Thirty-two faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of Notre Dame College spent spring break 2014 in the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, Antonio Gaudi, Salvador Dali and Flamenco dance─Spain─and the world’s once greatest maritime empire─Portugal.
Elizabeth Presley, an instructor of education and a reading specialist at the College, shared the group’s experience via a daily blog. George Leggiero a former staff member at Notre Dame College provided the pictures.
The travelers spent two days in Barcelona, two days in Madrid, one in Toledo, one in Merida and two in Lisbon. In addition to the ACIS tour manager who was with the group for the entire trip, guides in each city and each museum highlighted special moments of history, art and culture via personalized excursions designed for the Notre Dame troupe.
In addition to city tours, several highlights of the extensive 10-day itinerary were a visit to La Sagrada Familia, the Prado, the royal Pena Palace and a bullfighting arena. The warm sunny weather even prompted a walk on the beach.
Travelers enjoyed the sights and sounds, as well as sites, of Barcelona, including an intimate classical Spanish guitar concert and front row seats in Madrid for the passionate singing and traditional dance of Flamenco. Members of the group also strolled the sidewalks of Madrid during Carnivale and took in─and took photos with─street performers and costumed mascots.
Throughout Spain and Portugal, the College contingent also sampled native cuisine, from sharing tapas to sipping some regional drinks like sangria, port, sidra and ginja.
And through the College’s Educational Travel Program, the Notre Dame faculty, staff, students and friends discovered and reconfirmed once again that cultures of countries vary, but people of the world share a common human bond.