Viaje a Inglaterra 2011

Funny photos

2011-08-08T04:00:00.001-07:00

Here it is... King Arthurs' Castle. Wait, where is it? it was supposed to be here

I was having a photoshoot and then Kevin ruined it, lol, what a funny face!

Marco was surfing the Internet and Maite took his chair when nobody was looking

Hey girls, you have worn the glasses upside down

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

2011-07-13T03:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Laura and Jesús on passing your First Certificate - results out today - you can celebrate in English!!! Well done.

Photos by Claudia H.

2011-07-10T14:03:00.001-07:00

Thanks for all these photos Claudia, especially the ones of the surfing.

Happy Birthday Juan Antonio!

2011-07-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, Juan Antonio celebrates his birthday in Paignton, but this year he's all of sixteen. And for the second year in a row he manages to blow out all his candles and eat an English birthday cake - with the help of a few friends, of course. Actually, his birthday was yesterday, Sunday, but as we weren't all together then, we decided to celebrate today.

Mini Golf

2011-07-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

Our second Monday already, but this one is different to last week; this week the classes are in the afternoon, which means that we start the morning with activities, and the activity today is mini golf, but not before there has been a quick game with Elena as The Psychiatrist.

Thanks to Abraham

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The following photos are likewise taken from Abraham's private collection and also show the first part of the trip

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It's interesting to see how different people have seen our visit differently.

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Thanks to Jesús

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All these photos come from the private collection of Jesús and cover the first week or so

While others ....

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Thanks to Abraham for these photos.

The more adventurous amongst the students (most of them, in fact) preferred to go to Newquay, in Cornwall, to try their hands at surfing. For this they were provided with full wet-suits.

First Weekend

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Then it was time to explore the craggy beach and a huge cavern, although there was nothingmuch inside it.

From Boscastle it was only a few miles down the road to Tintagel, where we arrived just in time for lunch and a little rest, overlooking a small beach and the sea.

As usual, the girls wanted to have a little chat in English wth the local gentlemen. Unfortunately, this one wasn't very talkative, even though he does seem to be photogenic.

After that, we went on to the small coastal village of Boscastle, where it was obviously time for an ice-cream.

In 2004 Boscastle was ravaged by a flash flood. It's hard to believe when you see the quiet and tranquil little place it is usually, on a day like today. The whole of the main street was turned into a fast-flowing river carrying over 150 cars into the sea, and the water reached the rooves of the houses, including the one that Marco, Cristina, Ángela and Elena are sitting in front of.

Next we had a little walk through the picturesque village of Alternun, visiting its old church.

Our first stop was at Brunel's famous railway brisge over the river Tamar, which separates the counties of Devon and Cornwall, for a 'bathroom break'.

Weekends are for full day-trips to far-off places. So on Saturday, a few of us went to the north of the county of Cornwall to see the pretty little villages of Boscastle and Tintagel, legendary home to King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. The castle ruins stand at the top of some high cliffs, with a small cove, beach and caverns underneath.

Fun and Games

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To finish the first week we had a Treasure Hunt on the beach. We broke up into small groups of five or six people and had to hunt around the beach for clues. The team that won got a small prize. Meanwhile, at the school, we find time to play games after we've finished our lunch or between classes.

Thanks to Ángela

2011-07-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a selection of photos taken by Ángela during the first week. A different angle on those first days. Thanks Ángela.

Smile please!

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A nice cup of tea

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Dartmoor is a national park with wild ponies and granite rocks or 'torres' dotted all around. It's a bit desolate, but fortunately at the end of the road is the little village of Widecombe (http://www.widecombe-in-the-moor.com/) with public toilets and tea shops. Who would have thought it - Spanish teenagers sipping English tea. And eating a local delicacy - a Devon Cream Tea. That is (apart from the cup of tea) a scone (a kind of dry cake) on which you put jam and clotted cream. Yummy!

Dartmoor

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Hey, mum - here I am - up here. Can you see me?

Help, Mum! It's getting cold!

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Now who wants me to keep them warm?

Boating

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This is nice, isn't it? Nice and cosy, I mean.

Happy Birthday to You!

2011-06-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, Maite, you are fifteen today. Please blow out the candles and let us eat your cake!

Well, this is me

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And that's him

Tuesday Night

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is Disco Night. Shake that booty!

Exeter Cathedral

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We had to show you one photo of something famous!

(http://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/)

Some mediaeval buildings in the town centre.

Here We Are

2011-06-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoon and another trip by coach, this time to the nearby ancient cathedral city of Exeter (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exeter). But Exeter doesn't just have very old buildings, it also has very new ones, like Primark, and Gap .... and we know which ones we prefer to visit!

Discovering Paignton

2011-06-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

On our first afternoon we were taken on a tour of Paignton and ended up in Oldway Mansion. This is a large house, open to the public, which was built by the Singer family, famous for commercialising the first sewing machines.

There are some impressive paintings on the walls and ceilings.

New Friends

2011-06-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Getting to Know Each Other

2011-06-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and our first day at school. We are still getting to know each other, inside the school and out. As you can see, the weather isn't perfect, but it's OK for the time being.

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Now it really is time to eat our picnics and do our favourite hobby - talking to all our new friends.

Meet the Locals

2011-06-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is better than watching Spanish TV!

Here are some of the creatures we saw during our visit to the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, the biggest in the UK.

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Picnic

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It was only early in the day, but we couldn't resist trying our picnic lunches.

In Plymouth

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Our first stop in Plymouth, our first visit, was to the AQUARIUM, so while we were waiting to go in, we took a few photos. Here we all are:

Coach to Plymouth

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So, after coming to Paignton by coach on Saturday from Bristol Airport, straightaway on Sunday, we got on another one to go all the way to Plymouth.

and the rest

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Everyone went, and no one was late.

No rest

2011-06-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

First of all, apologies for not putting up photos earlier, but I haven't had an internet connection. But here we go ...

We arrived on Saturday as planned and were welcomed by some typical English weather at Bristol airport: cold, wet, windy .. ! A bit of a shock for the girls in shorts and t-shirts. And on Sunday we left for our first trip, to Plymouth, a historical port about 65 kms away. The first photos show the group making their way to the bus station - and it's still not yet 9 o'clock on a Sunday morning. Incredible, isn't it?

we met near the beach...

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... and sat on the grass. ^^

And don't forget us

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We did our bit, too!

You would be wrong to think ...

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...that the girls didn't make a good attempt at eating everything in the restaurant, as well (can't you see all the empty plates?). Girls eat pizzas too! Rather a lot of them, in fact.

No one will forget

2010-07-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

No, we will always remember each other and this great three weeks we've had together. And I don't think Pizza Hut will forget these boys either, as they single-handedly tried to put them out of business. How many pizzas did you manage to eat? Was it by any chance a new world record?

Final Fling

2010-07-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

It's one of our special -and best- traditions; a final meal together. This time at Pizza Hut in Torquay on July, 15th. Are we happy? We're happy to still be here together, although we're also happy because we'll soon be seeing our families again. Are we sad? Yes, a little bit sad because we've only got two days left together in Paignton. Is this 'goodbye' or just 'au revoir'? Who's already making plans to come back again next year?

And here's your card

2010-07-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Will you sell all our 'autographs' on eBay when we're rich and famous?

Blow Hard Oscar!

2010-07-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

We started our holiday with one birthday, and now we're finishing it with another. Thursday 15th July, and Oscar turns fifteen. Many Happy Returns Oscar - and Happy Birthday to You, we all sing, in English, of course. Blow out your candles and make your wish.

Do you think his wish was to come back here to Paignton again next year?

The Celebration Goes On Outside

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Savouring a moment of history.

We Are the Champions!

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A moment to shout about!

This Looks Like Somewhere Important

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Let's have another photo together here.

LONDON

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Some of us just couldn't say no. Paignton is a long way from London, so it's a long trip on the coach, and a very, very long day. But we've arrived and here we are, outside Buckingham Palace, waiting for the Queen to come and say 'Good Morning' to us. She obviously hasn't had to get up as early as us on a Sunday morning!

And can you see the shark ...

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... swimming over our heads?

So here are Lydia, Isabel and Paola, all oblivious to the man-eater above them.

Actually, this is a glass tunnel. People can walk through the tunnel as fish and other marine creatures swim all around them.

Inside the Aquarium

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there are lots f fish, naturally, - but can you see the giant turtle, too?

Watch the tide!

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While we were fishing, the tide came in very quickly, and nearly trapped some of us. on the rocks. When the tide is high, it covers this entire beach and you can't see the sand.

Our best rock pool fisher-woman was Paola. She got two little fish, a crab or two and a lot of baby shrimps.

Cristina, on the other hand, nearly got a wet foot.

Look at me!

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I caught a baby shrimp!

Aquarium Visit, part 2

2010-07-15T02:23:00.000-07:00

For the next part of our visit, we're going out onto the beach. We're going to try and catch some crabs and shrimps - no, not to eat them. Just to see them, and see where they live and hide. So, here're Cristina and Lydia with a net, clambering over the rocks and sand.

And this is a crab

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Good-looking, isn't he?

Newquay Aquarium

2010-07-15T02:13:00.000-07:00

A few of us thought surfing might be a bit beyond us. So instead we opted for a visit to the maritime aquarium in Newquay. The first part of our visit invovled us getting to know a few of the local marine creatures. Here we all are saying 'hello' to a lobster.

Careful with your fingers!

What? You mean ...

2010-07-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

... now we have to do it in the water?

Actually, we had a good hour practising our new found surfing skills among the waves. Of course, some of us fell off sometimes, but we all had a great time and it was really worth getting up so early for!

Mum, can we go to Tarifa for our summer holidays, please? There's something I've just got to do there ...

Now it's getting more difficult

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This is how you do it

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It's easy!

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Really, there's nothing to it!

I know how to ...

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... carry my surfboard, at least.

Especially for Ana's mother

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Hi, Mum. Here I am with some of my friends outside the school in Paignton. Tonight was Barbecue Night and I've just eaten three hamburgers and two hot dogs. That's why I'm smiling so much. As you can see, it's raining, so I am really in England and not hiding in Ibiza. Love Ana.

Saturday, 10th July - NEWQUAY

2010-07-14T02:17:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday, so that means another all day excursion. And today we're off at 7.30am - can you believe it?! We're going to Newquay, which is in the county of Cornwall, and almost at the bottom point of England. It's about 1 1/2 - 2 hours by coach. The reason we are going so early is that most of us have a lesson at 9.45am - a SURFING lesson!! And here we are, all ready to rock in our wetsuits.

Lydia! Where's your fashion sense?!

2010-07-14T00:25:00.000-07:00

Is that Lydia's new dress? No, it isn't. Actually, she's taking part in the sack race. But at least the colour of her sack matches her T-shirt.

Friday Frolics

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It's Mini Olympics time! And here we are on the 'front' (the grass down near the beach) doing silly team games. Quick, quick - pass it on!

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It has a very nice little church built in the 1300s, with lots of original wood work and stained glass windows that are typical of churches in England.

Thursday, 8th July

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Dartmouth is only a small, but very historical town, built on the steep banks of the River Dart, and famous for its buildngs that date from the Tudor Period (Henry VII to Elizabeth I, 15th-16th centuries).

...and even...

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...visiting human animals, who in this case are having a rest in the beautiful natural surroundings of the zoo. I guess they're getting ready for feeding time, even though it's only the middle of the morning.

...huge animals...

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...dangerous animals...

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...small mammals....

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We're all going to the zoo ...

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Paignton Zoo is the third largest in the UK. It is home to a wide variety of exotic birds ....

Morning in Dartmouth

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Today we went to Dartmouth, we spent there a few hours and then back to class. We arrived at the harbour by bus and then we took a boat to cross the river and arrive at the town. There were flowers everywhere, it was so nice, I loved it!

Boys know how to dance too!

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Nice style, boys! Keep it up!

Disco Night

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And here we come the girls, dressed up to the nines and bopping till we drop!

Oh, was that your foot? Sorry ...

Lunchtime

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For lunch we get a sandwich, some crisps, some fruit and a chocolate bar and, of course, something to drink. So we don't go hungry except if we want to. Today we're having lunch in the marquee - a big tent in the school garden. We have an hour for lunch, so it's a good time to send our emails, update our Tuenti pages, talk on Skype and generally keep in touch with our friends and family.

Braving the Waves

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Arriving back in Paignton was a bit of an adventure as the tide was coming in and we had to jump onto the sand from the tiny quay where the boat dropped us. Some people didn't time it right and got wet feet!

Sport makes you hungry!

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Look mum, I am eating!

And a Good Time Was Had by All

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In action

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Some of us discovered that we had skills and abilities that we didn't even know existed.

Ten-Pin Bowling

2010-07-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

And here we are. We've come to Torquay this morning with the aim of getting a few 'turkeys' at the local Ten-Pin Bowling Alley. A turkey is when you knock over all the 'pins' three times in a row.

On the Boat Again

2010-07-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

As Paignton is on the coast, and together with Brixham to the south and Torquay to the north makes up the area of Torbay, it is almost as common to use the boat as a form of transport across the bay as the bus or the train. Today we're going to Torquay, only about 3 or 4 kilometres away, and a pleasant little boat ride on a warm, sunny day.

Everything's there

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The train chugs over the suspension bridge, while real people seem huge as they look at the tiny replica of Stonehenge on the left. Even the 'trees' are to scale.

Monday, 5th July

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Our activity today is a trip to Babbacombe Model Village. Miniature houses and towns, farms and power stations ... and here, some old fashioned caravans pulled by shire houses.

This is an English train

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Not very different from a Spanish train, really. And Plymouth is only a 45 minute ride from Paignton.

Sunday 4th, July

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Today is our 'free day', but here we are waiting on the platform for a train, because we're going to Plymouth. Some of us have decided to spend the day with our host families, but most of us want to take advantage of the fact that all the big shops open on Sundays. Primark and Game Stop here we come!

Inside

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It's thumbs up for a great day out.

Saturday morning adventure

2010-07-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Our first weekend and our first full day trip, on Saturday 3rd, to Woodlands Adventure Park. So, who's this? No, it's not a new student; this is Plop, and he's an owl. For at Woodlands there are not only activities for young people to do, but also things to see. Plop lives in the Falconry (falcon is used as a general word for birds that catch and eat other birds or animals, like mice or rabbits). The Falconry here contains lots of different birds of prey from all over the world. Twice a day the Falconer -the man in charge- flies Plop and several other impressive birds free in an open air show which everyone can go and see, and even get some of the birds to land on their hands!

The adventure continues

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We all wait at the gates of Woodlands with bated breath, anxious to get in and have fun. And what a lovely sunny day, too.

From Us to You

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... a birthday card signed by us all.

Happy Birthday to You!

2010-07-07T00:02:00.000-07:00

July 3rd and Juan Antonio hits the heady age of fifteen! He celebrates by allowing us all to have a lttle bit of his chocolate cake after blowing out all the candles and making a wish (which he didn't tell us, naturally). Many Happy Returns Juan Antonio, and may you have many more of them.

Love is a dry towel

2010-07-06T23:56:00.000-07:00

So this is the end of our trip to the waterpark. Now all we need to round off a great day is an ice-cream from the shop in the background - clotted cream vanilla, toffee, chocolate fudge ...

The Water Babies

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Afternoon doughnuts

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... but it's the girls who are for dunking, not the doughnuts.

Bikini time

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except for Felix, of course.

I wonder where this goes ...

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Come on in

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The water's lovely and wet.

Water, water, everywhere

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Friday afternoon and the end of the working week. What better way of finishing the week than going to the local water park at Quaywest and showing off your muscles? It had rained a little overnight Thursday to Friday, but that didn't put anyone off.

And the Italian girls ...

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... beat the boys on the volley ball court yet again

... Time to Play.

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... while others prefer to work off all that excess energy with a little game of table tennis.

Time to Relax ...

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... after a long morning studying English, some of us need a little time to rest and chat in the school garden ...

Evening at the cinema

2010-07-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night we all went to the local cinema in Torquay. We had a choice of two films, and some of us saw an action film, while others preferred something more romantic. However, the bird in the photo preferred not to accompany us.

We got home very late at the end of a very long and interesting day.

A nautical view

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Oscar and Alejandro showing that they can sit on a wall without falling into the sea if Manuel and Juan Antonio help them.

Watching the seals

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