Bullis Blog | Global Studies Trips

March 30 - 31, 2023 Our final two nights in Spain brought us to Torremolinos, situated on the Mediterranean coast. We enjoyed ice cream, shopping, and time on the beach after our two-day trips by bus to Ronda and Granada. Ronda is a cliffside town with Roman origins. Puente Nuevo, constructed in the eighteenth century, connects the two sides of the town divided by the Guadalevín River. Before leaving Ronda, we got a chance to visit the bull ring in the center of town. In Granada, we admired the beauty of the architecture at the Alhambra. Then, to our surprise, we bumped into Coach Bruce Kelley and his family wandering the streets! At the Generalife Gardens, we learned how the combination of water, the symbol of life, along with taste, scent, and color are essential elements in Islamic garden design. Mazes of orange trees, blooming flowers, and the sound of flowing water in the fountains provided a peaceful ending to our tour.

By Ryan T. ‘24 Our group began our day with a bus tour on a double-decker bus. This tour gave us a beautiful view of the city of Munich. Our first stop was the Nymphenburg Palace . This Palace is massive and wrapped around the entire property, so everywhere we looked was part of the Palace. We also visited the gardens behind the castle. We visited BMW world  and were able to “test” (sit in/on) a few of the cars and motorcycles. We continued through the city and learned about its history. At 11:00 am, we stopped to view the Town Hall Tower and the famous Munich Glockenspiel, which chimes several times a day. We then stopped at a large shopping mall and got lunch which was a buffet with tons of different options. After a short break to shop, we took the U-Bahn (German subway, like the Metro) to continue our tour on foot. We visited the  White Rose Memorial , which described the underground resistance movement to the Nazi Regime and the tragic murders of university students who protested

We started the day with a walking tour of Florence. We learned about the history of the Medici family and their incredible power and wealth. The influential family filled the city with ambitious architecture, beautiful sculptures, and paintings. People travel from all over the world to view the impressive dome at the Cathedral of St. Maria del Fiore. It took 15 years to complete! We visited Michaelangelo's David, the Boboli Garden, and the Piazza de Michaelangelo. Ten miles later; we were filled with culture, gelato, and tired feet!

Historic photo of the Nazi rally grounds. We started our day off with a long bus ride to Nuremberg (Nürnberg) to see Zeppelinfeld. This was the infamous Nazi rally grounds, where Hitler gave his speeches. When this area was still in use, High ranking Nazi members, such as Hitler and his board were in the main building, which was lavish and luxurious, while lesser party members would line up in the field (in order of rank). The sheer size of the entire area, which measured roughly 12 football fields, provoked shivers down our spines. Despite being aged and worn, the structure’s grim history still gives off an eerie sensation, and, as a result, debates about whether the structure should remain or be demolished have arisen.  We followed that unsettling visit with a trip to a former Nazi meeting room, which was now a museum. Although the historical artifacts held there were definitely very interesting, the preserved original walls caught my attention. To me, the aged bricks were an artifac

We said arrivederci to Renzo and Quarceta and boarded the bus for Lucca. In Lucca we went on a bike tour along the historic walls and soaked in the beauty and history of the city. Then we traveled on to Pisa where we explored the historic grounds including the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and some of us even tried to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Lastly, we returned to Florence, our home base for the rest of our time in Italy. We’re all excited about the remaining adventures in Italy!

March 28-29, 2023 From Toledo, our group continued south by bus to Sevilla (Seville). On the way, we stopped in Córdoba so as not to miss the outstanding architecture and breathtaking sights. Andalucía welcomed us with a change in scenery. Looking through the windows of our bus, olive trees stretched as far as we could see. Stepping off the bus, we were greeted with the fresh scent of orange trees. In the first photos, you will see members of our group standing near the Roman Bridge leading to the city of Córdoba. Once across the bridge, we continued learning about the architectural style, mudéjar, that is unique to Spain. The most important and unique example of this style is the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, still standing with double arches in limestone and red brick dating back to the eighth century. After our visit to the Mezquita, we traveled through the patios of Córdoba filled with flowers in bloom. Just 1.5 hours more by bus from Córdoba, Sevilla welcomed us with 80-degree wea