EUROPE TOUR 2014: April 17 - 21

 

Thurday, April 17/14

Arrived in Lourdes around 9:00 p.m without any main incidents.  Plane out of Calgary was 1:25 late departing due to snow and ice.  Late supper and off to bed at Hotel du Gave.

Friday, April 18/14

Mr. Sander led an Orientation tour of the town and then it was time to visit the market.  Cheese, pate, and fruit purchases were fairly major.

Thomas' new hat was a hit with several of the girls, as they borrowed it to take selfies.  In the p.m., the group took an 800 m Trip by funiculaire up le Pic du Jour (mountain in Lourdes). The view of the Pyrenees was breathtaking as the sky was unusually clear.

Sat. April 19

This a.m. (Again sunny) saw the group at the Chenin de croix ( way of the cross). In the afternoon we viewed a movie about the life of St. Bernadette followed by free time (more serious shopping) till supper.  At night we attended the Easter Vigil in the underground church of Pope Pius X.  About 10K people in attendance.

We awoke to light rain, which continued through most of the day.  The first visit was to the home where St. Bernadette was born.  Then it was off to the cachot, a small room where St. Bernadette's family of six lived when she was 14. We had time before lunch to tour the Castle of Lourdes, which include a botanical garden, art museum, and climb to the top of a tower. Brooke dazzled everyone with her love of snails, not the eating kind. At one point she had four of them in her hand, all with their bodies suctioned to her palm.

After lunch, we headed to the Grottes de Bettheran, a 3 km cave tour that fascinated everyone ( not to mention the most fantastic guide you could imagine).

More shopping followed and supper came at seven. Then we headed to the shrine to light an 18 kg candle ( a Rivier group tradition). On the candle were placed the names of loved ones lost in the past year as well as a few people in need of our prayer.

Mon., April 21

An early bus ride (7:00 a.m.) to Carcasonne, a Roman walled city in the Southern part of France. At the Bascilica, we were treated to a Russian quartet singing traditional Russian hymns. Lots of shopping, lunch, and taste testing of cheeses, sausage, and wines. Some of the group were brave enough to try chestnut sausage, donkey sausage, and to Sr. Mary's chagrin, mushroom sausage.

At 1:30 it was off to Viviers ( another four hours on the bus) where we will stay for the next three nights. We are being lodged in a former monastery, which also was a prison during the French Revolution.

Due to a road washout our driver, even with GPS was baffled; after some much needed help from Mr. Sander, we arrived at Viviers to get our rooms and have supper. After supper the group took a short walk to the cathedral and a grassy lookout over the Ardeche valley.  Many pictures were taken in Mr. and Mrs. Sander "marriage tree". Hope this doesn't cause too many parents to be concerned. Tomorrow it's off to Mother Rivier country.

Co-op Gift Cards

Co-op gift cards are now available from any grade 11 traveler or grade 12 student.  All orders must be in by January 30/14.  Thank you in advance for your continued support!

Electrical Outlets in Sweden, Norway, Denmark & France

Mom's Pantry

This is a fund raising opportunity for all students to take part in if they wish.  Profits raised go towards the Europe trip that is taken in grade 11.  Should a student choose not to travel, the funds will be put towards their graduation.  Any fund raising that the students do is for themselves, not the group.  Should you have any questions regarding this fund raiser or any others, please do not hesitate to call the school office at 306-764-6289.

Order forms are available at the office or another option is to order online.

- Go to www.momspantry.ca

- If you already have an account: sign in

otherwise, click on "Create New Account"

- Sign into the Online Order System

- Click on "Fundraising Orders"

- Rivier Travel Club Order #110081

- Passcode: 41273

Be sure to enter your "Sellers" name

Orders are due by November 29/13 and the delivery will be made to the school on December 18/13

Thank you for supporting the future travel and graduation dreams of Rivier Academy students.

Globus Forms and Passports

We are still waiting on some of the "Globus" forms to be returned.  If you have not yet returned your form, please do so as soon as possible.  Travelers who do not yet have a passport, need to get on this right away.  If you go through Service Canada at the South Hill Mall, you can expect a 5 week wait.  If you choose to go through the Saskatoon passport office, the wait will be 2 weeks plus mailing time.  DO NOT MAIL IN YOUR PASSPORT APPLICATIONS!.  Should you have any questions, please feel free to call Sr. Mary.

De Simone Farms Fruit & Cookie Dough Sales

Students will be coming home today with order forms for the Fruit & Cookie Dough sale.  All orders must be turned in to the school office by October 31, 2013.  The fruit will be delivered the first week of December.
This is a fund raising opportunity for all students to take part in if they wish.  Profits raised go towards the Europe trip that is taken in grade 11.  Should a student choose not to travel, the funds will be put towards their graduation.  Any fund raising that the students do is for themselves, not the group.  Should you have any questions regarding this fund raiser or any others, please do not hesitate to call the school office at 306-764-6289.
Thank you for supporting the future travel and graduation dreams of Rivier Academy students.

March 27 - April 2, 2013

Wednesday, March 27 2013

Delays, delays, delays. Saskatoon to Toronto - left late,arrived late,and we sat in the plane for an hour and a half waiting to deplore. Toronto to Frankfurt - left late, light tail wind, arrived late, waited for twenty minutes to deplore. Frankfurt to Toulouse - left late,arrived late, but everyone was safe.Had a late supper after a 2 hour ride to Lourdes...now Thursday night.

Friday, March 29 2013
Orientation tour of Lourdes followed by lunch and then a Petit Train ride to the bottom of a 980m. mountain and the funicular ride for the Pic de Jour climb to the top of the mountain. We saw a beautiful 360 degree view of the Lourdes area, including the snow covered Pyrenees mountains 8 km in the distance. Some shoppingupon our return to the centre of Lourdes and then an evening visit to the Grotto of St.Bernadette (in the rain).

Saturday, March 30th 2013
Rain, rain, rain. A morning tour of the three churches at the Grotto. In the p.m. we saw a movie of the story of St. Bernadette in a brand new theatre. In the evening we attended the Easter Vigil mass in the underground church of St.Pius X.

Sunday, March 31 2013
This morning we toured the area where Saint Bernadette's family lived and then we followed the path her family took to the Cachot (former jail) where they lived in one small room for a period of time. In the p.m. we traveled to the save of Betharram for a fantastic hour and a half tour. When we returned to Lourdes, most if us went to the fortress in Lourdes. After supper, we carried a twenty-two pound candle down to the Grotto where we lit it and said prayers and intentions. (The candle was decorated with a green ribbon and flowers and had RIVIER ACADEMY along with the names of some of those who are in need of our prayers.)  Then it was off to bed for the early departure in the morning.

Monday, April 1 2013
This morning at 7:00 a.m. While at breakfast, our Lobstick Travel leader informed everyone the cost of our stay in Lourdes had been miscalculated. Each one of us, including the students would have to hand over an extra 20€ to pay for the error. The money was collected, with a certain amount of grumbling. Then "APRIL FOOL'S." We got even with her by convincing her that a box of chips she paid for was filled with garbage. We had the chips in the end and she had to share.  Judy also got a 3:40am call from Europe. Payback time for all those tricks played on Sr. Mary over the years. She took it like a good sport.  A rainy bus ride took us to Carcasonne by 12:00 noon. Shopping, lunch pâte testing and we were back on the road by 2:00. Still raining, at times quite hard. By 6:45pm, we arrived at the convent to settle in, each member of the group with there own special room.

Tuesday, April 2 2013
Today, it's off to Montpezat(birthplace of Mother Rivier) and Thuyets (first school)in the mountains. Temperature, high of 16. We all started our suntans! We had to abandon our plan to climb the mountain due to slippery rock on the Roman road. On our way back to Bourg St Andeol we went through the Gorges (canyons) of Ardeche. What a spectacular view! Upon return we visited an old area of the city where we saw the wash house of days gone by. It resembles a Roman bath. Evidence of the passage of the Romans is seen in the altar carved in the wall of rock nearby.