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| Students wrap up European tour |
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Posted: Monday, July 9, 2012 9:01 pm
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By KATIE DONALDSON
Messenger Intern
Tours and tons of history filled the final days for several locals in Europe, but their first day in America brought delays and waiting.
Obion County Central High School students Lindsay Castellaw, Matthew Kegan Tittle and Allison Wicker; South Fulton High School student Zack Vaughn; and Union City High School students Macie Britt, Destiny Powers, Garrett Ransom and Grant Ransom, along with chaperones Mary Hellen Johnson and her husband, David, began their journey home from their 12-day stay in Europe Sunday.
The long haul went well ... until they reached Chicago. The plane landed two hours behind schedule.
The group came in at 3:46 p.m. and was supposed to depart for Memphis at 4:45 p.m. That one hour translates to five minutes when people have to go through customs and re-check their luggage.
Rotarian and selection committee member for the trip Dr. Leland Davis reported Sunday afternoon the travelers were unable to make their flight to Memphis and no other flights were leaving for the city Sunday.
Delta Air Lines booked a hotel for the group that night, and each student called home after they got into their rooms.
The group is returning from the fourth Union City Rotary Club all-expense-paid trip to Europe booked by Travel One in Union City.
Before their travel woes began, the group spent their last few days in Florence, Pisa and Rome in Italy.
On Friday, the group of local students and chaperones rode to Pisa, where they saw the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, and then hopped back on the bus to journey to Rome, the final city in their 12-day adventure.
Lindsay called home Friday morning while the group rode the tour bus to Rome. They were passing the Adriatic Sea during the call.
She reported the group had visited the Square of Miracles, or Piazza dei Miracoli in Italian, while in Pisa. This square features the Leaning Tower, which earned its name during the construction when the weak subsoil and poor foundation caused the building to sink on its south side.
The square also holds a medieval cathedral, or duomo, and a baptistery chapel. The cathedral is entitled to St. Mary of the Assumption, and the baptistery is dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
Unfortunately, the students were unable to see the actual Michelangelo’s statue of David in Florence. Instead, they viewed a replica and also saw the Chapel of St. Mary before having dinner at their hotel, the Demidoff.
Lindsay shared Mrs. Johnson’s appreciation of the hotel. She said it sat on top of a mountain and had a “fantastic” view of the Apennine Mountains and Florence.
The group relaxed and swam in the indoor pool after dinner Thursday with the other Cosmos tour members.
Lindsay added that she tried and approved of Italian cuisine. She had tiramisu, espresso and some “delicious” gelato. She said earlier that week the group had a Venetian dinner that would “blow your socks off.”
They took a night tour of Rome after they arrived, which included the Spanish Steps, seen in “Roman Holiday” starring Audrey Hepburn, and the Trevi Fountain.
The fountain supposedly brings people back to Rome if they throw a coin behind them and it lands in the fountain. Hopefully, all of the group’s coins hit water.
After the tour, the travelers planned on having “an authentic Italian dinner with musicians playing the accordion and violins.”
Destiny made the final transatlantic call home Saturday around noon (7 p.m. Italian time).
The group was having dinner after a day packed with tours. The locals visited the Vatican Saturday, where they saw St. Peter’s Square. The square holds the famous St. Peter’s Cathedral, which is mentioned in the trip’s title “St. Paul’s to St. Peter’s.”
While visiting the Vatican, Destiny got a coin and necklace blessed by the pope.
The group also went inside the Colosseum, known for its past gladiator battles. It sits silent today except for the 4.5 million tourists who visit each year.
The students saw the Arch of Constantine, which sits beside the Colosseum. It was built to commemorate a battle Constantine I won in 312 A.D.
They also stopped by the Roman Forum, an area holding remains of ancient Roman government buildings. Some of these structures date back to 179 B.C.
Destiny said Macie took a tumble down some stairs at their hotel and hurt her ankle. Fortunately, Saturday was the last day Macie had to do much walking, and sitting occupied most of the group’s time on the almost 11-hour flight to Chicago.
This morning they were scheduled to be on flight 3297 to Memphis and were scheduled to arrive around 1 p.m.
Despite the last few travel mishaps, the parents have expressed in their emails how grateful they are to the Rotary Club for allowing their children to make this trip. Nan Castellaw, Lindsay’s mother, sums up most of their thoughts.
“This trip has been a tremendous opportunity to open these young people’s lives to .... other people and their cultures and to help them grow and mature into fuller young adults,” she said in her email to the other parents. “I want to express to the Johnsons and the Union City Rotary Club my deep gratitude for giving my daughter this opportunity. I know her life will be changed forever by this trip. I cannot wait to see all of them and to hear the stories firsthand.”
Editor’s note: Katie Donaldson, daughter of Jim and Cindy Donaldson of Union City, is a rising senior at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Published in The Messenger 7.9.12 |
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