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Ying Wa Explorers Series: Ying Wa Explorers in Europe

9/24/2017

45 Comments

 
Written by Lucas Wong (5E) and Jonathan Ford (5E)
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During our summer holiday, we explored different places in Europe. 

We learnt a lot by exploring. In this photo essay, let us share about exploring in two places: Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. 
 
The first place we explored was Gibraltar. The main feature of Gibraltar is a huge rock! It looms large out of the sea, attached by an isthmus to the southern coast of Spain. 
 
Can you spot where it is on a map of Europe?


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​This looks like a fun place to explore!
 
To explore the top of The Rock we had to take the Gibraltar Aerial Ropeway.  This is just a very fancy name for an unusual cable-car system.  It’s unusual because, before we set off, the crew filled the cable car’s tank up with water.
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Do you want to try riding on the Gibraltar Aerial Ropeway?
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When we explored the top of The Rock we found lots of wild monkeys.  We also learnt that, according to legend, if they ever leave The Rock then Gibraltar will fall.  So, during World War II, more monkeys were brought from Africa to help protect The Rock. 
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Yummy!  Yummy!  It’s breakfast time!
 
The Rock is very mysterious.  When we were exploring we found different tunnel systems inside it.  Altogether, there are 51 km of tunnel to explore in The Rock.
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Dark! Spooky! Scary!  Prepare to step inside The Rock…
 
Exploring taught us why tunnels were built inside The Rock.  We discovered all about defending Gibraltar against the Spanish in the 18th century and attacking the Germans in World War II.
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It was dangerous for the Spanish and Germans outside The Rock… but the British were totally safe inside!
 
We then explored how thousands of soldiers lived in The Rock, sometimes working 16-hour shifts.  Imagine living in this atmosphere with cannons going ‘boom’ all the time.
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Explorers!  Prepare to Attack!  Take Aim!  Fire!

Sometimes we found things whilst exploring.  Near the entrance to one set of abandoned tunnels we discovered a World War II bullet case.
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​What a great souvenir!
 
Later, we explored another part of The Rock and met some more monkeys.  They were very intelligent.  My poor Daddy!  He had to suffer whilst a heavy monkey sat on his shoulders, unzipped his backpack, discovered his water bottle and ran off with it.
 
Naughty Monkey!
 
After a hard day’s exploring, we retreated to our hotel and found a wonderful swimming pool to chill out in.  However, our exploring was not yet finished.  Imagine our shock when we jumped into the pool and discovered that it was full of salt water.   It was almost impossible to dive under the surface!   
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​Don’t try to dive… it won’t work!
 
We also explored different types of cuisine.  We discovered that we can learn so much about different places from their food.   For example, food in Gibraltar is a mixture of Spanish, British and North African cooking, reflecting the history of The Rock.   
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Bon appetit!  What a scrumptious dinner!
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Then, it was soon time to say… 
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​“Goodbye, Gibraltar”
 
And sail off to say… “Hello, Isle of Man!”
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The ‘Ben-My-Chree’ is a great way to sail!

On the Isle of Man, we learnt so much by exploring the island’s marvellous, heritage transport network.  It is acknowledged to be one of the finest in the world.
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​Look at all these tramways and railways!
 
We started off by exploring the history of the Douglas to Peel main line, built in 1873.  This line was so successful that the St. John’s to Ramsey and Douglas to Port Erin lines were added shortly afterwards.
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​Travel by Isle of Man Railways from Douglas to Peel
Don’t miss your train!

 
During our summer holiday, we were lucky to explore along the Douglas to Port Erin line on a steam train.  ‘Kissack’, our locomotive, and the carriages were immaculate: polished brass; shining steel; soft seats; beautiful woodwork; traditional leather window straps.  Such quality.
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The immaculate fleet steams on
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Get onboard!
Take a ticket, take a journey, let the good times roll…
 

Then we explored Douglas Promenade on a tram.  It was not powered by steam.  It was not powered by oil.  It was not powered by electricity… because it was powered by a horse…

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Explore by Douglas Corporation Tramways: stay traditional!
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By now we had explored by steam train and horse tram... but you should never leave the Isle of Man without travelling on the fantastic Manx Electric Railway.
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​Explore the scenic coastal route from Douglas to Ramsey
 
We learnt so much exploring in the luxurious comfort of the Manx Electric Railway. 
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​Children LOVE it!!!
 
One very interesting fact that our exploring taught us was that the earliest trams on the Manx Electric Railway were delivered in reverse order.
 
Tram No. 3 came first, then Tram No. 2 and finally Tram No. 1.  Sadly, however, Tram No. 3 burnt down in a tram-shed fire so Tram No. 2 now holds the record for the oldest tram on the railway.
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​The two proudest trams on the line!
 
We also explored a big mountain on the amazing one-hundred-plus-year-old Snaefell Mountain Tramway.
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The unmissable Snaefell experience!
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The views were fantastic: five miles of glorious mountain scenery; lovely glens; and fabulous panoramas.
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​Is this a glacial valley I see before me?
 
The last railway that we explored was the Groudle Glen Railway.  The original attraction at the end of the line was a zoo with polar bears, sea lions and brown bears.  How hot it must have been for these poor animals in the heat of a Manx summer. 
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Chug on with us and we’ll take you to the seaside!

All good things come to an end and we eventually had to say our farewells to the Isle of Man as well as Gibraltar…
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Sunsets from the Isle of Man are awesome!
 
We explored so much and learnt so much from our exploring in Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. 

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​Exploring made us much more curious and inquisitive.  By exploring, we understood so much more about different places!
 
We also had a fantastic time.  Try exploring the next time you go on holiday.  You won’t regret it at all!
45 Comments
Dr H C Lee
9/25/2017 12:18:28 am

Wow, congratulations Lucas and Jonathan! Both of you have become great explorers! And this is a fantastic sharing! Love your many train experiences and the great scenery! This comprehensive report shows how much effort you guys have put into this adventure. Looking forward to reading about your next journey!

Reply
Chan Wai Lok
9/25/2017 03:50:18 pm

It was a good thing that two YWPS explorers could explore many things
that it was very fun adventure ! I love it very much!

Reply
Haydon Sun 5E(22)
9/25/2017 03:51:31 pm

Wow,looks like you have learnt a lot of thing in Europe! I will like to explore in there to!

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RyanWoo
9/25/2017 04:43:52 pm

I like your journey from Europe.I like steam trains A LOT.Can you tell me more tomorrow?
May I ask what is those flags above?

Reply
joshua chan
9/25/2017 04:44:14 pm

The two explorer Jonathan Ford and Lucas Wong must be very happy! I would like to explore there next time too!

Reply
Michael Leung
9/25/2017 05:57:28 pm

I'm sure that Jonathan Ford and Lucas Wong had fun exploring in Europe. I must go there someday to learn more about Europe. I'm sure Jonathan and Lucas learnt a lot!

Reply
Dickson Tam 5E (23)
9/25/2017 05:59:29 pm

It must be a wonderful journey! Did you bring that bullet case back home?And can you tell me more about the mysterious rock tomorrow?

Reply
Ryan Kwan 6A(12)
9/25/2017 06:03:09 pm

Hi explorers! Thanks for sharing your trip in Gibraltar and Isle of Man. I would like to go there also. I am interested in the world war II bullet shell. I also like the sunsets from the Isle of Man. Thank you!

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Yacob Chan 5E07
9/25/2017 06:13:08 pm

How does the flags come?

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Oscar Tsang
9/25/2017 06:47:51 pm

WOW!The steam trains and the rails were all antiques!They make me feel's like I am in the history.It feels great!

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Wong King Tung Kaiser
9/25/2017 06:58:27 pm

It was a great trip and I hope that I could go to UK .

Reply
Howard Li
9/25/2017 07:01:51 pm

Wow ,it must be a fantastic trip.what did you learn in the trip,there must be more things you explored .May you tell me tommorow ?
Thanks for sharing to us.

Reply
James Chan
9/25/2017 07:02:23 pm

You two are great and lucky explorers I hope I can go to these places one day.

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Justin Chan
9/25/2017 07:03:58 pm

Wow! Thanks for sharing this unforgettable trip to Europe! All the pictures are with breathtaking vista and attractive activities. I wish I can join you to have another trip in next summer and enjoy this wonderful experience!

Reply
Okumura Hiroaki link
9/25/2017 07:26:05 pm

This is a very good work! It makes me want to go to the Isle of man too! And by the way if you make it a book I think it will be very famous through out the world, because it has lots of rich content and people will not be believe that it was made by two wonderful grand 5 students!
I hope next year we can see your work again, good luck to you Lucas Wong and Jonathan Ford

Reply
Jason Fok
9/25/2017 07:49:23 pm

Wow!It is great,maybe when you grow,you can be a real explorer!

Reply
Jeremy ma
9/25/2017 08:02:18 pm

I love your journey a lot. I love the photos a lot.Will you tell me more on Monday? What are the photos means?

Reply
Dominic Kiang
9/25/2017 08:05:55 pm

Wow ,it must be a fantastic trip.What did you learn in the trip,there must be more things you explored .It will be so interesting about the trip.I would also want to go to the isle of man and gibralta to explore more interesting things. I would like to explore there next time too!

Reply
Jason Wong 6A (28)
9/25/2017 08:14:42 pm

I love your trip very much. what did you eat there ? Do you like it? Thanks for sharing this fabulous trip to us!

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OWEN AU 6A01
9/25/2017 08:25:28 pm

Thanks for sharing all the wonderful things that you have done in europe,the most funny thing is that one water bottle was stolen by the monkeys. What did your father do afterwards? I am also very insterested about that all the things that you have did there.I am looking foward for more information from you. I will may even go there afterwards.

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Rhythm Zhang
9/25/2017 08:43:16 pm

Thanks for sharing that you had a wonderful and unforgettable trip!Can you tell me more about your trip ?It must be fantastic,hope I have chance to visit in the future!

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Joshua Lam
9/25/2017 08:47:34 pm

What a fun trip you have during summer.Did you enjoy it very much?Thanks for sharing it to us.I hope that I can go there too.

Reply
Clement Cheung
9/25/2017 08:52:05 pm

you are a really a good explorer ,you explore many places ,Jonathan,so
keep it up and make yourself to become a real explorer
and hope I can go to Europe with you.










o

Reply
Bryan Choy 5E (9)
9/25/2017 09:02:05 pm

It must be an extraordinary trip! The sunset at the Isle of Man is gorgeous ! I hope I could visit there,too ! The steam trains are very old ! I have never ridden on a steam train before !

Reply
Poko Lam
9/25/2017 09:15:37 pm

Great passage!Must have been a great trip.Can you teach me the songs that Mrs Lam taught you?Also,can you share about other places you explored?Had your dad take back the water bottle away from the monkey?What did you do with the monkey?Are those the flags of Gibraltar and Isle of Man?What had you ate for dinner at Gibraltar?Is it yummy?Why did the people put water inside the cable car's tank?Why is the water in the Swimming pool so salty?Does the water come from the sea?What do you like Spanish,British or North African cooking?Is"Ben-my-Chree"a ship or a transportation network?Are there real cannons in Gibraltar ? In world war II,did Germany take over Gibraltar?Why is the locomotive called "Kissac"?Why is the tram still powered by horse,not steam?How was Tram No.3 burnt?

Reply
SIMON LUN HOI SHING
9/25/2017 09:24:12 pm

I THINK IT IS GOOD TO EXPLORE IN THE HOLIDAY TO!

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Theodore
9/25/2017 09:28:28 pm

I think it is very interesting . I love those trains the most because they all are very old, and we can't see them so easy.

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Dong Kok 5E 24
9/25/2017 09:31:09 pm

I'm sure you learnt a lot of new things in Europe ! I hope you guys had fun during this trip !I will go to Europe someday if i can !!

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KeithLee
9/25/2017 09:43:03 pm

I love your pics, the view is stunning. I like the steam train very much! I have ride the Jacobite steam train in Scotland this summer.

Reply
Colin Tong 5E (25)
9/25/2017 09:52:14 pm

I think that you must have had a great experience in this trip!
It is always good to learn something when you are exploring. I think the fabulous sunset was gorgeous, and the trains were so valuable and traditional. I'd be happy if you could take me to those places so I would have the chance to observe this place!

Reply
Ethan Lam 5E (15)
9/25/2017 10:27:17 pm

I think this is a very good trip. This trip can let us explore many things and learn a lot of new knowledge. I hope I can have a chance to go there too.

Reply
Kurtis Chui
9/25/2017 11:40:29 pm

I can know more about Europe, the views are awesome and cool. I want to go there in future.

Reply
Billy Lam 6E (10)
9/26/2017 06:02:04 pm

If I can go there with my family, it will be great .Thank for sharing!

Reply
Jayden Lee
9/29/2017 10:13:16 am

good

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Edmund Li
9/26/2017 06:53:41 pm

Thanks for sharing to us !

Reply
Lam Nok Hei 6A(16)
9/26/2017 09:20:03 pm

It was a wonderful experience going to Gibraltar and Isle Man.I was interested of the tramp that was moving by a horse.The sunset of Isle Man was beautiful!Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Ian Wing
9/27/2017 06:40:20 pm

Thanks for sharing! I will like to go there too!

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alan5e
9/27/2017 07:34:01 pm

I hope I could be there.

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ivan lam6A15
9/28/2017 06:52:20 pm

WOW!It's beautiful I want to go there too!

Reply
Jayden lee
9/29/2017 10:12:09 am

what have you learn so far?What a amazing trip,if i have a
opportunity to go,I would like go onto the train.

Reply
Billy Lam
9/29/2017 03:14:13 pm

same as you

Reply
Billy Lam 6E (10)
9/29/2017 03:20:19 pm

I think you two are really explorers! One day ,when I grow up , I will also be an explorer and explore the entire world .Wait for me!

Reply
justin chan
11/28/2017 10:38:53 pm

Wow, that's amazing! I've never thought that such of these kind of small places have such things to explore. It's really impressive to know about these things in these ways! Hope I can explore more in the future. WAIT FOR ME!

Reply
Ernest Chui
12/1/2017 04:09:43 pm

I want to ask why you two are in the same place always

Reply
Clayton Chu 4D (5)
12/21/2017 06:52:50 pm

Lucas and Jonathan, the monkeys are very cute! Could you two show me more wild monkey photos?

Reply



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