Exeter, ON, Canada N0M 1S7
Tel: 519-235-2000 Fax: 519-235-2061
TICO #2392471 / Suite #101 – 315 West 1st Street
North Vancouver, BC, Canada V7M 1B5
Tel: 604-983-2470 Fax: 604-983-2471
BPCPA Registration #37951
www.ettravel.com
ARGYLE SECONDARY SCHOOL
10 DAY PERFORMING TOUR TO HOLLAND & GERMANY
MARCH 11 – 20, 2016
Revised Itinerary – January 26, 2016
Note: It is the responsibility of all participants to be in possession of the correct documentation to travel out of the country. Failure to do so will result in participants being denied entry/boarding and returned home at the expense of the individual. Canadian Citizens require a valid passport (authorities at your destination require that passports are valid for at least 3 months beyond your return date). Ellison Travel & Tours recommends passports are valid for 6 months beyond your return date. Groups are advised to obtain notarized letters of consent for persons under 18 years of age. Non-Canadians must check entry and transit requirements.
Day 1 – Friday March 11, 2016 - INFLIGHT MKLM Group: (50 persons):
11:30am / - / 1- 56 passenger coach from Pacific Coach Lines arrives at Argyle Secondary School to load luggage
12:00pm / - / Transfer by coach from Argyle Secondary School to Vancouver International Airport
1:00pm / - / Arrive at the Vancouver International Airport and check in the group
4:10pm / - / Depart on KLM # 682 from Vancouver to Amsterdam, Netherlands (Flying Time: 9 hours, 40 minutes)
- / Dinner served during your flight
British Airways Group: (27 persons):
4:30pm / - / 1 – 56 passenger coach with Pacific Coach Lines arrives at Argyle Secondary School to load luggage and music equipment
5:00pm / - / Transfer by coach from Argyle Secondary School to Vancouver International Airport
6:00pm / - / Arrive at the Vancouver International Airport and check in the group
9:00pm / - / Depart on British Airways # 84 from Vancouver to London, Heathrow, Terminal # 3 (Flying Time: 9 hours, 20 minutes)
- / Dinner served during your flight
Day 2 – Saturday March 12, 2016 - to AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS B/D
- / Breakfast served prior to landing
KLM Group Arrival: (50 persons)
10:50am / - / Arrive Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, clear customs and collect your luggage (set your watches to local time)
12:00pm / - / Meet your local tour manager outside the luggage claim area and they will direct your group to your coach to load luggage
12:45pm / - / Board your coach and transfer to the city center of Amsterdam
1:30pm / - / Purchase lunch at Leidse Square area
3:00pm / - / Board coach and depart for the Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam Sloterdijk
3:45pm / - / Check into the Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam Sloterdijk for a 3 night stay
4:45pm / - / Board coach and transfer to the Anne Frank House, at the rear of a narrow 17C building Anne Frank and her family hid before being deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. See the secret passage camouflaged behind a revolving bookcase.
5:15pm / - / Group 1 (25 persons) visit Anne Frank House
5:30pm / - / Group 2 (25 persons) visit Anne Frank House
6:30pm / - / Board coach and depart for your dinner location
7:00pm / - / Dinner at the Sluizer Restaurant
8:30pm / - / Board coach and return to your accommodation
9:00pm / - / Arrive at your accommodation
British Airways Group Arrival: (27 persons)
2:20pm / - / Arrive London, Heathrow Terminal # 3 (set your watches to local time)
5:45pm / - / Depart on British Airways # 442 from London, Heathrow, Terminal # 5 to Amsterdam (Flying Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes)
8:05pm / - / Arrive Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (set your watches to local time)
9:00pm / - / Meet your local tour manager outside the luggage claim area and they will direct your group to your coach to load luggage and music equipment
9:30pm / - / Board coaches and depart for your accommodation
10:00pm / - / Arrival at the Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam Sloterdijk and check in for a 3 night stay
- / Light dinner served at the hotel or nearby restaurant upon your arrival
11:00pm / - / Retire to your rooms after a long travel day
Day 3 – Sunday March 13, 2016 - AMSTERDAM B/D
8:00am / - / Continental buffet breakfast included at the hotel
9:00am / - / Coaches arrive at your hotel
9:15am / - / Depart for Amsterdam
10:15am / - / British Airways Group (27 persons) will visit the Anne Frank House
- / The KLM group will participate in a walking tour in the area with your tour manager and chaperones
11:15am / - / Board coaches and travel North of Amsterdam to the Open Air Museum
12:00pm / - / Visit the Open Air Museum, The Zaanse Schans where you will see how wooden shoes are made, also cheese tasting is possible and you can visit one of the windmills
- / Upon arrival divide into 2 groups and purchase lunch during your visit
12:30pm / - / Group # 1 – visit with your tour manager
1:30pm / - / Group # 2 – visit with your tour manager
2:30pm / - / Board your coaches and depart for the NedPho Church
3:00pm / - / Arrive at the NedPho Church with time to change and rehearse prior to your concert
4:00pm / - / Performance by the Argyle Secondary School Choir
5:30pm / - / Board coaches and depart for your dinner location
6:30pm / - / Dinner at Haesje Claes, an authentic Dutch Restaurant
8:00pm / - / Board coaches and return to your accommodation
Day 4 – Monday March 14, 2016 - AMSTERDAM B/D
6:00am / - / Continental buffet breakfast included at the hotel
6:45am / - / Coaches arrive at your hotel to load music equipment
7:00am / - / Board coaches depart for the Aalsmeer Flower Auction
7:30am / - / Arrive to see the industry in action at the world’s largest flower market, the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. In a building approximately the size of a 100 football fields many different kinds of flowers are traded many of which arrive in the florist shops throughout Europe on the very same day
9:00am / - / Board coaches and depart for Amsterdam
9:45am / - / Arrive at the pier and board the Blue Boat Company & Amsterdam Canal Cruises
- / begin a tour of Amsterdam on board the canal boat, Amsterdam is best seen from the water side; you will see the canal houses and many bridges
11:30am / - / Purchase lunch in chaperones groups in the area (your tour managers will give you suggestions)
1:30pm / - / Meet your coaches and transfer to the Open Schoolgemeenschap Bijlmer
2:30pm / - / Arrive at the school to set up for your performance
4:00pm / - / Performance by the Argyle Secondary School Choir and Concert Band with local choir Leerorkest Bijlmer
5:30pm / - / Following your performance you will have the opportunity to visit with the Dutch students
- / Load instruments on your coach
6:00pm / - / Buffet Dinner at the school with the Dutch students
8:00pm / - / Board coaches and return to your hotel
9:00pm / - / Arrive at your hotel
Day 5 – Tuesday March 15, 2016 – to NIJMEGEN AREA B/D
7:30am / - / Continental buffet breakfast included at the hotel followed by check out
8:30am / - / Coaches arrive to load luggage and music equipment
9:00am / - / Board coaches and depart continue east of Holland to visit the National Park De Hoge Veluwe.
11:00am / - / Upon arrival you will pick up your bikes and tour through the park and see the beautiful scenery
- / During your bike tour you will stop to visit the Kroller Muller Museum, situated in the National Park, it houses a large collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings – you will see such works as Mondrian, Balla, Picasso, van Gogh which includes the famous Sunflowers, Cezanne, Renoir and Monet. It time permits walk around the sculpture garden
1:00pm / - / Purchase lunch in the park
2:00pm / - / Board coaches and depart for Oosterbeek (Operation Market Garden)
3:00pm / - / Visit the Airborne Museum, The Netherlands is dedicated to the Battle of Arnhem in which the Allied Forces attempted to form a bridgehead on the northern banks of the Rhine river in September 1944
5:00pm / Board coach and continue on to your hotel near Nijmegen
5:30pm / - / check into the Fletcher Parkhotel Val Monte for a 1 night stay
7:30pm / - / Dinner at your hotel
9:00pm / - / Following dinner you may wish to use the hotel indoor swimming pool
Day 6 – Wednesday March 16, 2016 – to VALKENBURG B/D
7:00am / - / Hot and Cold buffet breakfast included at the hotel followed by check out
8:00am / - / Coaches arrive to load luggage and music equipment
8:30am / - / Board coaches and depart for Cologne, a 2,000 year old city along the Rhine River in Western Germany
10:30am / - / Arrive Cologne and choir students will arrive at Kolner Dom to prepare for your concert performance
11:45am / - / Argyle Secondary School Choir performing a lunchtime concert in the Kolner Dom
1:00pm / - / Purchase lunch in Cologne Old Town (your tour managers will give you suggestions)
2:00pm / - / Meet your local guides to begin a walking tour of Cologne including a visit inside the Cathedral
4:30pm / - / Meet your coaches and depart for Valkenburg
6:00pm / - / Arrive Valkenburg and check into the Hotel Walram for a 2 night stay
7:30pm / - / Dinner at Hotel Walram
Day 7 – Thursday March 17, 2016 – VALKENBURG (day trip to Cologne, Germany) B/D
7:30am / - / Hot & Cold buffet breakfast included at the hotel
8:30am / - / Coaches arrive to load instruments
9:00am / - / Board your coaches and transfer to Maastricht, a university city on the southern tip of the Netherlands, its cobblestone old town is known for the Romanesque Basilica of St. Sevatius and the Gothic style church Sint Janskerk
10:00am / - / Arrive Maastricht and meet your local guides to begin a walking tour of Maastricht to see the Stokstraat quarter, The Our Beloved Lady Church, the old city walls and more…
12:00pm / - / Purchase lunch (your guides will give you suggestions)
1:45pm / - / Arrive at the pier to board your boat
2:00pm / - / Enjoy a boat trip on the River Maas that will bring you to the entrance of the caves of the St. Pieterberg, which is one of the historical treasures of the region. You will witness here a tremendous labyrinth of more than 20,000 passages. On the walls of the St. Pietersberg Caves you will find several interesting inscriptions.
Following the tour in the caves, the boat will return you back to the centre
- / Board coaches and depart for your performance location
- / Arrive to set up and prepare for your concert
- / Afternoon Performance by Argyle Secondary School Choir and Concert Band at Afnorth International School (pending final confirmation)
- / Board coaches and return to Valkenburg
7:30pm / - / Dinner at the Steakhouse en Hotel Valkenhof a short walk from your hotel
Day 8 – Friday March 18, 2016 – to THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS B/D
6:00am / - / Hot & Cold buffet breakfast included at the hotel followed by check out
7:00am / - / Coaches arrive to load luggage and music equipment
7:30am / - / Board coaches and depart north into Holland
10:30am / - / Arrive at the Dutch village Kinderdijk, around 1740 there were 19 or more sturdy mills built and they have been well preserved to the present day. You will see the windmills along the canals and amidst meadows
12:00pm / - / Purchase lunch in Kinderdijk
1:00pm / - / Board coaches and depart for Delft
2:00pm / - / Arrive at the charming city of Delft, birthplace of painter Vermeer and known for its Delftware, the blue and white ceramics
- / Meet your guides to begin a walking tour to see such sights as the decorated city hall and impressive New Church with the new restored grave of William the Silent, all the members of the Dutch Royal Family are buried here (admissions not included)
3:30pm / - / Guided tour of one of the Delft Blue factories to see how the porcelain is made
5:00pm / - / Board coaches and continue on to The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government
6:00pm / - / Arrive at The Hague and check into the Ibis Den Haag City Centre for a 2 night stay
7:30pm / - / Dinner at “t Goude Hooft restaurant
Day 9 – Saturday March 19, 2016 – THE HAGUE B/D
8:00am / - / Hot & cold buffet breakfast included at the hotel
9:00am / - / Meet your guides at your accommodation to begin a walking tour of The Hague, you will see the main sights such as the Houses of Parliament, Palace Noordeinde, the King’s working palace and Carnegie’s Peace Palace (admissions not included)
10:00am / - / Meet your coaches at Hofweg (entrance of Binnenhof) and continue your tour with your guides on your coaches
11:00am / - / Your tour will end at Village Madurodam
11:30am / - / Visit the Village Madurodam, built in 1952 and it is essentially a microcosm of the Netherlands with buildings, monuments and typical scenes from all around the country including bulb fields, windmills and farmhouses from the different provinces
- / Purchase lunch at the park
1:30pm / - / Board coaches and transfer to Scheveningen
2:00pm / - / Arrive at your performance location to set up and sound check
3:00pm / - / Performance by Argyle Secondary School Choir and Concert Band at DE PIER
4:00pm / - / Following your performance you will have time to buy souvenirs or walk along the beach
7:30pm / - / Farewell Dinner at Crazy Pianos restaurant in Scheveningen
9:00pm / - / Following dinner board coaches and return to your accommodation
Day 10 – Sunday March 20, 2016 - HOME B/M
8:00am / - / Hot & cold buffet breakfast included at the hotel followed by check out
9:00am / - / Coaches arrive to load luggage and music equipment
9:30am / - / Board coaches and transfer to the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
10:30am / - / Arrive Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and check in for your flight
KLM Group: (47 persons):
1:30pm / - / Depart on KLM # 681 from Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport to Vancouver (Flying Time: 9 hours, 50 minutes)
- / Meal served during your flight
3:20pm / - / Arrive Vancouver Airport, clear customs and collect your luggage (set your watches to local time)
4:30pm / - / Meet your 56 passenger coach from Pacific Coach Lines to load luggage
- / Board coach and depart for Argyle Secondary School
5:30pm / - / Arrive Argyle Secondary School
- / Welcome Home
British Airways Group: (27 persons)
2:05pm / - / Depart on British Airways # 435 from Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport to London, Heathrow
2:30pm / - / Arrive London, Heathrow Terminal # 5 (Flying Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes - set your watches to local time)
- / Meal served during your flight
5:25pm / - / Depart on British Airways # 85 from London, Heathrow Terminal # 3 to Vancouver (Flying Time: 9 hours, 35 minutes)
8:00pm / - / Arrive Vancouver Airport, clear customs and collect your luggage (set your watches to local time)
9:00pm / - / Meet your 56 passenger coach from Pacific Coach Lines to load luggage and music equipment
- / Board coach and depart for Argyle Secondary School
10:00pm / - / Arrive Argyle Secondary School
- / Welcome Home
B - Breakfast / pB – Packed Breakfast / L – Lunch / pL – Packed Lunch / D - Dinner /