Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are en route to return your children to you! Just had lunch a bit past Cornwall, we'll make one more stop at the Big Apple (text your kids now if you want a pie!) and should be back home near to our scheduled arrival. Check Twitter as I'll post frequent updates on approach.
The last two days have been a lot of fun. We got the kids up, got breakfast into them at the Residence, and the room inspections and clearing out went well. Even the basketball court that had been set up in one of the rooms got taken down without incident. We boarded the bus, and headed for Montreal. On our arrival near the St. Lawrence at the foot of Montreal, we emerged from our air conditioned luxury coach to find....heat. Some appreciated this more than others (Ms. Noel in particular), others just started to perspire (no names given here). We walked up to the Basilica de Notre Dame, where our most excellent guides Mark and Brooke gave us a good bit of information, then we did a walking tour of Old Montreal before unleashing the kids for a bit of free time. Based on the number we saw on the patio of Montreal Poutine, lots had the same idea that Mr. Tierney, Mr. P and I did - delicious, and we think we walked off any guilt we were feeling from it.
We re-convened and did a bit more touring before we boarded the bus to check out the Canadiens Hall of Fame. Mr. P. saved us here, as they were not going to let us in when they found out we were from Toronto, but he used his excellent Francais to convince them that there was one Habs fan in the group. As a result, I decided not to force him to wear the Leafs jersey I brought for him.
Following this we headed to Rue St Catherine for a bit of shopping free time, before we went to Fourquette Fourchere for easily the best dinner of the tour. It was a fantastic meal, however I was disappointed that they no longer served the cabbage salad. Since only ten ate it last year, I understand, and I'm sure the roommates preferred it that way too.
Then what seems to be one of the ongoing highlights of the trip, our visit to Laser Quest. The kids came out pumped up and very enthusiastic, as well as some of the teachers who also rather enjoyed themselves. Edwin is going to have to explain why I was such a frequent target for him, however. The kid got me 7 times!
We got back to the hotel very late, and it being the last night gave the kids a few minutes to get settled, hence the lack of bloggage yesterday. By the time we got them all settled, it was a bit later than planned.
We cleared our hotel barely 9 hours after arrival this morning and headed for Tutti Frutti for breakfast for one of the rare hiccups on the trip - they had 1 server for our entire group, and we were upstairs. I hope she got a big tip - poor lady worked up quite a sweat getting everyone their food, 3 plates at a time. Off to Olympic Stadium and the Biodome afterwards, which the kids seemed to really enjoy - I sadly missed them doing a long walk to pick up some cleaning supplies which I was dismayed to discover were completely unneccessary upon our return - the bus had a full kit to handle the unfortunate stomach issue that had arisen.
Our road home so far has been rather smooth, and in fact with only a few minor things, the entire trip has been rather smooth. I would like to compliment each and every kid for their behaviour - not a single noise complaint again, fairly good restaurant behaviour, and mostly attentive listening during their tours. I believe this has been another educational and fun experience for all who were involved.
I would like to compliment our guides Mark and Brooke, whose efforts on behalf of your children need to be commended, and it was a pleasure to once again travel with Scott and William, who did a fantastic job as well.
Most of all, I would like to thank Ms. Todd, Mrs. Gaudet, Ms. Noel, Mr. Tierney and Mr. Papaikonomou. Without their efforts and willingness to travel with the kids, this trip would not be possible, and as the organizing teacher, they all worked hard to make my job easier! Please take a moment to thank them either at dropoff or graduation.
As for me, I'm quite looking forward to getting home - I've missed my girls terribly, and can't wait to see them tonight.
Thank you for following along with our experiences on the blog.
Mr. Morose
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Day 2 in the books!
We got the kids up at 7, had breakfast by 8, and were on the road by 9. The continental breakfast in the residence was surprisingly good - the kids all seemed to enjoy the bagel cutters and the Fruit Loops were also a popular choice.
We started off our day at the Canadian War Museum. We had two hours, which was just enough time to really get a lot of information out of the exhibits. I especially enjoyed the War of 1812 exhibit, which looked at things from four different perspectives, British, American, Canadian and Aboriginal, an approach I'm going to take to History lessons in the future.
From there it was off to the Rideau Centre for lunch, along with what seemed like every other tour group in Ottawa - the place was packed. Luckily we were able to give enough time for everyone to get their food, and even a bit of shopping.
Next was the mint tour, and I'm going to drop my no free samples joke this year - we still didn't get any. Following that we had a group photo done, then we got to go to the top of the Peace Tower. I was very excited to be up there at precisely 4 pm, and was really letdown by the fact that the bells are apparently not designed to be heard well up there - I thought it was going to sound spectacular.
A quick hour to rest up back at the residence, which is perfectly located for this tour, and then out to Dunn's for dinner. It was Celine's birthday, so we sang her a round of Happy Birthday, and even got a candle to put into her ice cream sundae.
Next was the Haunted Walk, culminating in a visit to the original Ottawa jail, a trip steeped with history. Nothing but positive feedback heard, even from the group that had their tour done in musical form, medieval ballad style.
The kids are all packed and ready to head to Montreal in the morning. Looking forward to putting the Leaf jersey I've packed on Mr. P and making him wear it to the Canadien's Hall of Fame tomorrow afternoon, as well as getting to take on all comers at the Laser Quest games!
I'll try to post more pictures as well, but I'm posting this using a mobile device, so I'll see how long this post takes before I try more.
Again, follow on Twitter for much more frequent updates - www.twitter.com/jackminertrip
@jackminertrip
If you're not following the trip on Twitter, here's what you missed yesterday posted from the @jackminertrip account
Mr. Morose
http://jackminer.blogspot.com The blog for yesterday is up!
Some a bit bleary, but all boys are up! Breakfast, then off we go!
Blog to come in the morning. All in their rooms, no noise issues (so far at least). AC leaves something to be desired in my room at least.
In the residence for the evening. Great day, but I'm rather tired.
National Gallery of Canada. http://pic.twitter.com/LMQvYSly
At the Museum of Civilization. #justawesome http://pic.twitter.com/faFjIz2t
Ottawa!!!!
Bulk barn and Harvey's in Kingston are reporting a food shortage - think we bought it all.
Way ahead of schedule, so we're doing a driving tour in Kingston before lunch.
First stop in Trenton, heading to Kingston for lunch. All good!
Whitby! We're on the road to Ottawa, 100% present (whew!) and ready to have a good time!
A Day in the Capital
Good morning parents,
Sorry for not posting last night - we had a very full day and we were all a bit tired.
Our bus trip went well, with a stop around Trenton for the bathroom, followed by lunch in Kingston. We were actually so far ahead of schedule that we did a quick driving tour around Kingston, highlighted by the penitentiary and women's prison, and we also saw John A MacDonald's house. Harvey's seemed to be the popular choice for lunch, and I must say a lot of bulk barn bags made it back onto the bus as well. I was pleased to see Scott and William pull up in the buses yesterday, the same fantastic drivers we had last year. Nice to know my request worked.
We arrived in Ottawa and hit the Museum of Civilization (actually Hull, but who's counting?), where our two tour guides Mark and Brooke did a dramatic re-enactment of the story of a totem pole using the kids - I'll probably never forget Zack casting for a whale, or Jason in his pink boa. Hilarious. We then did the Canada Hall, but we were in a rather large group for this and wound up rushing through it a bit.
The National Gallery worked out much better - we split the kids into 3 guided tour groups, and myself and Mr. P's group saw some Group of Seven, Picasso's, and Voice of Fire, the $1.3 million installation that is really just 3 giant rectangles, but as our guide showed us, is also so much more. I think the kids in my group at least really enjoyed the gallery, and we wound up closing the place.
We then walked to the Rideau Centre, where we had an excellent dinner at Richtree. A good place to start our meals, I don't think I heard a single complaint, other than I'm too full to walk.
And walk we did! From the Rideau Centre, we went around the Chateau Laurier, alongside the canal, to the War Memorial, up to Parliament Hill to the Whispering Statue, and finished up by the Eternal Flame. I did need the slightest bit of cheese to go with the whine at this point, but overall the kids were excellent, and let's be honest, probably at least the slightest bit tired.
We were pleased with our accomodations as well - the residence has been recently renovated and is in fairly nice shape, considering students live here most of the year. Got an excellent report from night security this morning, and all the boys at least are up and getting ready for another busy day.
Here's hoping for a great one, and that all the rain we're going to get today has already come down.
Sorry for not posting last night - we had a very full day and we were all a bit tired.
Our bus trip went well, with a stop around Trenton for the bathroom, followed by lunch in Kingston. We were actually so far ahead of schedule that we did a quick driving tour around Kingston, highlighted by the penitentiary and women's prison, and we also saw John A MacDonald's house. Harvey's seemed to be the popular choice for lunch, and I must say a lot of bulk barn bags made it back onto the bus as well. I was pleased to see Scott and William pull up in the buses yesterday, the same fantastic drivers we had last year. Nice to know my request worked.
We arrived in Ottawa and hit the Museum of Civilization (actually Hull, but who's counting?), where our two tour guides Mark and Brooke did a dramatic re-enactment of the story of a totem pole using the kids - I'll probably never forget Zack casting for a whale, or Jason in his pink boa. Hilarious. We then did the Canada Hall, but we were in a rather large group for this and wound up rushing through it a bit.
The National Gallery worked out much better - we split the kids into 3 guided tour groups, and myself and Mr. P's group saw some Group of Seven, Picasso's, and Voice of Fire, the $1.3 million installation that is really just 3 giant rectangles, but as our guide showed us, is also so much more. I think the kids in my group at least really enjoyed the gallery, and we wound up closing the place.
We then walked to the Rideau Centre, where we had an excellent dinner at Richtree. A good place to start our meals, I don't think I heard a single complaint, other than I'm too full to walk.
And walk we did! From the Rideau Centre, we went around the Chateau Laurier, alongside the canal, to the War Memorial, up to Parliament Hill to the Whispering Statue, and finished up by the Eternal Flame. I did need the slightest bit of cheese to go with the whine at this point, but overall the kids were excellent, and let's be honest, probably at least the slightest bit tired.
We were pleased with our accomodations as well - the residence has been recently renovated and is in fairly nice shape, considering students live here most of the year. Got an excellent report from night security this morning, and all the boys at least are up and getting ready for another busy day.
Here's hoping for a great one, and that all the rain we're going to get today has already come down.
Friday, June 08, 2012
Pre-Trip Information
1. Behaviour
The Jack Miner Code of Behaviour (see agenda) will apply at all times. This will be strictly enforced on the trip, and serious infractions could result in students being sent home during the trip, at the expense of their parents. Please stress how important good behaviour is during this trip with your children.
2. Medication
All medication on the trip is to be self-administered. If you would like it held by a teacher on your child’s bus, please ensure that the medication is brought in to Mr. Morose by Friday June 15, very clearly labeled. In either case, please make Mr. Morose aware of what needs to be done via the email address at the end of this information sheet.
3. Departure
The bus will leave the school at 8:00 am sharp on June 18th, so we are recommending students are at school for attendance and to load the buses by 7:30.
4. Money
We recommend a spending money amount of $80, or $20 per day. Students need to be responsible for their own spending money, and should be careful with how they carry it at all times. Students are responsible for buying their own lunch each day.
5. Snacks
Snacks are permitted, but due to students with food allergies and sensitivities, as well as avoiding unpleasant odours on the bus in case of a spill or spoilage, we are asking that no peanut or milk products be brought.
6. Beverages
Energy drinks are strictly prohibited. Other beverages are permitted, however they must be non-dairy, and in a sealed and re-sealable container, i.e. no juice boxes or cartons. We are spending a great deal of time on the bus and would like to keep it as pleasant an environment as possible. Avoiding spills will help with that.
7. Clothing
Students should pack clothing sufficient for 4 days. Students should bring comfortable clothing and shoes for walking that adhere to the dress code. We will ask students to change clothing if necessary. As students are not at any point to use the hotel pools, there is no need for any swimming attire. Some rain gear is suggested in case of inclement weather.
8. Electronics
Electronic devices in order to stay entertained on the bus to Ottawa and home from Montreal are encouraged. However, they are not to be carried with them during tours and activities. Please note that we can take no responsibility for these electronics at any point during the trip – they are brought solely under the care of the students.
9. Phone Calls
As the students will not be allowed to incur room charges, they will need a calling card to make phone calls home from the hotel payphone.
10. Information
In the past, I have blogged the trip at http://jackminer.blogspot.com. I am also planning to tweet some of our experiences. You can follow us @jackminertrip on twitter.com. Our tour guides from Explorica also provide updates online, and there is a page in the package with that information. I will likely keep our anticipated return time up to date online as well.
The Jack Miner Code of Behaviour (see agenda) will apply at all times. This will be strictly enforced on the trip, and serious infractions could result in students being sent home during the trip, at the expense of their parents. Please stress how important good behaviour is during this trip with your children.
2. Medication
All medication on the trip is to be self-administered. If you would like it held by a teacher on your child’s bus, please ensure that the medication is brought in to Mr. Morose by Friday June 15, very clearly labeled. In either case, please make Mr. Morose aware of what needs to be done via the email address at the end of this information sheet.
3. Departure
The bus will leave the school at 8:00 am sharp on June 18th, so we are recommending students are at school for attendance and to load the buses by 7:30.
4. Money
We recommend a spending money amount of $80, or $20 per day. Students need to be responsible for their own spending money, and should be careful with how they carry it at all times. Students are responsible for buying their own lunch each day.
5. Snacks
Snacks are permitted, but due to students with food allergies and sensitivities, as well as avoiding unpleasant odours on the bus in case of a spill or spoilage, we are asking that no peanut or milk products be brought.
6. Beverages
Energy drinks are strictly prohibited. Other beverages are permitted, however they must be non-dairy, and in a sealed and re-sealable container, i.e. no juice boxes or cartons. We are spending a great deal of time on the bus and would like to keep it as pleasant an environment as possible. Avoiding spills will help with that.
7. Clothing
Students should pack clothing sufficient for 4 days. Students should bring comfortable clothing and shoes for walking that adhere to the dress code. We will ask students to change clothing if necessary. As students are not at any point to use the hotel pools, there is no need for any swimming attire. Some rain gear is suggested in case of inclement weather.
8. Electronics
Electronic devices in order to stay entertained on the bus to Ottawa and home from Montreal are encouraged. However, they are not to be carried with them during tours and activities. Please note that we can take no responsibility for these electronics at any point during the trip – they are brought solely under the care of the students.
9. Phone Calls
As the students will not be allowed to incur room charges, they will need a calling card to make phone calls home from the hotel payphone.
10. Information
In the past, I have blogged the trip at http://jackminer.blogspot.com. I am also planning to tweet some of our experiences. You can follow us @jackminertrip on twitter.com. Our tour guides from Explorica also provide updates online, and there is a page in the package with that information. I will likely keep our anticipated return time up to date online as well.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
On the Road Again!
It's been a number of years since I've been in my seat on bus 1, motoring back to Toronto. We're right about to cross the Ontario border, bidding Montreal and Quebec a final adieu for this voyage. Due to computer and exhaustion issues, I haven't really posted in a few days, but I'm good to go now, warm bagels and all at my side!
We woke the kids up on Wednesday morning and once again were pleased to find them fairly ready to go, and another night of no noise complaints to report. Following breakfast we loaded the busses and headed out, leaving Ottawa behind. The ride was uneventful, despite some rather heavy traffic that I found reminiscent of New York. We had lunch and some free time on Rue St. Catherine, and for once modern technology really worked out in our favour, as we were able to text, locate and return very quickly and relatively stress-free a few students who had gotten their directions crossed up. The shopping on the street and the free time more than made up for missing the Rideau Centre, in my and many other's opinions. I have been proudly sporting my new Expos cap since, and there were many other purchases made.
We then proceeded to the Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame, which was surprisingly enjoyable for many, and only a few dared to wear their Leaf's Jersey. It was awesome seeing things like Dryden's mask, and a collection of Stanley Cup rings. We also heard the old line - why doesn't Toronto drink coffee? Because Montreal has all the Cups....
Following this we headed down to Old Montreal, which was excellent as always (one of the few places I'd been before). Unfortunately, the kids kind of got sucked into a busker performance beside our meeting place which was, in a few words, not very good, and we wound up a few minutes late for dinner.
Ah, dinner. The restaurant was beautiful, our kids were good, and the food was excellent, chicken on roast potatoes and veggies with a red cabbage salad and spinach soup was the non-vegetarian option. Best meal of the trip for me, but out of curiousity I did a little count after the kids were finished eating.
Out of 68 dinners, only 10 ate the red cabbage salad. Ah well, not all the adults ate theirs either. Probably made the busses more pleasant later on. We skipped the bus tour due to threatening weather, and headed back to check into our hotel.
Now, I try to keep things on this blog as positive as possible, so I will only say this about our lodgings. The Hotel Espresso was quite a step up from the Travelodge in Ottawa. A beautiful hotel indeed, the rooms were all recently renovated, and spacious, and very clean. The kids seemed very happy, and settled into their rooms quite easily and quietly.
We were up early yesterday for buffet breakfast, and had one of our few minor incidents. A student was in the shower while his other roommates headed down to breakfast, and discovered to his chagrin that no one was left - and the bathroom doorknob had jammed shut. I came up a little while after, and his roommates alerted me to the situation. Hotel maintenance was able to extract him from the bathroom in good spirits, but the line of the trip since has been "Hellooooo? Is anybody out there? I'm in the bathroom!!"
We headed out to the botanical gardens afterwards, which were spectacularly beautiful. Check the twitter feed for the picture of my group in front of the waterfall, which I just learned how to do. We then went to the biodome, which was really neat - except for the heat and crowds in the tropical section. Nothing like getting everyone sweaty and then sending them into the antarctic section. The penguins and puffins were my favourite, and I have to admit, my daughters are each getting a stuffed penguin from the boutique upon my return - they were just too cute.
Following this, we modified the itinerary slightly, as there were no places for 80 people to have lunch nearby, so we stayed and did the tour of Olympic Stadium right then. An amazing building, and a true shame the Expos have left. Youppi lives! We headed back down to Rue St. Catherine street, and the kids ate in an underground city food court, and this time everyone made it to the meeting place perfectly on time without incident.
We then walked over the Laser Tag, and everyone got to play two games. There were a few minor issues there, but nearly all of the kids had an awesome time, and I think many relished the chance of going laser to laser with their teachers. I know Ms. Todd felt like a bit of a target...as did I, to be honest. It was a lot of fun indeed!
Dinner was at Briskets, which was far superior to Dunns smoked meat, which to be honest I also thought was quite good.
We then travelled up to Mont Royal, and with the highly fortunate break in the weather, along with a spectacular double rainbow, some incredible pictures were taken. There was also a great deal of fascination with a raccoon that was hanging around. Racoon vs a panaramic viewpoint of a beautiful city with a massive rainbow over it. I was a little surprised that the raccoons won out for so many - obviously a lot of these kids don't have to pick up their dumped green bins.
So back to the hotel for some well-earned time visiting in other rooms, of the same gender of course, and then to bed at ten. Based on the number of kids currently asleep on this bus, I suspect some may have stayed up until 11 or so, but all of my walkarounds revealed very little noise happening behind the doors, and I once again got all positive reports from the night security.
Breakfast, pack and then off to the St Viateur Bagel shop. This bus smells very nice right now, and I know I'm not the only one bringing home massive amounts of circular bread. I watched my plain bagels come right out of the oven, and I'm sure the others weren't out for much longer. We're just past Cornwall right now, and will be stopping for lunch soon.
This trip has gone fabulously, for the most part. A few hiccups, but all minor and all resolved rather quickly. I cannot be complimentary enough to our drivers, Scott and William. They have been helpful, courteous friendly and have consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to help this trip run smoothly.
Our tour guides, Justin and Patrick, have been beyond tremendous. I could not have imagined doing this trip without them, and their tireless efforts with your children have been wonderful. This is Patrick's final tour, and I wish him luck in his future, but I would certainly make the request to have either of these fine gentlemen back with us on any future travel. Thank you both very much for everything you did to make this trip run as smoothly as it has.
Finally, the staff who gave up their week with their families to help this happen. I am missing my girls very much, and can't wait to see them back in Toronto. This trip has run smoothly largely because of how hard everyone has worked, at all times.
I will be putting up more pictures over the next few days, as I've got some great stuff on my camera, but no way to process and upload until after I get home. Please check back next week at some point. I do have some from Ms. Todd that I'll be uploading shortly.
Looking forward to seeing everybody, likely sometime between 5 and 5:30 if we stay on this schedule. Please don't park in the driveway at the front of the school so we have room to get the busses in and unloaded.
We woke the kids up on Wednesday morning and once again were pleased to find them fairly ready to go, and another night of no noise complaints to report. Following breakfast we loaded the busses and headed out, leaving Ottawa behind. The ride was uneventful, despite some rather heavy traffic that I found reminiscent of New York. We had lunch and some free time on Rue St. Catherine, and for once modern technology really worked out in our favour, as we were able to text, locate and return very quickly and relatively stress-free a few students who had gotten their directions crossed up. The shopping on the street and the free time more than made up for missing the Rideau Centre, in my and many other's opinions. I have been proudly sporting my new Expos cap since, and there were many other purchases made.
We then proceeded to the Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame, which was surprisingly enjoyable for many, and only a few dared to wear their Leaf's Jersey. It was awesome seeing things like Dryden's mask, and a collection of Stanley Cup rings. We also heard the old line - why doesn't Toronto drink coffee? Because Montreal has all the Cups....
Following this we headed down to Old Montreal, which was excellent as always (one of the few places I'd been before). Unfortunately, the kids kind of got sucked into a busker performance beside our meeting place which was, in a few words, not very good, and we wound up a few minutes late for dinner.
Ah, dinner. The restaurant was beautiful, our kids were good, and the food was excellent, chicken on roast potatoes and veggies with a red cabbage salad and spinach soup was the non-vegetarian option. Best meal of the trip for me, but out of curiousity I did a little count after the kids were finished eating.
Out of 68 dinners, only 10 ate the red cabbage salad. Ah well, not all the adults ate theirs either. Probably made the busses more pleasant later on. We skipped the bus tour due to threatening weather, and headed back to check into our hotel.
Now, I try to keep things on this blog as positive as possible, so I will only say this about our lodgings. The Hotel Espresso was quite a step up from the Travelodge in Ottawa. A beautiful hotel indeed, the rooms were all recently renovated, and spacious, and very clean. The kids seemed very happy, and settled into their rooms quite easily and quietly.
We were up early yesterday for buffet breakfast, and had one of our few minor incidents. A student was in the shower while his other roommates headed down to breakfast, and discovered to his chagrin that no one was left - and the bathroom doorknob had jammed shut. I came up a little while after, and his roommates alerted me to the situation. Hotel maintenance was able to extract him from the bathroom in good spirits, but the line of the trip since has been "Hellooooo? Is anybody out there? I'm in the bathroom!!"
We headed out to the botanical gardens afterwards, which were spectacularly beautiful. Check the twitter feed for the picture of my group in front of the waterfall, which I just learned how to do. We then went to the biodome, which was really neat - except for the heat and crowds in the tropical section. Nothing like getting everyone sweaty and then sending them into the antarctic section. The penguins and puffins were my favourite, and I have to admit, my daughters are each getting a stuffed penguin from the boutique upon my return - they were just too cute.
Following this, we modified the itinerary slightly, as there were no places for 80 people to have lunch nearby, so we stayed and did the tour of Olympic Stadium right then. An amazing building, and a true shame the Expos have left. Youppi lives! We headed back down to Rue St. Catherine street, and the kids ate in an underground city food court, and this time everyone made it to the meeting place perfectly on time without incident.
We then walked over the Laser Tag, and everyone got to play two games. There were a few minor issues there, but nearly all of the kids had an awesome time, and I think many relished the chance of going laser to laser with their teachers. I know Ms. Todd felt like a bit of a target...as did I, to be honest. It was a lot of fun indeed!
Dinner was at Briskets, which was far superior to Dunns smoked meat, which to be honest I also thought was quite good.
We then travelled up to Mont Royal, and with the highly fortunate break in the weather, along with a spectacular double rainbow, some incredible pictures were taken. There was also a great deal of fascination with a raccoon that was hanging around. Racoon vs a panaramic viewpoint of a beautiful city with a massive rainbow over it. I was a little surprised that the raccoons won out for so many - obviously a lot of these kids don't have to pick up their dumped green bins.
So back to the hotel for some well-earned time visiting in other rooms, of the same gender of course, and then to bed at ten. Based on the number of kids currently asleep on this bus, I suspect some may have stayed up until 11 or so, but all of my walkarounds revealed very little noise happening behind the doors, and I once again got all positive reports from the night security.
Breakfast, pack and then off to the St Viateur Bagel shop. This bus smells very nice right now, and I know I'm not the only one bringing home massive amounts of circular bread. I watched my plain bagels come right out of the oven, and I'm sure the others weren't out for much longer. We're just past Cornwall right now, and will be stopping for lunch soon.
This trip has gone fabulously, for the most part. A few hiccups, but all minor and all resolved rather quickly. I cannot be complimentary enough to our drivers, Scott and William. They have been helpful, courteous friendly and have consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty to help this trip run smoothly.
Our tour guides, Justin and Patrick, have been beyond tremendous. I could not have imagined doing this trip without them, and their tireless efforts with your children have been wonderful. This is Patrick's final tour, and I wish him luck in his future, but I would certainly make the request to have either of these fine gentlemen back with us on any future travel. Thank you both very much for everything you did to make this trip run as smoothly as it has.
Finally, the staff who gave up their week with their families to help this happen. I am missing my girls very much, and can't wait to see them back in Toronto. This trip has run smoothly largely because of how hard everyone has worked, at all times.
I will be putting up more pictures over the next few days, as I've got some great stuff on my camera, but no way to process and upload until after I get home. Please check back next week at some point. I do have some from Ms. Todd that I'll be uploading shortly.
Looking forward to seeing everybody, likely sometime between 5 and 5:30 if we stay on this schedule. Please don't park in the driveway at the front of the school so we have room to get the busses in and unloaded.
Breakfast Time
All kids are awake, some slightly reluctantly, we're heading to breakfast shortly, then the bus, the bagel shop, and home. Montreal has been a very good experience, despite some iffy weather yesterday - we certainly made the best of things considering the conditions.
I'll blog up Montreal on the way home, thanks to my strangely working-again laptop - fixed due to some technically advanced children who suggested I disconnect and reconnect the battery. It worked, so full details to come later!
I'll blog up Montreal on the way home, thanks to my strangely working-again laptop - fixed due to some technically advanced children who suggested I disconnect and reconnect the battery. It worked, so full details to come later!
Day 4 done!
An overall very good day. I will post both days in Montreal in the morning, after some sleep. Estimated arrival time remains 5:30, but I will update that on twitter as we travel.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Computer problems
Not sure what happened, but I can't turn my computer on, and don't want to go into detail using my phone...
A good day, everyone in rooms, and a busy plan for tomorrow...
A good day, everyone in rooms, and a busy plan for tomorrow...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
If you're not following @jackminertrip on twitter.com, here's what you've missed!
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Everyone in their rooms for the night...sooo tired....goodnight all.
1 hour ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Jail tour was kind of creepy...now back to the hotel for some much needed rest.
2 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Crepes...dratted iPhone autospeller...
4 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
The banana chocolate cerise at Richtree got a serious working over just now...
4 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
As a history buff, seeing Isaac Brock's tunic, complete with bullet hole to the heart, was a surprisingly amazing experience.
6 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Museum ofCivilization was interesting, but I think it's safe to say that my group ran out of steam- they wanted to rest at the meeting point
8 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
In Quebec - those who forgot their passports had to hide while crossing the Ottawa - kids seem to be having a great time!
9 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
We're about to go into the mint - here's hoping for some free samples!
12 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
What a view from the Peace Tower! We're exploring the statues on Parliament Hill now...
14 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
The library and the Senate were really intricately built - what an interesting building.
14 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Very impressed with restaurant manners for bus 1 at breakfast this am! Bus 2 will hopefully do the same - we're off to Parliament at 7:30!
16 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
All boys awake and moving, with some before I knocked on their doors!
17 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Well...sleep well.
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Bus 1 is back at the hotel, just waiting on bus 2. A great first day, and a crazy busy schedule for tomorrow - here's hoping the kids sleep
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Dinner was great, we're at the War Memorial now. Beautiful statue.
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Waiting outside Dunns Famous Deli...
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
In the hotel...getting ready for dinner...
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
National Gallery was incredible! Picasso, Thomson, Harris, Monet. We could've spent hours and hours and hours....
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
In Ottawa, ahead of schedule - heading to the National Gallery...
20 Jun » jackminertrip Mr. Morose
On the approach to Kingston, all good so far. The buses are quiet by all reports...kind of surprising.
20 Jun
Everyone in their rooms for the night...sooo tired....goodnight all.
1 hour ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Jail tour was kind of creepy...now back to the hotel for some much needed rest.
2 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Crepes...dratted iPhone autospeller...
4 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
The banana chocolate cerise at Richtree got a serious working over just now...
4 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
As a history buff, seeing Isaac Brock's tunic, complete with bullet hole to the heart, was a surprisingly amazing experience.
6 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Museum ofCivilization was interesting, but I think it's safe to say that my group ran out of steam- they wanted to rest at the meeting point
8 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
In Quebec - those who forgot their passports had to hide while crossing the Ottawa - kids seem to be having a great time!
9 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
We're about to go into the mint - here's hoping for some free samples!
12 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
What a view from the Peace Tower! We're exploring the statues on Parliament Hill now...
14 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
The library and the Senate were really intricately built - what an interesting building.
14 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Very impressed with restaurant manners for bus 1 at breakfast this am! Bus 2 will hopefully do the same - we're off to Parliament at 7:30!
16 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
All boys awake and moving, with some before I knocked on their doors!
17 hours ago »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Well...sleep well.
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Bus 1 is back at the hotel, just waiting on bus 2. A great first day, and a crazy busy schedule for tomorrow - here's hoping the kids sleep
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Dinner was great, we're at the War Memorial now. Beautiful statue.
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
Waiting outside Dunns Famous Deli...
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
In the hotel...getting ready for dinner...
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
National Gallery was incredible! Picasso, Thomson, Harris, Monet. We could've spent hours and hours and hours....
20 Jun »
jackminertrip Mr. Morose
In Ottawa, ahead of schedule - heading to the National Gallery...
20 Jun » jackminertrip Mr. Morose
On the approach to Kingston, all good so far. The buses are quiet by all reports...kind of surprising.
20 Jun
An extraordinarily busy day
I can't honestly remember many days in my life where I set such an ambitious agenda, either personally or with my family. I definitely have never tried it while keeping a group of 14 year olds motivated and moving. I am pleased to report, however, that we pulled it all off.
We woke the kids up at 6 am, or at least, that was the plan. In a few of the boys rooms I actually did have to knock a few times before I got a response. However, from most of the rooms, I was shocked and astounded to find boys not only awake, but up, dressed, and ready to go for breakfast. A very nice surprise. Breakfast was in the restaurant attached to the hotel, and it was certainly ok.
Off to the Parliament Buildings, which was the item on the agenda I thought might draw the least amount of interest. However, our tour guide was excellent, engaged the kids very well, and they were just as fascinated and impressed by the building as I was. A particular favourite was, of all places, the library. I heard more than a few comments about it reminding the kids of Hogwarts. We were also not allowed to make a sound in there, or feed the librarians. My group (bus 1) managed to accomplish both.
We then spent some time walking around the outside of the Parliament Buildings, checking out the statues and searching for shady spots, as the temperature seemed to be rapidly increasing. Following that, we walked down to the Mint, where, alas, despite all my hopes and dreams, free samples were not in the plan on the tour. They mostly make investment gold coins there, with most of the money being manufactured in Winnipeg. Still, it was very interesting to see the processes and the end result of their work.
A change in the itinerary followed, as we headed to the Byward Market instead of going to the mall as planned for lunch. The kids were rather reluctant, as they were looking forward to the mall, but our fabulous tour guides swung the deal by presenting all the kids with coupons for free Beaver Tails. So after some free time in the market, a group of kids rather loaded with sugar boarded the buses and headed for the Museum of Civilization. A most interesting place, and as I find is typical on these trips, the place that I was most looking forward to was probably the place that wasn't quite all I had built it up to be in my mind.
I found my group kind of crashing in enery levels toward the end of our time there, and they wanted to go back to the meeting place to rest, which would have been fine had I taken them to the right place. Regardless, eventually we found the others and headed towards the bus to catch up with the groups.
The War Museum is an incredible place. We started out in the Memorial Room before proceeding to the tanks and other vehicles in the basement. Then we headed to what perhaps has been the highlight of the trip for me, the history of conflicts in Canada. The kids had some free time to explore the gallery, and I came across one of the most amazing artifacts I've ever seen in any museum. I've become a bit of a history buff while teaching, and my favourite course to teach is Grade 7 history. So to wander thru the War of 1812 exhibit, and find the actual tunic of General Isaac Brock, complete with bullet hole in the general heart region of the garment, was thrilling for me. Even more thrilling was hauling every one of my former students I could find over to it to see if they remembered the story, and having more than half of them figuring out who it was based on the display without reading. Only slightly more than half, but still...not bad. I have several new photographs to put into a powerpoint for next year's grade sevens...
We then bussed our way over to the Rideau Centre for dinner at Richtree. 68 kids sitting inside an open air restaurant in full view of mall traffic is a potential recipe for disaster. I was thrilled with the behaviour inside the restaurant, and even more thrilled at the state of things when we left. I imagine the cleanup was fairly easy, an impressive accomplishment for a group of our size.
The Ghosts and Gallows tour was impressive as well - staying out of jail always being a goal of mine, but if you saw what jail conditions were like back in the day, I think it's safe to say that even more motivation was provided to all who took the tour. The old jail has been converted to a hostel, and they certainly play up the former jail angle - not sure I'd be all that interested in staying there, personally.
Back to the hotel, where there was some excitement with a fire on the highway a few hunded metres up the road. It didn't affect us at all, but there were numerous sirens and a lot of action around the area for a while. It's all quieted down now...
So the kids are all in rooms for the night, and we'll be up at 6:45 to get ready for breakfast and hit the road for Montreal in the morning.
Once again, I want to compliment all the kids - they have clearly taken all the behaviour warnings to heart, and apart from a few minor issues, the trip has been examplary so far - here's hoping it continues. Ms. Todd took more photos, and so did I, but did I remember the cable to connect my camera? Of course not.
Have a great day - more to come!
We woke the kids up at 6 am, or at least, that was the plan. In a few of the boys rooms I actually did have to knock a few times before I got a response. However, from most of the rooms, I was shocked and astounded to find boys not only awake, but up, dressed, and ready to go for breakfast. A very nice surprise. Breakfast was in the restaurant attached to the hotel, and it was certainly ok.
Off to the Parliament Buildings, which was the item on the agenda I thought might draw the least amount of interest. However, our tour guide was excellent, engaged the kids very well, and they were just as fascinated and impressed by the building as I was. A particular favourite was, of all places, the library. I heard more than a few comments about it reminding the kids of Hogwarts. We were also not allowed to make a sound in there, or feed the librarians. My group (bus 1) managed to accomplish both.
We then spent some time walking around the outside of the Parliament Buildings, checking out the statues and searching for shady spots, as the temperature seemed to be rapidly increasing. Following that, we walked down to the Mint, where, alas, despite all my hopes and dreams, free samples were not in the plan on the tour. They mostly make investment gold coins there, with most of the money being manufactured in Winnipeg. Still, it was very interesting to see the processes and the end result of their work.
A change in the itinerary followed, as we headed to the Byward Market instead of going to the mall as planned for lunch. The kids were rather reluctant, as they were looking forward to the mall, but our fabulous tour guides swung the deal by presenting all the kids with coupons for free Beaver Tails. So after some free time in the market, a group of kids rather loaded with sugar boarded the buses and headed for the Museum of Civilization. A most interesting place, and as I find is typical on these trips, the place that I was most looking forward to was probably the place that wasn't quite all I had built it up to be in my mind.
I found my group kind of crashing in enery levels toward the end of our time there, and they wanted to go back to the meeting place to rest, which would have been fine had I taken them to the right place. Regardless, eventually we found the others and headed towards the bus to catch up with the groups.
The War Museum is an incredible place. We started out in the Memorial Room before proceeding to the tanks and other vehicles in the basement. Then we headed to what perhaps has been the highlight of the trip for me, the history of conflicts in Canada. The kids had some free time to explore the gallery, and I came across one of the most amazing artifacts I've ever seen in any museum. I've become a bit of a history buff while teaching, and my favourite course to teach is Grade 7 history. So to wander thru the War of 1812 exhibit, and find the actual tunic of General Isaac Brock, complete with bullet hole in the general heart region of the garment, was thrilling for me. Even more thrilling was hauling every one of my former students I could find over to it to see if they remembered the story, and having more than half of them figuring out who it was based on the display without reading. Only slightly more than half, but still...not bad. I have several new photographs to put into a powerpoint for next year's grade sevens...
We then bussed our way over to the Rideau Centre for dinner at Richtree. 68 kids sitting inside an open air restaurant in full view of mall traffic is a potential recipe for disaster. I was thrilled with the behaviour inside the restaurant, and even more thrilled at the state of things when we left. I imagine the cleanup was fairly easy, an impressive accomplishment for a group of our size.
The Ghosts and Gallows tour was impressive as well - staying out of jail always being a goal of mine, but if you saw what jail conditions were like back in the day, I think it's safe to say that even more motivation was provided to all who took the tour. The old jail has been converted to a hostel, and they certainly play up the former jail angle - not sure I'd be all that interested in staying there, personally.
Back to the hotel, where there was some excitement with a fire on the highway a few hunded metres up the road. It didn't affect us at all, but there were numerous sirens and a lot of action around the area for a while. It's all quieted down now...
So the kids are all in rooms for the night, and we'll be up at 6:45 to get ready for breakfast and hit the road for Montreal in the morning.
Once again, I want to compliment all the kids - they have clearly taken all the behaviour warnings to heart, and apart from a few minor issues, the trip has been examplary so far - here's hoping it continues. Ms. Todd took more photos, and so did I, but did I remember the cable to connect my camera? Of course not.
Have a great day - more to come!
Monday, June 20, 2011
First day in the books!
Good evening all!
Our first day ran very smoothly with a few bumps in the road, but nothing serious.
Our departure was perfect - everyone was in their seats and, surprisingly, fairly quiet. We cruised uneventfully to Kingston, mostly with our fantastic tour guides getting to know everyone, which they've done admirably. We stopped for an early lunch in Kingston, which was where we hit out first speedbump and led to an unscheduled stop in Brockville to take care of a student who took a bit ill. Feeling better, we were back on the road in no time, and still managed to make it to Ottawa just slightly ahead of schedule, with enough time to cruise Sussex Drive and see #24.
We then went to the National Gallery, which is going to be a must return to destination for me, personally. Amazing to see Monet, Picasso, Thomson and my personal favourite, JEH McDonald's Tangled Garden, of which I have a small print. It was surreal to see the real thing, and realize it's roughly the same size as my entire living room wall. The kids were terrific, and indeed, complained upon leaving the gallery because they wanted MORE time there, not less.
We then went and checked into the hotel quickly before heading back out to dinner at Dunn's Famous Deli, where I can safely say I highly recommend the smoked meat sandwich, although some serious spaghetti and pizza consumption took place too. From there we walked up to the War Memorial, and alongisde the Chateau Laurier and the Rideau Canal, before heading past the Parliament Buildings and the eternal flame on Parliment Hill.
Back at the hotel, things are good with all kids accounted for and in their rooms. Tomorrow is a big day, with two museums, Parliament tour, the Mint, Rideau Centre for lunch, and the Ghosts and Gallows tour in the evening.
My compliments to all parents for their excellently behaved children on the trip thus far - we are all very pleased, and pleasantly surprised by how calm the buses are. I'll take up the narrative again tomorrow when we return to the hotel.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, as that's where I'm able to post more frequent, albeit shorter, updates.
Until tomorrow - sleep is calling.
Our first day ran very smoothly with a few bumps in the road, but nothing serious.
Our departure was perfect - everyone was in their seats and, surprisingly, fairly quiet. We cruised uneventfully to Kingston, mostly with our fantastic tour guides getting to know everyone, which they've done admirably. We stopped for an early lunch in Kingston, which was where we hit out first speedbump and led to an unscheduled stop in Brockville to take care of a student who took a bit ill. Feeling better, we were back on the road in no time, and still managed to make it to Ottawa just slightly ahead of schedule, with enough time to cruise Sussex Drive and see #24.
We then went to the National Gallery, which is going to be a must return to destination for me, personally. Amazing to see Monet, Picasso, Thomson and my personal favourite, JEH McDonald's Tangled Garden, of which I have a small print. It was surreal to see the real thing, and realize it's roughly the same size as my entire living room wall. The kids were terrific, and indeed, complained upon leaving the gallery because they wanted MORE time there, not less.
We then went and checked into the hotel quickly before heading back out to dinner at Dunn's Famous Deli, where I can safely say I highly recommend the smoked meat sandwich, although some serious spaghetti and pizza consumption took place too. From there we walked up to the War Memorial, and alongisde the Chateau Laurier and the Rideau Canal, before heading past the Parliament Buildings and the eternal flame on Parliment Hill.
Back at the hotel, things are good with all kids accounted for and in their rooms. Tomorrow is a big day, with two museums, Parliament tour, the Mint, Rideau Centre for lunch, and the Ghosts and Gallows tour in the evening.
My compliments to all parents for their excellently behaved children on the trip thus far - we are all very pleased, and pleasantly surprised by how calm the buses are. I'll take up the narrative again tomorrow when we return to the hotel.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, as that's where I'm able to post more frequent, albeit shorter, updates.
Until tomorrow - sleep is calling.
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