Dear Parents,

Many apologies for the delay in creating the blog - we are now, however fully operational.

Friday

Our departure and journey were remarkably smooth given the recent disruption and we are very grateful to Emirates Airlines for their efficientcy and excellent service, which was particularly stylish on the new A380 which took us to Charles de Gaulle. The trip started immediately with a guided coach tour of Paris followed by the ascent of the Eiffel Tower. The end of dinner saw us all suddenly flag and sleep was not difficult to come by as you can imagine. Rest assured that the hotel is in a superb location and the food is excellent too.

Saturday

Saturday saw our first encounter with the Metro and RER systems which proved an exciting affair for the students unfamiliar with crowds and trains. The day was essentially dedicated to the circus. We spent an active hour or so with the performers in a workshop which was followed by a much appreciated lunch in a local Parisian cafe on the terrasse basking in the glorious sunshine. The actual performance began at 3.00pm and the children will, I am sure, regale you with their stories of the show. The tigers proved particularly entertaining - ask your children on return. Charlotte and Jacob performed live with the clowns and the general feeling was that it was a good day. Dinner was followed by a moonlit walk around the Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars. The Tower is lit in spectacular fashion at night but at 10.00pm precisely there is an even more spectacular light show which filled the thousands of people gathered with awe and wonder. The children were astonished at the sheer beauty of the structure which is three minutes walk from their rooms.

Sunday

Sunday, we bathed in the culture of this magnificent city. The day began with a stroll along the Seine to the Louvre through Les Tuileries gardens. Simply joyful in the bright sunshine. Visits to the Venus de Milo, Nike and of the the Mona Lisa were followed by an elegant lunch (Croque Monsieur/frites et salade) in a cafe. We then went on a moving tour of the Revolutionary prison La Conciergerie - I have to say that the children were impressively respectful of this memorial and were quite intrigued by the sad and tragic fate of Marie Antoinette. We have some potential Historians in the group who displayed a strong knowledge of the events of 1789. We moved on to Notre Dame where we witnessed a Catholic Mass and then onto the Centre Pompidou via a merrygoround. The Metro trip back saw us cross the Seine with a full view of the Eiffel Tour - our temprary home. It would be impossible to lose one's way!

The children are in high spirits apart from the occasional upset tummy,  but doubtless the trip to Eurodisney on Monday will remedy these issues. There is a growing camaraderie and lot of singing. We have received many compliments from passing tourists who seem intrigued by the students' delightful manner. Explaining where Bahrain is is a surprising issue. We are hearing the children speak more French and the journal work is progressing well...............

Watch this space.

Bonne nuit........

Steve