Our trip to Hastings
On Sunday morning (15th September, 2019) we went on a class trip to Hastings on the south-east coast of England. It was more than a great time. We went there by bus and ferry and when we arrived at the Port of Dover we could see the impressive White Cliffs of Dover. From there we continued our tour to Hastings. We were looking forward to meeting and getting to know our host parents. And finally later in the evening we were picked up by them and could talk to them for the rest of the day. It was really exciting.
The next day we met with our classmates and teachers at the bus station. Then we went by bus to see the battlefield where the Battle of Hastings took place. Hastings is 8 km south-east of the small town Battle which is the real site of the Battle of Hastings, where William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold II to become William I in 1066. After that we had returned to Hastings, we participated in a city quiz which was great fun for all of us. By the way, Hastings is a seaside town which gave its name to the Battle of Hastings because it took place nearby. Today, Hastings is a fishing port. The Old Town of Hastings is really pretty and has got a lot of attractions. In the afternoon we did the cliff walk and had amazing views. To get to the cliff top, we walked up many steps from the Old Town via the Tackleway to the top, but you can also take the cable railway from the harbour to the top.
Everybody couldn’t wait to see London. On Tuesday we visited London and did a sightseeing tour by bus with Angela our guide. She told us a lot of really interesting things about the sights like the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Shakespeare’s Globe etc. It was amazing. We also went to Covent Garden and enjoyed our free time there. Some of us watched the famous street artists at Covent Garden and others went shopping. After a really exciting and funny day we came home very late.
The other day we went to Rye which is a small town in East Sussex. Its historic roots and its charm make it a popular tourist destination. It has a small fishing fleet, and Rye Harbour has facilities for yachts and other vessels. We took a walk through the town and visited the church of St. Mary’s and the Ypres Tower. After that we went on to the historic English city of Canterbury which lies on the River Stour. Its cathedral is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, situated in the heart of the city. We visited Canterbury Cathedral and learned a lot about its history. It was really interesting to hear that there Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in the cathedral in December in 1170. We also saw the old medieval walls and the old city of Canterbury. But luckily we had enough time to go shopping as well. :))
On Thursday we visited London again and at first stopped in Greenwich. The weather during our stay in England was fantastic. It was sunny and warm without any clouds most of the time.
In Greenwich we saw the Royal Observatory and because of the fantastic weather we had a wonderful view of London’s city and skyline. From Greenwich we walked to the River Thames and went to the City of Westminster by ferry. It was a long and also great tour with many highlights such as passing underneath the Tower Bridge. After arriving at the London Eye in the City of Westminster, we took a ride and everybody was able to get fantastic photos of this beautiful and awesome city. Then we saw the Royal Guards and visited Buckingham Palace. But the best thing was that we went to the Hard Rock Café where we could buy T-Shirts. London is so cool and we were glad that we also had enough time to go around on our own.
On Friday, our last day in Hastings, we visited Hastings Castle. It is a castle ruin situated in the town of Hastings. There we watched a short film about the Battle of Hastings in English and from the ruin we had fantastic views of Hastings and the sea. Then we went to the beach where some of us even swam in the sea. Besides we went shopping for the last time and in the evening we went home by bus at 6pm. On Saturday early in the morning (21st Sept, 2019) we came back to Germany, tired and full of new impressions.
It was a great and wonderful time in England!!! Of course we would like to come back. :))
Helen, Merit, Hannah, Johanna, Natalie, Lenni, Dawid, Amir, Nikon, Pascal, Simon und Thilo (class 9Ra)