4:53 2015 Europe Trip - Paris and Madrid

Thirty-five students and five chaperones arrived in Paris on the morning of June 18, 2015. The group visited Paris' impressive landmarks including the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Cathedral of Notre Dame (attending liturgy on Saturday evening), and the lavish palace and gardens of Versailles. The IHA students even had the chance to visit the fairy tale chateaux de la Loire, Sleeping Beauty's Castle. They learned to sketch in a Paris neighborhood and played the classic French game of pétanque.

In Madrid, the group saw the city's most historic landmarks including the Prado Museum, the Madrid of the Bourbons, the Plaza Mayor, and the El Prado Museum. A master teacher taught the group a lesson in the passionate art of flamenco dancing before they enjoyed a professional show.

The IHA students traveled a short distance to the majestic and spiritual city of Toledo where they viewed the treasures of the gothic Cathedral of Toledo to the mudéjar style medieval synagogue. They then visited a local Spanish restaurant for a cooking lesson in Spanish classic meals; the students worked in teams to create traditional dishes before dining with spectacular views of the Toledo skyline. In their last evening in the City of Monuments, the IHA girls enjoyed an evening of tapas followed by a visit to Chocolaterí San Gines for an authentic Spanish dessert of churros and chocolate.

Next year's scheduled trip is to Bavaria, Tyrol, and Switzerland.