Merry Christmas

Christmas greetings to everyone.

The Swarovzki crystal Christmas tree at the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney

and Christmas at our overseas destinations.

Les Galeries Lafayette, Paris

Christmas in Paris

 Carcassone

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

3rd Payment Instalment and Travel Insurance

Just a reminder to our travellers that the third payment instalment was due in November and is now overdue.
Travel insurance is required for all our travellers and has been requested in previous emailed communications. For DEC approval we need policy numbers and photocopied documents before the close of school this term - by 3pm Friday 20 December. Please check your documents to ensure you are up-to-date.

Christmas Market Day Success

It was a breezy summer's day at Gordon's Christmas market for our stall that was well attended by all travellers - students, parents and staff.  Thanks to our early starters who set up the stall at 7am on a Sunday morning, and to the parents and students who manned the stall throughout the day.  Special thanks to Bronwyn, who not only help set up the stall in the early hours of the morning but remained all day, encouraging prospective buyers, right up to pack up time.  

We sold cards, tea towels, jewellery, books, toys, plants and Christmas decorations, to a quiet, yet constant light stream of customers. With our remaining stock, we will have a mini Christmas market at school for students and staff.

Early in the new year we will have a parent and student meeting to discuss spending money, travel sims and what to pack in their suitcase.

Merry Christmas to everyone and happy holidays!

Joyeux Noël et bonne année!

New 2014 exhibition at Les Baux's Carrières de Lumières

Starting on the 7 March next year, Les Baux's magnificent Carrières de Lumières will begin a new exhibition called 'Klimt and the Viennese Artists: A Century of Gold and Colours'.
The show will take you on a journey through 100 years of Viennese painting including the wonderfully bright colourful works by Gustav Klimt and Hundertwasser as well as the distinctive art of Egon Schiele. This new illuminated exhibition offers an original perspective on Klimt and his contemporaries through portraits, landscapes, nudes, colours and gilding that revolutionised Viennese painting in the 20th Century.
Here is an example of what you may see! Wow!

Medieval Carcassonne

We've made a change to our itinerary in Southern France, now visiting the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne on Easter Sunday. Rather than stopping at Montpellier, we will make a detour and visit this amazingly picturesque city in the Languedoc region. Made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, Carcassonne looks like something from a fairy tale. In fact, Walt Disney got his idea for the castle in Sleeping Beauty from the fortified city. 

The 1991 Warner Bros film, 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' used the exterior views of the walled city of Carcassonne as Nottingham in the film.

It is also the location for the 2012 'Labyrinth' miniseries based on the 2005 best-selling book by Kate Mosse.

See a preview of the miniseries and Carcassonne in all its splendour:

http://youtu.be/TSeKCTtEnBI

In Carcassonne, the turreted rampart surrounding the city is made up of two walls, dating between 400AD and 1300AD. Within the fortified walls, Carcassonne was impregnable and the La Cite with 52 towers, a moat, drawbridge, Chateau Comptal and the St Nazare Basilica have remained relatively intact throughout the centuries. The city has experienced many battles including the crusades and the Inquisition. 

Carcassonne will be a fantastic addition to our itinerary!

Successful fundraising at Art Exhibition

Thanks to our wonderful helpers at the recent art exhibition. We held a successful stall with handmade cards, student designed tea candles, lemonade making kits, specially printed linen tea towels, fabulous cookbooks and our French inspired hamper raffle that was drawn on the night. Lots more opportunities to come, so keep posted.

Fundraising tea towel design

Have a look at our specially designed linen tea towel, printed for our fundraising stall at the art exhibition and for Gordon markets. Thanks to Hammerprint in Brookvale for their expert service!

Upcoming Fundraising Opportunities

After another successful sausage sizzle on a beautiful balmy winter's day, we have a number of fundraising activities in action over the next few weeks:

• Don't forget to sell your raffle tickets for a chance to win the French themed hamper - its full of scrumptious goodies!
• We will be having an art tour fundraising stall and a sausage sizzle on the opening night of our annual Visual Arts Exhibition - Wednesday, 28 August. Lots of fantastic goodies will be on sale including gift cards, design tea light candle holders, and specially printed linen tea towels. Our wonderful student travelers have assisted in creating these products. Many helpers are needed to man the barbeque and the art tour stall.
• On Election Day, 7 September, we will be having a sausage sizzle and fundraising stall. Keep posted for more details.
• We have booked a Christmas market stall at Gordon markets in December to sell more of our designed products. More details to come.

Next Payment Due

The second payment installment of $1500 is due on the 1st August. Invoices have been given to students at the fundraising meeting.

Student Fundraising Meeting

All student travellers need to attend a meeting in D1 at lunchtime on Friday 26 July to discuss fundraising proposals. Bring your lunch and your creative thinking!

Hotel Accommodation Booked

Our itinerary has been updated with the inclusion of booked hotels. Check out your French, Spanish and UAE accommodation on the designated blog page.

First Deposit Now Due

Thankyou to everyone who has handed in their documentation and the first deposit. Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Dubai here we come! If you haven't filled in your documentation or paid your first deposit, please do so as soon as possible so Delphine, our fantastic travel agent from Gullivers Sports Travel, can start booking our flights and accommodation.

Paris Disneyland now on our Itinerary

We will spend our last night in Paris enjoying the wonders of Disneyland!

2014 Art Tour Permission Notes and Invoices

Travellers can collect their 2014 Art Tour Permission Notes and Invoices from the supervising art teachers on Monday 6 May.

A Year to Departure

Excitement is building as we enter the final year countdown to our Paris, Provence and Spain Art Tour. To get everyone in the mood, imagine looking at this sight in a year's time! 

Go to the link below to get an amazing virtual lookout over Paris.

http://www.paris-26-gigapixels.com/index-en.html

Confirmation of Intention to Travel

Following our introductory meeting, we invite all interested participants to confirm their intention to travel on the art tour by Friday 12 April. 

Please reply via email to the art teacher contacts listed on this blog and in prior correspondence.

Student and Parent Art Tour Information Evening

When: Wednesday 27 March, 2013
Where: Multi Function Space (MFS) in Block D
Time: 7pm

All interested students and their parents are welcome to attend an introductory meeting for the 2014 Art Tour to France and Spain. The itinerary will be discussed along with important organisational aspects of the trip. Further information will be regularly posted on this blog.

Welcome

Welcome art lovers to our 2014 journey following the French artists trail from Paris to Provence and into the surreal Spain of Dali, Picasso, Miro and Gaudi. We will experience the picturesque countryside and towns of Provence that lured the French Impressionists to paint and was the inspiration of famous works by masters such as Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso; and marvel at the wealth of art that spans centuries in the Louvre and major galleries and museums of Paris. Our Parisian experience will also will take us to the lofty heights of the Eiffel Tower, the inspirational and creative quarters of Montmartre and Montparnasse, the majesty of Notre Dame and Saint Chappelle, and the charm of the Champs-Élysées.