Day by Day Itinerary:
Bruegel painting of peasant wedding
Please note that this trip is for Appalachian State University students who enroll in Lillian Nave Goudas's First Year Seminar course Art, Politics, and Power and inclusion on this European Field Experience portion is at her discretion. Students will earn 1 credit hour of course credit and do not need to pay any additional tuition if they are full time students. All queries should be sent to [email protected]. Please also note that the itinerary is subject to changes if deemed necessary.
This program begins and ends at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
This program begins and ends at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
ChocoStory Museum
Day 1, Wed., Jan. 3 - Depart USA to Cologne All students will meet at Charlotte Airport. Meet Professors Lillian Nave Goudas and Vicki Clift at the airport by 3:30 pm for departure from Charlotte at 6:35 pm on Lufthansa 4295 arriving in Munich at 9:15 am on Jan. 4th. Departure from Munich at 11:20 am on Lufthansa 1986. Arrival in Cologne at 12:25 pm on Jan. 4th. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board.
Day 2, Thurs., Jan. 4 - Arrive Cologne, Germany Arrive in Cologne at 12:25 pm. We will be met by our travel representative at the airport who will take us to lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will travel to Aachen to see the Palatine Chapel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next, we will drive by motor coach to Maastricht for a privately guided tour of the caves where artworks were held during WWII. From here we will travel to our hotel in Ghent for dinner and a refreshing night's rest.
Day 2, Thurs., Jan. 4 - Arrive Cologne, Germany Arrive in Cologne at 12:25 pm. We will be met by our travel representative at the airport who will take us to lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will travel to Aachen to see the Palatine Chapel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next, we will drive by motor coach to Maastricht for a privately guided tour of the caves where artworks were held during WWII. From here we will travel to our hotel in Ghent for dinner and a refreshing night's rest.
Bruges Madonna
Day 3, Fri., Jan 5-Bruges (B) After a hearty breakfast at our hotel we will travel to Bruges (locally known as Brugge), the second spectacularly untouched medieval city that was considered one of "Hitler's Jewels." Of the utmost importance to our study, and to that of the Monuments Men, is the Cathedral of our Lady, where we will see the famed Bruges Madonna by Michelangelo- the only work of the great master to leave Italy during his lifetime. Stolen by the Nazis, hunted by the men and women of the MFAA, the statue was eventually discovered by the allies in the centuries-old salt mine in Alt Ausee, Austria, with many of Europe's most treasured works, destined for Hitler's "Fuhrermuseum" in Linz, Austria. Safely recovered at the close of the war, the statue was ceremoniously repatriated and returned to its original 500-year-old chapel in Bruges to the adulation of the Belgian crowds welcoming her home. Next, we will visit the Choco-Story Museum. The museum dips its visitors in the history of cocoa and chocolate from the Maya and the Spanish conquistadores to the chocolate connoisseurs of today. Chocolates are made by hand and sampled on the premises.
We will have lunch in this magnificent city, most likely incorporating some incomparable Pommes Frites (French Fries) with a view of the gilded facades of judicial and civic buildings in the city center.
After lunch, visit the Groeninge Museum, whose many highlights include its collection of "Flemish Primitive" art, works by a wide range of Renaissance and Baroque masters, as well as a selection of paintings from the 18th and 19th century neo-classical and realist periods, milestones of Belgian symbolism and modernism, masterpieces of Flemish expressionism and many items from the city's collection of post-war modern art. Several students will be responsible for presenting to the group at the Groeninge Museum on topics ranging from Flemish Masters to Degenerate art. To complete our day of touring, we will relax while taking in the sights on a canal cruise.
We will return to Ghent for the evening. Students will be responsible for their journal entries and updating our travel blog (open to all parents to view our progress).
We will have lunch in this magnificent city, most likely incorporating some incomparable Pommes Frites (French Fries) with a view of the gilded facades of judicial and civic buildings in the city center.
After lunch, visit the Groeninge Museum, whose many highlights include its collection of "Flemish Primitive" art, works by a wide range of Renaissance and Baroque masters, as well as a selection of paintings from the 18th and 19th century neo-classical and realist periods, milestones of Belgian symbolism and modernism, masterpieces of Flemish expressionism and many items from the city's collection of post-war modern art. Several students will be responsible for presenting to the group at the Groeninge Museum on topics ranging from Flemish Masters to Degenerate art. To complete our day of touring, we will relax while taking in the sights on a canal cruise.
We will return to Ghent for the evening. Students will be responsible for their journal entries and updating our travel blog (open to all parents to view our progress).
Day 4, Sat., Jan. 6 - Ghent (B) After another hearty breakfast in our hotel, we will spend the day exploring Ghent, a city untouched by the massive bombings of WWII as Hitler had commanded that not one bomb drop on this fairy-tale city. Considered one of "Hitler's Jewels," it held special status to him as a jewel in his crown of accomplishments, an example of his co-opting another culture for his own benefit. First, we will look at the specific history of the city of Ghent at the STAM Museum to understand the great historical importance of this city and how it has evolved over time. Then we will visit the Ghent Altarpiece in situ at St. Bavo's Cathedral. The altarpiece is in the middle of a multi-million dollar conservation project and so we will visit the both the cathedral and the Fine Arts Museum of Ghent to view the conservation in process. The Ghent Altarpiece, masterfully created in 1432 by Jan and Hubert Van Eyck, has been the focus of intrigue for hundreds of years. The most stolen artwork of all time, we will view all but one of the panels (one panel was stolen, ransomed, and has yet to be recovered) today and marvel at why Napoleon, Hitler, and many others took it for themselves. The Monuments Men also recovered this work at the close of the war in the salt mine at Alt Ausee. Hitler had destined it to go to his Fuhrermuseum in Linz which would have, in his mind, reversed the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles and bring greater glory to his Third Reich. The Allies returned it to its rightful place in Ghent, where it resides today.
After lunch, perhaps at the restaurant that originated the Belgian waffle, located steps away from St. Bavo's cathedral, we will head to the Fine Arts Museum of Ghent. This museum houses not only the masterwork Ghent Altarpiece under conservation, but also many Flemish masterworks and examples of modern art that Hitler would have called "Degenerate." Students will also have presentations here on conservation and repatriation.
Day 5, Sun., Jan. 7 - Ghent (B) My colleague in Ghent, Christine Demeunynck, will meet with us to discuss the power of art in culture and we will meet with art students at a University in Ghent to ask one of the main questions of our course, "Who owns culture?" Discussions with local students will continue to delve into how art carries a cultural ethos.
We will finish the day with a nighttime architectural tour of this majestic, medieval yet thoroughly modern city.
After lunch, perhaps at the restaurant that originated the Belgian waffle, located steps away from St. Bavo's cathedral, we will head to the Fine Arts Museum of Ghent. This museum houses not only the masterwork Ghent Altarpiece under conservation, but also many Flemish masterworks and examples of modern art that Hitler would have called "Degenerate." Students will also have presentations here on conservation and repatriation.
Day 5, Sun., Jan. 7 - Ghent (B) My colleague in Ghent, Christine Demeunynck, will meet with us to discuss the power of art in culture and we will meet with art students at a University in Ghent to ask one of the main questions of our course, "Who owns culture?" Discussions with local students will continue to delve into how art carries a cultural ethos.
We will finish the day with a nighttime architectural tour of this majestic, medieval yet thoroughly modern city.
Day 6, Mon., Jan. 8 - Transfer to Amsterdam (B) After breakfast on Monday, we will travel by bus to Amsterdam. This morning drive will take us over beautiful scenery and give us a sense of the land and the countryside. Upon arrival in Amsterdam, we will take a walking tour of the city.
After a lunch break, we will enjoy a canal cruise (weather permitting). Finally, we will settle into the hotel. Each day a new team will be in charge of the travel blog and reflections as well as group meetings and daily wrap-up sessions.
After a lunch break, we will enjoy a canal cruise (weather permitting). Finally, we will settle into the hotel. Each day a new team will be in charge of the travel blog and reflections as well as group meetings and daily wrap-up sessions.
Day 7, Tues., Jan 9- Amsterdam (B) After breakfast we will head into the city center for a guided tour of the Rijksmuseum where among many Dutch masterworks we will view Rembrandt van Rijn's "The Night Watch." Steps away from the Rijksmuseum is the Van Gogh museum where we will immerse ourselves in the poetic and colorful work of the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh.
We will stop for lunch and then finish the day with free time to enjoy the city.
Blog update teams will record the days adventures and reflections at night with groups meetings at the hotel to recap.
We will stop for lunch and then finish the day with free time to enjoy the city.
Blog update teams will record the days adventures and reflections at night with groups meetings at the hotel to recap.
"Amsterdam Canals - July 2006" by Diliff - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amsterdam_Canals_-_July_2006.jpg#/media/File:Amsterdam_Canals_-_July_2006.jpg
Day 8, Wed., Jan 10- Amsterdam (B) After breakfast, we will get to know the city intimately on a morning walking tour of Amsterdam. No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a canal cruise through the many varied streets and under the bridges that create this seemingly floating city. As soon as the canal cruise ends, we'll head to the Jewish Historical Museum where we will learn of the lives and fate of so many of Holland's fine art collectors and aesthetes before, during and after WWII.
Today we will also visit Anne Frank's house after lunch and work on our reflections for the trip. Students who have not presented will do so today. Free time to study, explore, or sleep during this final night of our trip.
Today we will also visit Anne Frank's house after lunch and work on our reflections for the trip. Students who have not presented will do so today. Free time to study, explore, or sleep during this final night of our trip.
Day 9, Thurs., Jan 11- Amsterdam - Charlotte (B) We will transfer from our hotel to the airport by motor-coach. Departure flight is at 8:50 am on Lufthansa 2301 from Amsterdam, arriving in Munich at 10:15 am. Departure at 12:10 pm from Munich on Lufthansa 428, arriving in Charlotte at 4:45 pm. All students should be picked up at Charlotte airport upon arrival.
