Welcome Home Global Explorers!

Welcome Home York High School Global Explorers!
Hopefully you've all recovered from the jet lag & time difference after a few days back at school?
Whilst your travel fatigue may be a thing of the past your adventures & experiences will no doubt live long in your memories.
Thank you to everyone involved in making this a hugely successful tour - you, the travelers, for your good humor, flexibility & team spirit; our local guides & partners for introducing you to their wonderful country; Kristin for her hard work to make the tour run smoothly; & most importantly of all Ms. Wilson for being the catalyst to make this tour happen.
We hope to see some of you again on a future Global Explorers tour.
Best wishes & safe travels,
The Global Explorers Team

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Montserrat

Today we journeyed to Montserrat, a monastery and site of pilgrimage since 1025 located high in the recognizable "serrated" mountains from which the name derives. The views were spectacular. We rode the train from Barcelona (sea level) and then hopped aboard a cable car that took us straight up to the peaks where the Benedictine monastery is located at around 4,000 ft elevation. At the monastery there are more funiculars and hiking trails to further explore the mountain. We hiked and explored today and enjoyed spectacular views of Catalunya. 

Some of our group visited the holy grotto where visitations by the Virgin Mary were reported, others heard the centuries-old boys choir sing at noon in the basilica and paid a visit to the ancient Black Madonna. 

What a fantastic day. We certainly worked up an appetite!

Dinner tonight at La Crema Canela was fantastic. Last-minute souvenir shopping and a visit to the Hard Rock Barcelona. What a great way to end our journey through Spain!

Barcelona at Leisure

Happy Birthday, Casey!!

On our free day in beautiful Barcelona, we explored and strolled and shopped the city streets. Many of our group chose to visit Tibidabo this morning to enjoy the city views. Perched high on the mountain peak (1,680 ft), the Tibidabo church is the highest point in the city and can be seen from pretty much anywhere downtown. We took the bus up the winding mountain to visit and enjoy the views of Barcelona out to the sea and into the valley beyond. Many families with young children rode with us – since today is Saturday, the amusement park is open. 

Amazing views on both sides of the mountain from the church towers. 

The 100-year old carnival on the mountaintop makes for a festive atmosphere, and the rides are that much more thrilling perched on the side of the steep incline. 

Back on Las Ramblas we shopped and explored the whole afternoon, from the fashionable boutiques to the medieval streets of Barri Gothic. Today was Barcelina at leisure and we strolled he city alongside the locals. 

A traditional tapas dinner tonight at Irati in the Barri Gothic. It was crowded and delicious. We ate as many tapas as we wanted, tried all kinds of new tastes and flavor combinations, and counted toothpicks when finished. 

A surprise dessert for Casey! The whole tavern sang Casey a happy birthday!!

Good day today. We are ready for sleep! Back at the hotel we are resting up for tomorrow. 

Barcelona!

We started the day with a delicious buffet in our swanky hotel...

Then we met up with a new mini coach and expert local guide Carolina for a city tour. We learned about Catalonian culture and language and the neighborhoods, history and architecture of Barcelona.

Clear views of Barcelona from Montjuic. 

Tour of the Barri Gothic district. 

Gaudi architecture in his recognizable Modernisme style. 

Parque Guell looked like something out of a Dr Seuss book!

We also took a guide tour of Gaudi's still-unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia cathedral. While the facade is intricately carved, the stained glass lighting is the main attraction within. 

Dinner in Barcaloneta at Tapa Tapa Xiringuito. 

From the restaurant we strolled out onto the beach and dipped our toes in the Mediterranean Sea. Then we walked back to be Metro and rode across town to the Magic Fountain show in Placa Espagna. A fun and beautiful evening!

From Castilla to Catalunya

We said goodbye to Madrid early this morning and headed northeast to Barcelona aboard our trusty mini coach, enjoying the mountain scenery and napping along the way. Lunch stop halfway at beautiful Zaragoza with extra time to visit the historic plaza, the Basulica of Our Lady of Pilar and the Seo cathedral. It is said that the Virgin Mary appeared to St James on the banks of the Ebro River and told him to build a church on that very spot, and for this reason Zaragoza (capital of the Aragon region) has become a place of pilgrimage. It is also a region that played a key role in the unification of Spain in the 15th century when Ferdinand (of Aragon) married Isabella (of Castile-Leon), so this picturesque spot actually fits in rather well with our Spanish capitals themed tour!

We enjoyed some local fare for lunch, bought some of the town's famous candies, and enjoyed the boyhood town of the famous painter Goya. 

We continued our journey to Barcelona under sunny skies! The landscape changes dramatically between the Madrid, Castile and Aragon regions. On to Catalunya!

This afternoon we checked into our fun and modern Vincci Bit hotel, then headed to dinner at Taller de Tasca. Another delicious meal...and so much food! 

Watch out for the hot pepper!

After dinner we took some time to stroll Las Ramblas. Today was a good and relaxing day.