We arrived in Nice at 8:30am, where we went straight to breakfast.  ACIS kicked in an enhanced breakfast with crepes and omelettes, and also fast-tracked the preparation of our hotel rooms.  We stalled for a coupled of hours by visiting the local open-air market, with rows of fresh flowers, lavender, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Once checked in, we gave everyone until dinner to do as they chose—shop, eat, wash, or sleep.  After dinner, we walked back into the old town for Nice’s best-kept gelato secret, where they sell 86 flavors of gelato and sorbet.  My favorite was the thyme-flavored ice cream and the lemon meringue with bits of real meringue.

Last day in Barcelona.  The kids enjoyed a free morning, with some going to other Gaudi landmarks (La Pedrera, etc.), other shopping, and the rest seeing whatever they missed the first two days.

After taking our five-hour bus drive to Toulouse, France, we stopped for dinner before leaving to board the overnight train to Nice, France.  ***DISCLAIMER*** After this Saturday, most of you will hear a personal eyewitness account of this night from your student.  As for me, I’ll make it short and sweet and let your kids fill in the details…

• The long and short of it is our couchette/cabins were double-booked, which I’m told NEVER happens.

• We all had to stand/sit/crouch/squat/lay in the corridor of each train car for 45 minutes before finding alternate places on the train.

• Could have been much worse (waiting three hours until Marseille to get off and hire a coach bus), or spending the whole way in the corridor…

• In the end, we still got private cabins, everyone had a bed, and everyone safely arrived in Nice.  Don’t’ worry, ACIS already knows I’m not happy.

We took a city sight seeing tour today, which began at the Parc Güell, designed by Barcelona’s patron artist, Gaudi. 

There is an area called the Hall of 100 Columns, which strangely on has 86, and we gave an impromptu concert there of just two songs. 

The acoustics were very friendly, and considering last night’s bust of a concert, the kids really were thirsty to perform at any possible venue.    

Following that, we made a visit to the Sagrada Famlia.  No one really knows when it will be completed, but even seeing the work in progress is quite an amazing thing. 

We ended our sight seeing tour at the Barcelona Cathedral, where tomorrow afternoon’s performance will be.  After our group dinner, we went to the Olympic Village, where some played on the beach, others played group games very loudly, while still others danced the night away.