Day 5: May 20Â |Â Â Day 6: May 21Â | Â Day 7: May 22Â | Â Day 8: May 23
Day 9: May 24Â |Â Â Day 10: May 25Â | Â Day 11: May 26
TRIP INFORMATION
May 26, 2018 - One Last Match, Followed by a Busy Day of Tours in Rome - Photos
PLAYER BLOG by Kate Avila and Anna Jensen
Today we woke up in Rome! Bittersweet because it was the most anticipated city, but also our last full day in Europe, crazy.
We filled up on hotel breakfast and headed straight to our match against the same Italian team we played yesterday. One thing we learned quickly here is the road to Rome is full of organized chaos. Drivers have no rules! There were constant sirens throughout the city. So getting places had been an experience to say the least. We played the same team we did yesterday in the same gym, and won a thrilling 5 set match. What a way to end the trip!
After the match, we went straight to the hotel to change and had lunch on our own around Rome's train station. We had to be quick because there was so much left to see in Rome! On today's agenda: Vatican, Spanish steps, TreviFountain, Pantheon and whatever else we could fit in.
We rode the metro again into the city, and almost got pick pocketed! Luckily, Avery was able to stop them and we made it through the whole trip without having anything stolen!Â
We started at the Vatican Museum, made our way through the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica. This was really special to us because both of us are Catholic and have wanted to come to Rome to see the Vatican since before we can remember. Definitely a check off our bucket list, as for the rest of the team.Â
Our next stop was Piazza Navonawhere we split off and ate dinner. We had a pizza/pasta last meal, what could be more fitting? We walked to the Pantheon, TreviFountain, and Spanish Steps. Most of us also had to make a last pit stop for gelato. After all that walking, we metro'dback to the hotel to pack and get some sleep for a crazy day of travel tomorrow.
This experience has been amazing, and we are so thankful to have been able to experience all of these amazing sights and cities. Â
Thanks for keeping up with our blogs.Â
Hope to see you all at a match in the fall!
Kate and Anna
May 25, 2018 - Sightseeing in Rome Followed by Another Night on the Court - Photos
PLAYER BLOG by Avery Devoe and Ellie Dunn
After our last breakfast in Bologna, we weaved our way through the train station to get to platform 19. Sweat dripping from our foreheads with the 80 degree weather and lots of bags to carry.Â
After about a 2 hour train ride we finally arrived in Rome!! We definitely looked like foreigners while wheeling our suitcases a few blocks to our hotel. After dropping our bags in our room we headed to get lunch at the train station, where there were a lot of yummy options.Â
Some of us grabbed a cappuccino for the road as we hopped on the metro to go to the Colosseum!! This was one of the most beautiful and historic locations we have ever seen. It was CRAZY hot out so some of us tried to bargain with vendors to buy water for 50 cents...and a few were successful with this.
We explored the Colosseum for a little while, then headed right across the street to the Forum. The Forum consists of the ruins that used to be the center of Rome. Afterwards, we headed back to the train, grabbed a few snacks and finally headed back to the hotel.Â
After a little rest we headed off to the match to play a local club team in Rome. The gym was a little different than what we are used to because there was no air conditioning and it was in an inflatable venue.Â
After the match we got back on the bus and headed to dinner! A long day in Rome and looking forward to an amazing last full day in Europe tomorrow!!Â
Ciao!
ÂMay 24, 2018 - Sightseeing in Bologna and an Evening on the Court - Photos
PLAYER BLOG by Amber Seaman and Cassady Skipton
Ciao! It's Cass and Amber here. Today was one for the books... or the blog. We had a fast break in the morning, also known as breakfast. This was probably the best breakfast we've had on the trip so far. It was buffet style with a variety of fruit, meats, cheeses, coffee, and our absolute favorite: chocolate croissants. Nobody even almost made us drop our croissants! (Vine reference for those who get it).
After breakfast, we headed to the main square of Bologna as a group. We had thirty minutes to go into the church of the square, the town hall, or the library. A few of us went into the church but we got asked to leave because most of us didn't have our heads, shoulders, knees, and toes covered. The library was pretty cool because it had glass floors so we could see the ancient Roman ruins underneath the floor.Â
After that, we had the rest of the day off until 3 pm. Some of us went to see the two towers in the center of the city. One of the towers is leaning more than the leaning tower of Pisa! Although we couldn't climb that one, we were able to climb the Asinelli tower next to it. It was 498 steps! Kia Holder really enjoyed it, because she said the view was worth the climb (although our bodies are pretty sore from it). After the tower, a couple of us walked around and found the University of Bologna, which is the oldest university in the world.Â
People that didn't climb the tower went shopping at some modern stores which were really cute. Others also went shopping in the open market, which is unique compared to our stores. Some people found an old Italian flea market with antique goods and bought some things for themselves and their family back home.Â
We rested from 3 pm until 4:30 pm, which is when we left for our 6 pm match. We took the city bus to the match, like we did in Prague. After warming up, the mayor of Bologna came and talked to us and our opponents before the match. It was an awesome experience, but she could only speak Italian so our guide had to translate for us every couple of sentences. Basically, she wished all of us good luck and that she understands how special sports can be in people's lives since she grew up playing soccer. She also congratulated our opponents for winning their league. We won the match in 5 sets, and took the city bus back to the hotel so we could shower really quickly before dinner.
We went to this amazing restaurant where they served traditional Italian-style food. Our first dish was pasta, which we all scarfed down because we were so hungry. Our second dish was salad and potato wedges. Our third dish was pork. We also got dessert, which was tiramisu. And some of us even got gelato afterwards, because why not?
We have an early morning tomorrow, as we're catching a train to Rome! Thanks for reading our blog; we can't wait to see some of you when we get back from across the pond!
Arrivederci,
C & A
Â
May 23, 2018 - Traveling to Venice for Sightseeing, then Heading to Bologna by Train-Â Photos
PLAYER BLOGby Lauren Schreiner and Carly Cappello
This morning we left Trento at 8 am for Venice. We took the Trento men's volleyball professional bus, which we all loved because of the ample leg room. The bus ride was scenic as we passed Italian towns on the hillsides. The bus dropped us off at a local train station to catch the 11:20 am train to Venice. One interesting thing about train stations is that it costs 1 Euro to use the public restroom.
Once we arrived in Venice we dispersed to explore. There were a lot of shops with leather bags, Murano glass, masks, and candy. Most of us ate at local pizzerias or pasta places, and of course, gelato for desert. The Italian carbs helped fuel us to walk over 7 miles total around the city. A few of us even got to take an authentic Gondola ride on the water! We were surprised that Gondolalier did not sing. He said that was a "Las Vegas" thing. The famous square, San Marco, was beautiful. It had a large church with detailed old paintings on the inside and outside. There was also a large bell tower that reminded us of our own on Ball State's campus.
We also switched tour guides with Washington State's Volleyball team. Our new tour guide's name is Sarah and she will be leading us on the rest of our journey throughout Bologna and Rome. The train ride from Venice to Bologna was about 2 hours. Most of us took naps because we were so tired. We are excited to tour a new city tomorrow and play another match!
We're GONDOLA miss you Venice!
Lauren & Carly
May 22, 2018 - Touring Trento, Watching the Giro d'Italia and More on the Court Action - Photos
PLAYER BLOGÂ by Sydnee VanBeek and Kia Holder
Today we woke up in Trento, Italy. We got to sleep in because we weren't scheduled to leave the hotel until 10:00 a.m., which gave us an opportunity to catch up on some much-needed rest.
We started our morning off with a great Italian breakfast, then made our way to our bus. Outside there was a bus that said Trentino Volley on it. Turns out this bus belonged to the Trentino Men's National Team, that we were fortunate enough to borrow. Each seat on the bus was a comfy recliner with individual TVs. These recliners gave us plenty of room to lay back and sleep during our short trips from the hotel to the city.
As we bused to the center of Trentino our tour guide explained the scheduled for the next couple of hours. We were allowed 4 hours on our own to walk around and explore the city of Trento. The Giro d'Italia was today which is a very famous bike race. Through out the time we spent in Trento, we were able to watch and be apart of the many festivities the Giro d'Italia had to offer. This race was a great experience for our team and made the over all trip to Trento that much more exciting.
For lunch we had authentic Trento food and gelato for dessert of course. After we watched the race, we headed back to our hotel for some rest before our game.
We departed for our game at 6:45 p.m. and played at 8:00 p.m. The gym we played in was very nice but their volleyballs were quite different compared to what we are used to. It was a great experience to see the different style of play from the Italian team compared the Czech team.
After the game we had pizza for dinner and bused our way back to the hotel. Tomorrow we leave in the morning at 8:00 a.m. to explore Venice spend the night in Bologna. We're excited to see more!
May 21, 2018 - Traveling Through the Alps on the Way to Trento-Â Photos
PLAYER BLOGÂ by Meg Starling and Emily Holland
Today we woke up in Innsbruck, Austria to the view of the beautiful Alps. We took taxis into the main center of the town, then split ways for the morning. Some of us traveled 45 minutes up into the Alps via cable car. We made it all the way up over 7000 feet in the air. The mountain tops were snowy and it was beautiful. We took LOTS of pictures!
Those of us that didn't go up the mountain decided to explore the town of Innsbruck. We walked all over the town and found small intimate parts as well as more popular parts including a food truck festival. We were able to explore food from different European cultures while enjoying the view of perfect turquoise colored water and vibrant colored buildings.
Once we all met up again we loaded the bus and traveled to the town of Bolzano, Italy. We had this time to explore on our own again and each found ourselves in different groups all over the town. The majority of us found ourselves going to different shops and just taking in the true small town culture. We all ended our time in Bolzano with a small gelato treat before we boarded the bus again to head to a smaller town just outside of Trento, Italy.
May 20, 2018 - So long Prague ... Hello Salzburg and Innsbruck, Austria-Â Photos
PLAYER BLOG by Brooklyn Goodsel and Avery Devoe
Today we woke up early to eat breakfast one last time in our hotel in Prague. By 8am everyone was on the bus, bags packed and ready to head to Austria! Some comfortable clothes and a neck pillow are essentials for traveling.
While leaving the city, we were able to see all of the beautiful buildings and grass fields. The drive to Salzburg was about 5 hours long. There was a lot of sleeping, talking, snacking and beautiful views out our bus window. Once we arrived we were given a few hours to go get lunch and explore the city.
During lunch it started to downpour, but it cleared up at the perfect time to start our tour of the city. We were still able to enjoy and take in the beautiful rose garden, bridge full of locks and the mountainous views.
While walking down the narrow stone roads we got postcards from the Sound of Music store, tasted Mozart Balls and saw the house where Mozart was born! After exploring Salzburg we got back on the bus to drive through the Alps to Innsbruck. The Alps were beautiful and slightly covered in snow. For dinner we stopped at a German style buffet and enjoyed some strudel for dessert. Lastly arriving to the hotel with views of the Alps from our window!!
May 19, 2018 - Morning Match and Tour Old Town-Â Photos
PLAYER BLOGÂ by Ellie Dunn and Anna Jensen
After defeating the Prague international team 3 sets to 2, we took a tram back to the hotel to get ready for an afternoon out by ourselves. Then, we went back to the old town square for lunch. After lunch we split up into groups.
While walking around the city, some of us stumbled upon a festival and got to experience a little bit of the Prague food and drink culture. Other went and shopped for some European style outfits.
For dinner we all met back up as a group and went to a local place called U Sedleru. We were served duck and assorted sausages. To finish out the night, we went dancing and met many people from all over the world.
May 18, 2018 - Touring & Match vs. Olymp Praha Club Team -Â Photos
PLAYER BLOGÂ by Kate Avila and Meg Starling:
Can't say many of us made it up past 9 last night so we woke up ready to tackle the day! We had breakfast at the hotel, which was fun to compare to what it would be like in the states. Then we went straight to exploring Prague. First we walked to lovers hill, and climbed to the top. Now this "hill" was more of a mountain and was not an easy climb, especially at 2 am our time. But we all made it to the top where we had the option to do a mirror maze, or climb to the top of a replica of the Eiffel Tower that was about 1/3 the height of the actual tower. There were great views of the city from the top.
We then walked on to the castle of Prague, which was breathtakingly beautiful and had arguably the best picture spot of the trip thus far. After walking around the whole castle, we were able to see the changing of the guard ceremony. We then agreed that we wanted to be brave and try some of the Czech food from the stands that were set up outside of the castle. There were traditional Czech dishes, and specialties like different types of sausages, vegetables, and kebabs. Everyone shared and were able to try lots of different dishes. So yummy!
After a long morning, (yes that was just the morning!!), we were able to use our knowledge from our walking tour yesterday, and walk back to the hotel by ourselves. I think we may have taken the long way, but we were able to walk across the Charles Bridge again and through Old Town, which are two must see's of Prague. After walking about 7 miles in the morning, we rested for a little bit before our first match overseas!
Our first match was against a junior/senior Czech national team. We used public transportation to get to the gym which was a fun experience. We traded jerseys with the other team and received gifts back which are awesome souvenirs to remember them by. We are excited to play the same team again tomorrow morning. The European style/rules of volleyball are a little bit different so the experience of seeing and learning their way in action has been priceless.
After the match we went to dinner for a traditional Czech meal. We were served a coleslaw like salad with sweet pickles, goulash which was like beef stew and for desert what seemed like lemon cheesecake. We all gave the meal 2 thumbs up. Our tour guide taught us how to do a Czech dance and some of us performed it for the restaurant. To say today was fun is an understatement, and I'm sure tomorrow will bring many more new experiences!
May 16-17, 2018 - Let The Fun Begin -Â Photos
The bus to the Indianapolis Airport is schedule to leave at 8:15 a.m. One problem, there is no bus to load. With the team anxiously waiting to depart on its 12-day European adventure, the bus pulls up at 8:08 a.m. Have no fear, the team quickly loads its bags and they are off right on time!!!
Thus, the travel day to Prague begins!!!
PLAYER BLOGÂ by Emily Holland & Ali Finch:
After almost missing all of our flights, the rest of the day went pretty well. First, we headed straight from the airport to practice. The facility was a lot different than other ones we have played in. It was a lot smaller, which we actually preferred because it was way easier and quicker to shag balls. The balls themselves were even different. They took some getting used to, but the fact that we used some men's volleyballs for practice this past week definitely helped out. Despite the jet lag, we ended up having a good, productive practice. We are so ready for our first match tomorrow!
After practice, we headed to our hotel for a quick break, and from there we parted ways for lunch. After lunch was where the fun started!
Our hotel is not too far from Old Town, so we ended up walking there and taking a tour around it. Our guide gave us time to stop and look around every now and then, so we could really appreciate everything. The architecture is beautiful! We got to walk across Charles Bridge which was stunning. It was an old stone bridge with a whole bunch of different religious sculptures on it. As we made our way to dinner, we stopped to get gelato. We (Emily and Ali) chose dark chocolate and mango. There were so many different kinds though! Some people got tiramisu, hazelnut, pistachio, and strawberry. Finally, we got to the restaurant for dinner. We ate lots of pizza and pasta. After being up for over 30 hours of traveling, practicing and walking, everyone was exhausted, so we headed back to the hotel to get some sleep. Overall, it was a good day and we can't wait for tomorrow!
Â