinner in central Amsterdam.

Friday 7th May (Day 7)
9am – Sightseeing of Amsterdam (time permitting, visit to Anne Frank House)
Dinner at hotel or in Voorthuizen
8:30pm – Military Tattoo in Voorthuizen

Saturday 8th May (Day 8)

10am – Visit Apeldoorn palace (2hrs)
Afternoon guided tour of Arnhem, Nijmegen and Oosterbeek.
Dinner at hotel

Sunday 9th May (Day 9)
Depart for Toronto

Monday 10th May(Day 10)
Depart for Charlottetown arrival at approximately 11:30 AM


Please note that the itinerary and timings are subject to change, and visits may be changed to different days due to large volume of visitors. All driving times are approximate and may vary depending on traffic and local conditions.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Reminder of Fundraising Breakfast....

Breakfast begins at 9:00 AM therefore we need people to be at the Wing as early as 8:15 AM...there is plenty to set up and get ready for the first wave of eaters at 9:00 AM....see you then....

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Reminder of Breakfast ont the 18th....

Unfortunately due to circumstances the breakfast had to be cancelled this week....the breakfast will be held next Sunday(18th) from 9-11:30 AM...and remember participation in this event is not optional....ALL STUDENTS MUST ATTEND....

Friday, April 9, 2010

Victory in Europe Tour: April Update Student Edition

From my recent trip to Holland and our on-going developments, here’s an up-to-date as of April 6th 2010.
ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE
1. There will be a “double decker blue EF Bus” at all our events in the Netherlands. This will be our
“VE Tour HQ”. Tell your students to look for it, if help and/or information is needed, (ie.: lost items can
be brought here for return.) From here, we can also quickly reunite groups.
2. Be sure that you and your family and friends sign up at our VE Tour Facebook Fan page. We will be
doing BLOG’s regularly during the tour and it’s a great place for everyone to keep connected. The fan
page can be accessed through our VE Tour website to sign-up.
3. When we are at Wageningen for the Liberation Day Parade we have arranged for “exclusive” use of a
computer lab and the wireless internet at the University that we are based at.
VE TOUR UNIFORMS
The Tour Uniforms are in are now in the process of being shipped.
EACH student will print the names of their ‘two adopted soldiers” on either two inch white adhesive
tape OR “white iron-on fabric tape” placed below the VE Tour logo on each polo shirt. (Note: when
using the iron-on tape, be sure to print the names after ironing so the ink does not bleed!)
Please check the February Memo to see ‘what to wear when’ in regard to the uniform.
POPPY CROSSES
If you have not done so already, you need to make your “poppy crosses” to lay at the cenotaphs you
are visiting. You probably should have one to place at a grave site for each of the Canadian
cemeteries your own group may be visiting: Beny sur mer; Vimy Ridge; Beaumont-Hamel; Holten;
Grosebeek, Bergen op zoom. Check your group’s itineraries to see which ones you are visiting. Your
teacher will have complete instructions on how to make these.


VE EVENTS UPDATE

It has been confirmed that our Prime Minister, the Minister of Veterans Affairs and other Canadian dignitaries will be in attendance. Plus a plethora of media. Due to this, there may some last minute changes to the event schedules to allow for security issues and other political allowances. Be assured, I will be keeping a close eye on the schedules.
Below I have listed a quick update on our VE Events. At each VE Event, there will EF staff in attendance to assist you and to provide instruction.

EVENT UPDATES
May 2 & 3
: Vimy Ridge with special access to tunnels (Itineraries: VEA, VEB, VED,VEF)

May 2nd & 3rd : Menin Gate “Last Post Ceremony” (Itineraries: VEA, VEB, VED, VEF)

May 4th : Holten Afternoon (Itineraries: VED)
- students to read Act of Commitment
- students to lay wreath on behalf of “Youth of Canada”
- “fly past”

May 4th: Apeldoorn Evening Itineraries: VED)
- participation in community “Walk of Silence”
- visit Het Loo Palce prior to “walk”

May 4th : Groesbeek (Itineraries: VEA, VEB, VEF)
- central indoor dinner location confirmed for all in town community centre
- minister of VAC to march with our students and to assist in candle light ceremony.
- students to read Act of Commitment
- student to read “In Flanders Field”
- students to lay wreath on behalf of “Youth of Canada

May 5th : Wageningen (Itineraries: All Groups)
- our students are playing a major role throughout the day
- limited student involvement in Church ceremony
- limited school involvement in international Peace symposium debate
- Veteran/Student “speed linking taping from 500 veterans & students at University base site
- each school to have their school memorial Flag carried in parade
- each school to have one student to assist in carrying national flags in parade
- wireless internet access and computer lab access at our University base site
- central tent lunch area for 1500 at university base site
- specially arranged lunch for all at university base site. Lunch will be served by WW 2
re-enactors. Meal will be a self contained that heats itself. It is the type now being used by troops in Afghanistan.

May 6th: Holocaust (Itineraries: All Groups except VEL)
- everyone will visit Anne Frank House at some point
- dinner tonight to be a favourite for students

May 6th : Vimy Ridge with special access to tunnels (Itineraries: VEL)

May 7th : Voorthuizen Tattoo (Itineraries: VEA,VED,VEF)
- special exclusive “prime” seating for all our students
- each school to have their school memorial Fag carried in opening act
- each school to have one student to assist in carrying national flags in opening act

All info provided by Dave Robinson...