We're back in France

Thank you to Région Rhone Alpes directly from Geneva airport!

"Hello Rhone Alpes Region! We are back from Portugal, where the temperature was 27 degrees, and we just arrived in France where it's raining! Thank you for your help!

Bonjour Région Rhône Alpes! Nous sommes de retour du Portugal où il faisait 27°, et on vient juste d'arriver en France où il pleut! Merci pour votre aide"

_______________________________

Thank again to 

Rhone Alpes Region and Rotary Club

Thursday afternoon (04/30/2015)

After the visit of Monsaraz, we had a trip on a boat on the lake formed by Alqueva's dam. We formed 3 groups, with one "DD" in each in order to look after the students in case they want to jump in the water! The lake has an area of 250 km², deep of 45m in the middle and is the largest lake of Europe!!!!!! This artificial lake is created by the dam. This is an agricole project in order to produce energy and create tourism in the region.

        

                    


During this trip on the water, our drivers and their competition boats sped up for us! They are never afraid this Portuguese, they even let us drive! Mrs Faille had the honnor of a love declaration from Damien : "you are the wife of my life". The teacher Teresa, in the noise of the boat, thought this sentance was for her and was very happy.

Our drivers asked to take a picture of the group for their website, we are really stars here!

On the pontoon, we made a video to thank the ROTARY CLUB which enabled the project to be real. 

« Hi Rotary club! We are in Portugal and we think of you!
This is a live from the barage of Alqueva and we just leave the boat. We work a lot our English. We learn a lot of things about horses, culture, gastronomy. 
It was possible only thanks to your help!

Salut le Rotary club. Nous sommes au Portugal et nous pensons à vous!
C'est un direct du barage d'Alqueva et nous venons de quitter les bateaux. Nous travaillons beaucoup notre anglais. Nous apprenons beaucoup de choses sur les chevaux, la culture et la gastronomie. 
Cela n'a été possible que grâce a votre aide. »

Then, 3 braves students jumped on the water. They said that the water was a little cold (20°C), but it didn't stop them to jump again!! 

Teresa, as she saw us so beautiful on the Rotary video, asked another video to thank the mayor of Alter Do Chao and the school EPDRAC. We thought that it was an excellent idea!

« Hi mister mayor, the members of EPDRAC school and all the inhabitants of Alter Do Chao. This is a live from Alqueva's dam. 
We would like to thank the mayor for the visit of the castle, the visit of Alamo's house, and for the bus. Also we thank you all for the wonderful welcome. We really like the travel and we don't want to go back in France! 

Bonjour monsieur le maire, les membres de l'école EPDRAC et tous les habitants d'Alter Do Chao. 
Nous aimerions remercier monsieur le maire pour la visite du château, la visite de la maison Alamo et pour le bus. Aussi nous aimerions tous vous remercier pour le magnifique accueil. On aime vraiment le voyage et nous ne voulons pas retourner en France! »

Our driver kindly offers us a sauna in the bus beacause the air conditionning was broken...
We came back with red skin after this wet and hot day, but we're alive and very happy!
On the return, we had free time in the center of Evora, this was a reward of our "DD" for the success of the game "You have to speak English for X minutes"
Just before we arrived at Alter Do Chao, we almost crashed on a fireman truck!
Once at the hotel, as usually, we start to work for the articles of the blog, to sell you some dreams!

Signed: a great duo, Iona and Joanna

Little riddle: Where are the students? Find how much students we can see on this picture!

This was our last day here because tomorrow it's the return travel to France, so we wanted to say that we were very happy at the hotel and we recomand this place for everubody coming in Alter Do Chao! 

http://www.conventodalter.com.pt/site/index.php

Thursday morning (04/30/2015)

We all had an appointment at 6:30 am at the ground floor of our hotel. But the wake up at 6:00 am was so difficult that it remembered us the lyrics of the old French song “I have shivers and I chatter“ (while some are convinced that we are on holidays !)

Today's program: Visit of the village of Monsaraz with its castle, located in the southern Alentejo (Indeed, the Alentejo region, which is the largest region of Portugal, is separated in two parts, the North Alentejo : Atler do Chao, and South Alentejo : Monsaraz). During the two hours by bus, the students were able to observe what we previously learnt about the colors on the facades of houses (cf. post of Tuesday).

They also discovered how the trio of DD occupied their nights. Instead of sleeping peacefully, they torture their brain to invent games for the day. They explained to students that today, at any moment they can announce a “you have to speak English, please, for X minutes”. The stress of our friends quickly raised. However, this activity revealed itself rather funny and everyone participated in the spirit of the game. Of course we didn't miss an opportunity to remind the “DD” that they have to speak English, all together we said “In English please”. Concerning Mrs Faille, we must say she is not very gifted in English, but she made enormous progress during the stay, we award her a big potential, she can progress!

The village of Monsaraz is located high on a hill in Alentejo, we can't say that this looks like our Savoyard mountains, it is rather the opposite. In this picturesque village protected by the ramparts of the medieval castle, we were stupefied by the panaromic view it offers on the lake d’Alqueva (the biggest artificial lake of Europe).

Moreover, in front of this panorama, one of the pupils discovered a new vocation and acts as a journalist in landscape, she realizes a small video in selfie mode to describe what she sees. It is decided : next year after her BAC, she will apply for RTP.

"Salut tout le monde ! Aujourd'hui nous avons visité un magnifique château. Nous voyons un splendide paysage, regardez !

Hi everybody ! Today we visited the castle and we have a beautiful landscape in front of me, look !"

At the center of the town, there is a baroque church in which there is the sarcophagus of the first mayor of the town. We did not expect to see that!

 

If you walk in the area, you can also enjoy the place in one of the many guest room, and do your shopping in artisanal boutiques. Welcome to the reign of the pottery in terracotta: painted or not, every types of objects (plates, dishes, bowls, cups). Some of us bought souvenirs for families.

In the bend of tower, we discover the access to an arena. One minute after that, we had already two friends playing to corrida. “-Hey bull, bull!!!”

Conclusion: Monsaraz is a quiet village, where you don't meet many people but which offers magnificent landscape and a quiet walk.

Four clowns: Roman, Grégory, Loïc and Damien.

Wednesday afternoon and evening 04/29/2015

Sperm harvest
After the visit of the Alter Do Chao stud farm, we saw a sperm harvest of Beirao, one of the sons of Rubi AR (which among other things was selected for the JO in London 2012), that was unexpected (surprise, guys!). The harvest was done on a hobbled mare with an artificial vagina. We were told the stallion was nervous but it seems quite calm to us. And when we talk about stallion sperm, our first thought is for our dear Mrs Picq!

Visit of a breeding farm : Rodrigo Torres

Did you say Dressage ? Look at this horse (Escribo) !



Vila Fermosa is a familial breeding farm of Lusitano horses. It products among twenty foals a year. Contrary to French breeding farms, they are not touched by humans before they are 3 years-old. The farm is managed by the father of Rodrigo Torres. Rodrigo, former student of EPDRAC, trains and sells horses all around the world. He was national champion of Dressage and "Equitation de travail".
During the visit, we met 3 Frenchs, additionnally from Haute-Savoie! Even in Portugal we could talk about Reblochon!

Concerning the education of the young horses: they work only once a week, but the work is intense, so they learn quickly the figures of Dressage.
We were lucky to assist to Rodrigo Torres' work with two horses:
-Escribo, 6 years-old, very promising

-Califa 2, 8 years-old, at the top of equestrian art

Goodbye evening
After those few days spent together, as usually we went to restaurant all together. Then we took a "frienship drink" in a local bar. We even assisted to a marriage proposal.

And Roman improvised himself photographer!

Wednesday morning 04/29/2015

Eventing
Today, we experimented eventing! More than 3 hectares of obstacles, created entirely by Mr Tenente Manuel Henriques with his students.

This was very scaring for most of our riders. Eleven daredevil wanted to do the crash-test! Still so gallants, our Portuguese penfriends did the warm-up of our horses. Mrs Faille rode a male as good as Seen'C (both horses love to jump! -> did you feel the irony in that sentance?)

Five others horses, very nice, didn't suffer so much of the initiation to eventing of our riders! A great experience, not even one fall, despite some frights, they are ready to do it again!

Visit of the Alter Do Chao stud farm
Then, we officially thanked our hosts with our hamper made with regional products, from the shop of the farm in our school. Our 3 wonderful teachers even had the pleasant surprise to receive one scarf of the EPDRAC school! A bottle of olive oil will be brought back to France for Mrs Labaune : the Portuguese really know ho to receive!

Let's continue the day with the visit of the Alter Do Chao stud farm. They have very few horses: only 400 ;) and their wonderful facilities are huge! Each type of horse has his own stable:
-one dedicated to Alter Real stallions of 3 years-old, educated by horsemen, as well for cart and for saddle. They are polyvalent those cute horses!
-one reserved for mares, educated by the students
-one for the broodmares which will be inseminated

-the last one with the horses for work

They even afford theirselves the luxury of a full-time veterinary!

The shop of the farm
After a long (very long) negociation, we convinced our funny ladies to buy gifts for all people involved in the project. We emptied the shop where it was the first time there were so much people! Their revenue exploded!

Riddle for French: what does it mean ?

NB: Quote from Winston Churchill, who was, according to our students, the king of the United States! LOL

Tuesday evening (04/28/2015)

This evening we decided to go out and eat in town to test local gastronomy. The small restaurant where we ate was great, we were welcomed like kings (everywhere the Portuguese are very friendly and want to please us :).

Here is our menu:
-first course: bread with local cheese and bacon inside. It was so good that some students even ate the crust!


-soup "Acorda": typically Portuguese with beans, cabbage, spices and pork...


-calf with mushroom and cream, home-made chips and rice


-dessert: choice between chocolate mousse, "seradoura" (evaporated milk, light mousse of egg white, and biscuit with crushed biscuit) or the famous "baba de camelo" (evaporated milk and caramel). Some students who ate this dessert were very happy to learn the meaning of this name : camel drool. With the fatigue, or maybe it was humour (?), one French student dared ask if it was really drool from a camel! A Portuguese student answered vey seriously : "of course, the camels are attached behind the building!"
End of the evening around a drink with the Portuguese students and a game of table soccer, won by French students of course. The cheek of one Portuguese is still marked by this event!
    

Once again, a wonderful day, it's now time to go to bed (or maybe it's already time to wake up for the next adventures!!)

Tuesday afternoon (04/28/2015) : horse riding and english class

Horse riding

Live from the big outdoor arena (we can even call it giant: 120*60m) with sunny weather and hot temperatures!
French students were separated in groups of the same level (easier to manage for the teacher).
Two groups worked jumping, two groups worked dressage.

The horses for French students:
Quiça, 18 years, Selle Français (cocorico!!!!)

Egide, 5 years, Lusitano
Diestro, 8 years, Alter Real-Portuguese
Dotrina, 8 years, Lusitano
Berber, 9 years
Brincalhao, 27 years

The horses were prepared before the course and cleaned up after by the Portuguese students (very gallant!). Some French students were allowed to help a little ;)

In the jump groups, everyone jumped in line (22 horses in the course). 

                                

 

In the dressage groups, there were only the French students (6 at each time), and they worked "incurvation" and gait transitions and variations. 

Some French students were stressed and didn't understand every instructions in English, but everybody enjoyed the afternoon.

French students were surprised and happy to see that almost all males were full males - not geldings.

Mrs Faille also rode a horse in the company of Mr Tenente Manuel Henriques, but even when she's working in a different area, she always keep a close eye on her students!

  

Vohador, a 10 years-old Lusitano male, was her mount : she was litterally sitting on gold. Indeed, coming from Bresil, it can be bought for the modest sum of 80000€!

English Class

The official language of the project is English, so it was natural to assist to an English class with the Portuguese students, it's useful for everybody. There were 40 students in a classroom, each one with a sooo good level in English... we let you imagine the hard task of the teacher : it was an animated course. The teacher had a slide show about grooming.

The second part of the course was outside (to enjoy the sun!), by team of 5 players (3 French and 2 Portuguese) we had 5 minutes to memorise the different body parts of the horse - in English of course! The beginning was difficult, one Portuguese in the team of Grégory Tavira didn't understand the instructions. So he explained her very kindly "Stay here, don't move!" (we still dream to be all bilingual at the end of the trip!). Then the teachers picked a word (in English) and the first student to raise hand can write it on the picture in English, French and Portuguese (with a perfect spelling!).