KA2 – Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge
The second international project meeting Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
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The project Europe for knowledge continues…
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Project meeting – the first day
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Project meeting – the second day
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Project meeting – the third day
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Project meeting – the fourth day
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The final day project meeting
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The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
The project Europe for knowledge continues… During the first year of the project " Europe for knowledge " was held two international project meeting all four partner schools, thus meeting the representatives of these schools: AHOL - Secondary school of gastronomy, tourism and spas (Ostrava, Czech Republic), Zespol Szkol Ekonomiczno - Gastronomicznych them. Macierz Ziemi Cieszynskiej (Cieszyn, Poland), Hotel Academy of Ľudovít Winter (Piestany, Slovakia), and Lycée des métiers de Bazeilles (in Bazeilles, France). The second project meeting of partner schools was held in Hotel Academy of Ľudovít Winter in Piestany in 13th - 17th April 2015 and included the following activities…
Project meeting – the first day It is Monday, April 13th , 2015 and in front of the school are meeting participants' Piestany Expedition 2015 ", as it was informally called the second international meeting of partner schools of the project Europe for knowledge. With a smile and a larger or smaller suitcase here meets Veronika Štecová, Loan Nguyen Van Tran Trang, Patrik Borovec, Petr Horák and Jakub Podolák who are travelling to Slovakia, accompanied by Mgr. Dany Kowalská Mgr. Miriam Lacinová. Heading into suitcases and small gifts for our hosts, suitcases loaded into a waiting minibus and set the direction of Piestany. They are already looking forward to their friends - from zespół Szkol Ekonomiczno-Gastronomicznych in Cieszyn, the hotel Academy L. Winter in Piestany Lycée des métiers de Bazeilles. The weather is beautiful, the journey passes quickly, and in less than three hours we are in Piestany. Still not enough time left to pull the suitcases off the bus and he welcomes us alone, Mr. Director Ing. Ladislav Blaškovič. Mgr. Elena Grünová, who is organizing the whole international meeting of charge, joins him immediately. We accommodated with a thunderous welcome with Polish team, who we already have known from our first stay in Ostrava. Faces in Slovak and French team are new to us, we are introduced to each other and try to remember new names. Followed by a tour of the school. Hotel Academy in Piestany is larger compare to our school more, in 16 classes, 520 students studying here. We hope not to lose in labyrinth school. After the first joint lunch the program starts to begin. In detail, we will learn what that day waiting for us when and where the meeting for individual activities. Hand in hand there also start the first workshop “Slovakia in the mirror of history”, where we start to get information about history and culture of our host partner. After the first workshop comes second one, which takes us to Piestany. We learn many information about history and also about beginning of the spa. It is really good preparation for the next day, when we are supposed to visit the Spa Island. The weather is very nice, so we are very happy to set on the way to the town. We prefer it more than to sit
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
in the building, like our escort did. They had to sort out things about project. The way across the park is very pleasant and we can breathe the fresh air and feel the difference compare to our industrial city - Ostrava. We do not miss the smog from Ostrava city. When visiting the center, we try to remember as much information as possible, because we will do the quiz about Piestany. The afternoon passed quickly and we return back to the dorm. It's time to civilize and change into their school uniforms, waiting for us a gala evening, which is a program labeled as "Folklore evening". What waits for us?? Already at the entrance to the auditorium, we see costumes. Singing our school welcomes folk ensemble Rye. It's very impressive hall sounds Slovak folk songs. And yet we do not know that the main thing is still to come. So far, however, we serve dinner, introduces in practice the Slovak national cuisine. After dinner, folk ensemble returns to the scene and to sing and dance added. The view is beautiful and the dancers than the reward of applause, come to our tables and invite us to dance. We go into round each, create a circle in four phases gradually trying to learn the basic steps. Instructions that are worded in English, quickly translated into national languages, but sometimes it is not enough and there is a series of funny situations. Efforts national teams and the patience of members of folklore group was finally crowned with success - one from Slovak folk dancing in the end we managed to successfully handle, and we had so much and greatly enjoyed. Pleasant dot after the first day.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
Project meeting – the second day Today we got up fairly early, waiting for us a visit of Piestany Spa Island. We had no idea how large and how many spa hotels and bath houses are located there. After breakfast we set out from the school, a spa park to the bridge that connects the city with the Spa Piestany Island. In the beginning it is one of the symbols of the treatment Berlolamač. With him, we stopped for a moment and heard a rumor that is linked with this
symbol, and then we continued on. We went through the whole Spa Island to the last spa hotel, where everything was guided. Mile welcomes us and begins to get acquainted with the specifics and potential of tourism in Piestany spa roles in it. Slowly we begin to understand what they are so proud of Piestany. After learning the basic facts we going to know Piestany spa with our own eyes.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
We started in three-star spa hotel Balnea Grand. We see the rooms, we acknowledge range of health and relaxation treatments offered by the hotel, and we are interested, whence comes their spa guests. When answered all our questions, we move to the next bath house. At this moment we do not know yet that it gradually through all spa hotels without actually went out into the street. A number of visited bathhouses performs an extensive four-star spa hotel Balnea. There fascinates us the presidential suite, we would like to spend a few days there. We are allowed to enter into the VIP area on the top floor, which includes a large rooftop terrace. From that, we have a wonderful view of Piestany. The spa house there are many restaurants and cafes as well as several conference halls. We leave with the feeling that this impression is no longer possible to overcome know how it is at this moment we are wrong.. One of the most interesting thing was visiting the five stars hotel Thermia Palace that you can find just above the thermal spring curing water and curing mud. The atmosphere of the hotel is just great because of the connecting together the modern equipment and the historical atmosphere. We are vary happy, that we could visit the hotel and try the feeling of this only atmosphere. We realy enjoy this kind of spa luxury. Our long morning excursion spa houses and hotels end up going back to school, where at lunch, we talk about what we have seen and what left the biggest impression. After lunch there came series of practical workshops, so we dressed up in Rondon. The afternoon program begins with a workshop on national cuisines, where we present the best of our national cuisine.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
Everything is dominated by the Slovak national cuisine. First, we watch the presentation of the Slovak national and regional specialties, then acquainted with the technological process of one of them, normalized and we move into a training kuchyně.
kitchen. When you move into this pavilion you look outside at the herb garden, which our host school based and so we try to identify in English all the herbs that are found here. In practice the kitchen takes us the teacher of technology, along with another group of students who will help us. They represent different materials, acquaint us with kitchen equipment, repeating the technological process of preparing and presenting already finished šúlance. Now it's our turn. With the support of the hosts begins our cooking. This part of cooking is complemented by a competition for the best šúlance, so we are trying twice, but it is not entirely simple. We did not notice how fast this afternoon in the kitchen passed.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
After dinner, we gather at the workshop, which is to evaluate the competition "The best šúlance". All teams tried their best, so the reward for everybody is thunderous applause. This national specialty we immediately add to our common gastrodictionary and thus our long hard day ends. And yet we do not know what awaits us next day...…
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
Project meeting – the third day The third day of our joint meetings begin again fairly soon. After breakfast, we get on a bus and go to Bratislava. Weather looks promising, once again the sun is shining and it is relatively warm, so the capital city of Slovakia is going to be very exciting. Basic information about it we can listen in the bus from the students who prepared Mrs. Grünová. A professional guide joined us in Bratislava in order to fulfill the letter of the law. Bratislava is the capital and largest city of Slovakia, lies on both banks of the Danube River in the southwestern part of the country near the border with Hungary and Austria. There live about 420,000 residents in Bratislava and its symbol is Bratislava castle with four towers at the corners and one courtyard in the middle. Firstly, we go by bus through the historical part of the centre and also the villa´s part where not only the Slovak president lives but also the Polish embassy you can find there and embasses of other countries. It is the first tasting and it worths for it. Then we get off in front of the Slovak Parliament – officialy National Agreement of Slovak Republic, where we took our first pictures of Bratislava. From Parliament we move on foot to the castle of Bratislava. The Bratislava castle is nice complex of buildings in the historical area which is situated on the left bank of the river Danube. You can see the nice view of historical centre and the city part Petrželka from there. Our guiders are telling us where we are suppossed to move later on. But firstly a few words about the history of Bratislava castle: the first notice is dated to the year 907, but this area was already settled in eneolit. In Middle Ages became the castle the most important part for rebuilding and spreading the castle. Even the later buildings left there
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
many vestiges of Gothic, Renaissance or Baroque. There was the fire in the year 1811. The rebulding started even in the 19th century, but the final condition came just after the Worl War the Second. In these days The Bratislava castle follows the historical heritage: became a part of modern history of Slovak Republic and the historical section of The Slovak National Museum takes place there. The Bratislava castle became the National monument number one since the year 1961, but we are leaving now this monument and we are moving to the historical centre of Bratislava. Along the way we pass the bridge Slovak National Uprising, another symbol of Bratislava. The bridge was built in the years 1967 - 1972 and the top of the pylon at a height of 80 meters is a restaurant associated with an observation deck. Pity we do not have time to go there. We continue to explore the historic core of Bratislava and we just came to the Cathedral of St. Martin, the original Gothic sacral building, which is the most important and largest church in Bratislava, which is also the second most popular tourist attraction of Bratislava. The temple binds remains many interesting things, so we stay there a little longer. Guided tour then continues towards Hviezdoslav´s Square, a large pedestrian zone with lots of greenery. In the middle of the square there is a fountain and near the Slovak National Theatre, then the Statue of Paul Orszagh Hviezdoslav. We pass also other embassies and the theater and we are having a short break. After we move to onlookers, the statue, in which gradually we all have to take a picture. Even with this is associated with a number of superstitions... onlookers for sure honestly we pat, we can be confident, that will ever return in Bratislava. After a brief stop at the Tourist Information Centre we continue on.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
Smaller streets around the many interesting buildings come to the Old Town Hall, the historic building on the main square of one of the oldest buildings in Bratislava. It was built in the 15th century in Gothic style, but has undergone a lot of changes and till the 19th century was used as city hall. Now it houses the Town Museum with an exhibition about the history of Bratislava. Another impressive building in the classical style is Primaciálny Palace. Even this palace has a remarkable history and is decorated with many beautiful sculptures. After his tour already heading back from the historic center of the Danube, where its shore lies the
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
huge shopping center Eurovea. Here we have free time, we have a late lunch while we enjoy the spring sun directly on the Danube. Theme Bratislava we conclude after returning to school yet with workshop titled Bratislava as a tourism destination. I think we have seen and felt why Bratislava is in the field of tourism presented as a "big little city”. Although today we have to walk a lot, our day is not over yet. Part of Piestany is also a recreation area Sĺňava you can go explore the evening. Sĺňava is known recreational areas every year come here hundreds of tourists. Visit this area, we ended up in one of the recreation centers, where the tournament took place and our partner schools compete in bowling. We were slightly tired after all this program but we tried our best in sport competitions. And then quickly back to the dorm, tomorrow we are expecting another busy day.
Project meeting – the fourth day It's Thursday, meeting of our partner schools entered its second half, and today we have for change quite a busy schedule. In the morning, we have breakfast quite early, bus is waiting for us, so before eight o'clock we go to Nitra. The weather continues wishes and temperatures approaching those of summer rather than spring. Nitra is the county town, which lies on the same river, and has about 78,000 residents. We get close to the historic center, where begins our next guided tour. When it tells us that today Nitra region was first inhabited by the Celts, Teutons, and later eventually Slavs and the city had become one of the centers of the Great Moravian Empire. In the 13th century, Nitra
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
became a royal city, but its development in the 17th century and the Turks threatened. Today it is a modern city that became the center of the region, you can find here also two universities. The most important sights are Nitra Castle and St. Peter's Basilica of St. Jimram. We did not have enough time to see everything, because at half past nine we were supposed to be at the Mikado. Excursions to this hotel is very interesting, we can view this modern four star hotel including spa and facilities for animation programs for guests. Manager of the hotel, who carried us out, answer all our inquisitive questions. After two hours we say goodbye and move to the famous local restaurant Hoffer, where we can expect a tasting of Slovak national specialties. Even there, we cannot stay longer, because we will have an excursion to the famous winery Chateau Topoľčianky. We are looking forward to this tour, because it is not easy to get here. Winery Chateau Topolčianky one of the leading wine producers in the Nitra wine region and welcomes us with its chief manager. Welcoming is really impressive since opening bottles of champagne chosen technique Sabrage. And they really know, how to do it!! After this impressive welcoming followed a lecture of the history and traditions of wine production in these wineries, going through different parts of the operation and familiar with production technology. At the end of the cellar, then we see the entire product line of the brand, and award-winning wines.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
Two hours went so fast, and although we still have a series of searching questions, we have to say goodbye and move on. At five o'clock we have to be in the chocolate
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
factory Lyra crested. Even the last day of this excursion is very interesting. Company owner very engagingly tells about the philosophy - why he chose the name Lyra, as the
name reflects the philosophy of the manual production of this chocolate. Getting familiar with technology of handmade chocolate production and the entire product line of the company. Although it is too late and the company store it's after working hours, we persuade local staff to sell us a few more chocolate dreams. With tiring but fulfilling experiences we get on a bus and return to the host hotel school in Piestany, where we have dinner. Dinner is followed by a short workshop where participants from various countries are preparing a presentation about the perceptions and experiences of this second project meeting.
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
The final day project meeting Weather knew that we are going home today and we stayed mostly at school building - the sky was overcast and starting to rain. After breakfast we dressed up to Rondon and head to a training kitchen where once again we pay attention to the preparations of Slovak national specialties. Slovak national and regional specialties are not completely different to ours, so studying technological processes and standardization go much faster than the first day. It is true that the biggest support is again the Slovak team, and other of them who has prepared the festive table. About half past eleven is done and we can sit down together to the grand final lunch. It is still fun, even though we realize that the beautiful intense week full of wonderful experiences is coming to an end …
The second international project meeting - Piestany 13th to 17th April 2015
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Project 2014-1-CZ01-KA202-001842 Europe for knowledge funded by the Erasmus+, KA2
Lunch went well and smoothly continuing to the evaluation workshop. Each partner school evaluates the residence from his point of view, highlights other interesting moments. Look at the photos presented also raises smiles, looking forward to the common experiences. Hotel Academy of Ľudovít Winter in Piestany was a great hostess and has prepared for us an excellent program that approached us to Slovakia, its culture, traditions and gastronomy. We will never forget everything we came through this week. We received certificates and other Europass documents, say goodbye and go packing. The way home waits for us, even though we did not want to end the expedition Piestany 2016. Thank you!!!
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