The group had opportunities not only to learn about architectural and engineering wonders, disasters and challenges, but also about history, art, the marvel of foreign languages, and foods.
They were surprised participants in a French political science demonstration.
After their arrival at Gatwick Airport outside of London, the group immediately began their education on English mass transportation systems.
They took a train and several underground trains called “the Tube” to arrive in London.
The next two days provided opportunities to view and tour architectural, engineering, cultural and historical sights.
The group went St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Bridge, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Nos. 10 and 11 Downing Street, the Mall and Buckingham Palace where Queen Elizabeth II was in residence, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge.
SCC students and faculty traveled from London to Paris via the Eurostar train. Part of the Eurostar train route takes passengers 150 feet below the seabed of the English Channel through the Chunnel, or Channel Tunnel. It was an interesting engineering site for the students.
The group toured the Musée du Louvre and saw the beguiling Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Nike of Samothrace.
After a quick dinner, the night concluded with a cruise on the River Seine.
Monday included a tour of Notre Dame and a hunt for Point Zero, a visit to the Arc de Triomphe, a stroll down the Champs-Elysées, and a visit to the Eiffel Tower.
While at the Eiffel Tower a Sandhills group was split by French university students storming the entrance to the Tower. Some of the SCC students were in, some out and two were in-between while the security forces and the French students staged a tug-of-war with the gate.
The trip concluded when the group arrived back on campus on Wednesday morning around one o’clock.
