German students explore London, Paris and the Alps

Ten Sisters High School students, chaperoned by German teacher Isolde Hedemark and parent Pattie Little, spent the greater part of this year's spring break traveling from Great Britain to France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Germany.

The students were: Darin Muller; Cory Ozbun; Joe Mantecon; Spencer Freeland; Chris Hansen; Claire Mutchler; Jesi Little; Caitlin Schwarzburg; Cassie Huber and Jeni Irwin.

They left San Francisco on Saturday, March 17, on a direct flight to London Heathrow. A quick train ride from Croydon, a small town to the southwest, brought the travelers into Central London for a quick walk along the Thames River and across the Tower Bridge for dinner.

The next day the Outlaws connected with a group of students from Platte Canyon High School in Colorado for a guided tour of London. Snow, rain and wind did not keep the Sisters students from participating in a wonderfully guided tour through Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Leicester Square. Searching for the latest fashions and souvenirs brought the evening to a close.

Off to France via the Eurostar from Waterloo Station, the group continued on their way into Paris. The afternoon and evening was spent visiting the lobby of the Opera House, dinner at Flammes, a specialty restaurant from the region of Alsace Lorraine and an evening climb or ride up the illuminated Eiffel Tower.

French guide Isabelle treated everyone to a special tour of historical landmarks in the center of the city. Among the most interesting ones were the cathedral of Notre Dame, the Louvre and Versailles, the palace on the outskirts of Paris.

Switzerland was the next stop on the itinerary with a two-night stay in Lucerne. Not only did the students have the opportunity to use some of their German language skills but they were also treated to the expertise of Berlin born and former Lucerne resident, Andre Caspary. He led the Outlaws through many cobble-stoned streets, by intricately painted houses, the baroque Jesuit church and some of the best coffee houses in town.

Back on the bus on day five, the Czech driver, Thomas, brought the group through the snow-covered Alps safely to Innsbruck. Students managed to get one of the increasingly rare stamps in their passports in Liechtenstein. Innsbruck afforded the students a look into snow-covered mountains and the old town with its arcades, cobble stoned streets and 18th century architecture. Then, it was up the mountain to a ski chalet at 7,200 feet overlooking the Inn Valley and the Alps to the north.

After a short visit to Neuschwanstein Castle and Oberammergau in Bavaria, the Outlaws enjoyed an evening in Munich with visits to the Glockenspiel at the Marienplatz, the gardens outside the National Gallery and a touch of mass in the Marienkirche.

The group returned to Portland on a direct flight from Frankfurt on March 26 with plenty of stories to tell.