CHAH Goes to Europe! Day 6: Cordoba and Madrid, Spain

Day 6 of the CHAH Euro Tour with Explorica started with a tour of Cordoba and ended at a restaurant in Madrid.  The tour began with the Statue of Marmonades, followed by a guided tour of The Great Mosque of Cordova.

"I can't believe this was built over 1000 years ago," said Jishanny Quintana, when she gazed up at The Great Mosque.

After the tour, the students said "Hasta Luego" to their guide and driver Javier, who works for Explorica.  They then boarded the 3:06 pm "AVE Super Fast Train" to Madrid.  It goes up to 180 miles per hour whooshed them into Madrid before 5:00 pm!

One of the first stops in Madrid was the Plaza del Sol, where the students had traditional chocolate churros, followed by dinner at a restaurant.  When you're on vacation, you get to have dessert before the meal!

CHAH Goes to Europe! Days 3, 4, and 5: Evora, Portugal and Sevilla and Cordoba, Spain

Days 3, 4 and 5 of the CHAH Goes to Europe tour with Explorica Tours brought the students and staff from Lisbon to Evora, Portugal.  From there, they crossed the boarder into Spain, visiting the fourth largest city in the country, Sevilla.  

On Day 3, the students visited Evora, a walled city built by the Romans in the First Century.  

Fittingly, they spent Easter Sunday at The Cathedral of Evora.

From there, it was a bus ride to Spain.  A Spanish flamenco dancer greeted the kids upon their arrival in Sevilla!

Then, they took a cruise on the Guadalquivir River and saw The Gold Tower, so named because in the 16th Century it held gold from the newly discovered Americas.  The students tried to bring some back but, alas, didn't have the Midas touch.

Day 4 brought them to Plaza de Espana, the Alcanzar Royal Palace, The Giralda, and Columbus' tomb.  

After a quick bite to eat, the students took a tour of Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter, and had a tasty ice cream break.  

And what trip would be complete without a little gift shopping?

Day 5 was spent traveling in the early morning, some of the students getting some much needed rest on the bus.  Their first stop in Cordoba was the main entrance of the city, built in the First Century.

Their tour guide took them on a walk through the old Jewish quarter of that city as well.  Different countries, cities, and cultures galore!

CHAH Goes to Europe! Day 2: Cathedrals and Towers in Lisbon

The second day of the European tour brought the CHAH students and few faculty members and parents to The Cathedral of Belen.  It was built by Manuel the First in the early 16th Century in a style called, appropriately, Manueline.  The style represents and is influenced by the country's discoveries of Brazil and India.

Next stop was the Tower of Belem, which was Portugal's first ever military fortification.  Janice Jimenez, a life-long New Yorker, noted, "It's kinda short for a tower."

Then the students visited The Monument of the Discoveries.

The students had their breath taken away when they saw the view from St. Jorge's Castle, the highest point in Lisbon.  The Castle was built in the 6th Century and inspired the students to learn Portuguese!

A much needed lunch break took place near Fado Square, at Mr. Rosa's friend's restaurant, Primavera de Sao Jeronimo.  The food was much needed fuel for all the sight-seeing!

CHAH Goes to Europe! Day 1: Lisbon, Portugal

This spring, CHAH is taking 10 lucky and adventurous students on a trip to Europe with Explorica Tours!  We will be blogging their travels on a daily basis.  

The first country they visit is Portugal and their first stop, after an overnight flight, was The Borges Chiado Hotel in downtown Lisbon, followed by a leisurely walk in Rossio Square.  

The students, along with several staff members and a few parents, ended their first day with a much needed meal at The Hard Rock Cafe in Lisbon.  Looks like some of them may have been experiencing a bit of jetlag.  Rock on, CHAH world travelers!

Food Ambassadors Make Spinach Good Enough to Drink!

The Food Ambassadors, CHAH's healthy cooking club, has been active this year, making over twenty different healthy recipes so far and learning how delicious nutritious foods can be! To join in St. Patrick's Day festivities, they had a green themed dinner, making a Green Smoothie and Huevos Rancheros with Salsa Verde and Avocado.

The goal of Food Ambassadors is to introduce CHAH students to cooking technique and healthy, affordable ingredients that can be purchased in local grocery stores. Students do all of the prep, cooking, and cleaning.

While the Green Smoothies brought on some initial trepidation ("We're drinking spinach?" "The smoothie looks just like the salsa... I don't know if I want that!"), all doubts faded away as students took their first sip ("This smoothie is life!")

The Huevos Rancheros brought together two different vegetarian protein sources-- black beans and eggs-- and were topped with a simple, fresh homemade salsa verde and fresh avocado puree.  It was a happy St. Patrick's Day, indeed!

Want to add a nutrition boost to your own smoothies? Try out our recipe below!

Green Smoothie Recipe (serves 4-6)

2 cups fresh spinach, packed

2 cups water

1 can 100% pineapple juice concentrate or 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks

2 mangos, skins and pit removed

2 bananas, peeled

2 cups ice cubes

1. Place the spinach and water into a blender and blend until all the spinach is liquified.

2. Add the fruit, pineapple juice, and ice, and blend until smooth.

3. Serve immediately.