London and Paris

(Sacre Couer steps)


(SALUTE!!)


(On River Cruise in Front of Eiffel Tower)


(Looking at Notre Dame on Bike Tour)




(Alex Gelber's Ikosi Deka Tribute in Brighton)




(In Hyde Park in London by Diana's Fountain)



(At Buckingham palace in london)




(ON BUS IN LONDON)

Day 5 Gay Paree

Eberyone planned to meet in Lobby at 8 to go to Versailles, but by 10:30 only 3 left. Theyy spent all day there and had an amazing time. They saw the whole inside and also the lands and Marie Antoinettes house! Parker got sunburnt. Lexi Roxy Bennet Alex and Julian were off on their feet and walked the ehole length from Ile St. Loius to Eiffel Tower. The Persian girls had their own private adventure and veyas and ty spent all day traveling the subways trying to make train refunds, make meetings and book dinner reservations, but they were able to stop at a cafe and have escargot!
Everyone met at 5 for jambon and cheese baguettes on the grass under the view of the Eiffel Tower before an amazing 4 hour bike tour of the streets of Paris and were able to see most all famous sites. Then take a Seine River cruise and watch the Eiffel Tower flicker with lights and the couples and parties make out on the River shore. The group has unified as a family and MANY pictures have been taken. Plus the chant of USA or IKOSI DEKA was heard echoing down the river.
Tommmorow promises to be full with most everyone discovering the art of the Louvre and eating in the Latin Quarter.
Dinner at La Poutre and heading out of Paris on a night train to Venezia.
And although that is the "plan". We will write again tomorrow to let the Real day plans onto the Blog!!!!!

Day 4 London to Paris

We woke up and had to pack up for our train to Paris. Half the group had the hostel's carbo-breakfast, the other half went to the waffle house around the corner. My waffle with fruit and whipped cream was the best thing I ate in London.

Took the double decker bus to the surprisingly beautiful train station. The train ride took us through the english countryside, through the channel and through france. Most of us slept through the ride. When I woke up we were surrounded in graffiti. Gelber was enthused.

Took the metro to our hotel. The Carlton's was a huge upgrade from the london hostel. We cleaned ourseves up and ate dinner at a local italian spot. Pasta for everyone. After dinner we hiked up the hills of MontMartre and sat on the steps in front of the Sacre Coeur church. As the sun set, the lights of Paris began to flicker on. The breathtaking sight excited us all to begin exploring.

London Day 3

There were so many ideas about what to do today that the group decided to split up into four/five groups today.

One group began their adventures for their first optional day in London waking up early to catch an 830 train out of the Harry Potter Victoria Station to the English Countryside to see the awe inspiring and magnificently placed 18 foot high blue hanging stones presently known to be called STONEHENGE which were believed to be carried by raft down from Wales, not only to mark the sun's calendar. but also to hold the posiiton of authrity amongst the 3000 BC land owners. The bus ride was napiful both ways.Rich$mond looked like upper New York.

Once back in town the 5 girls Plus Ty tool the tube to the Tower of London, bought icecream cones and walked across the Tower bridge to find Shakespeare's Globe Theater. Henry the Eighth is presently being shown. We were able hop theough a few fountains to cool off as we continued walking down Fleet Streey passing Trafalgar Sq. Into Piccadilly Circus, only to rush back to the hotel to clean up before Indian Food for Dinner.

The second group of 4 boys stayed at the hotel until Bauer arrived from LA. Then they took an hour train ride to BrighTon. Alex set himself a spot to paint DEKA in the most beautifully done wall piece I have ever seen, I hope to find a way to post that picture! While he was hard at work for 3 hours the other 3 walked around the beach and watched England lose the World Cup in a Pub.
They scurried home as fast as the train let them in time to have Curry for dinner.

The third group
Chose an easier day, Trafalgar Square after sleeping in to see the Rosetta Stone at the National Gallery. Then to a relatives home for dinner. Then back to the rooms to cool off before visiting a dance club.

The last two groups melded into one sortof.
This group slept in. Two boys headed off for Piccadilly Square while the girls stayed around Bayswater and ate a nice lunch. Then they met up with the boys at Will Call for the Hyde Park Concert: Hard Rock Calling to see Paul Mc Cartney! Then stopped for Hookah ( I just got a bbm invite lol).then they will decide to meet up with the dancing girls or not, but io am sure my phone will be buzzn with new updates momentarily. BBM has allowed all of us to keep in touch on the hour all day today!!!
But like me, tired and tired, there are a bunch of us barely standing after Veyas too them to the largest ferris Wheel in the world to see all of London in the LoNDon Eye.

Tomorrow we are to meet in the lobby at 10 am to catch our train to Paris!
Keepin my fingers crossed thaty noone lost a room key as there was a 50 lb deposit I had to give...other than that I am headed for a deep sleep!
Marcella writes:
. Boy,it was a long day!.
7 girls one bath room...
40 minutes to shower and get ready for dinner...
Loads of fun!!
London eye tonight and train to Paris tomorrow!

(Ready to get away from the pounds!!!!)

London Day 2

A FULL first day for IKOSI DEKA.
Arrived safely at Heathrow airport. Sailed through customs. Easy enoughj to find the TUBE another thing altogether to follow the color lines. Got on a green line instead of the yellow and ended up missing our 11 am Bike Tour. Yet, our rooms weren't clean anyway so the kids walked around Queensway just North of Hyde Park for an hour and had llunch. Rooms were available at 12:30 and kids only were given 2 towels for rooms with 66 beds...WTF? We were able to make a 3 pm Bike Tour with Liam from Cook's Island as our wonderful (and the girls though "very cute" tour guide. Were able to bike to Kengington Garden, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Diana's Fountain as well as viewing Big Ben, the Queens garden and summer home and see the guards pacing back and forth in front of a gate. Noone could believe they wanted that job.
Dinner was Fish n Chips and the ones not too tired hit Bricklane to go dance. Others went straight to bed.
Tomorrow the itinerary has Stonehenge for the early risers, Brighton for the boys and the rest will enjoy Tower of London and a closer look at Westminister Abbey.
Then a group dinner before we all ride the London Eye Ferris Wheel at dusk.
There have been phone issues, money issues, shower issues, meeting times on time issues and bike issues but all in all, happy and tired faces.
Am trying to post pictures, and hope to before we leave London!
Again. Please email Miss Ty at tdevine@palihigh.org with any mesaages for kids!
Day 1 is done!

Sunday Night Movie!

Hey group!

Mandy is hosting a Movie Night at her house tomorrow at 5 pm. Hopefully everyone has subscribed to this blog by now, and will receive this blog post. She is going to show HOSTEL. The perfect movie to see before we leave, right!!!
Please call Mandy for directions to her house. Her number is 310-806-2177.

Someone should bring popcorn and take notes about what NOT to do on our trip...