Lugano, Switzerland...the Italian part

This past week the school had Culturals; trips that are taken by grade and then interest.  Ira and I went with the 9th graders to Lugano (Brenna went to Zurich and Bailey to Venice-more to come later). We had a great time and really felt like we were back in Italy.  Switzerland is so small and yet can deliver such diversity.  Leaving Leysin, the French part, we were saying "Merci." by lunch, we stopped off in Interlaken which is in the German part, and we were saying "Danke."  And that evening we were in Lugano saying "Grazie."  I really don't know how Europeans do it....they are all bilingual or trilingual and it requires much thought to speak, even saying the simplest of things, depending on where you are.
One of the stops we made was Valle Verzasca above Lago Maggiore.  This is a huge dam....4th largest in Switzerland and was used to film a beginning shot in a James Bond movie.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKVlOwpvZG4&feature=player_embedded

On another day, the group went to Monte Tamaro where there were a lot of different activities...below I have photo's of Ira and Brendan on a ropes course and then Brendan did a zip line that was an exciting flight of over 400 meters or 1312.33 feet (this was too fast for my camera to capture.)

Last, I want to share a couple of pictures of Castelgrande, located in Bellinzona, Switzerland.  This was a cool castle but not the reason I am posting here today.  The 9th grade boys, actually Brendan and his 3 pals decided to get a game of football/soccer/rugby going and it turned out to be the highlight of the afternoon.  The teams were divided up, Russians against everyone else.  We have a lot of Russians at the school and that's why they could make up their own team.

International team: Desmond, Brendan Wei Han, Connor, Arshia

The Russians: Beka, Nikita K, Sergi, Nikita F, Phillip

Brendan exiting the field after a great game.  No score was taken and ALL boys showed great professionalism after knocking each other around.  Success!

Lake Como, Italy

The School had a three day weekend this past week and we decided to go to Lake Como.  To Brenna's disappointment, we did not see Mr. Clooney but we did see a gorgeous part of the world.  It was a fast weekend but one filled with lot's of pizza and gelato.

Boat ride around Como

Sculpture at the bottom of the train station-have no idea what it's about as I don't read italian....perhaps someday I will translate it, but not today.

Very cold waiting for the train!

Street performer 

This was at a cute village along the lake.

Couldn't get enough gelato!

We were so lucky the weather was perfect.

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I think she ate it all!

So sweet.

Saturday market = SHOPPING!!!!

Brenna being Brenna!

Ira and Brendan are camera shy and that's why they aren't in too many pictures but this is a cute one!

Coffee break...delicious coffee too!

Anyone reading this that knows my cousin Annie, can't you see her in Brenna? 

 

Beautiful Lake Como

Fountain on the lake.